Team Australia update, lighter conditions and flat seas on approach to Auckland

From the Team Australia facebook page by Lisa Ratcliff

https://www.facebook.com/team.australia.tri?hc_location=stream

Just heard from Sean (8.15am Sydney time), they are skirting around the outside of a big wind hole in a 10 knot breeze just north of east & doing 15 knots of boat speed heading towards the tip of the North Island.

They hit something first afternoon out, possibly a shark, & have some foil damage that was causing the tri to nosedive at high speed, when they get on the other gybe they should be able to see the damage & whether it extends to the rudder.

Best quote from the skipper: "It's 22dg and beautiful flat seas...it's bikini weather... if we had them we'd be putting them on."...

 

Team Australia power past half way mark but light winds ahead for Sydney to Auckland record attempt

From the following article submitted to Sail-World by Lisa Ratcliff

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Sprint-to-Auckland---Team-Australias-half-way-gone/115840

Conditions have abated to steady for the weary Team Australia crew now past the half-way point of their Sydney to Auckland record bid.

At 7:00pm tonight yacht tracker is showing them travelling east at 18.7kts. With a front coming from behind, respected meteorologist Roger ‘Clouds’ Badham says they can expect 20 knot average winds all night.  At 4.30pm (Sydney time) Team Australia had chewed through 620 nautical miles and made it through the roughest patch of the 1,260nm voyage in terms of swollen seas and high winds, which turbo-boosted the 60-footer to a top speed of 38kts, or 70km/h, without a hand brake.

For the crew, being on deck at extreme speed on this imposing 5.6 ton multihull is akin to being under a high-pressured fire hose. Down below is less fire hose more steady leak with water infiltrating the living space through the hatches and making it tough to find somewhere dry to grab a kip.  There could be another rough patch up ahead requiring a different type of concentration. Light winds are forecast to plague the final stages of the attempt, as the crew make their way around New Zealand’s North Island and down the east coast to the finish between the southern edge of Auckland’s North Head and the front light beacon of the Rangitoto Channel leading lights.
read more here

Team Australia, Sydney to Auckland passage record attempt update

From the following article on The Australian

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/big-bird-takes-off-to-try-to-set-a-new-sydney-to-auckland-sailing-record/story-e6frg7mf-1226741169683

A PASSING whale was an early obstacle to be avoided as Sean Langman began his bid to set a sailing speed record between Sydney and Auckland.

The Sydney-to-Hobart veteran's giant trimaran Team Australia, nicknamed “Big Bird”, flew out of Sydney Harbour with spray flying and one hull out of the water just after midday, intent on getting through the whale migration path before sunset to minimise the chances of a collision at 20 knots.

Langman hopes to reach Auckland in three days. The fastest reported crossing is five days.

read more here

 

 

 

Sean Langman of Team Australia hopes to encourage acceptance of a multihull division in the Sydney to Hobart race

From the following article on abc.net.au

 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-16/team-australia-skipper-wants-multihulls-in-sydney-to-hobart/5027068?section=sport

 

Australian sailor Sean Langman wants the Sydney to Hobart yacht race to allow multihull yachts to compete.

The skipper of the trimaran Team Australia is bidding to set a new trans-Tasman sailing record and wants the attempt to headline a campaign to allow catamarans and trimarans into Australia's most famous sailing race.

"We're out there doing some miles just to really showcase that these boats, if handled correctly, are in fact a viable and exciting opportunity," he said.

read more and view the video here