Crew Blog

Disaster strikes - 26 September 2007

26 September 2007

26 September 07 and disaster has struck on board Western Australia 2011.com. After being lead boat for a number of miles, Hull & Humber took a wider track and has got ahead, pushing the boat hard. Not willing to let them get away we have carried the medium weight spinnaker into a building breeze and after the odd broach suddenly the sail gave way.

Both ‘Dark’ & ‘Stormy’ watches have had an exhilarating run, sometimes a little out of control and I believe Shane has set a record of 18 knots (35km/hr) to beat.
It’s now 0245 and Jacks, Lyn and various other team members are busy with hair dryers and sewing machines. Our favourite sail has a huge tear across and hopefully we can salvage it before daylight. Up on deck the boat is stable with a poled out Yankee providing 11 knots boat speed, nowhere near the constant 15 we had before.
Hull & Humber are fading into the distance and we can only hope that the gains over the rest of the fleet help us during this downtime.

The weather files, now three days old showed the area of stronger wind near the coast of Portugal and we certainly found it. Next destination waypoint is somewhere off Madeira 660miles to the south. Hopefully the predictions stand good for another 12 hours and we can get to suitable conditions for another kite run…

Martin Silk
Skipper

1. Allison, Vancouver Island B.C. Canada 26 September 2007

Just wanted to say keep up the good work Hull and Humber. I am following the activity on the net. What an opportunity you have.

2. Rachel Heald, Gt Eccleston 26 September 2007

O dear! Now’s your chance to put all your seamstress skills into practice. Keep your spirits up WA, you can catch Hull & Humber. It’s great being able to share all your adventure via the blogs… keep them coming, they make my lunch break exciting. Please can someone give Jack a hug from me. Rachel (J’s big sis)

3. Anne Williams, Wales 26 September 2007

Whoops!! What a great start you’ve made- keep it up but keep safe!!
Anne

4. Sister Sue, Aberdeenshire 26 September 2007

Go Billy dear with the hair-dryer!! Hopefully it will keep your mind off the mal-de-mer!! xx

5. Lynne Rowling, Thornton Cleveleys 26 September 2007

Not good news about the sail but hopefully the repairs have been successful and you can maintain the optimum speed. Good to read your first blog for a few days. Just been reading your update Jack, I’m sure everyone is enjoying reading it. love din and sal

6. The Major, East Malling, Kent 26 September 2007

Glad to see you are tearing down the coast of Portugal, Vasco da Gama would be proud!

What a pity you dont have time to stop in either Cascais, Lisboa, or Madeira for a drop of ice cold vinho verde, or a fortified Port/Madera wine with cheese.

That way you would give the others a chance.....especially the wegians.

Still some work to do, so get mending those sails...Salvador still seems a million miles away.

7. Sharon, perth, WA 27 September 2007

Sounds like a minor setback in leg 1, but we all know how you make up time No secrets!
With you all. Sharon

8. Steve Sharpe, UK 27 September 2007

Hi team,
Sorry to here about this setback. Martin, remember your original brief on tactics to us all back at Gosport..!! Watching the forecast here as well, stay safe and look after each other.

Steve

9. Margaret and John Heald, Great Eccleston 27 September 2007

sorry to hear that your sails need repair - I told you you should have done dress making at school. Take care of yourself and your fellow crew and lets hope the mending holds.

Love M and D

10. Jadranka Lota, Maidenhead 27 September 2007

Shame about the spinnaker. Hope its not too hard work repairing it. And I assume it will be the girls doing the hard repair work! Hugs to you all. Jadranka

11. Lynne Rowling, Thornton Cleveleys 27 September 2007

Looking good and you are making up lost time, obviously the repairs are exceptional. Keep with the race plan and you will come out on top. How many stitches are down to you Jack or are you hairdryer man? love ‘pommie ants’

12. P, Machrihanish 27 September 2007

Come on Johnboy - I remember mother teaching you to stich - get that sail fixed and get going!

13. Lynne Rowling, Thornton Cleveleys 27 September 2007

Looking good this evening and making up for lost time. Hope repairs comtinue to hold and that Jack’s hairdrying skills proved valuable. Enjoyed the video clip, more please
Din and Salxx

14. Jaye Martin and John Palmer, Broome, WA 28 September 2007

Hi Guys! Sorry to hear about the little rip in the big white kite! Hang on in there with the repairs, girls (and boys, maybe you should be learning.........but hopefully no more big repairs like this will be needed!).
Great to see you going so well; keep it up (and get past Hull and Humber!)
Jaye and JP.

15. Louise Bennett, London, UK 28 September 2007

Go on you good things, you’re doing so well. In keeping with our motto, look after each other and big boat love to you all. Louxx

Page 1 of 1 pages