And they're off...

[grace]

From the Green Dragon team:

Conditions have progressively worsened on board as the Southern Ocean makes its presence felt. Ian Walker's Green Dragon took the brunt of it. "I was just getting my waterproofs on down below when there was a huge bang and the boat went into an involuntary Chinese gybe," Walker reported.

"You might think this is alright for a boat with such strong Chinese connections but a Chinese gybe is what we all fear most as it is when the boat crash gybes and leaves you on your side with everything including the keel on the wrong side.

"As the mainsail hit the weather runners, water started pouring in down below through the ventilation hatches due to the side decks now being underwater but the boat miraculously turned back the right way, gybed back and righted itself.

"The steering blocks had sheared away leaving Neal (McDonald) with no steerage on the weather wheel. As the boat speared out of control Anthony Merrington managed to grab the leeward wheel just in time and straighten us up.

"Everyone was harnessed on and everything secure so no harm was done. Fortunately the only real cost was perhaps 5-10 miles and we are now back up and running with another bar story to tell."

jesus ....these guys are having way too much fun!

[dazie]

Here's another- same kind of gybe, but this one is described by the "media crewman" on Team Russia.  The media crewman cannot help sail the boat or anything else that might be helpful- it is his main job to report on what happens, either by writing about it, taking pictures of it or videotaping it.  He's allowed to cook and bail too.

(sorry it's so long, I did whittle some out, but IMO this is just too damn funny to cut any more out of)

Right Here Right Now
A blog by Mark Covell, Media Crew Member on Kosatka

Remember in one of my blogs from leg one, I wrote about telling it like it is? Say what you see? Well I'm about to do the same again and lay it on the line as it is for me, not the crew, not the people back in whatever edit office my work goes to, but right here right now.

Right now it's 22.30 ships time (17 Nov.) and we are heading southeast at 28 knots in about 30 knots of wind. It has just taken me well over an hour to simply boil 5 litres of water and pour it into one container of freeze dried food. It took me 25 minutes to find the lighter because today we had a small issue below decks with which way was up and which down. We had a fresh 38 knots of breeze with two reefs and full A6 kite up. The speedo was showing off with glimpses of 34 knots but mostly strutting about with its shirt off showing a solid 26 pack. I was in the office doing my lippy trying to put the media station back together (reasons later). The boats motion was violent but no more offensive then normal, when suddenly I am thrown to starboard, hitting the bulkhead door and breaking it clean off. "Gosh" I said, "What the devil was that?" My question was answered as the laptop normally Velcroed down, landed in my lap, with a catch any fullback would have been proud of.

The Blue Planet
Gravity has now chosen to work from left to right on Team Russia today I thought. Shoving the Mac quickly down my trousers, I made the rest of my kit safe and solid. Thanks to Sarah from our hard working shore crew for my new pouches, nothing else fell. As you can guess, the old up and down which I had become rather fond of, had now turned into side to side. Luckily, I had the spreader camera view on the media station screen. It was showing one of those clever half underwater, half blue-sky shots you see in BBC nature programs. I could hear David Attenborough's voice softy saying; "What the Volvo Ocean Sailor is experiencing here, is a Chinese Gybe, we don't know enough about this species yet, but we believe they do this to keep cool when they over heat."

Quickly breaking out my very own retake of The Blue Planet, I hit record on my consol. I was torn between grabbing my camera and capture more of the action or capturing the essential electrical navigation kit now hanging from the chart table like strange fruit in a southern wind. Wrongly I chose safety over fame, bundling up as much as I could and wedging it behind a corner. I sorted myself out, stowing the collection of stuff rammed down my trousers and headed for the action with video in hand.

Walking down the disorientated sidewalls, forward to the cockpit I could hear voices, commands one by one clear and direct. The normal rage and rampage of the boats screams to slow down were gone. Just a quiet sloshing sound as the waves broke against the hull. As I clambered forward I noticed the sleeping bags now moving in the water, mixed with things normally stowed high and dry. It's all wrong, so wrong, but not the first time I have been in this predicament, except the last time I was sailing a Laser on holiday and the water was a lot warmer.

