Volvo Ocean Race - Buffalo Gals (and Boys) go round the outside

by Sail-World.com on 13 Feb 2015 Volvo Ocean Race - Team SCA and Brunel are going round the outside, at speed. Rather like in the traditional Buffalo Boys or Gals song.

As at 0700hrs on February 12, the four-boat fleet now sails almost directly to south of the two breakaway boats. They’re separated by 115 nautical miles and run almost parallel east at the moment.

This won’t last for long. Team SCA and Team Brunel are doing around 15 knots in 27+ knots of wind and the others are all tantalizingly close together but doing between 9-12 knots only.

Mapfre has managed to sneak past Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing during the night and they are in slightly more wind than Team Alvimedica and Dongfeng Race Team, who are also 2 knots slower right now.

Although locked together in a 10nm pack, they are very much separated from the northern teams, who’re gaining around 30nm every three hours.

In terms of the weather, it’s quite similar to the Saint Helena high-pressure system just off the tip of South Africa – they have to go a long way around it to get to where they want to go. Team SCA and Brunel have opted to just get on with it while the others wanted to play it safe.

In the last couple of hours, the southern pack tacked east away from the northerly direction of the last 24 hours. They’re now in a game of cat and mouse, as they want to get north but can’t afford for anyone in that pack to get leverage on them.

In dinghy sailing terms, you can only ever aim to win your side – anything happening on the other side is out of your control. You have to reassess strategy at the next turning point. That’s usually only a separation of half a mile, but the exact same principle applies here.

The southern pack has made their bed and will be sleeping in it for a week or so yet before they get the chance to re-think the strategy. Meanwhile the Buffalo Gals and Boys are dancing

Todays weather

1) Tail end of frontal system extends from NE tip of Luzon northeastward to about 23n at 130e late on Thursday LT.

2) There are moderately strong (20-25 kt) N winds north of this front and much lighter(10-15 kt) WSW winds south of it.

3) Expect as high pressure strengthens in the Yellow Sea next 24-36 hours the stronger N then NE winds will develop southward Thu night and Friday.

4) Then rough conditions for the fleet over the weekend with the strengthening high pressure now down in the East China Sea interacting with a tropical low near 4n/145e.

5) This will produce a large area of 20-30+ kt NE-ENE winds and building seas to as high as 8-12 ft.

6) It will be rough but good wind angles and likely fast boat speeds heading SE next few days.

7) Do not expect this tropical low to develop and in fact it may just get absorbed into the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone) by early next week.

8) As the fleet approaches this trough early next week down near 3n winds will diminish to < 10 kts.


Position Report List

YACHT	LAT	LON	DATE	DTL	DTLC	avgSOG(3h)	avgSOG(15')	TWS	TWD	HDG
ADOR	21.1445	126.04933	12/2/2015 12:55	0	1	14.2	14	18	32	98
MAPF	21.1465	126.03217	12/2/2015 12:55	0.8	-1	13.7	15	19	23	97
ALVI	21.127	125.93417	12/2/2015 12:55	4.5	0	14	15	19	31	99
DFRT	21.132	125.92383	12/2/2015 12:55	5.2	-1	13.9	15	20	32	97
TBRU	23.08667	126.97133	12/2/2015 12:55	31.7	-3	14.1	14	15	23	101
SCA1	23.1295	126.774	12/2/2015 12:55	41.7	-6	13.7	14	15	26	95
VEST	-16.80497	59.57544	29/11/14 21:40:00	-	-	-	No Data	No Data	No Data	No Data

Malcom McClaren and Anne Dudley did a remake of the traditional folk dancing song.

Here is how it goes

First buffalo gal go around the outside
'Round the outside, 'round the outside
(You know it)
Two buffalo gals go around the outside

'Round the outside, 'round the outside
Three buffalo gals go around the outside
(Baaa, baaa, ba, ba)
Four buffalo gals go around the outside
(Baaa)

'Round the outside
(Baaa)
'Round the outside
(Baaa)
Four buffalo gals go around the outside
And Dosie Doe your partners