Emirates Team yacht Camper completes 2000 nautical mile voyage to qualify for Volvo Ocean Race 2011
Emirates Team New Zealand yacht, The Camper has qualified for the Volvo Ocean Race 2011 after completing 2000 nautical miles on Tuesday, May 10.
The yacht made visits at five ports during the successful wrap up of its voyage off the east coast.
The 11-member crew of the 70ft Camper is ready for race mode as the skipper, Chris Nicholson, stated that the trip will take at least six days to end. They started their voyage from Lyttelton on Tuesday morning to head towards Auckland.
The Camper skipper said, “We are heading north-east from Lyttelton and we’re expecting to be on the wind to Auckland. A large low pressure area is developing in the Tasman Sea and we’re keeping a wary eye on that. It could make things very interesting as
we get closer to Auckland.”
The Camper has already sailed through heavy winds and big seas in three weeks since the crew launched it to cover 35 to 40 knots on the bow from Tauranga to Gisborne rounding East Cape. Skipper Nicholson was already aware of the terrifying conditions of
East Cape and they coped with them brilliantly.
He said that they came through the night in a really good shape. He said that it was a test for both the yacht and crew. He further added that the little damage they suffered was repaired next day at Gisborne.
During their route to Auckland, the crew will face a lot of sail testing as the voyage has many sail changes and manoeuvres to test the nerves of each crewmember. The meteorologist of the Emirates Team New Zealand, Roger Badham says that there will be soft
breeze around New Zealand but there are chances of heavy breeze coming from west that will cover the country this weekend.
“From Lyttelton navigators Will Oxley and Andrew McLean have options of heading north-east, north-west, south-west and south-east. With the gale force winds coming, anywhere to west is not really an option. It’s a 2000 mile qualifier, not a boat breaking
exercise,” said Badham.
The Camper was open to the public on Saturday and Sunday when it spent the end of the week at Lyttelton. However, there was chill breeze and heavy rain on Saturday but that could not stop the public from getting aboard and enjoy.
Tags: