Day 25, Tuesday October 20, 1998

There was no change in positions in either class. Isabelle was able to gain another 20 miles on class leader Thiercelin and the same distance and more on all boats behind her. The Class I boats kept the same span on their leader, except Konioukhov, who had dropped back 90 miles. Boats behind the leaders could face difficult weather in coming days. A large cold front was moving off the coast of South America, which could bring mixed winds. Additionally, two large high-pressure zones were forming in the path to Cape Town. The leaders could face a long curving path on their way to the south and Cape Town.

Isabella Austissier

In Class II, Balance Bar could not get rid of Cray Valley and Cray Valley was not able to pickup any miles on Balance Bar. Van Liew found himself in Brazilian Navy exercise area. First he was asked by a navy officer to get out immediately but later, when navy guys learned that he is in Around Alone Race, they let him go straight through and diverted their submarines off his course.

Jean-Pierre had a quiet night except for a few times when cargo traffic set off his radar watch alarm. Behind him in third, Garside dropped back another 20 miles. His boat was a mess with hydraulic oil everywhere. Despite that fact that he was busy working on his keel problem, he wrote: "JP took another 5 miles off me but Brad managed only one. He's still 152 miles ahead but I pushed Robin Davie back by 9. I'm getting to grips with the race again. Had a small bunch of dolphins playing in the bow wave when I went out to trim a little while ago. Always a good omen!"

Garside's Magellan Alpha
"If I don't use the keel and leave it centered it means I am under ballasted compared with a swing keel boat with its keel out to one side or with a water ballasted boat with ballast on board," he wrote. "This means that I either sail on my ear, which is what is happening at the moment, I'm actually being driven SW and on shore while JP and Brad are heading due south, or I have to sail with not enough sail to go anywhere. In other words, I am stuffed whatever I do!"

Neal Petersen in sixth place and almost 600 miles behind the leader was hit by a huge rainsquall. Before he could furl the headsail, his boat went over. He took this knockdown with the winds blowing 45 knots and with all sails on. Not to mention that it happened on a moonless, pitch-black night.

Petersen's No Barriers © Foto Billy Black

At the same time, over 900 miles behind the leader, Neil Hunter wrote: "All's well and weather has picked up 25-35 knots from the SE. Therefore, on the snotta, and am sailing SSW as opposed to the SE I want to go. Is this the doldrums I have heard so much about? I thought it was a little bit further on."
Neil Hunter © Foto Billy Black

Positions:

Class 1

Class 2

Copyright © Richard Konkolski
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