Team Brunel - blog 2 Team Brunel in the ARC

The first 24 hours of the race proved successful, 1st on rating and
about 120 NM ahead of nr 2, a significant 100 ft Southern Wind yacht. We
had some showers (that is rain- none on board..) but mostly clear skies
and a brave ¾ moon peeping through the occasional cloud cover. Forecast
still looking good for a quick crossing but hard to tell with another
2000 Nm to go.

Life onboard gets into a 4 hr rhythm and once we figured out how the
first watch change almost turned into mild chaos- none would read the
scheme without reading glasses and assumed his watch fellow could…!-
things run like clockwork.

Watchleaders Johnny (Gerd-Jan) Poortman, Rocky (Rokas Milevicius), Jens
(The farmer) Dolmer and Tomas (Ivanauskas) manage their teams within the
boundaries set by Johnny for course, sail trim and strong safety
awareness. All get their turn to steer the boat, trim and grind. A great
experience where every personal speed record has already been broken. As
watches come and go we –the amateurs- get better and better at it. Who
said 20 knots was a speed record? In your past yes, not now anymore;
touching 25 is still high end but no one will stop this bunch aiming for
the big 30. The boat’s 36kn record is a little far reached but every 4
hours you get another chance J!

Little did we know that a men’s personality is demonstrated by driving
style. Joern’s cool and analytic approach is steady fast and effective
but Auke (a.k.a. Turkish cowboy) is definitely a thrill seeker pushing
the yacht to almost bitchy behaviour. Rocky’s guidance is try to
anticipate, well said- not easily done. Once you steer up to a 130
degree wind angle at 15 knots speed she launches off the waves as a
freestyle diver in breathtaking acceleration, you bear away slightly to
max 145 degrees, speed increases and the wild run begins. He who masters
the trade to push to the limit and holds off just before the climax wins
the game as you ride keeps going and going at higher and higher speeds.

At first we all held off slightly when the inevitable nosedive into a
bigger wave rolled 3 tons of water over the deck. No more, if she bites
and spits and tries to wash you of her rear quarters you gently steer up
and the fun continues. More speed means more fun but keeping the right
course will balance this rocky ride.

When below decks, the sounds are becoming familiar. Float, accelerate,
more water , rattling pedestal to trim the main, boat sliding down the
next big wave, the tone of the howling wind goes up and than? More
sliding or the big splash? If so, he did not anticipate enough and that
run is over. An eternal game of excitement.
Now driving this mighty machine over the Atlantic in very favourable
conditions it taught us all deep respect for the men who’ve done this
150 days long around the globe in sometimes horrible conditions: heroes
indeed !

Time to gear up in my rubber sleeved oilies and get on deck. The heat is
on !

Your OBR a.i. Koen