BT Global Challenge - Leg 1 - 16th September

Conrad Humphreys writes from LG FLATRON

LG FLATRON are still duelling for the lead in the North Atlantic, and one of our diary writers, skipper Conrad Humphreys, reports from on board.

Conrad Humphreys, Skipper LG FLATRON, Saturday 16th September, 2000.

Our cat and mouse game continues with Spirit of Hong Kong. Both of us have been skirting the edge of a high pressure zone which lies to the south of 50 degrees longitude. We are 50 miles further south than them, and feel the most vulnerable as we are closer to the area of less wind. The latest position sked has us in a tiny three mile lead. This is because they had opted to take the unfavourable port tack (further from the actual course to the finish in Boston) back to the north - going in search of better pressure. I would prefer to be where they are, although the breeze has held here today, I'm not at all sure about tomorrow. We were waiting for the wind to head, shift to the left a little more, before committing ourselves to the north-going port tack.

We finally got a wind direction of 280 - this was our magic number to tack to port and make some ground to the north. I feel relieved about getting onto port tack, the same as Spirit of Hong Kong, but our course is not good at 350 degrees magnetic. I'm sure the next position sked will see us drop back to second or even third. Cian (navigator) has been agonising about making the call. We have spent all afternoon getting weather faxes to help us make the decision. In the longer term, being to the south looks more favourable, as the wind may shift back round to the west-south-west (about 200 degrees).
We could try and hang on for this, and continue making a better course to Boston. The danger is losing the wind completely in the high pressure before the shift arrives, and watching the boats in the north slip by. The race is turning into an epic, nine yachts all within 50 miles of each other over the last 1000 miles. It does support the principles of the Global Challenge. The event does bring amazing individuals together, and provides a bench mark for sporting sponsorship deals. With LG, we surely have one of the best sponsors of the lot.

Motivation has played a key part of our team's total preparation. LG FLATRON is buzzing at the moment, with each watch trying to improve on the efforts of the other watch's six hour stint. Tim Ballantyne, Archie Carr and myself have spent much of the last few months developing ways of monitoring and evaluating the crews motivational moods.

This is a long race and trying to maintain a high level of intensity, day in, day out, takes some preparation and thought. Tim has a few simple offers, like, "I will buy an hours worth of beer in Boston, if you take 10 miles out of Spirit of Hong Kong in the next six hours." and seems to offer great intrinsic incentives! The watch responds as we claw back six of those miles, we're now three ahead, and a few more free beers in Boston to look forward
to.

Other motivational factors we have included are ensuring that our strategy is communicated to everyone in the team. Position and weather briefings are talked over with the team during eating moments. This has proved vital to communicate our latest ideas. It also focuses the conversation on aspects of boat speed and performance. Who needs books and cd's to keep a crew content? It may seem a little sad, but these guys are
more interested in trying to increase the boatspeed, than talking about their navels.

Humour plays its part, the ribbing during meal times as each cook tries to defend their latest concoction is stomach splitting. Once again I leave the table with tears rolling down each cheek. The banter on board this yacht needs televising - watch out Big Brother (and who did win?).

Meanwhile, back in the nav station, I can hear the Boston surface analysis singing out on the weather fax machine. Can we stay south or join the fleet to the north?