Volvo Ocean Race - When to tack?
by Volvo Ocean Race on 24 Apr 2015
Onboard MAPFRE - Volvo Ocean Race 2015 Francisco Vignale/Mapfre/Volvo Ocean Race
2014 - 15 Volvo Ocean Race - It’s been a day of light winds for the fleet. A northerly breeze in the range of eight to eleven knots. For Mapfre’s skipper Xabi Fernández, this has been pleasant.
“The truth is that we are going slow and despite we all love strong downwind conditions, days like this are very welcome. After two or three days of 16-20 knots with a lot of spray on deck, a dry day with good weather is well received,” says Fernández.
The fleet is still waiting for the right moment to tack when the wind shifts to the right.
“We are sailing upwind, on port tack, heading 50º - 60º and we are waiting for the wind to shift to the right 20 or 30 degrees, in order to tack and sail up along the Brazilian coast,' says Fernández.
In this 1900 UTC report the fleet is now heading in 30º - 40º. The fleet is 400 nm east of the Brazilian coast at the moment. Even though there is just five, six miles between first and last, throughout the day the fleet has slightly separated into two groups, with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, Team SCA and Team Alvimedica on the left side of the track and Mapfre, Dongfeng Race Team and Team Brunel on the right side.
“There is a bit of separation in the fleet as some huge rain clouds caused some of us to have to tack. We are sailing alongside SCA with Alvimedica in sight. Dongfeng are not in sight but pop up now and again on AIS about 13 miles SE of us,” reported earlier Ian Walker.
“The main highlight of the day has been crossing our track of Leg One so that technically we have sailed round the world! Looking ahead we should be tacking onto port today and setting ourselves up for a long starboard tack towards Recife. This should be in about 50 miles time but the wind is forecast to be light and fickle so it could take a few goes at it.
“The clouds are having a major impact on everything right now. Much will depend on what shift Mapfre, Brunel and Dongfeng manage to get out of the right. I am not too worried as if we get a huge right shift we can undertack them and lead out – we will see. The shifts are so big and so local things can change fast.”
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