Spirit of Hong Kong reports minor damage - BT Global Challenge

by Betsy Crowfoot , Senior Writer, Quokka Sports on 25 Sep 2000 Squall Slams Challenge Fleet Spirit of Hong Kong reports minor damage, no injuries in "one hell of a blow"






Volatile weather has intersected the BT Global Challenge 2000-01 fleet in its final approach
to Boston, Mass.

Spirit of Hong Kong skipper Stephen Wilkins -- in a succinct yet upbeat C-Sat message to Race
Headquarters -- wrote, "Morning all, just to let you know that the yacht and the team are fine after
sustaining a substantial knockdown with wind strengths of 61.4 knots true over the deck."

Spirit of Hong Kong was at 43º05'59 N latitude, 55º42'84 W longitude with less than 700 miles to the
finish of Leg One, when they were battered by a North Atlantic squall.

No one was reported injured in the knockdown, which damaged sails and provided a baptism by fire
for the yacht and crew. "I can honestly say that I am very proud of the way the team performed and
sailed safe during this true christening of the yacht," Wilkins said.

In the email -- with the subject listed as "one hell of a blow" -- Wilkins reported, "Damage sustained
were two hanks from the headsail and a blown off batten box to the top batten of the mainsail.

"There was also one of the batten cars taken from the track when the plastic slides popped out of the
track; there appears to be no damage to the main sail track at this stage." No other breakage was
cited but Wilkins added, "Damage to the top batten may mean that we have to replace it as we
continue the repairs."

Before the incident, Spirit of Hong Kong noted a plunge in barometric pressure, typical of a
fast-moving front. "We experienced the barometer finally falling 10 points in one hour, bottoming out at
995.2 at 1100 UTC," Wilkins wrote.

Meteorologist Chris Tibbs warned of "unexpected wind swings" due to the two-headed-monster nature
of the system approaching the fleet. Today's forecast was for "south or southwest Force 6 to gale
Force 8, occasionally Force 9 at times; then veering northwest Force 6 to 8 before decreasing this
evening. Rain and fog."

Earlier, Quadstone reported it was caught unawares by a squall that threatened to flatten it as well.

Sailing in light air under full main, No.1 Yankee and staysail, Quadstone was walloped by a sudden
blast of wind at 35 knots. As depicted in Quadstone's sail track, the crew turned and ran with the wind
until they could wrestle the mass of canvas from the 95-foot rig. Quadstone has since resumed
course toward Boston under reduced sail, and remains in the lead of the 12-boat fleet.

Squalls are a by-product of the more temperate weather the fleet has reported on approach to its first
port of call. As the thermometer climbs, ocean water more readily evaporates into the air. Huge
downy-topped thunderheads form.

When the moisture condenses and a squall decides to let loose, it creates powerful downdrafts --
destabilising the air and propelling gusts ahead of it. Squalls move faster than the surface wind, and at
a different angle. Hence a yacht trimmed for lesser breeze and a different point of sail can be caught
off guard.

In a knockdown, the force of the wind against the sails is so great that it blows the yacht over on its
side. However, once the air spills out of the sails, the weight of the keel -- in this case, 12.5 tonnes --
will help right the boat. The Challenge yachts passed an inclination test in May, which verifies the
ability of a vessel to bounce back after a broach.

Skipper Wilkins surely was aware of that when he signed off his email, saying, "Please pass on my
thanks to all at Challenge for a bloody well-built boat."