Sport-heute: Sailing - Den Spi auf und vorwärts zum Angriff

10. März 2009, 22:55

Den Spi auf und vorwärts zum Angriff

25 Knoten Wind, der Tacho zeigt nie unter 20 und ein flotter Ritt durch den ansprechenden Wellengang. Hier auf der Green Dragon ist allerhand los. Was mich dabei immer wieder erstaunt ist, dass die Jungs vier Stunden auf Deck sein können ohne zu murren. Wir machen im Moment ausgezeichnete Fortschritte. Leider hatten wir vorher viele Tage mit schlechtem Wind. Doch jetzt, wo wieder alles rund läuft, ist es wunderbar durch den stürmischen Pazifik zu segeln. Seit ein paar Stunden haben wir den Spinnaker* aufgezogen. Wir freuen uns alle auf Cap Horn.

Volvo Ocean Race, 10.3.09 (mk) News!

HARD DRIVING AS ERICSSON 3 EXTENDS LEAD

Magnus Olsson/SWE and his team are fully focussed on driving Ericsson 3 hard through the grey/green Southern Ocean, straight towards the western end of the second ice gate at lattitude 45 degrees south. They are expected to cross in a little over 24 hours. Their lead is now 272 nm ahead of Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA) and the deficits among the fleet are now the highest seen so far in the Volvo Ocean Race.

The leading trio, Ericsson 3, Ericsson 4 (Torben Grael/BRA) and PUMA (Kenny Read/USA) are rattling east-southeast, set up to cross the gate at the western end from north to south, while the two southerly boats, Green Dragon (Ian Walker/GBR) and Telefónica Blue (Bouwe Bekking/NED) will clip the eastern end.

However, one by one, the boats are dropping off the conveyor belt that is carrying them towards Cape Horn and the talk onboard the chasing pack is of Ericsson 3 slowing down too and the hope of clawing back lost miles. While Ericsson 3 is still averaging 22 knots, the rest of the fleet are now down to 20 knots or less.

At 48 degrees south, Telefónica Blue now races in a different weather system and there is significant risk that they will take a lot longer for the team to reach the ice gate.

In their path is a ridge of high pressure, which will require dramatic action and the next 12 hours will be critical. The team has managed to make a new repair to the temporary patch on their mainsail, which had led the team to sail with the mainsail reefed.

Onboard Green Dragon, just one degree further south, but 176 nm ahead of the blue boat, Ian Walker has his eyes on the seven day forecast and what might be in store for the team when they reach the infamous Cape Horn, a place that he has never been.

“One thing seems certain, it is going to be a very windy, fast, cold blast reach to the Horn in a few days time,” he says. Weather forecasts are indicating a windy rounding of between 35 – 50 knots of breeze.

Walker has surrounded himself with experienced crew; the two Irishmen, Damian Foxall and Justin Slattery, together with Neal McDonald/GBR are all Cape Horn veterans and know very well what could be in store, but he still finds himself monitoring the weather forecast day by day.

At 1300 GMT today, Ericsson 3 had extended her lead by another 64 nm since 1300 GMT yesterday, recording a 24-hour run of 500 nm. The team now has less than 5,000 nm to run to the finish in Rio in this 12,300 nm leg, which started in Qingdao, China 25 days ago.

Leg Five Day 25: 1300 GMT Volvo Ocean Race Positions
(boat name/country/skipper/nationality/distance to finish)

Ericsson 3 SWE (Magnus Olsson/SWE) DTF 4,762 nm
Ericsson 4 SWE (Torben Grael/BRA) +272
PUMA USA (Ken Read/USA) +329
Green Dragon IRL/CHI (Ian Walker/GBR) +475
Telefónica Blue ESP (Bouwe Bekking/NED) +651

Delta Lloyd IRL (Roberto Bermudez/ESP) DNS
Telefónica Black ESP (Fernando Echávarri/ESP) DNS
Team Russia RUS (Andreas Hanakamp/AUT) DNS
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*Spinnaker = Der Spinnaker oder kurz Spi ist ein besonders großes, bauchig geschnittenes Vorsegel aus leichtem Tuch, das vor dem Wind und auf Raumschotskurs zur Vergrößerung der Segelfläche eingesetzt wird. Das Besondere am Spinnaker ist, dass er im Gegensatz zu anderen Schratsegeln mit vollkommen freien Lieken an zwei Schoten gefahren wird. Dabei wird die Leeschot als Spischot, die Luvschot als Achterholer bezeichnet (siehe auch: Luv und Lee).

