On Friday the fleet is into a third day of 40+ knot winds and mountainous high seas - "CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand" Media Crew Member, Hamish Hooper filed this story at Volvo Ocean Racing:
15 Jun 2012
Hairy gybe
Leg 8, Day 6
Within the blink of an eye things on CAMPER have gone from speed record sailing to survival sailing.
A couple of hours ago the guys did a sail change to a smaller jib to keep things under control.
I took a moment to pop up on deck. When I stopped to look around, didn’t want to be on deck anymore. It was just like being back in the Southern Ocean in all its fury again- well close to all its fury.
The seas are huge, the mountainous caps breaking in all directions. It is times like this that it is a comfort to have your competitors so close. We could see PUMA - at times- as it appears and disappears down massive troughs of the seething swell.
Nico was knocked from the wheel by a huge wave and by the narrowest of margins, but managed to grab the wheel back and retain control.
Not long ago we finally gybed, something normally so easy, was one of the most challenging manoeuvres of the race so far. Its times like this that the standard of seamanship of the guys really shines through.
We are now headed direct to Lorient, but still we have huge seas and 45 knots winds to contend with throughout the dark night.
“That was one of the hairiest gybes I have ever done in all my life. It was a huge relief to get through it unscathed.” STU BANNATYNE
Stu Bannatyne is Co-skipper / Watch Captain on Team CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand.
"15 Jun 2012, Hairy gybe, LEG 8, Day 6" by Hamish Hooper at "Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12" - http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/teams_quotes/quote_5_1221_CAMPER-with-Emirates-Team-New-Zealand.html
Hamish Hooper / Media Crew Member Team "CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand" - http://www.camper.com/en/volvo-ocean-race/hamish-hooper
mh
No comments:
Post a Comment