Time to pay up

News Corp's early lead evaporates as illbruck charges forward

Positions at 04.00 12 March 2002

	Yacht	Lat	Lon	DTF	DTL	DTL-C	SMG	CMG
1	Assa Abloy	17 40.16S	037 25.64W	4018	0	0	11.1	21
2	illbruck	17 40.84S	037 26.16W	4019	1	0	11	21
3	Tyco	17 42.64S	037 24.84W	4020	2	-2	11.2	19
4	Amer One	17 44.04S	037 24.88W	4021	3	-1	11	22
5	djuice	17 44.04S	037 26.44W	4022	4	1	10.8	20
6	Amer Too	17 49.56S	037 27.36W	4027	9	0	10.9	22
7	News Corp	17 34.72S	038 16.64W	4027	9	5	10	26
8	SEB	17 56.80S	037 31.20W	4035	17	3	10.6	27

News Corp has paid a heavy price for her early tack at the start of the leg five. News appeared to make a huge early gain by sailing a shorter distance in less adverse current. The boats further offshore are now reaping their rewards with stronger and more consistent breeze and the fleet has closed up to the extent that all but SEB are within nine miles of one another.

"We seem to be attracting every black cloud there is," reported a frustrated sounding Ross Field from New Corp. "We clear one and then we get hit by another. Right now we're trying to clear a cloud that is right in our way."

Looking at the weather maps, it would be easy to think that the fleet were blissfully reaching along in perfect sailing conditions. If only it were so. In the tropics things are never simple and the cause of the problem is clouds.

The heat from the sun warms the surface of the water and the hot air rises taking with it huge quantities of water vapour. The rising warm air draws wind into the base of the forming cloud. What goes up must come down and sooner or later the water condenses and falls as rain. The huge cooling effect thus generated causes the air to fall under the cloud and wind blows away from the centre of the squall. Directly under the clouds and often in between them, there is little or no wind. "There is no wind inside these things so we try and get around the edges," reports Field.

By watching the clouds, it should be possible to work out an optimal track between the calm patches. Fine in theory, not so easy in practice. The clouds are not stationary and often the top moves in a different direction and at a different speed from the bottom. Clouds that are not raining now, might be by the time the boat gets to them. To get through without stopping, every boat needs an experienced crew member with his eye on the clouds and more than a little luck.

"There have been more and more squalls these last day and this can make a difference," says Espen Guttormsen from onboard djuice. "That will be one of the few weather patterns we can play for the next couple of days. You can easily gain or lose a couple of miles in a squall."


The easy life on illbruck