Around Alone Report for October 23

Fila's Flyer not a winner- Van Liew's diesel tank needs pickup modification

One of the features of the Around Alone fleet position reports is the compass course steered by the yachts.  Via satellite tracking equipment, race sponsor COMSAT computes the yacht's course.  The figure produced is an average of the last two reports from the yacht.

Today, these courses tell a great deal about what is happening in the race. The top 5 boats in Class I are running courses ranging from 170 degrees (Group 4) to 184 degrees (Somewhere).  These leading yachts are all trying to run to the south to avoid low wind/high pressure which is at 33 degrees south, 18-22 degrees west.  According to PRB's Isabelle Autissier the solution to this high pressure is: "The only solution: go around it, by heading west and south."   '

The 4 lead boats are still north and west  of the high pressure.  Still farther to the right of the lead 4 is Giovanni Soldini and Fila.  This is the solution that Soldini has presented to the dilemma that Autissier presents: "too far east, and you get becalmed, too far west, and you go a longer distance for nothing."  Soldini is the leading proponent of the western side of the course.  He is adding the extra miles and hoping that the leaders will be engulfed by the high pressure, and that he will be positioned to sail around it.  So far this is not happening, as Somewhere still leads the class by 21 miles over PRB.  Group 4 is next 98 miles back, then Gartmore 98 miles back and Fila 364 miles out of 1st.

Class II's 1st through 5th place boats are steering course from 168 degrees (Magellan Alpha) to 183 degrees (Cray Valley).  They are also trying to get south to avoid the windless high pressure.  In 6th place is www.no-barriers.com.   Her course is 091 degrees.  Why is this so different from the rest of the fleet ? Neal describes his strategy this way: "I am 129 miles north of the equator, still going east, or rather 10 degrees south of East. If I tack, I will be going SSW and to Brazil, so I will keep going this way till Neptune beckons me. In three days time, if he has not called, I will tack."  His concern is to clear Brazil and then make it to the south.

At the front of the Class II Balance Bar leads Cray Valley by 13 miles.  Balance Bar has developed a potential problem.  According to Brad Van Liew: "The pick up is on the port side of the tank and we are healed to starboard and it doesn't want to grab the last ten gallons of fuel out of the tank."  Brad was able to put some of his spare diesel in the tank, to get the engine to run.   Obviously this is not the long term solution as the fuel will one again reach a level where it will not get to the engine.  Van Liew plans to consult his shore side diesel mechanic for solutions. 

Cray Valley's J.P. Mouligne also had a bit of an upsetting problem.  As he was sailing he suddenly lost all of his instruments and his autopilot.  He called his shoreside electronics guy and found via this sat phone consultation that the masthead wind instruments were causing a system wide outage.  He disconnected this segment and now all is well electronically on Cray Valley.

3rd place Magellan Alpha has gained 43 miles on South Carolina and now leads her by 240 miles.  This despite the pleasant condition South Carolina sails in: "Just a good regular days tradewind sailing, nice miles for windward sailing, clear skies, 11 to 15 knots of east to ese breeze, and only the rare little cloud bank with a little extra wind and a rain shower." 

Wind of Change has maintained her lead over Paladin II.   It now stands at: 53 miles, a gain of 30 miles for Wind of Change.  Still, Paladin's Neil Hunter is maintaining a catalog of the positive aspects of Around Alone life: "But then again when you are on your own you can do whatever you like when you like."