Race Across the Atlantic - ARC 2007

Race Across the Atlantic - ARC 2007

Day 1 - Race Start 1300hrs Sun 25 Nov 07‏


Race Started at 1300hrs Sun 25 Nov 07

All is well aboard ASOLARE. We are 4 Crew, my Father, Peter Turner, is the Skipper, and two friends Clare Pengelly and Jonathan Stuttard.

We estimated that we crossed the Start line within 20-30 seconds and made good speed straight away.
Our original tactical plan was to use the Parasailor and stay clear of the Acceleration zone – but with the stronger winds forecast we opted to use white sails and scooted along the edge of the Acceleration zone and then turned away from the islands to avoid the wind shadow from Tenerife.


Shortly after the start we sent a crew member down for a snooze in order to kick start our watch pattern. The 4 of us decided to use a 3hour rotating watch pattern with one double watch taking place between 6am – 12am - thus each crew member will do a double watch once every 4 days and this allows the pattern to swing so no one person ends up on the same watch. Also all of the crew will be up for breakfast at some point during that period so the double watch is relatively painless.

Before the start Clare enquired weather the lower windows ever reached the water - then she commented that if they did it would likely be rather sporty! I agreed and replied that I very much hoped that the waterline did not come that high! However within a few hours of the start we encountered our first squall – it was very exciting and proved to Clare and I that the waterline definitely could go over the windows!

Food on Sunday was kept very basic as we all settled in to the rhythm of the boat and Sea Sickness.

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