Volvo Ocean Race - Puma breaks North

by Cameron Kelleher on 18 Nov 2008
Puma navigator Andrew Cape was first to reach for the Allen keys and break from the pack. The shoe boat spent three and a half hours on port gybe before gybing back again. Andreas Hanakamp on Team Russia and Roberto Bermudez, new to the helm of Delta Lloyd followed Puma's lead and gybed north as well.

By the 16:00 GMT report, PUMA’s long-term romancing of Ericsson 4 was officially over. Torben Grael’s men are now the most-southerly of the fleet – a trial separation of 75 miles from Ken Read. The divorce courts await.

Again a word of caution about the DTF standings on the leaderboard – with those boats lying north holding the ‘apparent’ advantage given they are closer to their destination while those setting up camp in the south can expect better propulsion to the scoring gate.

So, for the record, PUMA leads, inching closer to Telefonica Blue, the most northerly of the fleet at a Distance To Leader (DTL) of +3, with Telefonica Black (+7) nominally third. Keeping close company in the middle of the course is Ericsson 3 (+16) and Green Dragon (+17). Ericsson 4 (+40), Delta Lloyd (+49) and Team Russia (+64) round out the numbers.

Conditions have progressively worsened on board as the Southern Ocean makes its presence felt. Ian Walker’s Green Dragon took the brunt of it. 'I was just getting my waterproofs on down below when there was a huge bang and the boat went into an involuntary Chinese gybe,' Walker reported.

'You might think this is alright for a boat with such strong Chinese connections but a Chinese gybe is what we all fear most as it is when the boat crash gybes and leaves you on your side with everything including the keel on the wrong side.

'As the mainsail hit the weather runners, water started pouring in down below through the ventilation hatches due to the side decks now being underwater but the boat miraculously turned back the right way, gybed back and righted itself.

'As it turned out, the steering blocks had sheared away down below leaving Neal (McDonald) with no steerage on the weather wheel. As the boat speared out of control Anthony Merrington managed to grab the leeward wheel just in time and straighten us up.

'We managed to drop the spinnaker and affect an immediate repair. Everyone was harnessed on and everything secure so no harm was done. Fortunately the only real cost was perhaps 5-10 miles and we are now back up and running with another bar story to tell.'

Dealing with cold fronts has been occupying the mind of navigator Matt Gregory on Delta Lloyd. 'With the passing of the cold front we will see winds increasing into the low 30’s and a dramatic wind shift to the South West. This will change our trajectory from South east to East. As a fleet we will be heading directly towards our scoring gate, which is about 1600 miles to the east.'

There was also developments on the colds-and-flu front. Gregory is one of those afflicted. 'I’ve developed a cold over the past two days,' he said. 'It’s most likely a reaction to the five immunization shots that I was required to receive, by racing rules, just before we left Cape Town. I have lost my voice, gained a fever, a head ache and, generally, feel like crap.'

PUMA’s Ken Read is also suffering. 'One small issue on board is a bit of a flu that has taken hold – not very much fun for a few of us,' he said. 'And the great news for the rest of the group is they can almost be guaranteed to get the cold eventually, based on the unavoidable hygiene on a lovely Volvo Open 70 petri dish.'

Yet more sick notes from Bouwe Bekking on Telefonica Blue. 'This morning was the first time that I was able to get out of my foullies and go inside a sleeping bag,' he said.

'The reason is that a lot of guys are crook (ill), and I think they have eaten something wrong, or there is something wrong with our water. Half are throwing up, and looking awful. So for the lucky ones it is extra snacks, extra biltong and extra jamon. Snacks aplenty,'

Polly Gough, the race’s Medical Co-Ordinator, offered up a remedy. 'I would advise paracetemol and plenty of fluid,' she said. 'I guess a few of them are feeling tired and rundown so I would also recommend plenty of rest.'

Not sure that R&R is high on the agenda right now with conditions likely to worsen as the fleet continues the passage to India.