KEY DATA DAY 15 0710 GMT: 9 hours 56 minutes ahead of Joyon (data communicated by Thrane MiniC via BT Business Broadband)
Lat/Long: 32 30 S / 017 56 W (1735 E Uruguay / 1825 W Cape of Good Hope)
Average Boat speed: 9.55 knots (heading S)
True Wind speed: 10.8 knots (direction ESE)
Distance sailed so far: 5822 miles

Update based on data recorded 0710 GMT…check http://www.teamellen.com for the latest data updated hourly

WORDS SAY IT ALL: “Feel pretty trashed, and unsettled by all this. Its going to take a while for this pain to go away. I screamed out loud when I started the generator and it [the new ventilation system] worked… I have a load of diy to finish it properly, but the principle works…”

IN BRIEF:

* DIY SUPREMO FIXES WATER-MAKERS…Ellen reported this morning, after another sleepless night, that she has fixed both water-makers after discovering a problem with the water intake system: “I’ve fixed the second watermaker, so we have one running again. Took me hours to work it out, the problem was with the water intake system, but I couldn’t see why. Eventually I got it working and I at least now have a few litres of fresh water. I’m exhausted, but I’m going to try and fix the other one now before I sleep…” And that’s exactly what she did, calling back to her shore team within an hour.

* OVERNIGHT INSTALLS A DUCTING SYSTEM TO HELP COOL ‘HOT-RUNNING’ GENERATOR… Ellen has also managed to install a ducting system to help cool the back-up ‘air-cooled’ generator: “I’ve managed to improve the situation with the generator, and have set up a ducting system that means I’ve got cooler air coming in to it now, and the temperature is not rising so fast in there - this has enabled me, I think, to block off the air flows within the living area, and so reduced the fumes. We have to see how this holds up on the next full charge this morning, but it’s a step forward…” So instead of the generator drawing air from its own space, she ducted the intake to the sail locker which has cold air coming in to it and this has kept it much cooler than before. Temperatures in the ‘engine room’ still reached 35 degrees C, but cool enough that Ellen didn’t need to have the hatchway between engine and cabin open. Then with a fan that she took apart yesterday from the heater, she has set up a system that dissipates the fumes as well…

* ELLEN DESPERATELY NEEDS TO CHARGE HER OWN BATTERIES AND SLEEP! “I tried to sleep for an hour or two in my bag, but its was fitful, too hot, too cold with too many worries going around in my head. But I know I need to sleep more… Its been a mission - this has taken me to my complete end, but we appear to be ok. Let’s just hope the hard part is now over and its going to get a little bit easier, I need some time to recover…”

* CRUCIAL 48HRS FOR ELLEN TO BUILD CONFIDENCE IN REPAIRED SYSTEMS… The elation of solving the major issues on board are tempered with the reality that Ellen will need to have 100% confidence in these repaired systems to consider heading deep into the freezing and remote Southern Ocean region. After some much-needed sleep, Ellen and her shore team will continue to asses the viability of her continuing with the solo round the world record attempt.

* DECREASING WINDS AND FLATTER SEAS TODAY WILL HELP RECOVERY…the position of the high pressure system that produced the strong easterlies of 24 hours ago will pass east of Ellen this morning, and B&Q will be able to maintain a course SSE in a NNE wind: “I’ve been sailing all night with 2 reefs and the staysail, very slow at 10 knots in 12 knots of wind, but I know I’ve just got to look after myself right now. Fortunately, pushing hard now is tactically not very helpful anyway, as we had just sail into the centre of the high. Tactically, it’s the best time it could have been to be throttled back…” By Wednesday a low pressure system forming off the coast of Brazil will merge with a cold front to deliver strong to gale force westerly winds - right direction but lots of it!

* ELLEN’S OC SAILING TEAM MATE UPDATE: gains overnight for Nick Moloney on Skandia, 8th place in the Vendee Globe, now 215 miles behind Virbac. Passed Kerguelen Islands next Australia - his home country! http://www.nickmoloney.com

http://www.teamellen.com

WEATHER ANALYSIS FROM COMMANDERS’ WEATHER 0600 GMT:

From: Commanders’ Weather Corp 0600UTC Monday, December 13, 2004

The daylight hours of Monday will see much lighter winds and soft seas which will allow Ellen to finish any repairs and prepare for her entry into the southern ocean westerlies on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The big strong high pressure area that caused the strong easterlies 24 hours ago is moving ENE and will pass east of Ellen during Monday afternoon. This will allow Ellen to sail SSE tonight, into increasing NNE winds.

Low pressure off the southern Brazilian coast this morning will merge with a cold front later Tuesday. This combination will bring increasing N and NW winds to Ellen, which will reach gale force Tuesday night and Wednesday. This should provide some very fast boat speeds to the E and ESE.

http://www.commandersweather.com

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