TJV Update – Andreas’ Blog 13 Nov

— 16 Nov 2013

Below is the latest blog from Andreas Hanakamp, racing onboard the Humphreys designed Class 40 ‘Vaquita’ in the Transat Jacques Vabre

Hello everyone dry and warm from a wet cave, not to say a very very wet cave.

We made some pretty good progress over the last 24 hours, something like 300 miles since we passed the mother of all calms yesterday. Wit the breeze gusting to 35knots, the speed went up to the low twenties and giving us an average of around 15knots. Not bad for a little 40 foot yacht.

Routine has kicked in, mostly its keeping an eye on the autopilot, the AIS and a lookout. Run the generator to charge batteries, bail the boat and cook food. The gybes ask for more activity, the stack and the sails don’t move out of you bunk.

Yesterday the big call was kite or headsail. It felt so good to overtake Concise and did hurt when they rushed by under their A6 sail. We were still in discussion when we passed them again, the kite had miraculously disappeared. Halvard and Miranda were quick – which sail did they hoist. Should we try the Code 0 again, wasn’t so bad when the front hit. Eventually we stuck to our conservative approach and refined routing. Stay in the strong breeze with good angles and keep the boat in one piece. We restarted as 17th in Roscoff and should be listed as 12th by now – we ll try to keep moving this way, still 4500 miles to go.

Another rough night, then things should ease off and we hope to be able to play Vaquita’s speed again.

Off on deck,

Andreas
4004N 01337W 1834Z