Table of
Contents
Main Stories
Short Tacks
Rowing Reporter
Watery World News
Finish Line
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Around the World of Sailing
21 February 2001
This Weeks Main Stories:
As the lead boats have exited the southern ocean and begun to ascend
the North Atlantic the rhythm of The Race has changed. While in the
Southern Ocean it was full on speed burns for days. Ultimately Club Med set
an all time 24 hour sailing record.
Despite this impressive record, second place Innovation Explorer was
a bit faster through the southern ocean from Cape of Good Hope to Cape Horn
via the Cook Straits. Innovation Explorers time was 21 days, 7 hours.
However, once the South Atlantic ocean became the race track the
rhythm of the race has been different. Last Thursday was a day for light air
sailing. The three Ollier sister ship Race Class catamarans, all of which
have sailed over 600 miles in 24 hours, did not approach this standard. This
day their 24 hour runs ranged from 189 for Team Adventure, which was
approaching New Zealand, to 277 for Club Med, leading in the South Atlantic.
For Club Med the slow sailing was partly due to light air. Grant
Dalton explains the other reason: "We are now in the classic upwind
scenario for this part of the world."
The next day was another slow one for Club Med. Grant Dalton said
this: "40 knot head winds on top of this ridiculous sea." In this case too
much wind and too much sea equals little speed.
While the front pair sailed deliberately up the Atlantic Ocean,
Wellington, New Zealand was the central area for the back 3 boats in the
fleet. Here, Team Adventure made a stop to have more repairs done to her
front beam.
Warta-Polpharma made a brief stop. For the second time the Polish
cat stopped to have satellite communications gear fixed.
Eventually it became known that back marker Team Legato would also
stop in Wellington. Here, three crew would leave due to medical problems.
After leaving, Warta-Polpharma was in 3rd place. However, Team Adventure got
wound up straight away doing 511 miles, putting Wellington behind and
sighting in on the Polish boat.
Meanwhile the lead maxi cats continued to struggle in the variable
Atlantic. Club Med stayed to the west and headed up the South American
shore. By Tuesday, they reported: "The Trades behave diurnally. That is to
say at night they blow at around 20 knots and we are able to sail fast, but
in the day the heat build-up causes big black clouds to create and slow us
down." Club Med could stay conventional as they were in the lead.
This was not the case for Innovation Explorer, over 1000 miles
behind. They sailed farther east, and put further easting in via a NE course.
By taking this circuitous route, Innovation Explorer hopes to gain an
easterly breeze that will be on their beam. Also, they expect to have easier
sea conditions than the treacherous ones Club Med sailed in. Finally, as
they approach the Doldrums later in the week, they hope this course will give
them a smoother and faster passage.
Today both Club Med and Innovation Explorer are in the trade winds.
Club Med now leads by over 1200 miles. Innovation Explorer's easterly route
has so far paid little.
Club Med has moved to the east for their equator crossing which will
come today. They are in the Doldrums, the zone of unpredictable winds that
typically surround the equator. They have much more information and tech-
nology than previous sailors. It is well applied according to Grant Dalton.
One particularly effective method of deciphering a productive Doldrums course
is satellite photos. Grant Dalton talks about this. "Right now I am looking
at photographs here taken by satellite of the clouds over the Doldrums.
Watching cumulonimbus clouds forming in real time from on top when you are
at sea level is pretty cool. The ability to do this allows us to watch things
like tropical waves and other meteorological phenomena that help us choose
our path through the Doldrums."
While 1st and 2nd place sail away from each other, Team Adventure
closes on 3rd place Warta-Polpharma with a 530 mile day. A gain of 105 miles
in 24 hours, an overall gap of 250 miles.
After a week in the variable conditions of the South Atlantic both
lead boats have survived. Their speeds have been up and down, but in the
end Club Med's lead is still up. A little over a week and Club Med could be
finishing in Marseilles, France.
Vendee Globe : 4th
Finisher
The past week has seen only one more boat finish the non-stop solo
around-the-world Vendee Globe Race. Marc Thiercelin sailed "Active Wear"
across the line on Tuesday to finish 4th and complete his 3rd solo circum-
navigation.