So we are laid flat on our starboard side, main in the water, kite still up and keel fully canted down, pinning us to the sea with no runner on the port side. Sails that were staked on the high side now trying to swim back to Cape Town, as the water flows freely washing water bottles and winch handles in and out. The crew on deck are standing on the sides of things, tailing winches from confusing angles, desperately trying to untangle the puzzle. Thank God all on deck had life jackets and harnesses clipped on. I'm now filming but desperately aware that it's not the most helpful thing I could be doing. As if the referee had finished his count of ten, slowly the boat is freed from its half nelson and the she breathes a sigh of relief as the keel bulb cants back to the good side. The lads still working hard to prevent further issues manhandle the kite down; stake the sails back in and secure runners and sheets. Sensing that my presence is not welcome and any commentary or remark would be curt and abrupt I sloped away to put my world back into place for the third time this leg.

[Jessie]

Damn you, Jesus Jones.

[dazie]

Yeah- it's in my head too.  Sorry.

[dazie]

From the Green Dragon team:
blah blah about the gybe

jesus ....these guys are having way too much fun!

More from that same team:

Just before 11:00 GMT Walker sent the following email to the Duty Office at race headquarters in Portsmouth alerting race organisers to the situation on board.

"I am sorry to report that we have just broken our boom in a 50-knot squall," the message read. "We are in the process of recovering the parts. The situation is under control with no harm or risk to anyone. We are carrying on downwind."

Their position at the time was 39:41.17S , 40:28.73E, 1,500 miles from Mauritius.

Walker and the team were weighing up whether to continue under jury rig to Cochin or head for Mauritius where a replacement boom could be fitted.

Yikes.

[dazie]

said broken boom

[Gamplayerx]

big badda boom

[eo000]

big badda boom

multipass.

[grace]

i wonder if they will encounter pirates...a very colorful team!

[dazie]

big badda boom

multipass.

supergreen.

[dazie]

I snorted I was laughing so hard at this one:

A Close Shave in the Wrong Trousers
By Mark Covell

As I write this, the sold 20-knot trade winds are becoming less and less stable. The dreaded doldrums must be just up ahead. We have already had our first onset of heavy tropical rain, warm, refreshing and forcing a sail change. It was pitch black and as the crew worked quickly forward on pealing the new headsail. I put down my heavy blog, stripped butt naked and popped out of the aft deck hatch like Marilyn Munroe appearing out of the presidents birthday cake. (Hold that thought) How refreshing to get a natural doosh in a tropical shower, a great chance to have unlimited fresh water.

I closed the hatch tight and with soap, raiser and shampoo in hand I quickly whipped up a total body lather from tip to toe, worthy of any 50's Barber Shop. I was now fully covered in foaming olive soap, smelling like the foothills of Tuscany in spring. When suddenly the rain came to an abrupt stop. Like a practical joke, someone turned the tap off. I am now stood in my birthday suit on the aft deck in the pitch black looking like Shaun the sheep before he was shorn, with the wind getting up quickly.

The boat starts to heal up, the speed starts to build, voices from the bow raise as the noise of the wind notches up the tension. I am now faced with needing to get water, any water to get free of my soapy fleece. I dash forward and grab a bailer and a harness. I wasn't about to lean over the stern, at night, in the slippery buff, collecting water without being clipped on. I popped back on deck just as the crew shuffle back into the cockpit with their foredeck work done. With out lingering on the visual to much, just imaging the scene as I nonchalantly teetered past a working Volvo Ocean Race Crew in nothing but a offshore safety harness, with crutch strap fitted, covered in foaming soap looking like Mr. Whippy on the way to a bondage party. The only thing that I could come up with as they looked on in disbelief was "Good work lads, keep it up". They certainly didn't say the same phrase back to me. The relationship between crew and media man can be strained at times. I didn't see this one coming and nor did they.

[grace]

...he is hysterical.

think there might be a pic of that ?  bet soo.....

[dazie]

Well shit.  My friend (Acquaintance?  Friendly acquaintance.) Stu's boat broke.

Delta Lloyd, trailing the rest of the fleet for much of this third leg from Cochin to Singapore, were dealt a savage blow today when they broke a hydraulic ram on their canting keel mechanism.

Navigator Matt Gregory notified Volvo Ocean Race headquarters at midday that they had developed a hydraulic oil leak and it was later discovered that there was extensive damage to carbon structure around the port side ram.

They were sailing in 18-20 knots of breeze in the Bay of Bengal at the time. The crew has been in contact with their shore support team. They have implemented a temporary fix to centre the keel using the starboard ram and are continuing to limp along at 9 knots.

Media Crew Member Sander Pluijm explained the incident and the options open to them in an email: "We heard a big bang. Johnny (Gerd-Jan Poortman) and I thought the mast had come down. Everybody was shocked and we started searching below deck. It did not take long before we found the problem – the port side carbon structure that holds the ram was broken.

