Dee Caffari with only minor untidiness in the cockpit - quite unlike today's rude awakening. Image copyright Miguel Casanelles Rahola/GAES Centros Auditivos.
by Dee Caffari
We certainly had a punch this morning as 30 knots became 40 knots, we crashed tacked and the pilot stopped working. We had two sails hanging overboard with two broken stanchions and big waves and rain. All very exciting.
Some three hours later we have now removed said broken stanchions for repair in better weather, we have recovered two sails back onboard and they are now stacked inside. We have recovered from the crash tack and have gybed back onto course but we have decided to err on the side of caution and are not following the routing until the squalls and big winds are through. So we have a safe downwind course that is less stress. We have also replaced our Raymarine Ram with a spare and the pilot is now working.
Leaping into all this action was exciting and no time for a jacket, so at the end of the three hours of activity I was wet through all my layers all the way down to my pants. A cup of hot chocolate and a change of clothes and we are all feeling a little happier onboard although we will be happy when this system has passed through and we get chased down by the high pressure behind. Maybe it will have some dry weather and we can dry some gear.
Mad March Winds
by Coralie Rassinoux
The inevitable slow down whilst dealing with issues onboard will be a blow for the Gaes girls who have been in pursuit of closest race rivals Andy Meiklejohn & Wouter Verbraak on Hugo Boss since leaving the Cook Straits last week. At the 0900hrs ranking today, Caffari and Corbella onboard GAES Centros Auditivos remain in 9th place. Virbac-Paprec 3 continues to lead the fleet as they edge ever closer to Cape Horn and their exit from the Southern Ocean. Mapfre are second, some 60 miles behind the leaders, with Renault Z E in a tight battle with Neutrogena to maintain their third place.
Dee Caffari
GAES Centros Auditivos
Barcelona World Race
