Globe 40 race

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Richard & Rupert gybe Jangada to take a close look at Cape Horn

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Hot on the heels of Melodie & Paul's Whiskey Jack

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Both boats looking as if they are lining up to 'cut the corner,' inside the Le Maire Strait. Whilst the front of the fleet opts for the longer (but potentially breezier) ‘outside’ route....​
 
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Average SOG is down to around 6kts. As the whole fleet face light headwinds. Regardless of their routing. Voiles et Voiliers asks race organiser Manfred Ramspacher to gaze into his crystal ball:

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Meanwhile, Richard & Rupert's Jangada stays south of Isla de los Estados (close in). Leaving the Le Maire Strait to Melodie & Colin on Whiskey Jack. Not sure whether their decision was based on tidal timing or wind prediction.

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As Ian & Antoine claw past the Falklands. Their angle better suited to a landfall in Cape Town than in Recife.

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Clearing kelp off Jangada's keel keeps Richard busy.

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Aboard Credit, finally north of the Falklands, a dawning sense of achievement catches Antoine unawares.

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Whilst Whiskey Jack's Melodie & Paul are wondering if their westerly routing gamble will pay off. Now that the breeze is back. (Orange line is rhumb line. Red line is Credit's track)

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Curium’s Jonas & Corentin close in on Ian & Antoine's Credit

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Corentin's video synopsis (French language - but slow & simple. On FB)
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Click to expand...

An analysis shared by Antoine

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Melodie & Paul, on Whiskey Jack, explain their bold call to stay west. Currently bang on the rhumb line and reeling off northing. (I am not sure if the tracker is assessing placings based on distance from leader or distance to finish......Begining to suspect the former, based on Whiskey-Jack's current ranking)

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Meanwhile Jangada's Richard & Rupert make hay while the sun shines. East of the Falklands, in the thick of the sharp pack.

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After the elation of rounding Cape Horn, the reality of the return north, up the Atlantic, hits home for Richard aboard Jangada

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Feelings shared by Ian, as he watches the routing scenarios play out and sees Credit's lead shrivel

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All of which gives Curium's Corentin cause for cautious optimism.

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Free Dom took the most easterly routing, of the fleet, post Cape Horn. A strategy which Thibaut & Maxime are happy to stick with. The mood aboard, as ever, irrepressibly positive....and competitive.

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Overnight an Andean cold front arrives. Richard & Rupert's FB video, from aboard Jangada.

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Whilst Fifty+ knot gusts cause rig damage aboard Wilson, at the head of the sharp fleet.

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To add to the 'fun,' Melodie & Paul have a midnight weed wrap to contend with

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....but the story was not over yet....

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By way of reward, Whiskey Jack has gained ground against her rivals to the west.​
 
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Jonas is reluctantly forced to turn boatbuilder

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The heavy upwind conditions, of the past 48hrs, have taken their toll on the structure of the Lombard Lift v2 scow Curium.

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Requiring urgent reinforcement of the stringers

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Aboard the scow Credit (a David Raison Max 2), Ian and Antoine watch their lead continue to erode. 600nm ahead, at the Horn, Curium, despite their bricolage challenges, has closed to within 223nm. Leading sharp, Free Dom (Sabrosa 40 Mk2), to 270nm.

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Amid the spectacular sunsets and swells of the South Atlantic.......

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.....the temperature is rising.....

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.....in more ways than one. With a grand fleet compression afoot: Thibaut & Maxime's sharp Free Dom ranked P2; the fleet fanned out across weather cells; the forecasts fast changing and fickle.

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Curium's Jonas & Corentin close in on Credit's Ian & Antoine

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Antoine elaborates on conditions

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Those conditions shared by Barco's Jose & Luis. Who are chasing down Thibaut & Maxime's Free Dom, at the head of the close packed sharp fleet

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Melodie & Paul's Whiskey Jack now out east with their race rivals

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Reasons To Be Cheerful vary across the Globe40 crews. A gung ho "Ca Bombarde" (loosely: 'sending it') from fleet leaders Ian & Antoine on Credit.

