7:53 PM Thu 11 Dec 2008 GMT
Speeds of 18.7, 18.3 and 18.1 knots displayed by the top three boats over the hour before this afternoon's poll confirm that few concessions are made among the Vend?e Globe vanguard since the dismasting of third placed Lo?ck Peyron early yesterday, nor indeed the report from Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) that he had spotted a large ice floe less than half a mile away today..
There is now less than 40 miles between the leading five boats as Jean-Pierre Dick makes a small gain to lead by 30.4 miles from Roland Jourdain who is up to second place again. But there is now just nine miles between second and fifth place Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia).
The fleet are converging, being channeled through the gap between the Kerguelen Islands and Heard Island. It is about 230 miles wide but this hostile channel, where the seabed shelves quite sharply, is part is responsible for the difficult, confused seas which several skippers today reported having to deal with. Factor in gusty, squally winds which make it hard to manage and set a sail-plan - under-powered and you lose miles, or get pushed around by the 5 metre seas, over-powered and the auto-pilots can barely cope and the consquences are expensive in terms of lost energy and miles.
Two phenomena are coming together: firstly the wind will veer from the west and south-west to the north-west and will be very powerful: thirty in the forecasts, with gusts around 45 and more in the squalls. The seas are confused, pushed along by this flow associated with a Southern Ocean Low which will pass over the Kerguelens tonight. These leaders will be reaching the continental shelf just after the cold front goes over them, making the manoeuvre particularly tricky, as they will be changing tack.
Some may attempt to gybe, but even under reduced sail (two or three reefs in the mainsail and storm jib), there are serious risks. Even once on the right gybe it will be difficult keeping on track with breakers coming over the bow.
British skipper Mike Golding, Ecover 3, reported today that he has not been in his bunk for two days, cat-napping at the nav station, ever vigilant to help out the pilot or change sail configuration in the big waves.The veteran of two Vendee Globe races admitted today that he has been on the edge of control at times. So, too, the fourth placed skipper's nearest - and longstanding - rival Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) also concurred that life was pretty crazy with just four miles separating second from fourth.
Seb Josse (BT) still sails by his 'fast and reasonable' pledge and lies fifth now, but expects to gain again as the fleet close through the channel. Josse is still furthest north of the lead group, with Jourdain in the south.
The next low pressure system is presently over the Prince Edward islands, or the equivalent of where Dee Caffari, GBR (Aviva) and Arnaud Boissi?res (Akena Verandas) are, and will move over the fleet to reach the Kerguelens early morning tomorrow, while a bigger low is due to reach the Kerguelens Sunday yielding 40+ plus knots of wind.
Vendee Globe Ranking - 18:00 HRS GMT. Thursday 11 December 2008 (FRA unless stated)
1 - Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) at 15,533 miles
2 - Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) at + 30.8 miles
3 - Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) at 31.7 miles
4 - Mike Golding (Ecover) GBR at + 34.4 miles
5 - Seb Josse (BT) at + 56.6 miles
6 - Jean le Cam (VM Materiaux) at + 85 miles
7 - Vincent Riou (PRB) at +140 miles
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Cape Leeuwin, WA
Foiling - Components (Wings,Masts,etc)