Der Hals des Spinnakers, seine Luvseite, wird mithilfe eines Spinnakerbaumes ausgebaumt und am Mast abgestützt. Mit dem Achterholer kann der Winkel des Spinnakerbaumes zum Mast verändert werden. Der Spibaum sollte immer im rechten Winkel zum scheinbaren Wind stehen. Durch das Vorstag ergibt sich aber eine Begrenzung des Winkels. Ab einem Winkel von 70 Grad zum Wind erzeugt eine Genua mehr Vortrieb.

Als sehr großes und (vor allem im Top) breites Segel entfaltet es seine Qualitäten vor dem Wind. Fällt der Wind mehr von seitlich ein, entwickelt sich im Strömungsprofil eine starke Querkraft, die für Krängung und Widerstand sorgt.

Einfallende Böen oder Wellen können bei großen Spinnakern die Querkräfte so weit erhöhen, dass die Ruderkräfte nicht ausreichen, um das Boot auf Kurs zu halten. Jollen können dadurch kentern, Segelyachten querschlagen. Der Steuermann verliert dabei die Kontrolle über die Yacht, die Yacht schießt in den Wind und legt sich auf die Seite (Sonnenschuss).

Lösungsansätze existieren hier in Form des Parasail, der eine Öffnung mit Flügel im oberen Bereich des Spinnakers hat und so in Böen Druck aus dem Segel ableitet.

Die direkten Mails von den Yachten

GREEN DRAGON LEG FIVE DAY 25 QFB: received 10.03.09 0934 GMT

Yesterday we were power reaching in 25 knots of wind and for the first three hours of my watch I never saw the speedo drop below 20 knots.

It became a bit of a game to see who would finally break the sequence, with helm changeovers being critical times. First Tom, then Maniac (Chris Main/NZL) and then I all steered in turn successfully, but I am ashamed to say it was me steering as boatspeed momentarily dipped to 19.6 knots - although I point to a drop in wind speed as my excuse.

After 26 days at sea, any game is enough to keep us amused for hours. One thing that never ceases to amaze me however is how the same guys can go on deck for four hours on four hours off, day in, day out for 26 days so far on what is now the fifth leg of the race, and still have something to talk about. Emails help to raise topics for discussion and we've tried politics, but I don't think as a crew we are going to win any debating awards. The future of the race, Phil's (Phil Harmer/AUS) wedding plans, sport, women and children are favourite topics of discussion and there are always plenty of war stories from years gone by. Throughout all of this Neal (Neal McDonald/GBR) is always on hand to correct the Aussies’ and Kiwis’ English grammar - you can tell his father was a school master.

Back to the race and we have been making excellent progress for a few days now since we finally got the spinnaker up. Unfortunately, we have had to sail a lot of extra distance to keep in the stronger wind and it has been a period where the 'rich have got richer'. Those ahead have carried more favourable breeze and a more direct route, but over the next few days that should be reversed - or so we hope. What look like big leads right now should be dramatically reduced by Cape Horn.

Cape Horn is already very much on our radar and every weather forecast we get I can't help but look seven days ahead to see what is in store for us. One thing seems certain - it is going to be a very windy, fast, cold blast reach to the Horn in a few days time.

The water temperature is already dropping fast as we approach 50 degrees south and it is starting to get uncomfortable on deck. Down below is better but the carbon hull is freezing cold leading to lots of condensation. Wouter (Wouter Verbraak/NED) and my bunk is right under the runner winch, which seems to be a focus for drips. It’s not so bad if the boat is heeled over, but when the boat comes upright the drip is directly above our heads. This is becoming more than a mild annoyance and it might be time to deal with it the old fashioned way - by hanging a bucket from the roof.

Ian Walker - skipper

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Ericsson 4 Leg Five Day 25 QFB: received 10.03.09 0904 GMT

Cruising along nicely with the code 4 spinnaker on - very pleasant if not a little unusual. A lot of chat today about our little sweepstake on Cape Horn arrival - surprising how many of the lads think they have got the time spot on! I think Ericsson is running a competition around our bets (yes they are: click http://info.ericssonmail.com/webform/survey.php?sess=105516bqupkjrgl3junWE&page=1 to enter and bet with the Ericsson 4 crew).

To be honest I guess I would have put a bit more thought into it rather than my ‘get the ball rolling’ guess. It was actually last minute that I changed my bet from just being the 14th at 14:14 hrs. Anyway letting you in on who is really confident – let’s just say look at our Aussie and one of the multi-rounding Kiwis.

