Around Alone Report for October 13

How much will Somehwere's Clearing tack cost ?

The leaders of the fleet continue to sail in moderate tradewinds.  Mike Golding on Group 4 has this to say about current sailing conditions: "This is trade wind sailing. I've probably slept for twelve of the last twenty-four hours, conditions are so steady."  For the boats a bit farther back the sailing gets better as they sail south.  Neal Petersen on www.no-barriers.com sums up how good it is to be getting south: "It was not miles less to Cape Town, but miles sailed south into better wind speed." 

Mike Golding enjoys tradwinds sailing on Group 4
Photo courtesy of the Team Group 4 website

Class I is still led by Somewhere who has increased her lead over Group 4 to 53 miles.  A scant 6 miles farther back is Gartmore.  Currently, Somewhere has made a significant alteration in course.  The leader has made an almost due east left hand turn, currently steering a course of 75 degrees, while other Class I leaders hold courses ranging from 162 degrees (PRB) to 175 degrees (Group 4).   Perhaps Mike Goldings prognostication that "I am still sure that SOMEWHERE will come into the SE trades too soon and end up battling to round Recife." has come true.   Further commentary on this course change comes from Isabelle Autissier: "Marc is betting that he will be able to round the point of Brazil without being forced to beat to the east."  At this point it looks like Thiercelin's bet is lost.

Also still lurking is Giovanni Soldini and Fila.   Of the Class I boats he is farthest west.  He explains his reasoning this way: ""We're well positioned because once past the Equator the winds blow from the SE or S-EE, the opposite to the route we want to take. If you're not far enough east you risk not rounding the point of Brazil where Recife is situated and tacking means yet more lost ground. That's what I'm hoping will happen to my rivals who are going to cross the Equator much further west than me." Soldini has been posting moderate gains.  He is not out of it yet.

Cray Valley continues to lead Class II.  Currently her margin over Magellan Alpha is 37 miles and 48 over Balance Bar.  It seems as though whenever Magellan closes J.P. Mouligne finds a way to take Cray Valley back to the front of the bus.  Currently Cray Valley is making 9.2 knots and J.P. says: "I am running with main and genoa and full water ballast heading for the entrance to the Doldrums, some 400 miles away."  Mike Gardside reports: "I have been having a real problem trying to point up into wind without stopping."  This would seem to be the cause of his loss to Cray Valley. Also, at this point Magellan Alpha is on the fleet's west side.  In fact she is west of Somewhere.  If Magellan does not find better pointing ability she too will have to make a clearing tack like Somewhere.     Brad Van Liew on Balance Bar seems to have hit a personal sweet spot as: "all on board is just peachy."

All in all it looks like to get around Brazil west is best.  It would seem that Somewhere will take a loss with this clearing tack.   Perhaps this will open up the Class I lead to Group 4 or Gartmore.  For the majority of the rest of the fleet, winds should be good and so should be speed.  For the two 40 footers at the fleet's end, the wind will be spottier as Neal Hunter on Paladin II confirms :"All's well but still little wind." 

Note:  There are 2 new Around Alone related websites.  These are: www.paladin2.com and www.projectamazon.com