Figaro 2005 - No Real Gains Offshore For Skandia

SKANDIA is in 5th this morning, after Sam decided to gybe offshore last night looking for more consistent breeze. This didn't pay the dividends she hoped for, "I gybed offshore and stayed offshore – quite a bit further than the others. I thought it was a good thing but in fact I think it was a bad thing, which is a bit of a shame."

At 1000hrs, SKANDIA was back inshore 35.5nm behind the leader, sailing in a south-easterly wind of 12 knots and averaging around 7 knots boatspeed. Race leader Eric Drouglazet (CREDIT MARITIME-ZEROTWO) has stretched his lead to 27.8nm ahead of CERCLE VERT, with BOSTIK 0.6nm behind in 3rd. Drouglazet has been the fastest in the fleet since last night. Overnight he was the only one to hold an average above 8 knots and at the 1000hrs report, he is still averaging the top speed, now sailing at 8.7 knots.

Dominic Vittet (ATAO AUDIO SYSTEM) has moved up the rankings and is now in 4th place. After being so far behind for most of the Atlantic crossing, it is frustrating for Sam to see Dominic now 2nm ahead, "He was lucky, everyone stopped & now he's gone all the way up the rankings. I'm depressed I've lost a place."

SKANDIA has just rounded the next landmark, Cabo Cruz which at 1000hrs was 5 miles east of her. The majority of the fleet are now sailing dead downwind, with less than 200 miles to go, "Nobody can go in a straight line to the finish – everybody is gybing still."

Although the distance between the top 10 has increased over night to 43 miles, this is due to the gains made by Drouglazet overnight who seems to be sailing his own race. The rest of the fleet, from 2nd-10th are within 15 miles. BOSTIK & CERCLE VERT are sailing alongside each other, with SKANDIA & ATAO AUDIO SYSTEM about 5 miles behind them.

The wind is stable at the moment, south-easterly between 15-18 knots. Forecasts say this wind will gradually get lighter, leaving the fleet with virtually no wind again, "Tomorrow night, there’s a big hole of nothing so it’s going to be a lottery again." The routing this morning shows SKANDIA finishing in the early hours of Friday morning (29th) but the forecasts are not proving to be very reliable so this is likely to extend to later in the afternoon GMT.

EMAIL FROM SAM (0200HRS)

Hello

Well, I have just gybed. It is a typical decision that was difficult to make. I think I am the most offshore boat, which I wanted to be because the wind is stronger and more stable, especially if I manage to get in the corridor of wind coming between Haiti and Jamaica... anyway, I just looked at the angles and the routing software (not very accurate here in the Caribbean) and decided to wait a little longer to gybe - just to the last minute. The others gybed a little while ago.

But I wasn't sure, and it is really difficult to do something alone (the others are more inshore). And it is even harder to be strong with decisions if you are tired. So, then I thought, perhaps if I am tired I am making stupid decisions. So, in the end, I allowed myself half an hour sleep, to get my head right, and also to check my decision.

After the half hour, the wind has shifted that I am now on the layline, so it is last minute, and with a clearer head (after 20 min VERY deep sleep) I gybed!!!!

And I am happy with where I am - I think!!!!

It is hard doing these gybes, where, now everyone has caught up, every mile counts. Normally I imagined that this last run in to Cienfuegos would be a bit of a procession.... Not sure which I prefer - I love this close tactical racing, but at the same time, after 4000 miles I could also do with a stress-free last 2 days and my comfortable 3rd place from before.... dream on!!

Today it was really, really hot again. I managed to find one spot of shade on the foredeck this morning, so I took my book, my water, the pilot remote control, the spinnaker sheet and a fleece (to sit on - the non-skid is pretty sore on bare flesh!) I tried to read a bit to relax, but the light (STILL) wind required a lot of spinnaker trimming.

Now there is a little more wind, so conditions are a bit easier to manage to get some sleep again.

This morning, the handle fell off my toolbox and I was, at the same time, a bit stressed and very keen to get to the end of the race, so I made my self an "eject" button for above my chart table, in case things get really dire... If it carries on like this it could be needed!!! (Click here to download photo)

Sam x

EXTRACTS FROM AUDIO WITH SAM (1000HRS)

How have the last 7 hours gone?
"I was scared of the land because it seems weird that there’s no wind there, but in fact, this last bit there was actually acceleration down the coast, which we haven’t had all the rest of the time. Actually when I got in to the coast, I saw that it is no longer mountains it’s a bit flatter so it’s really something to do with the geography of the coast. So I gybed offshore and stayed offshore – quite a bit further than the others and I thought it was a good thing but in fact I think it was a bad thing. And I think I’ve lost out quite a few miles on it, which is a bit of a shame. I know I’ve lost miles because when I sailed inshore, I gybed behind a boat and I was talking to Gildas (CERCLE VERT) and Charles (BOSTIK) and I was 4 miles behind the point and they had already gone round it. So I wasn’t behind them so it must be ‘Nio’ (Dominic Vittet) or even worse it could be one of the others but I hope it was Dominic (ATAO AUDIO SYSTEM). "

What is the forecast for the next 48 hours?
"Tomorrow night, the forecast I’ve got shows absolutely nothing, so all day today it’s gradually just going to get lighter and lighter and there’s a big hole of nothing in the night so it’s going to be a lottery again. At the moment we’re going dead downwind and I just gybed. Nobody can go in a straight line to the finish – everybody is gybing still. I think maybe I should continue my little offshore passage because this doesn’t seem to be such a good gybe."

You sound tired this morning – how are you feeling?
"I didn’t really sleep much in the night but then I crashed out in the cockpit and I’ve just woken up. I’m tired and depressed as well because I lost a place."

What is your ETA looking like at the moment?
"My routing, which is not necessarily right cause it isn’t a particularly good forecast, says that it’s the 29th at 0600ish which is the middle of the night our time, day after tomorrow."

Listen to the full audio from Sam at Audio/Video section of website.

Communications thanks to BT Broadband

LATEST POSITIONS 1000 BST 27/4/05
(boat name / average boat speed /distance to leader)

1. CREDIT MARITIME - ZEROTWO / 8.7kts / 181.2nm to finish
2. CERCLE VERT / 8.1kts / +27.8nm
3. BOSTIK / 8.0kts / +28.4nm
4. ATAO AUDIO SYSTEM / 8.4kts / +33.3nm
5. SKANDIA / 7.5kts / +35.5nm
6. TOTAL / 8.2kts / +39.2nm
7. AQUARELLE.COM / 7.9kts / +40.4nm
8. GEDIMAT / 8.2kts / +40.9nm
9. BANQUE POPULAIRE / 7.4kts / +43.1nm
10. COUTOT ROEHRIG / 7.4kts / +43.6nm
11. ENTREPRENDRE AU PAYS DE LORIENT / 3.5kts / 85.3nm
12. LITTLE BLACK SHARK / 4.6kts / +198.2nm