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Spirits In The Night, for Melodie at the helm of Whiskey Jack

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Whilst The Race is On, for Jangada's Richard & Rupert

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Free Dom's Thibaut & Maxime count their blessings from the front of the sharp fleet

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Whilst the two scows fight it out, close in under the coast of Rio de Janeiro, with around 800nm to the Recife finish line. Ian & Antoine defending their lead by dint of hand steering Credit, in fickle conditions.....

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.....with Jonas & Corentin 90ish nm astern. Rueing the loss of Curium's AIS/vhf aerial (shaken from the masthead during the same pounding which cracked their stringers - post #88) as they thread their way through the inshore shipping

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Wilson's Lisa & Jade have company

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Jangada's Richard & Rupert have a plan

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The scows (Ian & Antoine's Credit and Jonas & Corentin's Curium) have an aquatic dogfight on their hands. The latter now within 23nm of the former.

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And the third scow, Lennart & Melvin's Next Generation, a Verdier designed Pogo S4, has arrived in Recife. Having replaced their spreader roots (see post #23 ) in Reunion. Before crossing, via Cape Town, to Recife. In order to rejoin the Globe40 for its final leg, home to Lorient. (English language interview)

 
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The scows slug it out in slow motion and light airs. Whilst the pack shuffles within the sharp fleet. Over to Richard & Rupert:

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Barco's Jose & Luis, the Pacific pace setters, drop to the back of the fleet. Whether positioning for the light wind approach to Recife (in their local waters, remember); or due to undeclared issues aboard, is not known. But this video, whose Spanish soundtrack I do not understand, may offer insight favouring the latter explanation 🤞 FB reel here if there any Spanish speakers reading this.

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Meanwhile, Melodie & Paul find the silver lining in a squid strike, aboard Whiskey Jack.

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Ian & Antoine scent better breeze aboard Credit

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Jonas & Corentin take a midnight dip. To cut Curium free from a buoyed net. Snagged whilst taking the inshore route. Allowing credit to open up a 40nm+ cushion.

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Barco has bowsprit (?staying? tack outhaul? a n other?) problems. Jose & Luis are busy with repairs. Still in touch with the , as ever closely spaced, sharp fleet. Which Thibaut & Maxime's Free Dom leads.

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A rip roaring night for Whiskey Jack's Melodie & Paul. Who break west, for the Brazilian coast, with Jose & Luis' Barco.

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Whilst Thibaut & Maxime's Free Dom, still leading the sharps, tacks east. With Jangada and Wilson. Lisa & Jade are looking forward to leaving the frustrations, of the flukey transition zone, behind them and finding the South East Trades "in the next few hours." 🤞

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Curium's Jonas & Corentin too are searching for wind.

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Whilst, further offshore, Credit have opened up a 70ish nm lead. Ian explains how:

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The reason for Barco's low course and Jose & Luis's bowsprit tip balancing act (posts #95 & 96) becomes clear. The dyneema halyard attachment loops have pulled out of the head of the genoa (?or chafed through?). Leaving the duo unable to hoist a genoa. Therefore sailing low under 'A' sails (I’m guessing) whilst making repairs. A process complicated (if I've understood correctly) by an initial misdiagnosis. See what you make of this explanation auto-translated from Spanish.

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At the head of the fleet, Credit extends her lead to Curium. Ian explains the scow’s strategy

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Antoine adds

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Out east, Richard & Rupert hunt for signs of the elusive South East trades. Jangada in the thick of the sharp fleet.

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195nm (straight line distance) to Recife for Ian & Antoine's Credit; 260nm to go for Jonas & Corentin's 'comeback kid' Curium. Both scows making 4-5kts and facing some tacking (but potentially a reach, once they have put in some easting IF the forecasts are correct). Prompting these thoughts from Jonas

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Richard & Rupert, on Jangada, enjoy star spangled nights and technicolour sunrises, whilst steering a 'middle way.' Perhaps hedging their bets against Barco & Whiskey to the west and, sharp front runners, Wilson & Free Dom to the east.

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Meanwhile, there is a flaming portent from the skies for Melodie on Whiskey Jack

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Which gives me a rare opportunity to quote one of my favourite song lyrics:

"...I saw two shooting stars last night
I wished on them but they were only satellites
Is it wrong to wish on space hardware?
I wish, I wish, I wish you'd care..."

'A New England' by Billy Bragg 1985​
 
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