Taxing night

Wind shifts and many sail changes overnight for the Volvo Ocean Race crews

It has been a busy time of manoeuvring and sail changes overnight for the Volvo Ocean Race crews as, contrary to what the GRIBs indicate, the wind has been shifting dramatically.

At around 1900-1930 UTC last night the boats tacked north pretty much in unison as the wind veered from around 010 to 040°. Over the course of the evening, the wind continued to veer into the east before returning to 010-020° at which point the boats tacked east again. Over the early hours of this morning the wind backed further into the west, before returning to the northeast at the latest sched (0640 UTC). So at the present sched the leading four boats are all on the losing port tack heading east but into more pressure (around 15 knots), while behind them Teams Alvimedica and Vestas Wind are still northbound and behind, and out to the west, Team SCA is also heading east in lighter wind.

Although it is relatively meaningless at present with the boats so close and off course with so far left to sail, MAPFRE took over the lead at 16:30 UTC yesterday, shortly before the boats tacked north. Iker Martinez's team led throughout the night, with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing technically regaining the lead after she tacking east further north (closer to the finish) than her rivals.

The wiggling has also created compression in the fleet. At the latest sched just three miles separate the top four with just 20 miles from Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing back to tailenders Team SCA.

Yesterday evening Dongfeng fessed up to having experienced a problem with its mast track pulling away from the mast, no doubt the result of the bumpy upwind conditions the boats have experienced over the last 48 hours. Apparently the track has pulled away over a 1m section half way up the mast.

According to the crew, this isn't permanently repairable at sea, but as a temporary measure, Kevin Escoffier has fitted some straps, tightened with ratchets, to try to hold the loose section of the mast track on to the mast as tightly as possible. However this will present a problem when the crew needs to reef (as they are certain to in the next few days). To reef this reinforcement will need to be undone, the reef then put in (or thrown out) before the strapping is reinstated. This will require some earlier anticipation and preparation - not always easy in the present unstable conditions. It also means sending someone up the mast each time to take the straps off, wait while the reef is put in or shaken out, then reattached again before the boat is fully powered up and the pressure can be put back on the mast track.

This morning Escoffier was looking to go aloft again to attempt a more permanent repair, rebonding the track to the mast.

Images courtesy of Expedition and Predictwind

Meanwhile Tropical Cyclone Knut (as we're going to call it) continues to play on the minds of the Volvo Ocean Race crews. At present it is centred off to the northeast of Mauritius but is still forecast to move in a WSWerly direction crossing the track of the VO65s, around 550 miles up the race track from where the boats are now. The intention of the crews is to scoot around the west side of the depression in favourable, but strong following winds over the course of Saturday.

Aside from playing the present wind shifts, the crews are attempting to get east at the moment as there is an ominous looking area of high pressure (read 'no wind') developing off to the west side of the race track tomorrow and they are trying to be first into the building easterly/southeasterly pressure heralding the arrival of Knut.

From on board Team Brunel Bouwe Bekking advises: “The biggest problem isn’t the wind, it is that the storm will come from forward and will bring waves of more than 7 metres in height with it. If we ram into these at a speed of 30 knots (50 km/h) I don’t need to tell you what will happen. Things might break.”

“The second problem is that we’ll be caught between the storm and the island of Mauritius. If we want to avoid the storm completely, we’ll have to head left around Mauritius, but because the island is quite high there may be no wind at all. Fortunately our navigator Andrew Cape will have to decide on that!"

Matt Knighton reports from Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing:

On the horizon at dusk, four sets of sails became clearer and clearer as the fleet compressed and our separation for the past three days came to a close. We've been very pleased that the wider route we accidentally dealt ourselves earlier has paid dividends as we now are fighting for the lead with Brunel, Dongfeng and Mapfre hot on our tail.

For Ian, there’s a relief to have other boats nearby to race against: “We’re quite pleased this time because we were a long way behind these guys. It’s quite nice to be in touch and see how we’re going.”

Last night as we gybed north towards a predicted Tropical Storm that might cross our path, the forecast was for decent trade wind conditions all day. However, as dawn is breaking the Indian Ocean is glass and we’re floating amongst the lead group looking for wind.

As if the unpredictability of this leg wasn’t enough already, now this un-forcasted high-pressure ridge is rolling the dice again. Anyone could get a puff from a squall right now and come out miles ahead, arrive at the Tropical Storm first, and then see decisive gains.

There’s no question that storm is in the back of everyone’s mind. When asked if he knows how Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing will prepare for those conditions, Ian is weighing the options.

“The Tropical Storm is coming towards us and that can become a question of how close to the center do we dare go: racing benefits versus potential risk scenario.” With a laugh he adds, “I’m sure when push comes to shove we’re all going to send it in there and egg each other on.”