Yes, we had a helmsman washed out of his position by a wave blasting over the deck, a couple of self-inflated jackets and the race start was delayed due to hurricane Bertha but other than its only now, when I go through media reports, I see that it was a rather tough race ;-) ... and are heading for shelter from the strong winds from Hurricane Bertha Since the fleet left Cowes on Monday morning, the wind speed across the entire course has barely dropped below 25 knots and reports of over 40 knots of wind have been recorded by many competitors. The conditions have provided a full-on, proper wild ride... “The waves are pretty unreal: walls of white water, nearly reaching the first spreader that come flying over the deck. Some crash over the cockpit filling it like a bathtub. Others seemingly leap over the boat altogether... The good news for the fleet is that, following a fast and furious opening 48 hours... The third day of the 1880nm Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race continues to pressure the 28-boat fleet, with strong conditions remaining the theme for this immensely challenging course. “With up to 36 knots of wind and sustained periods of 30+, we have continued to push the boat as hard as we can – only once backing off as it felt like we were going to shake everything to pieces” Volvo fleet shifts from survival to stability
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 10:19:47 +0000