Race 7 - Day 9
Skipper Report
03 March

Hello,

What a 24 hours it has been, this time yesterday we were steaming along under Code 3 Spinnaker averaging over 12.5 knots with crew knocking out surfs into the 20’s. The conditions were all time, a lovely little sea state giving the top surfs but not too much that the boat is out of control, that combined with 24 knots of breeze the boat and helm were in perfect harmony. Cheesy I know but it really was all time.

Things only got better, we picked up the third and final points in the easterly gate. Being gluttonous (I quote Mark Light here) not only did “we” but Qingdao and Unicef as well, gybed west and headed for the westerly gate as well. It was all going so well until we approached the gybe to take us towards the gate and the wind right on time increased up to 32 knots and I managed to hit our top speed of the race at 23.5 knots. However due to the risk vs reward of gybing in 30+ knots of breeze with a Code 3 and full Main we dropped the Code 3 before gybing south and hoisting the Yankee 1. Now I’ve made that process all seem very simple but I can tell you getting a Kite down in that wind takes a massive team effort, the team came up on top and wrestled this Code 3 back on board, it did take a bit of heaving and hoeing but they got her under control with only a few little tears due to the previous broach.

All in all we managed to have our best 24 hours ever covering over 300 miles which is an average speed of over 12.5 knots for 24 hours. Great going team!!

We then powered on south through the second gate picking up another point and then southward on to VM Massey at the top of the Philippines. Last night then turned out to be the wettest night on deck so far as we hardened up on the breeze a little bit and the waves began to hit the side of the boat throwing walls of water up into the air only to have them crash onto the deck soaking everyone in their path.

Now we are bobbing along doing what we normally do when we are on this side of the Philippines, waiting for the wind to fill in so we can make our way south towards a shower and cold beer.

Until tomorrow,

Seumas