Around Alone Report for October 4

Soldini Vs. the World

In Class I Fila continues to lead.   Her lead at last report was 30 miles over Gartmore.  In Class II Cray Valley has retaken a lead, which stands at 5 miles.

The real interesting development is that the fleet has developed big differences in the courses steered.  All of the leaders with the exception of Fila are now steering courses numbering the 130 to 140 degrees range.   Soldini on Fila continues to hold more of an easterly course steering, 117 degrees.   He is also farthest north of the leaders.  His position is beginning to deteriorate.   Positions 2 through 5 have posted gains of 15 to 19 miles on Fila.  It looks like the gains will continue as Fila's speed is 5.5 knots, while speeds increase until you reach PRB the most southern boat in the Class I sailing along at 8.8 knots.

The reason for most of the fleet heading south is to be first around the high pressure system and to the steadier breezes of the tradewinds.   Furhter, the fleet weather forecast states: "Tradewinds from 26N and southward."  26 N happens to be the location of PRB and Somewhere.     Mike Golding on Group 4 feels good about going south : "I'm in good company pushing south of the high Isabelle (PRB) and Mark (Somewhere) have chosen the same route and seem to suffering a similar lack of forecasted weather."  Stay tuned for the results of Soldini vs. the World !

Meanwhile the 3 Class II leaders are close together on the south side of the fleet.  Cray Valley and Magellan are virtually match racing.  3rd place Balance Bar is very slightly to the south.  Magellan had been showing a speed advantage over Cray Valley. This allowed Magellan to get within VHF radio range.   On board Cray Valley J.P. Mouligne has this to say about the closeness of the racing: "you always monitor Channel 16 on the VHF (radio), but the range is only a few miles so the caller had to be very close. Sure enough, it was Magellan Alpha, and I could see his red light only a mile behind me!" As Mike Garside report, it looks like J.P. Mouligne has got a handle on this problem: "Before I had made my decision I realized Cray Valley was sailing away from me and, despite feverishly going through my wardrobe of sail combinations, I was losing ground steadily."  This likely explains, why the Class II leader board has not changed.

Farther back in Class II the boats have maintained a more northerly location than the leaders.  Neal Petersen on www.no-barriers.com has come upon equipment troubles.  He reports:  "the eye bolt that holds the down haul for the bowsprit has pulled out. This has alowed the modified spinaker pole to rise & be ineffective as the bowsprit."  He plans to solve this problem today.

So, the first major success in the race was Fila's northern strategy.  It looks as though the next success may be had by the boats to the south.  It will be interesting to see if Fila suffers big losses in the next hours.