There are three division in the ARC; racing, crusing or motor sailing division.
The racing division requires that the boat has an IRC rating, this is a formal international rating. Racing yachts are typical stripped of all unneccsary items to make them as light as possible, toilet doors removed ,no cosy cusions or blankets for the night watch to make them as light as possible. The sails and rigg are design for maximum performance with a very large sail area. However, these boats are NOT allowed to use their engine for propulsion. The ARC fleet has some very large racing yachts that will be in St Lucia before we even get started, their start time was half an hour before the rest of the fleet.
The yachts entered in the cruising division have a less formal racing rating based on measurements and dimensions supplied by the entrants. Many yachts in the crusing division carry items such as washing machines, dish washers, hoovers, irons, cappuchino makers, wedgewood china, crystal glasses and other goodies. Yachts in the crusing division are allowed to use the motor for propulsion to a degree. These engine hours must be declared once arrived and are used as penalties when calculating the final position.
There is also a motor sailing division that allows yachts to use the engine as they please.
Siri Ros is in the cruising division with a rating of 0.979.
The fleet is dependant on the weather systems, each boat plan and design their own strategi during the crossing. The weather is extremely important and we retrieve grib files and weather faxes via email as well as communicate via radio to try to make sence of all the conflicting data. Our route is adjusted after deliberation when the weather reports are retreived, as we all know, weather reports are only and indication and some times completely inaccurate.
In a nut shell, in the northern hemisphere winds in a low pressure systems rotate in an anti-clockwise direction, in other words against us. High pressure the other direction. Boats can sail with the wind blowing from behind and the side but not directly from the front. To make headway you must sail at an angle towards the wind. The speed also varies dependent on wind direction as well as the strength.
From communicating with others I understand that from previous years crossings this years weather systems are unusal and does not follow the expected pattern. Most of us have experienced exceptionlly light winds or none at all making the progress slow, this can naturally change at an time. We are heading down to 18 degress to try to pick up the trade winds.
When you follow Siri Ros's progress on the ARC website please keep in mind that the final results could be quite different to the general picture as many will have motored a significant part of the trip so far. The final results will not be available till the end of the race.
The next blog will consentrate on the daily life and routines onboard Siri Ros.....
Joke of the day:
What cheese do you use to entice a bear up a tree?
wait for it......
......... Come on bear
Liz
Skipper