Sal’s Ocean Globe Race Analysis: Surfing at High Speeds
The Southern Ocean is looking relatively benign at the moment for the 11 boats currently heading to Auckland on the Ocean Globe Race.
However, benign in the Southern Ocean is pretty exciting, by anyone’s standards! The lead pack of 4 are tanking along at averages of over 9 knots. When the average is as high as that, you can count on the fact that they will be surfing at much higher speeds.
Maiden is hanging on hard to the much larger Pen Duick VI, and is currently 2nd in line honours and IRC handicap in class and overall. Both these boats were designed with this kind of sailing in mind, and will be loving the conditions.
The leaders are broad reaching on the East of a High pressure system spinning anticlockwise out to the West. The South Westerly wind will be bringing some big waves with it as there are no land masses to interrupt their formation.
It sounds from the reports that everyone is in good spirts on board Maiden, as well they should - they are sailing her like they stole her! They also seem to be the provider of all the radio entertainment for the fleet. The boat is in her element and the woman on board will be having the best sailing of their lives!
Some might be feeling the cold a bit though!
