Jack Bouttell the Australian/British bowman on Dongfeng has been giving an interesting update on what it is like to race in this lonely and remote part of the world where the average wind speed is now in the upper 20s, the skies are grey and the water and air temperature is falling.
“Yes, it’s the worst conditions basically,” he said in a quiet moment off-watch down below on the red and white Volvo Ocean 65 sponsored by Dongfeng Motor Corporation of China. “Here in the south you have cold water, it’s dark at night, the air is heavier, the wind is windier and obviously you are a long way from anywhere if something goes wrong.”
Jack then spoke a little about what it is like working on the foredeck of Dongfeng in these conditions. The latest footage from on board shows him and his teammates struggling with a sail change in the dark, with water cascading over the bow.
“I think everyone is in a slightly different mindset in the manoeuvres in the south because it is much more dangerous and it’s really for the driver to try to take as little waves (over the bow) as possible,” he explained. “You want to do your work on the foredeck as quickly possible, but you have got to be safe doing it,” he added.
Jack also revealed that two days ago he suffered an injury to his arm when a wave lifted him off his feet while he was working at the bow. “It’s really (easy) to have an injury – you really have to take care of yourself and be very wary of the risks,” he said.
With the boats gybing in heavy weather, the leaderboard is changing all the time. However Dongfeng is currently at the head of the pack, just a mile or so ahead of MAPFRE and crossing gybes with the Spanish crew. Vestas 11th Hour Racing is third (+4), with Team Brunel fourth (+5.1) and Team AkzoNobel fifth (+10.3). At the back Team Sun Hung Kai Scallywag is 80 miles off the pace.
Latest position report at 0700 UTC:
1. Dongfeng Race Team. DTF: 4,661.9nm
2. MAPFRE. DTL: 0.9nm
3. Vestas 11th Hour Racing. DTL: 4.0nm
4. Team Brunel. DTL: 5.0nm
5. Team AkzoNobel. DTL: 10.3nm
6. Turn the Tide on Plastic. DTL: 20.2nm
7. Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag. DTL: 80.8nm
