Log day 17 - Windyyyyyy.....
Global Yacht Racing's EH01
Global Yacht Racing - sponsors: Caspian Services
Tue 7 Dec 2010 14:38
Ater a fast nights sail in OK conditions dawn brought the area of line squalls we are in now. We dropped the kite at 0530 ships time (GMT-3) for a squall then stuck it back up.
Will Robinson Racing on the helm and hanging on! I thought I would try for some sleep as I was pretty knackered however the noise and vibration plus the 'calls' from on deck soon put paid to that.
Imagine the scene; 25+ knots of wind, big breaking and fairly confused seas and the yacht just a bit overpowered. The back of the yacht lifts high and the bow burrows into the wave in front and sends little tell - tales of spray over the bow. Here we go you think and the she's off! as the speed builds past 9 knots the rudders starts to hum and the faster we go the more high pitched the noise gets. As we reach double figures the stern sinks into to saddle of the wave and the rooster tails spin off the stern; thats the sweet spot.
However.....as we accelerate the stern gets a knock form the sea, the helmsmans making small fast movements of the rudder to keep the boat going down the wave with the least amount of rudder movement. the bow bites and the yacht starts a slew to windward - watch out! ease...ease...EAse...EASE EASE EEEEEEASE.....comes the cry from the helm as he struggles for control, VANGVANGVANG! as we start to loose it then GRIIIIIIINDDDDDDDD as the bow dips back and the eased sheet and eased vang start to slew us the other way.
Stressfull to say the least! anyway after Will managed a cool 15.5 knots on a surf I called for the drop. Yeah I know, its gonna have to go back up so I can beat him but we do need a rig for that to happen.
Currently doing 9s and 10s with double figure surfs with 1 reef and poled out 2 - YEEEHAAAHHH!
Below is a word from the Torbenator, no idea whats he's saying but I think he's complimenting my hair style. And cheers for the email Dogwatch Dave, nice one!
Andy.
06-12-2010 1330 local+GMT-3 hours
Kaere Elin eller Per,
Venligst hjaelp med at flg. budskab kommer videre til boernene paa Marjatta:
Kaere Boernis, Jakob og jeg har nu vaeret paa Atlanterhavet i 16 dage, og forventer at komme til "America" om 4 dage paa fredag. Det er
lang tid at vaere vaek fra Jer, og jeg glaeder mig til at min telefon virker igen, saa jeg kan ringe til Jer. Baade Jakob og jeg savner Jer, samtidig med at vi er paa eventyr.
Jakob og jeg sejler om kap i hver sin baad, og slaas om hvem der kommer frem foerst. Lige nu ligger Far langt foran Jakob.
Saa kan han laere det. Den der kommer foerst har ret til at drille den anden i 10 aar.
Vi har mere end 1000 km tilbage, og det har vaeret en baade fantastisk og forfaerdelig tur.
Det gode er at vaere rigtig soemand paa det rigtig store hav med store boelger, at moede delfiner som kommer og siger
goddag og leger med os ved at svoemme helt taet paa, at moede hvaler, at se flyvende fisk hele tiden, ja een floej op i
cockpittet, og doede, at se den fantastiske nattehimmel med mange flere stjerner end hjemme. Der er god stemning ombord, og vi ligger helt i top sammenlignet med andre baade. Og saa er det rigtig varmt hele doegnet.
Det svaere er at vejret har vaeret daarligt indtil i fredags. Haard vind, hvor baaden gynger som en sindssyg, hvilket gav
mig soesyge. Det har ogsaa regnet flere naetter, saa alt og alle var helt gennembloedt. Vi faar kun sovet 3-4 timer ad
gangen, saa vi er traette engang imellem.
I kan faa de voksne til at vise vores position paa et kort paa en website: ARC.com, Min baad hedder EH01, og Jakob's hedder Big Spirit.
Husk at Jakob og Far sender Jer kaerlige tanker, saa i er dejlig varme om morgenen.
Kaerlig hilsen
Far.
Torben