Around Alone Report for November 17

Neal Petersen returns to his country of birth, Wind of Change is fastest 40 footer

At 1328 GMT Neal Petersen sailed www.no-barriers.com across the finish line.   The Cape Town South Africa finish brings Neal to his coutnry of birth for the first time in 4 years.  www.no-barriers.com leg time is 51 days 21 hours 13 minutes and 40 seconds, an average of 5.46 knots.  This compares to a time of 67 days 16 hours 59 minutes and 47 seconds, an average of 4.18 knots.

Neal attributes much of the difference to new sails, ""We invested some good dollars getting some spectra sails," and figures they helped make the boat 20 to 30 % quicker.  The most important part of his improvement is preperation.  Neal says: "Four years ago I made the commitment to do the 1998-99 Around Alone. I started preparing as soon as I got back to Charleston, fundraising and putting all these things in place."

In his last e-mail from onboard www.no-barriers.com, Neal Petersen began by saying: "I can taste the ice cream. In about 18 hours time I will be ashore. It has been a great race."  He will be the next yacht to reach Cape Town, a place of special significance for Neal as he is a South African by birth.   About his return to home Neal says: "Now I am back, a grown man who has lived his childhood dreams."

Neal reflects that, "Something in me changed during this leg, and I don't know what that change is."  Now Neal heads ashore for the other part of his sailors life where, "I have duties to perform, exceptions to live up to."   Seems like he already misses being at sea where: "I am at home at sea.....Out here, nothing but survival matters. There is such basics out here, basics that we have forgotten."

The prior yacht to finish in Cape Town was Viktor Yazykov's Baker designed Open 40 Wind of Change.  In the fastest ever time for a 40 footer Yazykov sailed the leg in 50 days 20 hours 37 minutes and 25 seconds.   However, due to his late arrival at the start in Charleston he carried a 11 day 7 hour 30 minute, and in addition Yazkov started 5 days late(officially at 1700 2 October) while all the time the race clock was running.  With all  penalties included his   official leg time is 62 days 4 hours 7 minutes and 25 seconds.  To see how Yazykov scores on this leg see our Leg 1 detailed results.    

Upon reaching Cape Town, Yazykov went off to see a doctor about his medical problems.  His right arm, which he performed surgery on during Leg 1, is better.  Still, Viktor says that the lower part of the arm has no feeling.   Obviously he will do everything he can to make himself ready for Leg 2 which starts 5 December.

As for Wind of Change the yacht, Yazykov is very pleased.  In fact Viktor is: "More than pleased. She's doing everything I want."  Leg 1 could've been faster, but Wind of Change had autopilots only 15% of the time and Yazykov says: "I only used two sails, the main and a small inner jib with full battens, most of the trip."

Leg 1 proves that per foot Wind of Change is the fleet's fastest.  If both Viktor and Wind of Change can manage to start Leg 2 in good working order, he could sneak past a 50 footer.

As expected 2 time completeer of the Around Alone Minoura Saito on Shuten Dojhi II has passed fellow 2 time Around Aloner Robin Davie on South Carolina.  Shuten't lead is 52 miles, both yachts are expected to finish Saturday. 

Robin Davie thinks he pushed his small MRUD too hard and, "After several hours, one of the guying  ropes that support the MRUD blade
thwartships/sideways movement  chafed through and the blades shaft  buckled at the  join with the hinge pin."  However, he fixed it again and: "So here's to hoping for a good fix this time, - only 600 miles to go this evening."

Next is Paladin 2.  With her ETA of 30 November, Paladin 2 can't yet count on Leg 2.  Yachts must reach Cape Town by 28 November to be eligible.

Finally, there is Modern University for the Humanities.   Her ETA is 1 December, also too late for Leg 2.  Skipper Fedor Konioukhov is sailing MUH by this method: "By putting full foresails and reducing the main, I am pulling my boat."