The big day on ABN Amro One - Boat mail

by Mark Christensen, ABN Amro One on 29 Nov 2005 From: ABN AMRO ONE LEG ONE DAY 17
Sent: 28 November 2005 1822 GMT
To: DUTY OFFICER
Hi All,

Moose (Mike Sanderson) just pushed me off the wheel, which in my limited capacity is about all I can do now (drive that is), and said ‘go and write the daily report.’ Hey one more thing to my repertoire of one.

Perhaps it should be entitled the calm after the storm, but in reality 20kts running is hardly calm and the sub 30kt conditions of the last few days was hardly a storm, but it sure felt that way. We are about to be run over by the front that created the ideal record breaking conditions of the last few days, the other three boats have already been passed and it will happen to us in the next six hours. What to expect, lots of rain ( it has already started), sharp increases in wind speed (makes me wonder why we have our biggest sail up) and then a quite sudden change from the North west around to the south west. This will probably be followed by a few hours of light wind and then the breeze will fill in again. Forecast until Cape Town is a VMG run, first on starboard gybe and then on port with the big gennaker up.

After about ten days in a leg like this enthusiasm begins to wain, the freeze-dried food is on its third or fourth go round to the point that you know the chicken stew is followed by the beef curry, followed by the roast lamb and potatoes. Somehow a banana power bar doesn't have the same appeal and there is only so much beef jerky you can eat a day. Downstairs the stench has started, personal hygiene is a thing of the past, although most people make an effort, and although you have a change of clothes, it seems a waste to put them on a dirty body.

That was six days ago, at least since then things have become a bit more exciting. We lost two thirds of 180 mile lead, we had the apprehension of a windy forecast and all that brings. Moose had the hard decisions that every skipper has to make. How hard to push? Do I keep the big spinnaker up and risk a wipe out or breakdown? Do I reef the mainsail for the night or keep pushing and how hard do I push my guys? All of this balanced with the daily routine of life on the boat and the competitors. Our plan had been to use our southing and extra wind speed to sail conservatively and protect our lead. The hope was that the other teams being behind would push on, make mistakes and that would let us make small gains. The idea was to monitor it sched by sched and adjust as each report came in. What we didn't appreciate and probably should have with all the sailing we have done together how hard the team on ABN AMRO TWO would sail. So what started as a conservative approach became a full on race to protect our lead. Six sail changes in 36 hours, a back down in the middle of the night to remove a shark off the keel and a number of other minor issues dealt with. At the end, a totally unexpected record, a massive 546 miles, increased respect for ABN AMRO TWO crew who have pushed that boat to its absolute limits and a quiet confidence in our crew about how to sail the boat in breeze. Is a bigger run possible? Yes but it would take some better sea conditions. I guess Moose must get a pass mark because we came out of it unscathed so far. More touching of the specially installed wood in the Nav Station.

Back to my point, the middle of long legs can sometimes get a bit slow.

Perhaps a hint of ‘Groundhog Day’. What day are we up to? 14, 15 ? Who cares? What's for lunch? Who cares and what does it matter anyway, it all tastes the same, (it doesn't and some of the meals are quite good). The legs get broken down into sections, the start (everyone up for all of day one), the race for pecking order (days 2-6 normally) where the positions are established and the opening moves of the navigators executed and then played out). Then the ‘Groundhog days’ where each day seems as the day before and the day after, boats try to pass the boats around them and gamble on bigger losses for bigger gains. The leader protects the side of the race course he wants and sometimes ‘spends’ a little lead to consolidate or increase his lead. Finally is the last 1000 miles, the race to the finish. If you are leading, you want nice steady breeze, probably a reach with no tacking or gybing. If you are behind you want the opposite.

Most of us just want to get in and in first, not always possible.

To spice up the days leading up to the 1000 mile mark, not that they needed any more spicing up after the last few days, the boats I have sailed on have always had an ETA bet, all bets in at the 1000mile mark, winner take all (although he is expected to buy a drink for the others) and normally the equivalent of 10 dollars down in the local currency. Stan has been inundated with questions, when are we due, what are the chances of less or more wind. A quick glance in the bottom of the tea cup, throw a few dice and the date and time are written down. What's my guess you ask?

Well it was very scientific, I want my girls to be there, so better to be in the day time, Bonnie has a nap in the afternoon, so it needs to be after that. Can't have 4.30pm someone else may write that one day. Maddy's birthday is on the 29th of December and Bonnie's on the 19th of December. 4.29.19pm on the 1st of December. Although after I put it in I have now realised that is 6.30 pm local and their mother will want them in bed not long after. Still bets are in. The router says 11.15am local on the 1st.

Time will tell who is right.

All for now.

Hi to my girls, see you soon.

Mark ‘Crusty’ Christensen
Watch Captain ABN AMRO ONE