Whitbread Log: Leg 6
São Sebastião to Ft. Lauderdale
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We got that famous negative snowball rolling last night and it will take us a day or two to completely dig our
way out. We have to be extra careful in the meantime not to
create more work.
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Day 2 - March 15, 1998
1300 GMT
21° 23'S, 039° 52'W
Miles to Ft. Lauderdale: 4,238
Place: 7th; distance behind 1st-place boat: 17 miles
From: Paul Cayard, Skipper, EF Language
We are side by side with Merit Cup, running in 25 knots of wind.
They are a little faster than us in this condition, so we just have
to work extra hard and try to hang close.
We can see Silk Cut 5 miles away to the southwest and we know Kvaerner is ahead of us
to the northeast about 7 miles. We are not sure about the others,
so we are anxiously awaiting the sched. There is a chance there
was more wind outside.
We are recovering from our troubles last night, ploughing into the
back of a short, steep wave and getting four feet of water rolling
down the deck and taking the sails and the life lines over the
side. We got all the sails back and did not break the mast, so
that was good.
It did cost us, though, as we were very cautious in
inspecting the rig before rehoisting our spinnaker. Later, a
shackle opened on the tack of the spinnaker and it flogged into
the rig and tore badly. That was our 1.5-oz spinnaker, which we
really should have up now. But since we don't, we are using our .75,
which is a bit strained in 25 knots. Hopefully, Marco will have
the 1.5 back into one piece in 12 hours. If the wind comes up any
more, we will have to go with a spinnaker that is 30 sq. meters
smaller and that will be slow.
Josh already fixed the stanchions and lifelines, robbing a bit
from the port side and using some spare parts. So, that repair is
over. But, basically, we got that famous negative snowball rolling
last night and it will take us a day or two to completely dig our
way out. We have to be extra careful in the meantime not to
create more work.
This has been quite a fast trip up the coast so far. Forecast is
for the wind to go to the south and then southeast. That would
keep us clicking off the miles.
