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Notes From The Skipper

[ 09 / 08 / 2005 ]

Rounded Fastnet rock at 3.33 am in the morning after a very slow and frustrating last 24 miles sailing down the Irish coast in virtually drifting conditions. What wind there was had gone into the south and varied between zero and 4 knots. We decided to work the shore and made the most of a tidal eddy until the tide changed to assist us for the last 7 miles into the old rock.

I caused a little consternation with the crew at one stage around 2am insisting we tack the shortest course to the mark and Mike Quilter worried somewhat that we had tacked too soon and would drift past it and not be able to get back! Anyway I was convinced to play it safe and we tacked in again to avoid that situation. Drifted past the rock and greeted by a lonely official in a tender who no doubt was there to ensure we rounded the correct way and that all crew on deck were wearing their lifejackets.

A 7 mile run out to the offset mark then a turn to port bound for those Scilly Isles! Light reaching in 3 to 8 knots; many changes between the code zero and code 2. Good to keep the boys busy wooling up the Gennakers!

Every vessel that was in sight was scanned to see if the opposition had sneaked up on us. Finally news came thru that Scandia Wild Thing had rounded about 6 hours behind us! That put us about 10 hours ahead of them on corrected.

Then the inevitable happened... of course the wind disappeared completely and even those elusive cats paws were gone! Slowly slowly, though the wind finally began to fill as we worked our way south of that stationary high and at last we were back to 10 to 12 knots in 6 to 8 knots true. We seem at last to be learning the boat as now we are not happy if we are not 4 knots faster than true wind speed in this range. The wing mast trim and the sheeting angles are critical to our performance. Tom Dodson and Rick Bouzaid aren't so bad as well of course!

Also it sure makes a big difference not to be dragging along the broken remains of our Cannard actuator from the bottom of the Hull as we were in the last half of the Transatlantic race.

News now through that we are 3rd on corrected behind Patches by 2 hours or 2.8% and Aera by just half an hour. Nice surprise for us as its a rare thing for big boats to be playing with these IRC optimised yachts. Still a long way to go before the fat lady sings though.

As I sign off for the evening and tuck back up in my cosy stateroom listening with one ear to ensure the crew are working their hardest we are now 30 miles from the Scilly Isles doing 14.5 in 11 knots true, code zero back on, TWA 102 and true direction 016. Lets hope the breeze stays in for us.... we just might give those Irish a fright, just need some Kiwi luck! About time the boys reckon.

ETA tomorrow morning sometime. Better hurry up or we won't get over the shoal into that marina .....several refreshing ales a good incentive!

Over for now from team Maximus Kiwi.
Captain Charlie

Photo: Daniel Forster/ Rolex

Media Room Archives ...

[ 20 / 10 / 2006 ]	Thuraya Maximus Sights Set on Rolex Middle Sea ...........................................................................................................	[ read article ]
[ 10 / 10 / 2006 ]	Le Frustrazione della Trieste! ............................................................................................................................................	[ read article ]
[ 21 / 09 / 2006 ]	Paul Cayard Joins Maximus ..............................................................................................................................................	[ read article ]
[ 09 / 09 / 2006 ]	Blow Out The Cobwebs Not Batten Down The Hatches .................................................................................................	[ read article ]
[ 08 / 09 / 2006 ]	Spreading your Wild Oats .................................................................................................................................................	[ read article ]
[ 06 / 09 / 2006 ]	Maxi Worlds, Minimum Wind ..............................................................................................................................................	[ read article ]
[ 05 / 09 / 2006 ]	More Light Conditions For Day Two ..................................................................................................................................	[ read article ]
[ 04 / 09 / 2006 ]	Light Winds Make Heavy Work For Maximus ....................................................................................................................	[ read article ]
[ 03 / 09 / 2006 ]	The Worlds Best Gather In Sardinia ..................................................................................................................................	[ read article ]
[ 04 / 08 / 2006 ]	An Interview With The Maximus Record-Breakers ...........................................................................................................	[ read article ]

[ more archived news ]