FROM 1-33. Sydney-Hobart Race 2005

Dec 2005, 28 - 1300hrs EDT

1300hrs 28 Dec 2005 EDT 37’50”S 150’26”E Ref 676

[ed: current ETA 7am 1st Jan]

Well done Wild Oats – onya fellas!.[ed: Wild Oats wins line honours in a race record of 1 day 18 hours 40 mins 10 secs, 1hr 7 mins under Nokia’s 1999 record – and that was without a mainsail for the last 30 miles or so!]  If you can wait around long enough we’ll say it in person. More likely, we’ll meet you coming back… Wild Oats Article & Berri Article

Kite wraps – How not to do it – first, don’t get a wrap. Second, don’t ever leave a headsail halyard tied off on the pulpit when the kite is up. Third, if you do get a nasty tight double ended wrap like we did, with the headsail halyard knitted into it, remember that the first thing to try is to release the headsail halyard and let it run – it just may slide down the forestay inside the wrap and allow you to pull the whole thing down. We got 1 & 2 wrong (me for 2 – I saw and failed to ask for a change)and we forgot 3 – yet all of us have done it at least once. Instead, we went the hard way and sent JJ up the mast and he almost succeeded – the kite tore where it was pinched by the halyard right at the top. It is repairable, but not out here, so we’re down to one kite. Tired and silly – but we got it sorted without any other damage and we’re now trying to negotiate the southerly change – all very soft and uncertain for the moment and hasn’t settled. I do hope we get some real wind behind it – there’s a long way to go.

All’s well in the bus shelter, though rather crowded. No dogs out here, but lots of flies and lots of big sunfish – we’ve seen at least three very big ones.

JC thanks for phosphorescent pome – too tired to read and appreciate – will savour later.

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