The decision made- wait for the weather to move through

Ready for the weather

A nasty gale is brewing south of us, the worst of it is headed straight
for Cape Horn just at the same time we were due to round the infamous
cape. After much debate we decided it was simply too risky for us to carry
on heading for such a dangerous randez-vous and have instead slowed down
and we’ll let the worst of the gale blow through before resuming our
course with improving weather behind us rather than the risk of being
cornered in a lee shore in nasty waves forming on the continental shelf
and no where to run.

In 12 hours the centre of the low should be east of us and moving north
eastwards away from us. At this point it should be safe enough to resume
our course.

Cessna, the boat currently leading the race has decided to adopt a more
aggressive strategy and will try to outrun the depression, rounding Cape
Horn ahead of the worst of the storm. We considered this option but ruled
it out as we didn’t think we could make it in time. We were in second
place with effectively little to lose by playing it safe as we certainly
were not going to overtake a faster boat in a storm.

Instead, we slowed down by reducing sail, we prepared the storm jib well
ahead of time, run the extra lines needed to use our special 4th reef and
are now just waiting for the wind to build, it should quickly strengthen
with the strongest due here in 12 hours and around Cape Horn in 18-24
hours, with enough room to run we’ll head downwind and hopefully make the
ride safe with wind and waves reducing well ahead of our new expected time
of arrival at the horn.

Posted by: firstclass