Clipper Round the World Race - Sail repairs for Qingdao

by Clipper Ventures on 15 Feb 2010
Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - Singapore to Qingdao, Day 13.

Valentine's Day and the weather gods appear to be feeling the love for the Clipper fleet, delivering a period of downwind sailing as respite from the heavy, upwind conditions they have been battling through over the last couple of days.

The yachts remain tightly bunched. After 13 days at sea just 20 miles separate the leading five teams, while the whole fleet is spread by fewer than 60 miles. Positions change at almost every three-hourly update on the race viewer and six-hourly scheds sent to the boats by the Race Office and the race to Qingdao is still anyone's to be won.

Jamaica Lightning Bolt, who yesterday claimed the three points for winning the race to the Scoring Gate, thus closing the gap on Spirit of Australia and Team Finland in the overall race leader board, are determined to take the coveted yellow pennant for Race 6 and, on the first day of the Chinese New Year, they are taking the tiger by the tail.

The team has made a bold move out to the east of the fleet, perhaps in search of more help from the Kuroshio current, one of the largest in the world, flowing north past Taiwan at a rate of around five knots, or to get a better angle on the winds which are due to fill in again from the north.

Skipper Peter Stirling reports, 'We managed to safely sail through the storm force winds of the last couple of days with no damage to crew or boat. During this time we also took the lead and picked up three points for sailing through the Scoring Gate first. All in all a great result all round which both skipper and crew are delighted about. Our next challenge is to try to win this race and, in so doing, be the first yacht of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race to score the maximum available 13 points for an individual race. The wind subsided in the early hours of this morning and we are now wallowing in very light conditions and struggling to keep the boat moving. This however will be short lived as by later tonight we are expecting gale force conditions from the north again. The crew have already seen the worst weather conditions of the race so far and now know that both they and the boat can handle the challenge - bring it on!'

The Year of the Tiger has been welcomed on board Uniquely Singapore which has been decorated with the traditional orange and red lanterns.

Skipper Jim Dobie says, 'As if on cue the weather has given Karan and Nicole the chance to cook us a Yu Sheng which is a traditional Chinese new year dish. So Happy Chinese New Year to everyone. And to my wife, Sherry, Happy Valentine's Day.'

Across the fleet, thoughts have turned to loved ones at home on Valentine's Day. Jan Ridd, skipper of Cape Breton Island, says, 'The calmer weather has given everyone on board chance to reflect a little and on this, St Valentine's Day, thoughts tend to be with loved ones. Everybody has made sacrifices to take part in this amazing adventure but those we leave at home have to make greater sacrifices to allow us to do this. It is quite easy to forget that whilst all on board the Big Blue Canoe are taking on the challenges of sailing across the world's ocean how hard it is for the loved ones we left at home. It is only with the full support of those we leave at home that we are able to fulfil our dreams. I am sure all of the crew will join me in saying a big thank you to our loved ones and to say we are all missing you!'

As to those challenges, Jan says, 'This morning saw the winds abate and the seas calm down giving everyone on board some respite and a chance to dry out clothes that had got soaked whilst working on deck during the stormy past few days. Earlier this morning Team Finland, California and we were all lined up in front of Lu Tao, an island off the coast of Taiwan. Both Team Finland and California decided to harden up on the wind and sail close hauled to the east to stay clear of the island, while we decided to take a chance, hoisted the lightweight spinnaker and bore away from the wind to see if we could sail to the west of it. We were not sure if we would clear the island but we stuck with it and just cleared the western edge. Once clear we have managed to keep the spinnaker filled and the boat moving. This one gamble looks at the moment like it might allow us to pull out a few miles on California and Team Finland. It just shows how one decision can make such a difference.'

California's crew are not letting their disappointment at losing out on the Scoring Gate points get in the way of their push for the finish line.

Skipper, Pete Rollason, says, 'We were very disappointed that while we were running in second place overall we only managed to get through the scoring gate fourth and by such a small margin, missing out on any extra points, but the bigger picture is what really matters; the race to Qingdao.

'At the moment we are flying the medium weight spinnaker and making good course and speed north north easterly in the light winds. Today has been a welcome respite from the heavy conditions experienced yesterday and has given us a chance to repair some of the many little things that have broken as a result of being thrown around in some very large waves.

'California is in a tight struggle for what we believe to be second place behind Jamaica Lightning Bolt, as we are constantly in sight of Team Finland and Cape Breton Island with positions changing frequently in the fickle winds. We all know the next five to six days will probably be the toughest of the race so far and everyone is preparing themselves mentally and physically for the challenge ahead to ensure that California is on the top step of the podium in Qingdao.'

