Friday 24 October 2008 15:30
Wouter Verbraak (Navigator)
Wow, the number of messages that we are receiving via my own and the Team Russia website is unreal! We are getting tonnes of them forwarded and they really are a morale boost. Thank you all so very much. It is great.
From these messages it is clear that we are not the only ones on a watch schedule! To hear people are getting up in the middle of the night to check on the latest position updates is as crazy as it is fantastic.
Well good news for all die-hard race followers, the South Atlantic is warming up to be a spectacle. I can guarantee you right now all the navigators are homing in on a low pressure system developing off the coast of Rio in three days. This low has the potential to give us a great ride towards Cape Town, but careful positioning will be crucial. Too far east, and you run the risk of getting caught in the High with the light winds. Too far west and you might fall off the train early.
Already in the next 24 hours this choice has to be made, as switching lanes later can be expensive. We are leaning currently to a westerly route as this will get us to the low quicker, we can pick up some of the south-going current along the Brazilian coast, and we stay clear of the lighter winds in the east. What do you think?
With big calls like this having to be made all the time, we call the nav station the ‘hot’ seat. Jokingly we also compare it to being on a game show like weekend millionaires. OK, next round, 120 miles at stake, here is the question: to which longitude are you willing to invest west to get quicker south?
With this similarity in mind we are suggesting the introduction of more features of such game shows, like call a friend or let the audience vote.
Would be great to have a little chat with our shore-based strategist Jean Yves Bernot whose road book most of the teams carry with them on the legs. The road book gives a guideline to the most frequent strategic choices along the route and gives a very good big picture understanding. Jean Yves we are playing for 120 NM, how far west would you advise to go?
An online vote system would be even better. Race followers can make their own analysis all night, place their vote and get in trouble with their boss at work after yet another night without sleep! Fantastic!
Like the stealth cards you can of course play them only once....Knut (CEO Volvo Ocean Race) what do you think?
Having sailed with Knut I think I know his answer: "Wouter, you have been working to get in the hot seat since you were 13, now do what you do best!" OK point taken, back to the weather charts. 120 NM at stake, nice, I have such a cool job!
Cheers, Wouter
Wouter Verbraak - navigator