Please consult The Around Alone Report Users Guide for an explanation of this report.
Within 36 hours Class I will be in the steady tradewinds. These steady winds make posting a gain tough. So, if Fila can hang onto her current lead her chances improve.
Fleet Round Up:
Fila has increased her lead to 96 miles. Fila is sailing at 10.8 knots 3 faster than Somewhere. This should help maintain the lead.
Somewhere still trails. Marc Thiercelin is sailing a course of 356 degrees. Reported winds are east by north force 4.
Magellan Alpha leads Class II by 74 miles. It has not been easy for Mike Garside to maintain his lead: "No sleep, no food for 24 hours just trying to keep this thing racing"
Cray Valley is 2nd. Currently J.P. has a speed advantage which should enable him to stay in touch with Magellan.
Next is the first of the 40 foot Class II entries, Wind of Change. Wind of Change is 106 miles back. Viktor Yazykov has suffered an autopilot failure so, "HAND STEERING FOR THE LAST 20 HOURS. NOW UPWIND, THE BOAT STEERS HERSELF."
www.no-barriers.com has passed Shuten Dojhi II and is 390 miles out of 1st. From close to the Brazilian coast Neal Petersen reports: "It has been 36 hours now drifting. Did 68 miles in 24 hours." Neal's last reported speed was 3.9 knots so light air still prevails.
Next is Shuten Dojhi II. Shuten lies 396 miles from 1st place. With a fleet low speed of 1.9 knots Shuten is not in a position to move up the standings.
Paladin 2 is 495 miles back. Neil Hunter reports: "Spent 9 hours stitching up the main yesterday so it is now back up and flying."
Balance Bar is back to full on racing sailing at 10.1 knots. With a little luck Brad Van Liew can expect to gain 180 miles a day on the fleet as they creep through the Doldrums. In Van Liew's words: "If I can keep my boat moving and get weather windows of opportunity that they don't have, and then the Doldrums narrow for my arrival, then maybe."
What does it all mean ?
Fila steers 009 degrees, Magellan 006. Their respective 2nd place rivals steer 356 and 358. Looks like north by east is the preferred option as compared to north by west.