So all pleasant on Ericsson 4 as we surge downwind in a slightly confused, but large rolling sea. Waiting for the flood of miles to Ericsson 3 to stop and for us to start chiselling back a few - after all, the Nordic boys have done really nice work and there are a hell of a lot of miles for us to try and claw back!

Guy Salter - MCM

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PUMA LEG FIVE DAY 24 QFB: received 09.03.09 2150 GMT

We feel like we are in a bit of a drag race but we are dragging some tyres around from the back bumper. These two Ericsson boats are quick power reaching - check that, they are never really slow - and have essentially jumped a weather system on us. Especially Ericsson 3, who is just smoking away right now. Ericsson 4 has just a tiny more breeze and header than we do every sched due to their forward position in the band of pressure, therefore gains a few miles every sched. It gets taxing on the brain, and at times tough to keep moral up.

But we chug on, looking for the next opportunity. Life on board is really quite comfortable right now. All except for the fact that we aren't really making great progress toward the next ice gate at the moment. The water pounding on deck has taken a reprieve and the interior is actually drying out some. We have some of our air vents and aft hatches open which is a welcome change.

About two days ago we began to sail in a condition we hadn't had on this leg yet. Actually this isn't true; we haven't had sleet or snow yet. We have had every strength of breeze from all quadrants of the compass to date and all other forms of precipitation, but we hadn't had fog yet.

Well, we have now had fog and plenty of it. Fortunately (or unfortunately) there are no other ships or boats dumb enough to be down here in the Southern Ocean, so chances of having an exchange with another vessel are quite slim. The fog has given us only a couple hundred metres visibility at times, and pretty much soaked everything on the boat both inside and out. The hits just keep on coming!

Today the breeze has backed off and we are running in a gentle 14 knot north-westerly waiting for an eventual back in the breeze and a gybe toward the second ice gate. It would be enjoyable if we didn't know that the two boats in front of us always had a bit more pressure. Did I mention that was frustrating? I think I did.

Anyway, boat is in pretty reasonable shape and the boys are just about healed up from the crashing and smashing we took the first few nights out. Only taken 20 days or so for that to happen. Not too good for the body when you can't give it proper rest. Hard to heal.

Personally I think this is a bit of a milestone in the leg. Over half the mileage and time is behind us and in reflecting, I wish we had done a couple things better and also are pretty pleased with other situations. Life on board in such a cramped environment hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be over such a long period. The constant screeching of the rope over the winches is surely going to make us all deaf, but that is part of the deal. Like I said the other day, you can really lose track of time and the days just keep ticking by. If the food bags weren't numbered with the days meals to be served then I really would have no idea how long we were out here for.

An actual treat the other day, Ricky (Rick Deppe MCM) had out bag 19 and 20, then went to 23 and 24. We had already eaten 21 and 22. Big bonus. Two days passed in an instant.

We go on, looking for ways to reel back in our two Ericsson friends. They aren't making it very easy. Need to shake the tyres tied to the back bumper.

Kenny Read - skipper

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TELEFÓNICA BLUE LEG FIVE DAY 25 QFB: received 10.03.09 0120 GMT

Hi there,

We have had a busy morning on board the blue boat today. Having been somewhat dissatisfied with the original mainsail repair (meaning that we have been sailing with one reef since NZ), we have finally managed to re-do it. With flat water and moderate conditions we ripped the old patch off, hoisted the mainsail back to full hoist and then hoisted Jordi (Jordi Calafat/ESP) up to do the repair in place. After much swinging around on a halyard, Jordi has managed to make both our mainsail, and as a result our boat speed, look a little better. For sure it is going to need a little nursing to get it to Rio but it is certainly a step in the right direction.

Morale continues to be good on-board and this morning was a fun morning of sailing with everyone in high spirits as the temperature was warm and the sun almost out - it is amazing what a little bit of dryness can do for you every now and then.

Sadly the up in moral hasn’t coincided with a move up the rankings, quite the opposite in fact as Ericsson 3 has been streaking away at an alarming pace taking almost 50 miles a sched from us overnight. Depressing as that sounds, you've got to take you hat off to the Nordic guys, a bold move that has paid off handsomely is something they can be proud of for sure!

At least now we are back on port, pointing vaguely towards Cape Horn after having to gybe off overnight to once again hunt out more pressure. With any luck, over the next few scheds, we might see the remainder of the fleet do the same and hopefully we can claw a few miles back! Here's hoping...

Cheers,

Simon Fisher - helmsman

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