Leader change about

Sam Davies moves into second place briefly in the Trophee BPE singlehanded transatlantic race

Positions at 0900GMT

Pos	Boat	DTF	DTL	CMG	Lat	Long	Spd	Crs	Spd	Crs	Spd	Dist
							Instant		4hr aver		24hr run
1	CREDIT MARITIME-ZEROTWO	1586.8	0.0	9.5	27 21.66' N	54 19.02' W	9.3	255	9.6	258.0	9.5	226.9
2	BOSTIK	1614.9	28.1	8.3	27 54.48' N	53 58.38' W	8.8	255	8.4	248.0	8.6	207.2
3	SKANDIA	1628.4	41.5	8.1	26 48.06' N	53 13.92' W	8.4	249	8.4	257.0	8.5	203.6
4	CERCLE VERT	1643.8	56.9	8.7	30 35.46' N	54 46.02' W	8.7	237	8.6	240.0	8.4	201.3
5	BANQUE POPULAIRE	1692.3	105.5	7.9	27 29.16' N	52 17.10' W	8.1	243	8.2	244.0	8.4	201.9
6	COUTOT ROEHRIG	1694.2	107.4	9.0	28 50.94' N	52 46.08' W	8.7	254	9.0	252.0	8.5	203.5
7	GEDIMAT	1719.7	132.9	7.5	26 35.40' N	51 29.58' W	7.2	268	7.6	263.0	8.3	198.6
8	AQUARELLE.COM	1726.9	140.1	8.4	29 42.72' N	52 29.76' W	8.3	248	9.0	250.0	8.0	191.1
9	TOTAL	1765.6	178.7	8.2	29 14.28' N	51 28.98' W	8.1	257	8.1	244.0	7.7	185.9
10	ATAO AUDIO SYSTEM	1792.9	206.0	7.9	25 51.12' N	49 56.70' W	9.1	267	7.5	258.0	8.1	193.6
11	ENTREPRENDRE AU PAYS DE LORIENT	1814.2	227.4	9.3	27 41.70' N	49 58.32' W	9.8	256	8.9	261.0	8.4	201.0
12	LITTLE BLACK SHARK	1859.3	272.4	8.3	32 38.16' N	51 16.38' W	8.4	242	8.4	240.0	7.3	174.1

The last 48 hours have seen a change around in the positions at the front of the Figaro class' Trophee BPE fleet. At the 1800GMT position report last night (Saturday) Eric Drouglazet on Credit Maritime-ZeroTwo had taken over the leader from Charles Caudrelier on Bostik, while Skandia's Sam Davies had pulled up to second...

As forecast at the end of last week the boats such as Gildas Morvan on Cercle Verte to the north are suffering from being headed while the boats to the south such as Armel Tripon on Gedimat and Dominique Vittet on Atao Audio System should have the breeze from a more favourable direction. In between, the forecast charts show that Sam Davies may have less wind although as the front associated with the depression currently to their northwest, passes over them in the next 48 hours conditions will certainly pick up and Skandia shouldn't be as headed as the leaders.

In about 48 hours time conditions should come good finally for Gildas Morvan on Cercle Verte to the north as the boats further west see the wind veering through 180degrees with the onset of a high moving east from Florida.

The leaders at present have 1,140 miles to go before they enter the passage between Haiti and Cuba.

Sam Davies reports from on board Skandi a :

Pants!

I was sleeping - and it had been difficult to sleep because we were slower than the last few days and it took a while getting used to. Anyway, I woke up because the motion was different...

I could see straight away that the spinnaker was not in its normal position. It was flapping around behind the boom, the tack point not any more attached. I immediately assumed that the Sparcraft had popped open so I ran up to bring back the guy and re-connect it. When I got forward, I saw the problem: the Sparcraft was still attached - to the tack ring, and the webbing had completely ripped through, to break the spinnaker away from the ring!

This is a particularly annoying part of the spinnaker to break because it is practically impossible to repair effectively. This part of my spinnaker is so hard that I cannot get a needle through it. So, after many days work, the asymmetric finally came down and has been put to bed, and I am a bit disappointed (understatement) because it was a great sail - fast, easy for the pilot and easy for me!

Luckily, tomorrow should show the wind head us more and more and it won't be long until we need to be under genoa, so I shouldn't lose out too much. I will also contemplate means of repair...

Apart from that, not much news, as we continue through the trade winds! It is getting hotter (I am boiling at the moment, having just run around doing spinnaker dances!)

Things are looking really tricky ahead, as this low pressure / cold front will pass us. Each forecast shows something different and it is really hard to work out how to get through. (My "virtual races" with my Maxsea routing software produce a different winner each time!) I have to continue to study the grib files and the weatherfaxes to try to get a clear picture in my head.

And finally, yes - I am really happy to see that Skandia got into second position today. It's going to be hard to hold onto I think!

See you tomorrow........
Sam xx


After repair:

OK, so it probably isn't a perfect job, but it is better than not having an asymmetric!

After reflecting on various ways to repair the tack, I decided that the only way was to pierce it with a needle in order to sew it back on was to use a hot needle. So, one hour of slaving over the cooker and heating the needle for each hole (sometimes twice per hole) I had enough holes to sew the webbing back on. I also made some bigger holes with a screwdriver (hot too!) to make a spectra 'lacing' as a safety...

Two and a half hours later, I had finished.

Then I went to put it up and the wind went forward! So it is genoa! But I am sure this windshift will not last and I will be able to try my repair shortly!

Sam x