Sailing Logic Blog
Monday, 1 September 2008
RORC Madeira-Cowes Race Report No 9: ....50 miles to Ushant...
Puma has done extraordinarily well today......they are absolutely flying along with 25 knots of wind coming from astern.
Puma has done extraordinarily well today......they are absolutely flying along with 25 knots of wind coming from astern.
We think they may have pulled back a few more miles on Pen Azen this afternoon. We believe the deficit is down to less than 15 miles. They have just sailed over 55 miles in 5 hours which means if they keep up this sort of speed average they will have covered around 220 miles in 24 hours and for a small plastic 38 foot yacht that isn't too bad!
Brighty (or Poochie to his team mates) has the speed record of 17.5 knots today but Philippe is determined to beat him at some point and so they are wrestling for time on the helm. They have changed down from the big spinnaker to a smaller, more user friendly version. It hasn't seen Puma's average speed drop too much, but makes helming a straighter and more direct course much easier, which in turn may make them quicker in the long run.
The crew are all absolutely stoked up for the fight right until the end and know that every manoeuvre and every tactic from now until Cowes has to be executed perfectly, if they stand any chance of overhauling the deficit of mileage and handicap of Pen Azen.
It has to be noted here that Pen Azen have been the outstanding yacht of the season so far, as they were in 2007. We all have a huge respect for them and they have only twice been beaten by a British yacht in the last 2 years.....and both times it was Puma.....lets keep our fingers crossed (and everything else) that Puma can make it 3rd time very lucky........
Posted by Philippe Falle at 6:05 PM
Leave Comment