Weighing up the options

The fleet are currently in northerly breeze of around 9-15 knots with most of the yachts averaging between 7-8 knots boat speed: the exceptions are Christophe Coatnoan on Groupe Partouche in 10th place - the most northerly yacht - who has run out of breeze, only averaging 4.7 knots in the past 4 hours; and the most southerly yacht, Benoit Parnaudeau's Prevoir Vie, averaging the best speed at 9.3 knots. Although the southern part of the fleet now has the wind strength advantage, the direction is favourable for the entire fleet and permitted a prolonged starboard gybe south-west since noon on Wednesday.

Overnight (Wednesday/Thursday), however, the breeze was unstable and constantly shifting, delivering a jumpy night to many skippers: "I had the big spinnaker up and the wind suddenly went forward," reported Boris Herrmann this morning. "I got the sail down but the halyard was jammed. It was pitch dark, so I ended up lying on the foredeck with a torch and binoculars trying to see the top of the mast." This setback failed to slow the German yachtsman and Beluga Racer had moved into second position as the overnight blackout lifted at 0600GMT on Day 5, overtaking Yvan Noblet on Appart' City and now trails the race leader Giovanni Soldini and Telecom Italia by 17 miles.

Halvard Mabire on Custo Pol in 6th, also experienced halyard problems as the skippers attempted to grab some rest in the fluctuating breeze. "When I took the spinnaker down after a windshift last night, I discovered severe chafing to the halyard's outer jacket," explained Mabire. "Another 20 minutes with the sail up and I would have lost the spinnaker. The mast has turned into a halyard eating herbivore!" At sunrise, the wind direction began to settle: "Flat grey sea, grey sky, wind from 6 to 14 knots, but at least the direction is more stable (north)!" said Miranda Merron this morning on 40 Degrees. "It was shifting a lot during the night. The pleasant conditions are a bonus, and I have been able to catch up on sleep. Now to work out how to tackle the no wind zone ahead!" Merron has capitalised on the 'pleasant conditions', moving up the ranking table from 5th to 3rd since dawn this morning. For Thierry Bouchard in 5th place, the potentially windless zone is a concern: "Periods of light wind are always hard," said the skipper of Mistral Loisirs - Pole Santé ELIOR. "It is a time of very little rest. You are always on deck, trimming, steering, trying to get the best from the boat."

The IMOCA Open 60 fleet are currently dealing with the mid-Atlantic ridge of high pressure 250 miles west of the Class40 fleet with a few of the larger yachts polling slower speeds than the 40s. This morning, during the daily satellite phone conferences with Class40 skippers, Thierry Bouchard and Halvard Mabire formed an informal 'Class40 Sailor's Union' (C40SU): a body that feels information concerning the IMOCA fleet is a Basic Human Right for Class40 skippers. The C40SU's request is based on interest in the big boat competition further west into the Atlantic, but learning of the strategy and struggles of the IMOCA Open 60s as they fight through the ridge may supply confidence - or dread - for the 11 Class40 skippers. The Artemis Transat Race Direction Team swiftly, contacted each Class40 yacht and every skipper voted in favour of the IMOCA update. Even in the middle of the Atlantic, democracy appears to work.

36 hour blackout approaches
The 36 hour blackout period begins directly after the 1800GMT position poll this Friday and will be lifted after the position poll at 0600GMT on Sunday. During this period, only two people in The Artemis Transat Race Direction Office will know the exact position of the yachts and will constantly monitor their progress. However, the skippers will have no idea as to the location of other Class40s and the race communication team will have no additional, precise position. Regular satellite calls to the fleet will continue and skippers will send text and images to the race office throughout the blackout. Will the new democracy prevail during the blackout? Will the skippers call each other and trade information on their relative positions? Could the positions remain exactly the same as the fleet continue through the windless zone heading for the Newfoundland Ice Gate? One thing is certain: with the character of the Class40 fleet, expect the unexpected.

Solo sailing strategy offshore
"In effect, there is a big wardrobe of sails onboard in order to make the boat go as fast as possible at different wind angles and wind strengths, and some of the sail changes can take more than half an hour to make - and a lot of sweat! On this transat all the skippers will find themselves in the situation where between the beginning and the end of the manoeuvre, the sail that they were just putting in place is no longer the right one!"