Message from a bottle thrown in the sea between Sydney NSW and Hobart Tasmania

December 27, 2008

We started with Frank on the helm at 1300 on 26 December. It was a good start and believe we were already 3 sec after the starting signal over the line.Wind 15 knots. Genoa I. We tacked out of Sydney harbour but had to let Pinta-M go ahead of us an it took us until 1500 before we could pass her. Well done Pinta-M!

We headed South looking for the current. The fleet split immediately in boats staying at the coast and boats going out further.

In the afternoon the wind built up to 20 knots sailing under spinaker I.

In the night Boj did his usual spinakerpeels but under spinaker II we made a broach, the boat went flat, the boom swept from port to starboard   but only a little bit of water came into the cockpit.

Against our expectations there was not much damage except on the spinakerboom-rail but we could with some provisional repairs continue sail under spinaker.

We are able to pick up nice gribfiles on the weather and we can contact the race webpage so we are looking at our theoretical position. Anyone of you who has looked has seen that we are constantly swapping 1st place with Pinta-M an with Ray White Spirit of Koomooloo another S&S but a 48 footer. We know it is too early to predict anything but we are in the race running in the front. Last report showed that Winsome is now 11 Nm South of Pinta-M but latter has chosen to stay closer to the coast some 14 Nm now.

Just an hour ago we changed from our outboomed Genoa III (a special manner to do that as per instructions of Frank) to Spi III. Winds ranging 24-30 knots.

The spirit on board is very good and we are racing the boat as hard as we can, sometimes limited by Skipper’s wishes not to over do it.

Joost has found a new place on the foredeck but only when it blows more than 30 knots; Majo is talking two times per 24 hrs to a relay vessel called JBW on the HF radio for which she and Boj have done an examination in Southampton; Reima steers a lot; Francois is in control of sailchanges and Pieter is constantly downloading weather forecasts.

It is  now here 1130 LT and we have covered (over the ground) already a distance of 177 Nm with 1,5 hour to go to complete our first 24 hours.

If the weather allows it another message from the bottle at sea will follow.

Thanks to all who are following or supporting us.