Ellen MacArthur is heading for home on Kingfisher
by Kingfisher Challenges 16 Mar 2000 21:49 GMT
Solo sailor Ellen MacArthur has just set sail from Auckland, New Zealand on
board the new Open 60 'Kingfisher' bound for Europe. Since the official
launch on February 18, Ellen and her shore team have been testing and
preparing 'Kingfisher' for what will be the toughest sea miles so far in her
career.
The first part of the trip is not without danger, with the presence of
icebergs and a number of cyclones circling one of the remotest parts of the
earth known as the Southern Ocean. Ellen was naturally a little tense as she
stepped on board her spartan home for the next 3 months; 'Of course I'm
nervous about sailing in the Southern Ocean for the first time, but this
next 12,000 miles back home gives me the unique opportunity to test the
boat, and get valuable experience before the Vendee itself. Its about taking
some small risks now, to reduce the risk of bigger problems in the race
itself. I'm sure we are going to have some tough obstacles to tackle, and
I¹m really looking forward to get back to sea!'
We'll also be testing an impressive array of communications equipment, and
Ellen hopes to send back video footage from Kingfisher via BT's
comprehensive satellite services.
The crew on board Kingfisher includes Shore Team co-ordinator and
systems man, Martin Carter, and ex-Whitbread navigator Andrew Cape who is
there as coach to Ellen on weather, IT and strategy. The third crewman is
Bruno Dubois from North Sails Europe, who will be keeping an eye on the
experimental 3DL sails. A lot of information gathering and testing is
planned during the trip; fuel consumption, weather strategy, sleep &
nutrition analysis, and of course a great deal of performance evaluation.
The 12,000 mile route will take them through the Southern Ocean, around Cape
Horn, before a stopover in the South Atlantic - possibly the Falkland
Islands. There the crew step off the boat, leaving Ellen to sail
Kingfisher back across the South and North Atlantic to Europe on her own.
It is hoped, but not sure, that Ellen will arrive in time to participate on
in the 'Europe 1 New Man STAR' solo transatlantic race starting on June 4th
from Plymouth.
180 Degree Test
As part of the Open 60 Class (IMOCA) rules, Kingfisher had to undergo the
new 180 degree inversion test. For this test, Kingfisher was craned
upside down, with Ellen inside. Then by her actions alone, using the swing
keel, she was able to right the yacht. This new standard test to simulate
the reality of a yacht capsizing mid-ocean has given us a great deal of
confidence about the improved safety of this class of yacht.
Images and video of this dramatic inversion test can be found at the project
website: www.kingfisherchallenges.com - just go into the news story
and click on the links.
Regular updates are available at www.kingfisherchallenges.com