Nick Moloney – I think I’ve found a passing lane!

by Offshore Challenges on 21 Nov 2004 AT 0930GMT Skandia arrived in the Southern Hemisphere in 12th position (10th in official VG positions), in the single-handed Vendee Globe, chasing Hellomoto, a further 14 miles ahead (in latitude terms), with PRO-FORM now 27 miles to the north.

(The conflicting positions are due to the way the distance to finish is measured, see the note on official rankings below.)

Just as the leaders had to decide which route to take two days ago, Conrad and Nick, locked in a duel, now must make their choices. First of all, the quickest way to get to the more favourable easterly winds below 5 degrees south, then bigger strategic decision of how to get around, or through, the expansive windless zone of the St.Helena high – still potentially a big wall in front of the leaders that might re-compress the fleet.

Golding’s assessment this morning: ‘It’s just a mess ahead, it’s less clear now [than two days ago]. The High is expanding across the course’

For Nick: ‘I’m going to try and cut the corner’

everything goes down now as the boats descend the southern hemisphere. The temperature will start to drop, slowly at first, then faster as they plunge in to the Southern Ocean.

Bonduelle is 1700 miles from the Roaring Forties. Having watched the latitude decrease towards 0 degrees at the Equator, now the GPS units will show a steady increase of the numbers as they head south.

Bonduelle maintains its lead as the newer generation boats (Bonduelle, Ecover, Sill) make small but steady gains over the older generation boats (PRB, VMI, Boss).

The leaders are now pointing more directly down the direct route, but the big question remains – just how to pass the enormous (2000 miles across) high pressure system – a vast area of calms with very small pockets of wind to carry the boats across. Not like the Doldrums where there are squalls this could be flat flat calm and race changing!

Bonduelle is 360 miles south of seventh placed Virbac, which in turn is 330 miles south of SKANDIA. Bonduelle is 690 miles south of Skandia, yet only 375 miles ahead in the rankings.

It is better to understand the reality now, so we can see Nick claw his way back! Equally in the 1000 positions, ARCELOR is shown behind Nick, yet French skipper Joe Seeten is 150 miles south of Nick, clearly ahead of him – for now

Audio conference with nick: courtesy of Geolink/Iridium

For the full audio click to http://www.ocftp2.com/audio/vendee2004/nm201104a_uk_e.mp3

How are you?

‘Good yeah it does feel good to be in steady wind. nice clear sky overnight. 16 knots of wind 13 to 14 knots of boatspeed. After the vacation yesterday I had to spend some time changing sails 3 or 4 times, and I was still quite stressed, but once I found the right combination I rested I got 5 hours sleep last night ’

Tactics now?

‘Sail fast - hopefully the high pressure system [St.Helena] will determine a lot what happens, for now am happy to have some easterly gauge as long as I don’t end up trapped and forced west. I feel like I have found a passing lane I need to cut the corner.’

Conditions onboard?

‘Pretty hot, all hatches closed now [due to the water coming across the deck], no real ventilation soon as sun comes up, it bakes the deck, very wet on deck. At least the water is warm!’

‘My whole body is aching, hands trashed this pattern should hold, so hoping to get some rest.’

SKANDIA DATA LOG 0930 GMT: data communicated to on Thrane MiniC via BT Business Broadband

LAT / LONG: 1 14 S / 25 58W – just in to the southern hemisphere!

WIND: steady 14 to 15 knots from the south east

SEA TEMP AND PRESSURE: 18 degrees / 1019 Mb.

POSITIONS 1000 GMT 20TH NOVEMBER 2004

BOAT / LAT / LONG / distance to finish

1. BONDUELLE, 12 55.96' S / 31 06.16' W, 20149.6 distance to finish

2. PRB, 11 42.48' S / 30 49.88' W, 20190.4 distance to finish

3. VMI, 10 46.64' S / 30 04.28' W, 20211.4 distance to finish

10. Skandia, 1 13.88' S / 25 57.96' W, 20524.6 distance to finish (VG Official positions)

12. Skandia, in latitude terms

For all information, including positions, video and audio, visit: http://www.nickmoloney.com
Help Nick raise money for Sail 4 Cancer
Australian Nick Moloney set off on an incredible adventure on Skandia, not only to race solo around the world, but also to raise funds for Sail 4 Cancer.

Nick’s aim is to raise £42,000 / EUR 60,000 / AUD $100,000.

One circumnavigation of the globe is approximately 42,000 km! A British pound (or equivalent) per kilometer and the challenge will be met!

Donations in Australian Dollars will be put to use in Australia by Sail 4 Cancer’s sister organisation Down Under, whereas pledges in GBP Stirling and Euros will be forwarded to Sail 4 Cancer in the UK and Chacun Son Cap in France.

So come aboard with Nick and help raise the much needed funds for this virulent disease that kills so many people around the world.

To make a donation go to: http://www.sail4cancer.org/event_vendee04_donate.htm