Ellen returns from first mast climb
by Team Ellen 20 Jan 2005 21:46 GMT
Possible damaged areas on the B&Q trimaran © Team Ellen
KEY DATA DAY 53 1710 GMT:
Distance ahead: 751 miles
Time ahead: 2 days 6 hours [representing 11.49% of time remaining] calculated using the time it took for Joyon to get to the same Distance to Finish as Ellen's current position
OMEGA: Official timekeeper for Ellen MacArthur
Lat/Long: 26 48 S / 032 54 W (950 miles ENE Porto Alegre, Brazil)
Average Boat speed: 10.83 knots (heading NE)
True Wind speed: 18.1 knots (direction N)
Sea temperature: 25 degrees C
Distance sailed so far: 21,816 miles at an average speed of 17.0 knots
(data communicated by Thrane MiniC via BT Business Broadband)
Update based on data recorded 1710 GMT... go to www.teamellen.com for the latest data updated hourly
To listen to the audio of Mark Turner, Project Director, explaining the
situation, go to www.ocftp2.com/audio/ellen/mt200105a_uk_e.mp3
B&Q skipper, Ellen MacArthur, has returned from her first climb to assess the damage to the mainsail track caused by the headboard car ripping off of the track at the second reef point: "It was really hard, all I could do was to hang on. The good news is, we shouldn't have to replace the track, thank god." The climb took around one hour with B&Q sailing in a 6m swell at around 12 knots of boat speed downwind ie depressingly sailing 180 degrees the wrong way, but providing more stable conditions than bouncing upwind.
She has B&Q back on course now heading ENE in a 16-18 knot breeze and can now rehoist the mainsail up to just below the first reef point further up the mast - approximately 2m below the masthead. Climbing the mast is made easier if the mainsail is hoisted as she can use the holding loops attached to the part of the sail closest to the mast to help pull herself up and also stop her from swinging away from the mast (and back in to it with a thud). MacArthur will then make the decision whether to climb the mast again this evening to check the mainsail track at the first reef point before darkness tonight (approx 2100gmt) or defer this until tomorrow. She climbs the mast by pulling herself up a 'man' halyard that runs outside the mast using a pair of climbing jumars that clamp on to the rope, to haul herself up the 30 metre high mast.
Commanders' Weather have advised MacArthur to stay on the same port tack for another six hours to give her time to make the climb if she wants, but she will have to tack on to starboard around midnight to get back into stronger breeze as the high pressure system in the north east expands over the top of her, bringing frustratingly light winds for the weekend. This next hurdle is
unavoidable and promises a tense weekend for MacArthur as her lead could all but disappear by Monday.
MacArthur's advantage over Joyon's record time has been slipping over the past two days as B&Q has struggled with a succession of unfavourable weather systems, today's technical failure has impacted on her lead even further and now stands at 2 days and 6 hours.
For latest news this evening, please go to www.teamellen.com