11 degrees west

Miranda Merron rattles off the longitudes in the Artemis Transat

Tuesday 13th May 2008

Sponsors Of The Day :
Musto: http://www.musto.com
The Bugle Pub: http://www.buglehamble.co.uk
Skandia Team GBR: http://www.skandiateamgbr.com
Charlie Walton

Time of Position : 0700 UK time
Latitude 48 48.04' N Longitude 12 05.34' W
Ranking : 9th
Average Speed : 8.1 knots
Distance To Leader : 44 miles
Distance To Boat Ahead : 1 mile
Miles To Marblehead : 2,647 miles

The games have started already as the Class 40 fleet splits with Miranda Merron onboard 40 Degrees choosing a more southerly route than the others. She has just Boris Hermann on Beluga Racer keeping her company in the south and the majority of the others further north. Giovanni Soldini (Vendee Globe sailor) leads the pack in the north with the other Vendee sailor, Benoit Parnaudeau, in the middle of the pack having had bowsprit lashing failure yesterday. When not racing, Miranda is employed by other racers to study and read the weather and help with tactics, so interesting to see her taking her own independent route, whilst many others may have simply chosen to try to follow the race leader.

Miranda reported in at the crack of dawn: (05:51) "Much of yesterday was spent sailing downwind in fog, occasionally in sight of 'Appartcity' and 'Custo Pol' when visibility improved. In fact, I nearly sailed into 'Appartcity' when couldn't see much more than the bow."

"Then just before dark, Louis on 'Groupe Royer' (think it was him anyway) appeared out of the fog - sailing high and fast with full main and big spinnaker. I had full main and one reef, and the wind was gusting above the top end of '40 Degrees' big spinnaker, so don't know how he was holding it. I had planned to gybe then. First I decided that it would be sensible to drop the spinnaker before running out of options, but it didn't quite go to plan! Details not worth going into, but not only did I gybe late, it has also been a slow night as a result, and I am not looking forward to seeing the damage in terms of miles lost to the competition. However it is a long race, with plenty of opportunities to catch up. The spinnaker doesn't seem to have suffered from its adventure, so all well. I have finished the delicious pasta that Sam Davies' mother made for Sam and I for the first couple of days, and now onto freeze-dried food."

"Degrees covered in the past 24 hours are: 7 W Charlie Walton : One of the kindest people I know. 8 W Musto - love the gear, and haven't had the opportunity to fully test it in what is supposed to be an upwind race, but so far has been the opposite (no complaints there!) 9 W The Bugle - just about the time some people may have been having an after work drink, I was fighting with the spinnaker. For some time... 10 W Skandia Team GBR: all the best for the Olympics! 11 W Southern Daily Echo: thanks for the support.

Miranda/ 40 Degrees
www.40-degrees.co.uk
Hamble - the home of yachting

(0632) "Ha. Don't feel so bad, now I've seen the split in the fleet. Will be interesting to see which side works! Back to the tiller. More later, Miranda"

The BP Oil Terminal - The BP Oil Terminal has been in Hamble since 1924 when Hamble Lane was little more than a dirt track Over the years we've built up strong ties with the local community which we regard as a vital part of our business. We've made over our sports club and playing fields to the local community and recently we've offered the Parish Council some of our land for a car park. We have close ties with the 12 member strong Hamble Parish Council and have regular meetings with them re our operations. We are also one of the major sponsors of Hamble Week and each year we offer financial; support to dozens of Hamble Clubs and individuals. Last year we purchased two bicycles for the local Police Community Support Officers so that they
could get round the parish quicker.

Musto - Musto Corporate is a division of Musto Ltd devoted to supplying the corporate world of boating - from exhibition stand staff to superyacht crew - as well as creating specially customised clothing for the top racing teams. We might be supplying hundreds of violet-coloured the new Team Ellen for BT at one end of the scale, but we are just as proud to be working with Miranda and 40 Degrees at the other - and pride ourselves on giving the same attention to detail to both.

Skandia Team GBR - Skandia Team GBR are going for Gold this Summer in Beijing and wish Miranda all the luck in the world on her Atlantic Adventure.