On board Team Finland they know their current position at the head of the fleet is no guarantee of a podium place at the finish. Skipper, Rob McInally, says, 'The race once again has the potential to turn inside out. The wind we were enjoying, whipping us past Taiwan has turned from being northerly to southerly. The way it fills in, and the side of the track it fills in from, decides your fate. It is time for the fleet to compress again and even have the back of the pack become the front. After hours of frustrating sailing we wait the fate of the schedule once again.'

His prediction is illustrated by Spirit of Australia's performance. In nine hours the Australian team has moved from sixth to second place. Skipper Brendan Hall explains, 'Our bold move east paid dividends in the end. After nearly 12 hours heading the wrong way, we turned north and followed the Kuroshio Current. Our speed shot up from seven knots to 11.5 and we powered along all night making great speed and course. Our efforts were rewarded in the early morning when we saw Hull & Humber appear on our AIS system and we passed ahead of them, heading north. Before long, Cape Breton Island, Team Finland and California also appeared on the system. We are now back in touch with the leading pack and it feels good to be back in the mix after trailing behind them for much of the race thus far.'

Also chasing down the front runners are the crew of Hull & Humber. Skipper Piers Dudin reports this morning, 'Once we'd dusted ourselves off and picked ourselves up from the Scoring Gate disappointment we're back in the game. We're in a 24-hour lull between the heavy sets of North East Monsoon sessions, which gives us time to dry out the kit and the boat, recheck equipment, get the kite up, get some proper rest, and chose how best to place ourselves for the up and coming weather. Offshore to get a better angle on the top of Taiwan when the northerly sets in or stay inshore with the current and sea breeze to make up some miles. Naturally those in front are consolidating their lead and pushing offshore, we're making nice inroads up the coast but may end up paying for it later.'

Hull & Humber appears to have opted for the offshore strategy and has begun to move further to the east.

Both Uniquely Singapore and Qingdao have had some damage to deal with in the wake of the heavy weather of the last few days.

Jim explains, 'We snapped two sets of Yankee sheets which also managed to snap in half one of our stanchion posts at the same time. Sometimes the forces involved in the strong winds are incredible. All credit to the crew who, in both situations, managed to wrestle the Yankee back down to the deck in big seas. To give you an idea of the water pressure, six lifejackets auto inflated.'

A snapped reefing line was the cause of some consternation on board Qingdao, says skipper of the Chinese entry, Chris Stanmore-Major. 'The line which holds the shortened mainsail in its smallest configuration had broken and the sail was shaking and whip-cracking with a ferocity that shook the whole boat. Within minutes we ascertained that only the protective outer sheath of the line, not the stronger inner core, had broken. We dropped the main, tidied up the mess inside the boom and re-hoisted the main with the third reef in within fifteen minutes.

'The apparent wind was at 45 knots and the boat was literally leaping clear of the water as she pitched and dived through the rough water. Steadily over the next few hours the wind dropped until, by dawn, we were becalmed only six miles from Hull & Humber, drifting aimlessly in the current. It was at this point we realised we had damage to the mainsail around the area of the third reef. When we re-hoisted and reset the reef the night before in the darkness we had not noticed that a fold of sail had become trapped under the reefing line and in the ensuing few hours had almost chafed through. We immediately reefed the sail, dropping the damaged area onto the deck so our sail repair team could get to work. Within an hour they had deadened the rips, fashioned a patch, stuck it on and begun sewing it into place. During this time the wind had filled in somewhat and we felt we could carry a kite so, whilst repairs continued, we hoisted the medium kite, sheeted it in hard and started accelerating. We were up to seven knots when one of the foredeck team called out, 'We've got a hole!' Surely not! Argh! What else could possibly go wrong?

'Down comes the kite, up goes the lightweight and the sail repair team splits in half and starts on this new problem.

'We're moving now having slipped out of the localised high pressure zone that had us pinned. We've got some miles to catch up and a few stitches still to put in but we are doing eight knots in the right direction, the sun is up, it's Valentine's Day and I have just opened a card secreted in my gear from my gorgeous fiancée, Lauren, which has, to say the least lightened this situation considerably. How was my morning? Difficult. The afternoon? Looking pretty good, actually.'

POSITIONS AT 1500 UTC, SUNDAY 14 FEBRUARY 2010

1 Team Finland DTF 768
2 Spirit of Australia DTF 780 DTL +11
3 Cape Breton Island DTF 782 DTL +14
4 California DTF 785 DTL +16
5 Qingdao DTF 788 DTL +20
6 Jamaica Lightning Bolt DTF 791 DTL +23
7 Hull & Humber DTF 793 DTL +24
8 Uniquely Singapore DTF 801 DTL +32
9 Edinburgh Inspiring Capital DTF 826 DTL +57
10 Cork Did not start

(DTF = Distance to Finish, DTL = Distance to Leader)
Full positions are updated every three hours and can be found at www.clipperroundtheworld.com.