Whitbread Log: Leg 4, Sydney to Auckland
EF Language in Leg 4
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Day 3 - Jan. 6, 1998
Report #2
1742 GMT
36° 16'S, 165° 38'E
Miles to Auckland: 562
Place:8th; distance behind 1st-place boat: 69 miles
From: Paul Cayard, skipper EF Language
When it goes bad, I guess it really goes bad. We can't seem to
get anything right today.
Earlier, we were right alongside Silk Cut and Chessie, and Chessie
just sailed away in some other breeze. It seems like we got
gobbled up by this low cell that has formed on the trough. Now, we
are going upwind in an easterly. The trough and low cell that are
over us are supposed to be moving off to the northeast. A
southeasterly, and eventually southwesterly, breeze is supposed to
fill in. It just doesn't seem to be coming.
We are pretty frustrated at watching our good position from day
one just go steadily down. We are not exactly sure what we have
done wrong, so that makes it even more difficult.
Right now we are in a position where we have to get some leverage
if we are going to come back in this race. So, we are sailing to
the southeast hoping the southeasterly will fill, as predicted.
Report #1
1505 GMT
35° 36'S, 163° 46'E
Miles to Auckland: 645
Place: 7th; distance behind 1st-place boat: 37 miles
From: Paul Cayard, skipper EF Language
Looks like the south is paying already. This could be bad for us northerners as the advantage to the south could last for quite some
time.
We knew the south was going to be good eventually, but we thought
on the line or just north of the line would be good for the first
36 to 48 hours. The last sked showed everyone to our south
gaining, those most to the south gained 10-14 miles on us. We
gained on Verne [Kvaerner], but he is right behind us 11 miles.
We have got Silk Cut just to windward of us now about 0.8 of a
mile. It is kind of fun and always good to have another boat
right near you for the purpose of pushing the boat hard and
learning what makes it go.
The first 36 hours of this leg have been mild compared to the
beginning of Leg 3. We have been on port tack since Monday. We
have had the reacher and the spinnaker up today, shifting back and
forth as the wind has shifted. We are making good progress,
although it is not that exciting yet.
