Volvo Ocean Race - If you want to get a-head get a hat!!
by Volvo Ocean Race on 22 Mar 2015
Onboard MAPFRE - MAPFRE sailing towards Cape Horn!! - Leg five to Itajai - Volvo Ocean Race 2015 Francisco Vignale/Mapfre/Volvo Ocean Race
Volvo Ocean Race - There is a saying made famous by advertising hat makers in the 1940s: “If you want to get a head, then get a hat.” Well, in the Volvo Ocean Race, the teams that get a head will need a hat!
The water is getting colder (water temperature 16ºC / air temperature 12ºC) and they will be pushing further south into the Fifties very soon and down to the ice limit at the 51ºS latitude. They are in the Roaring Forties now and are already using three layers of clothing. Thermals, mid-layers and the all-important warm hats to keep the bitter cold out. The all-in one-survival suits should be out very soon.
Team Brunel has continued to profit in the north with both more wind and a private shift. Team Alvimedica is 35 nautical miles to the north and sailing well in 15 knots of wind at ten knots. Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing is still happy to sit in the middle of the fleet.
The girls of Team SCA are showing their ability to sail just as fast as the next boat. After some difficult legs for them, this current performance will be a real boost to their confidence in what is proving to be the toughest leg so far.
MAPFRE and Dongfeng are the two closest boats together, just 3nm apart with SCA probably drifting in and out of AIS distance ten to 12nm to the northeast.
The fleet is doing everything they can to escape the lighter and confusing conditions of the high-pressure system behind. With the help of a few windy squalls, they are now in the upper tens building breeze and looking to use the right hand lifting shift to push south.
For all those crew not yet feeling the cold, soon they will need to head that advice, “If you want to get a head, then get a hat”.
A point on leg five injuries and breakages so far
Serious seasickness onboard most boats for the first couple of days.
Team SCA:
Sailors: Annie Lush hurt herself on deck - she’s taking it easy for now.
Boat: The radar fell off the rig today - Liz Wardley has fixed it.
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing:
Boat: A hole in headsail today was caused by the daggerboard - it’s been fixed.
Dongfeng Race Team:
Sailors: Martin Strömberg injured his hand - it's healing and he’s back on deck.
Team Brunel:
Sailors: Very seasick first couple of days for Stefan Coppers, Dirk de Ridder and a few more guys.
MAPFRE:
Sailors: Very seasick first couple of days for Francisco Vignale and a few more guys.
Leader: TBRU
Wind speed: 13-16 knots
Boat speed SOG (15 mins): 12.9-15.2 knots
Wind direction: 189º - 208º
Lowest boat speed: DFRT (12.9 knots)
Highest boat speed: ALVI (15.2 knots)
Lowest wind speed: SCA, DFRT (13 knots)
Highest wind speed: MAPF (16 knots)
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sail-world.com/132691