The solo around the world yacht race and other sailing related items.
Mino in sight
Skippers log #45
40 00s 163 06e at 10:15z
In less than a mile distance, for now I will be out of the Roaring Forties. This is a relief, but of course, that means less wind. Right now I am struggling for wind. I am leading Minoru by 10 miles, and just bearly hanging on to it. I am less than 850 miles from the finish line, and it is going to be a race to the end. Shuten Dohji 2 is 10 foot longer than I am. Twice today I had a visual on him on the horizon. He is going to be hard work staying ahead of when the winds pick up. I am trying to rest now, so that I can push when we get wind. In the winds under 10 knots from ahead, I can hold him off. Like wise with winds up to 12 knots from astern when I can carry a spinnaker. Right now I have him to windward and astern slightly. We are both sailing higher than the direct line to the north tip of New Zealand, as the high pressure is ahead and to our right. Neither of us can afford to go much more to the east. As I am lighter, I can risk a little. My hope is that the SW will pick up and be light at first. That way I can bear away and sail less distance at a faster speed. This is all tacktics. I need to maintain superior boat speed and sail the shortest distance without getting becalmed. I need to put Minoru astern and keep in good wind. All I need is one day of better wind than he gets. From his position in relation to me, he could get the wind first, but then 2 hours later, so should I. Because I feel I sail harder, this is worth the risk. Today I took down my southern ocean sail configuration. I now have just my spectra genoa set on the Profurl roller furler. The old genny is in the saloon, taking up lots of room. I am in good shape after the collision and can afford to push hard. I had some breeze this morning, and my water intake was marginal. I have only one autopilot ram working and it better last to Auckland or else I have to steer in the light stuff. I had a canned curry for dinner. Nowhere close to Gwen's curry. I had to doctor it with chutney, raisins and herbs.
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Skippers log #46
39 31s 164 11e at 10:00 GMT
I have no more hair left on my head. I have pulled it all out in immense frustration. During the last 12 hours I have drifted 14 miles. I had a faster crossing though the doldrums than I have had in this sea or rather parking lot. I still had Minoru in sight at sunset, but he was ahead of me. I have tried to tack north, only to get pushed NW. I am back on a tack to the south east. I want to go north east, and I can't get there. I have tacked back into the N-NW. There is no point in following Minoru. Nor is there any point following the high east. I am going to sail away from this high if I can and hope that I find wind before Minoru does. I have had enough of being parked and going nowhere. Okay fans, you better start blowing. It is either too much wind, or not enough. There does not seem to be a happy medium. To aggravate things, we also have Cyclone Dani 600 nm north west of us, tracking this way. Its not a problem yet.
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Skippers log #47
38 52s 165 10e at 09:00 GMT
We are still drifting and dreaming. Yes, dreaming of wind that will carry me across the finish line, into Gwen's arms, who will be holding ice cream. I expect New Zealand will have good ice cream. I judge a country by the quality of its ice cream. I had the worst 24 hour run of this race. I made a whopping, hold onto your seats, 56 miles. I can walk faster than that in 24 hours. I have the Netcare spinnaker up. Now I wish that we had a second mainsail that was lighter. I guess the Phillips Industrial Services logo on the mainsail is slowing me down!! I can do with the Phillips Team in Auckland to help get some of the jobs knocked out. They did such a great job in Charleston. Les, its time to expand the company to all my stop-overs!! Nothing has changed out here. Minoru is now 8 miles ahead of me, but he better watch out when I get wind. I have moved out of my Southern Ocean Cabin into the saloon again. The canned food is getting boring. Miss Gwen's cooking. I opened a can of curry. It was dreadful after Gwen's curries. I am out of books, books on tape, and would love to watch a video, have a hot shower and sleep a full night. The phone is really temperamental. I was able to phone Gwen after a few tries and got to talk with her for 10 minutes, then I got to phone race control and have a quick chat before it died. I hope that I will have some time in Auckland to see a bit of the area. It would be a shame to sail half way around the world and not see the country side and meet a few students. I can really do with a few days away from the boat, but that will not be possible with the job list.