Unlike Roland Jourdain, who set a new 24 hour solo sailing record
near the finish, Thiercelin's end game was slow and frustrating. Here is
what Thiercelin had to say as he sailed to the finish. On Thursday:"Going
upwind in these machines is not what they’re made for." Friday: "I worked
out that I have only had 3 - 4 days of downwind sailing since Cape Horn, not
very much at all." Saturday: "Upwind I can’t push this boat above 10 knots
on average." Sunday: "Sunday would have been nice, but I’ll make it in to-
morrow." Monday: "I’m sailing upwind, in a breeze which shifts 30 degrees
each time in direction. I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night, the sea was
just grey and empty, and the air cold."
Finally Tuesday Thiercelin completed the race. Despite his difficult
last week, he made even-handed comments on shore. Here are his thoughts on
a career that has seen him sail solo around the world 3 times.
"The last stage was interminable. Whatever direction I headed in, the
wind was always on the nose. My first circumnavigation was idyllic, just pure
fun. I have lasting impressions from it still. The second was very tough. The
third testing, tactical. The guys ahead got all the breaks, but not those
behind."
The same day that "Active Wear"'s race was ending, "Whirlpool"'s race
ended, but not as a finisher. Catherine Chabaud was dismasted as she entered
the Bay of Biscay. Here is how it happened: "It was 0130 UT, I was asleep by
the chart table. The boat had been sailing upwind for 24 hours in a fairly
chaotic sea, under 2 reefs and staysail. I awoke because I’d fallen on the
bulkhead. There was a great ‘crack’ and I leaped out of the cabin to see that
there was nothing of the rig left on the deck, just a stub of mast."
Since there was no possibility of jury rigging, Chabaud switched on
her engine and began motoring for Spain.
Barring an unforeseen random raise of the hand of fate, the next
two finishers should arrive close together. Dominique Wavre sailing "UBP"
currently leads Thomas Coville and "Sobedo" by 52 miles. Both are struggling
in light air, but should finish by the week's end.
Theme Article: Rules Test
Beginning with February, each month ATWOS will have a monthly
theme. This month's theme is 'Boating Rules', with an emphasis on Rules
of the Road.
The past articles in this series have discussed which regulations are
applicable and some common rules of the road situations. Most boaters are
not really required to know much of this information. However, if you wish
to learn about rules of the road and safety, resources do exist.
One of the best resources is on the Internet, and it is also free.
This is the 'Boat US Online Safety Course'. This course is approved by the
National Association of Boating Law Administrators and recognized by the US
Coast Guard. The course meets and exceeds their defined minimum education
standards. Most insurance companies offer education discounts for courses
that are NASBLA approved and USCG recognized.
The test is 50 questions in length. A passing score is 80%. Areas
covered include: Communication Distress Signals, Wind and Current, Safety
Equipment, Navigation Aids, Rules of the Road, Trailering, Charting,
Anchoring, and Special Issues. Also, the test includes questions on rules
and regulations specific to your state.
This test is a great way for the hyperborean boater to increase their
boating knowledge in the off season. Other than spending time on the water,
this test is the best way to increase your overall boating knowledge.
Several other free resources are available in booklet form. The
US Coast Guard publishes 'Federal Requirements and Safety Tips for
Recreational Boaters'. This 50 page booklet covers equipment requirements
such as PFD's, fire extinguishers, pollution regulation, EPIRB's, navigation
rules and more.
The Michigan DNR publishes the 'Michigan Boating Guide'. This
publication has information on Michigan-specific regulations. These include:
registration, boating safety certificates, alcohol and boating, water skiing,
PWC rules, and zebra mussels.
These guides can be used to conduct a review your boat and it's
safety equipment. You can also quiz yourself on the rules and required
equipment.
This series will conclude next week with a look at online resources
pertaining to safety and rules of the road.
The Open 60's that sail races such as the Vendee Globe and Around
Alone are typically sailed solo, though occasionally double handed. Rarely
do they sail with full crew.
This will change this summer as the EDS Atlantic Challenge is sailed
on the Atlantic Ocean. Crewed Open 60's will race for several months.
The race will begin July 7th in France. The first atlantic crossing
will start 22 July from Portsmouth, England and end in Baltimore. A month
later the boats will race back across the Atlantic from Boston to France.
Among those expected to compete are a pair of British Open 60's.
Ellen Macarthur will sail "Kingfisher" along with "Group 4", headed by Mike
Golding.
In addition the crews will race for cash prizes. The overall winner
will receive a prize of approximately $45,000. (USD) Leg winners will
receive as much as $29,000.
It should be interesting to see the performance gain for the Open
60's with crew onboard. It should also be interesting to see a sailing crew
hitting the dock after an ocean passage to claim a cash prize!
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