The 6,200 mile Leg 4 of the BT Global Challenge provided the toughest conditions ever encountered by the Challenge fleet. It was the ultimate test for the yachts and their crew.

Analysis of the Yachts log books have revealed many startling facts.

The yachts actually sailed nearly 7,500 miles and Group 4's average speed throughout the water was just under 8 knots.

There was an unusually large number of icebergs seen on this leg and most yachts logged seeing icebergs or growlers. Under water inspections have revealed that Global Teamwork came into contact with growlers (small pieces of ice) but other than scraping the antifouling, no damage was done.

The weather conditions were far more extreme than those encountered even in the 92/93 Challenge Race and the highest recorded wind speed on this leg was 76 knots.

During the 41 days the fleet were at sea, there were twelve days on which wind strengths of more than 60 knots were logged and there were 28 days on which gale force winds were recorded.

A number of yachts reported another weather hazard in that when sailing in 25-30 knots of wind, the wind suddenly increased to 50-60 knots in the space of 2-3 minutes. Very rapid reductions of sail were necessary and the risk of sail damage very high.

Six yachts suffered knockdowns severe enough to damage their radar domes (over 12 feet above the waterline) or HF radio aerials but all recovered without a moments hesitation. Most of the knockdowns were caused by huge unstable waves which threw the yachts onto their sides, generally with the mast below the horizontal.

Despite the severity of the conditions there was absolutely no structural damage to any of the yachts and the overall amount of damage to the yachts and their equipment was much less than could have been expected. Many of the yachts suffered panel indentation to their forward topsides which further illustrates the severity of the conditions combined with the relentless way the yachts are driven.

Pause to Remember broke her boom but did an exceptionally good job of repairing it. After completing the repair the yacht encountered 5 gales including one with wind speeds as high as 70 knots.

There were no rigging problems of note other than two bent rigging screws (on of which later broke). The extreme conditions were hard on anything that could chafe and the lazy (not in use) halyards suffered most just through incessant vibration.

The constant heavy wave action on each yachts decks took its toll on any equipment not very securely lashed down and even stanchions were bent by force of water. Three compasses were washed out of their binnacles.

The Challenge Yachts were driven relentlessly and never stopped racing other than to do repairs or maintenance of the rig and sails.

The competition was very intense whatever the weather conditions. Yachts tacking on wind shifts whilst beating to windward at 7.5 knots in over 55 knots (storm force 11) of freezing Southern Ocean wind was not unusual. Some yachts recorded as many as 13 sail changes in a 12 hour period despite the gruelling conditions.

No 'professional' crew could have worked harder at racing the yachts than the 'amateur' Challenge crew volunteers.

A significant number of sails were damaged with a hundred and one sails out of a fleet total of 168 (9.5 sails) being landed in Cape Town for repair. Whilst the majority of those sails required only minor work there were 26 blown out spinnakers of which only one will have to be replaced.

A number of yachts had very little sail damage and Save the Children had the least number of sails requiring work, with one blown spinnaker and only very minor damage to three other sails. The overall picture is of relatively little major sail damage for what must be the longest and toughest beat to windward in history.

There were 5 storm trysails (storm mainsails) damaged but mainly through wave action. It is difficult to comprehend how wave action can damage a sail which is set much higher than the mainsail it replaces but it illustrates the ferocity of the conditions encountered.

Andrew Roberts
Project Director, The Challenge Business Ltd