"It is too early to know the exact cause of the damage, but it is likely to be a failure of the hydraulic system. The seal is still on the engine. We are looking into the possibilities of going the nearest harbor or to continue towards Singapore, which we prefer."

[dazie]

Shit.  Why can't I ever like a team that has money AND wins?

Team Russia today announced it has suspended racing upon arrival in Singapore at the end of Leg 3 due to insufficient funds to continue the campaign.

The team has been seeking sponsorship in recent months to secure enough financial support to continue to Qingdao and beyond.

However no sponsorship has been forthcoming and the team has no alternative but to suspend racing until further financial support can be secured.

"From the outset, it was always a goal to bring commercial partners into the project," said Oleg Zherebtsov, the Team principal. "Until now, I have financed the team with my own money, in advance of anticipated sponsorship funding.

"By this stage in the Volvo campaign we had intended to find sponsorship, but this process has been impacted by the global economic situation."

Cessation of racing also means that Team Russia is unable to continue its partnership with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS).

The team was proud to "Sail For The Whale", during the first three legs of the race and was instrumental in spreading the call for safe habitats for whales and dolphins around the globe.

WDCS is very proud to have been a part of this race and will continue to work for the creation of 12 large marine protection areas by the year 2012 and will find new ways to work with the international sailing community as well as the general public to achieve this goal.

[grace]

because it's fun to support the underdog...

[dazie]

http://www.volvooceanrace.org/news/article/2008/december/SCHOOL-DAYS/index.aspx

)(#%*FQ  AW#$%!@!!!   


I wanted Kate to have this experience.  *sigh*

[grace]

what a cool school, it would be fun to be a teacher in that environment as well.

[Alice]

http://www.volvooceanrace.org/news/article/2008/december/SCHOOL-DAYS/index.aspx

)(#%*FQ  AW#$%!@!!!   


I wanted Kate to have this experience.  *sigh*

Did I miss something?  WHy can't she?

[dazie]

Because I didn't get on with a racing syndicate.

[dazie]

Jeezus...  They're sailing from Singapore to Qindao right now and hit a storm yesterday.  One boat completely out of the leg, motoring to safe harbor, another with a broken boom and hull damage, a third with a broken stay and hull damage.  Yikes. 

Saturday 24 January 2009 14:30 GMT

After spending the past 24 hours bracing themselves for 'hellish' conditions, today the fleet took the brunt of the anticipated storm in the Luzon Strait.

At the height of what some crew members described as "horrendous conditions", wind speeds topped out at 50 knots with maximum wave heights of 14 metres.

The main problem has come from the steep seas caused by the wind blowing against the prevailing current, resulting in a sharp, steep sea state.

Over the past 12 hours, the fleet has been short-tacking up the coast of the Philippine Island Luzon, seeking whatever shelter it could find near the shore.

"We have been sheltering behind Luzon Island for most of the day after trying to go upwind in 45+ knots," wrote Guy Salter, the Media Crew member aboard Ericsson 4.

"All I can say is that it was far from pleasant. We ended up sailing the last few hours under storm jib only, slowly creeping our way closer to the top of the Philippines before waiting for an ease in pressure to attempt the crossing over to Taiwan and through some very tidal seas, which could be boat-wreckers to say the least," he added.

His words proved prophetic, as some of those who ventured out into the Luzon Strait, found it didn't take long for the challenging conditions to exact a toll.
At 02:00 GMT, PUMA turned south while in the lead and headed downwind. They have now anchored in a bay just south of the town of Vigan. Read reported in an audio interview, with Amanda Blackley, that PUMA have a broken boom.

Read said: "We're busted and we are in a harbour. It's pretty disappointing. Quite a devastating day for us. We have broken our boom in half. At the time, there was 50 knots of breeze and 20-foot seas, with waves breaking over the top of the boat. We haven't suspended racing, we just don't happen to be sailing right now."

Meanwhile, Telefonica Black circled near the coast for almost three hours to change to their storm trysail and continuing. This sail change was before it even began to get really ugly.

By 11:30 GMT Telefonica Black had experienced a crack in the hull. They turned back to the coast, nursing a compromised hull to safety. They plan to take the time and assess the damage before planning their next steps.

Delta Lloyd turned back from the Luzon Strait for the calmer waters of the coast to repair a damaged steering wheel, ripped mainsail and a damaged mast track. The team has since suspended racing for at least 12 hours and is currently anchored in harbour.

At 0830 GMT Green Dragon, already nursing a damaged rig, followed Delta Lloyd's lead and headed inshore. The boat has suffered damage to the forward ring frame.

"Our intention is to make some repairs and get underway," Ian Walker said moments in a radio interview. The forward ring frame has disintegrated and parted from the hull, so the crew has to try to reinforce it and re-bond it to the hull. "We have some materials and some know-how and we will use a bit of ingenuity," Walker said.

Green Dragon has not retired from the leg. The team will try to make a good repair and carry on as best they can.

There are now three boats still sailing. In the lead at 13:00 and holding it together in the Luzon Strait was Bouwe Bekking and Telefonica Blue.

It seems that both the Ericsson boats have elected to watch and see how Telefonica Blue's passage developed. They have no competition for second and third place right now, and there is no need to rush out there and take a chance on breaking their boats.

Ericsson 3's navigator, Aksel Magdakl, described their slow trek up the coast with just the storm jib up in this audio interview with Amanda Blackley.

Telefonica Blue is now tackling the Luzon Strait. Bekking says is will be a case of 'survival' now, for the next 36 hours or so. "We are going to take it easy, there is too much at stake," he said.

Race Meteorologist, Jennifer Lilly says that the winds along the west coast of Luzon were just east of northerly and building to between 25 and 30 knots, with stronger gusts. The sea state had also increased with swells already topping 3 metres. She expects the winds will continue to increase over the next 24 hours to 40 knots, with stronger gusts in the Luzon Strait.

Lilly says that the next 24 hours will also see a transition to colder air temperatures and water temperatures as the fleet sails into the strong Kuroshio Current. Because of the strong winds blowing against the strong current, the seas are likely to build to almost twice their current height. Not only will the seas be large, but they will also be steep. In simple terms, they will look more like breakers at the beach than typical ocean swells.

[dazie]

To quote Bill Murray- Muther Puss Bucket!

[grace]

To quote Bill Murray- Muther Puss Bucket!

that is just not healthy !!

[Jessie]

To quote Bill Murray- Muther Puss Bucket!

that is just not healthy !!

I don't know if it's healthy but it makes me a little seasick just looking at it.

[dazie]

Notice how the guy at the wheel is standing at a different angle than the other guys.  There's actually a little wedge they set up so he's upright even if the boat is canted.

They expect to be at that angle for a while.

Did you see the other guy has a crash helmet on?

No THANK you.   

[dazie]

Oh gross.

PUMA - Ken Read (Skipper)

This should be an interesting blog. Mainly because I am starting to feel the effects from some serious pain killers.

We have brought a million people sailing on a Volvo 70 over the past year and a half. First thing we do is tell the folks not to put there hands on any loaded lines like the mainsheet or runners. Well, I did not heed my own warning.

Remember, we don't have a boom and there are three separate purchases on the clew of the main holding it in place. We are all creatures of habit on these boats. You get 100% used to every square inch of the boat and it is wild how much something like the lack of a boom makes you change how you walk around the cockpit in rough sea's. What you lean on and when.

Well, we finally got conditions this morning where we could shake our one of the reefs. Six of us on deck. I was on the bottom purchase and about to ease it when we fell off a wave and I braced myself on the purchase that runs to weather.

Sounds harmless so far right? Well the exact time I went to braced myself was the exact time that it was being eased through a large titanium block. The block quite easily sucked my left index finger in until I gave a little "hold" call then instinctively just pulled it out. Yuck. Not much of the last 30% of my finger left. At least from what I remember.

My daughter Tory has inherited the same aversion to the sight of blood. Tory, you will be proud of me--I didn't faint.

Just what the doctor ordered after the last few days. I am officially a dumb ass.

Dr Falcone sprung into action. Cleaned and bandaged. A serious painkiller is about to take over my world. And my typing has raken a severe efficiency hit.

Besides that, we lived though some brutal sea's last night in 30 knots of wind and have had a few more structural situations but the body shop trio of Casey, Salty and Mixhi have got il mostro nearly back into fighting form again.

Of course there was plenty more happening over the past 24 hours. Like the interesting exit past the Philippines and Cape Bojeador, in about 50 knots of wind right on the nose and horrific seas kicked up by a strong opposing current. That was fun...

So, I think I will listen to Doctor Falcone and get into the rack before I start drooling on myself at the nav station when the pain killers kick in. Ricky Deppe our media boy has sure had plenty to video on this leg. Clearly we are entertaining him, and hopefully most of this footage comes out to the public soon. Some of it is pretty good.

Off to bed now. And by the way, when you see the video he shot of my finger you may want to look away.

Kenny