GOLD COAST 190600ZAUG11 SKED

date 19.08.11

LAT 12 52.3

LONG 25 04.4

DTR 2400

COG 230

SOG 10.8

SKIPPERS BLOG

What an amazing 24 hours for Gold coast Australia. We are reaching some

very good speeds for sailing so close to the equator as we ride through

some very good breeze on the way to the ITCZ. Currently at 12 degrees

north and we are still recording 20 plus knots of breeze and sailing 90

apparent wind angles, giving us an average boat speed of over 10 kts. The

closer we go to the ITCZ, the more the wind will back, and the path chosen

allows us to carry our heavy weight spinnaker for as long as possible to

make the most of the wind.

It has not all been plane sailing for Team Gold coast. Yesterday

afternoon, whilst sailing in perfect conditions downwind with 14 kts of

wind and a slight swell I had gone below for some sleep, happy that the

conditions were near perfect and everything was completely under control.

I had been asleep for an almost record breaking 2 hours, when

subconsciously I felt the boat loose power, as expected, this was followed

by a call from the deck. I raced through the companion way to find our

medium weight spinnaker in two pices and was shocked. How could this have

happened in such perfect conditions? Within seconds there was a hype

of activity on deck, the two halves were taken down, video and photos

taken and then the heavy weight spinnaker hoisted all within 10 minutes.

We were off again, though unfortunately leaving some of the stitching of

our trusty workhorse medium weight spinnaker behind us. As the conditions

get lighter and the boat flatterns out closer to the equator, no doubt

there will be the familiar whur of the sewing machine in the days to come

as we piece the two halves of our favorite “Gold coast Australia” branded

spinnaker back together.

Looking at the weather data we receive onboard its a fantastic case of

being in the right position at the right time, as the wind we are

currently sailing in will be significantly less for any boats following in

our wake. I look forward to this mornings positions, and hope that with

our higher apparent angles and more wind we have gained on Yorkshire and

we can beat them to the southern side of the ITCZ where 15-20 kt southerly

winds await us.

From the other side of the ITCZ, it will almost be one tack all the way to

Rio. The crew on Gold coast Australia are very excited about this, as it

means not as many sail changes, not as much trimming, and not as much

manpower on deck as is required to fly the spinnaker.

While the crew on Gold coast Australia are excited about crossing the ITCZ

and the equator, everybody is even more excited about the temperature

dropping from its current internal temperature of 32 degrees at 0530 am

and external temperature of 29 degrees. Conditions below are currently so

hot that you could cook an egg or peel the paint off the bulkheads, making

sleeping down below extremely uncomfortable and difficult. On the other

side of the equator a more comfortable temperature awaits us. As a

skipper the current temperature brings me great concern as the lack of

sleep results in the arising in problems of fatigue and lack of

concentration which could result in dangerous mistakes particularly as the

pressures on a 68 ft boat at this angle of sail are quite high.

A good example of the pressures and forces we are currently experiencing

is an incident that occurred during the last watch. A spliced spectra

loop that joins the guy to the sheet chafed through and gave way at

approximately 0200. At the time we had our spinnaker sheet whipped around

the guy, a common practice to stop it falling under the pole. When the

loop gave way, the speed that the sheet passed over the guy while it

unwrapped itself, combined with the forces of the heavy filled spinnaker

pulling the at the sheet, resulted in the guy cover melting completely

away from its spectra core as the sheet was forcibly peeled off it. Quite

amazing, considering it would normally require about 150 degrees of direct

heat such as from a blow torch, to melt the cover in this way. This is a

good reminder to crew to continue maintaining correct practices when

loading and unloading winches, and why not to try to hold onto a sheet if

it starts to run free. If a running sheet can melt through the cover of a

technical piece of line such as on the guy, imagine what it could do to

ones skin!

Everybody on Gold coast Australia, whilst not getting much sleep and having

to put up with hot and sweaty conditions are having a fantastic time, and

getting along like a great team should. We have been very fortunate with

our wind so far, and hopefully, if the sun keeps shining on Gold coast

Australia, we will maintain this pressure for another two or three days

until we have crossed the ITCZ and set our course direct to Rio! BT