Sport-heute: Sailing - Frust und Langeweile

23. März 2009, 19:46

Frust und Langeweile

Es ist frustrierend hier draussen zu sitzen und auf den Wind zu warten. Kein Lüftchen, kein Hauch nur absolute Windstille. Das Ziel ist so nah und wir kriechen! Das macht Frust und geht an die Psyche. Wenn du so mit allen auf dem Boot bist, seit über einem Monat ununterbrochen auf hoher See dich quälst, so gibt dir jeder auf die Nerven, der dir in die Nähe kommt. Was willst du machen, du hast nichst zu tun, nur warten, warten, warten.......

Volvo Ocean Race, 23.3.09 (mk) Die Mails direkt von den Yachten

ERICSSON 4 LEG FIVE DAY 38 QFB; received 23.03.09 1403 GMT

The light air brings with it a certain level of boredom and frustration; it’s just a matter of an ocean classic race to the finish - a Fastnet, Hobart, Middle Sea, Bermuda or South China Sea race. The reality is starting to settle, in that the end is nigh and so impatience starts to creep back into the psyche.

Everyone just wants to get off the boat and distance themselves from it for a few days – the same as anyone would after being cooped up on here for what seems like an age. We were reminiscing on the Oscar awards last night and how most of the winners would be well clear of the cinemas by now, just one thing that has happened whilst we have been afloat.

We are hoping that we can all just slip back into society easily and that it will be the usual case that nothing has really changed – same as you get after a long holiday where, on your return, you half expect lots to have changed only to find that your friends have very little to report. It’s even been contemplated that since we have been out here a ‘triffids’ or ‘planet of the apes’ scenario may have occurred but then your imagination rarely rests.

Food is the hot topic onboard at the moment as we have come to the end of our catered amounts but many weeks ago we did cut down on portion size to save some meals for such an occasion.

We now have reasonable sized meals and no snacks for a further four days and the hunger tempers are starting to show as the complaints of unfair portion size start to surface. Our policy onboard has been self service up until this point, but I have now taken full responsibility of being in charge of weights and measures – I am now mum or the law if you like! So I now have to dish everyone’s meals up and there only seems to be one person disappointed with the serving size and a few others happy at a slightly bigger portion!

I’m sure the whinging will kick off again soon, but that’s to be expected – it’s not as if I am taking my own extra cut for the increased responsibility, after all, if I were a government I’m sure a certain amount of tax would be fully acceptable.

One good thing about the lack of snacks is that my share of the protein bars, of which I am not a fan, will be starting to gain a good price. I will have to put them up for offer later tomorrow and see what I can get in return.

Had a few dolphins about half a mile away earlier and we have come to the conclusion that they must be scared of our orange appendages – after all orange is a warning colour in some species in the animal kingdom.

The scheds show extension and compression between the boats – we often feel like a set of Newton’s balls where one boat extends while the others get closer before a complete reversal and so the swing goes on. As long as we can just hold onto what we have for now and stay in touch with Ericsson 3, then who knows what may happen, but that is also the case with Puma behind – so I’m sure times will become more tense as we approach the finish.

Conditions onboard are perfect for sleeping as we find ourselves running in a light 10 knots of wind, and everyone is fairly relaxed. I’m sure our locals will become pretty excited in the next days as we close in on Rio – let’s hope it turns into the perfect home coming for them

Guy Salter - MCM

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Bleak outlook

3 days ago we had a pretty solid ETA in Rio of the 25 March (two days’ time). We had a fast route according to the weather models.

Next the wind heads too much to lay the Falklands and we lose precious hours having to tack through the islands. Following this a high pressure bubbles up right in our path and just behind that of the leaders. Negotiating this cost us a day.

Still things were OK as we sailed upwind looking for northwesterlies and a new low coming off the South American shore. This arrived last night as predicted but instead of bringing 15 knot winds and a route through the next high pressure, it brought lightning and no wind. Now we are left with virtually no wind and none forecast for three days. We also have adverse current. We have 1000 miles to go and my most optimistic outlook right now is an ETA of six days. At times like this the race becomes secondary to survival. The fundamentals of our life aboard are power to make water and run the boat’s systems and food.

We have been closely monitoring our power consumption and diesel reserves (the batteries are charged off the generator which runs on diesel) and we are confident this will not be an issue. To make sure, we will consciously save power by closing down non-essential systems.

As for food the picture is not so good. We started with 40 days and a week ago we split some food packs down to make another two days of food rations. This would give us 42 or another three days from now. We may well need at least seven days and three into seven doesn't go. When guys are tired and hungry, there is nothing like food to create friction between them.

As of today, to prevent any arguments over who has eaten what, we are splitting the food 11 ways and leaving each individual to manage their own food. We are already hungry and it will get worse - simple as that. That is life - nobody is going to die.

On a brighter note we are currently moving at six knots pointing nearly at Rio which is the best VMC we have made for 12 hours and it is a beautiful sunny day. What more could you ask for?

Ian Walker - skipper
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TELEFÓNICA BLUE LEG FIVE DAY 38 QFB: received 23.03.09 1042 GMT

The ‘road’ has been incredible bumpy overnight. Waves are coming directly from the direction we are aiming at, and even though they are not massive, they make us pound all the time.

We heard some strange noises coming from the rig last night, so made another d-tour and send David (David Vera) up for another ascent to the top. Maybe we are a bit paranoid, but we have come a long way, and we are not going to take any chances. In the meantime we are preparing a big repair day today, as the wind will slacken off and hopefully the waves will get smaller as well. Above all, it will be dry and warm, meaning it is the first opportunity we can glue something on the rig.

We are planning to build a complete new checkstay arrangement. These were the pieces of rigging which came tumbling down a few days ago, and which are necessary to prevent over bending (or worse, breaking) of the mast in the middle section. A piece of threaded rod has already been thickened up with carbon fibre to the right diameter, which we will stick through the rig and bolt on. From that rod we can than hang the checks off.

As well we have rebuilt a big carbon cover plate which we will glue so–called spa-bond (an epoxy glue) to the rig to give extra support to the pin and the mast wall. Normally you can see loads up to three tons on this piece of rigging, so better be safe. Still we keep the emergency checks in place, as they have done a good job, and that way will have a good back-up.

Of course we are following the progress of the other boats closely, and I can imagine how stressed they all will be, as they have to face incredibly difficult conditions. Big losses and gains are not very good for the heart rate. Even though we are far behind Green Dragon, I think they are not 100 % comfortable as we are over 400 miles apart. A different weather pattern where we are, plus they know they have more bad current against them, will make them probably feel just a bit uncomfortable.

Bouwe Bekking – skipper
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Gustav Morin/Ericsson 3/Volvo Ocean Race Ericsson 3 cruising towards Rio de Janeiro, on leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race The Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 will be the 10th running of this ocean marathon. Starting from Alicante in Spain, on 4 October 2008, it will, for the first time, take in Cochin, India, Singapore and Qingdao, China before finishing in St Petersburg, Russia for the first time in the history of the race. Spanning some 37,000 nautical miles, visiting 11 ports over nine months, the Volvo Ocean Race is the world's premier ocean yacht race for professional racing crews.

Gustav Morin/Ericsson 3/Volvo Ocean Race Anders Dahlsjo and Gustav Morin exercising onboard Ericsson 3, on leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Qingdao to Rio de Janeiro

Guy Salter/Ericsson 4/Volvo Ocean Race Ericsson 4 with their Code Zero up, on leg 5 of the Volvo Ocean Race, from Qingdao to Rio de Janeiro