Well, first off it is windy and water is pummeling anyone on deck.  Average speeds in the 23 knot range means high speeds in the upper 30’s which we have had.  Will have to go back to the log to see if we have had any 40’s to date but I can tell you that things are moving along at a pretty good clip…

Many things have been interesting over the last few days.  We have sailed il mostro in some pretty breezy conditions pre-race but none at this fanatic pace.  To be sure this is an inherent problem of a one boat program - protecting the assets.  I always felt reluctant to press the boat 1000 percent in the pre-race practice because if something really bad were to happen to this boat essentially the race was over before it even started.  Not a very good scenario.  Plus there is the racing vs. practicing mentality. You can “think” you are pushing a boat hard when you practice but the fact of the matter it is that with a competitor next to you on in the same water you push much, much harder than in practice.  It is a fact of life.

This all leads back to where our program is at and something I have said earlier in this leg.  We are learning.  How hard is hard enough to push? How hard is too hard?  Fact is the guys on E4 have schooled us all in these conditions and my guess is they knew where there boundaries were better than we did.  We are finding them slowly, and a lot of it is getting used to the crashes and smashes that happen all around you 24 hours a day inside this base drum called a carbon fiber boat. It’s funny, as this leg has gone on the sleeping or even the concentrating was often interrupted by being acutely aware of new noises, loud bangs, creaks and groans.  Not to mention the occasional silence, followed by the tremendous CRASH of a hull falling into a wave trough out of thin air.  The first thought - “Are we pushing too hard and maybe risking the boat?”  Turns out, probably not hard enough.

The human psyche is a strange lot.  As I said, three days ago concentrating was tough as we sunk into this low pressure system and knew it was going to be a reasonably long and fast and furious ride.  No lie there.  But now things are different.  Three days ago what I cringed about is now what I crave.  I find that I can’t sleep now if the boat ISN’T smashing off waves or humming only as this boat hums when the boat speed goes past 30 because all those noises aren’t noises of possible problems any more.  They are the noises of FAST.  And to win this race will mean we have to get faster.

The Monster will find a way.

-Kenny

Life on board is simple.  Go about chores, on watch, in bed, eat, and sleep.  Do it all over again.  A regime spoiled only by the fact that gremlins crawl into the complex boat systems from time to time and take the mechanically inclined completely off their schedule.  Which happened this morning but again Casey Smith helped de-bug and solve the issues, this time with the able assistance from Chris Nicholson.

For such simple looking craft, with zero interior amenities, its amazing how complicated these machines are.  Especially with modern age communication and our new and elaborate media station.  The computer-driven hydraulic keel system is just another example of something that can get full of gremlins and you wouldn’t know it until many times it is too late.  That is why guys like Casey and Michi Mueller and Nico (Chris Nicholson) are so crucial.

Essentially the modern day racer is also part electrician and mechanic and all around “McGyver”.  We’ve had a few cases during this trip, and I can’t tell you how impressive it is to watch these guys solve some issues that simply blow right over my head.  Thank goodness they were all around for the entire build of the boat.  In essence they also helped design the systems, which is one of the reasons why they are so comfortable with an issue that seems potentially so daunting to the non-mechanically inclined.  It is always hopeful that the gremlins don’t find the boat, but also somewhat unrealistic. Hopefully we can keep them away for the next few days though, or at least until someone turns the fans down a bit.

Kenny”

Ken Read - skipper

Early in the race we knew that this was going to be a major trap.  The Doldrums, as described by Capey (navigator) in his typical understated tones, were “unusually large”.  Which is translated to,” Holy crap, there isn’t any wind forever!”  Actually what he described is that the Doldrums are exactly where they usually are, and aren’t really that large, but there is a huge band of no wind to the north of the Doldrums making it seem like the world’s largest Doldrums.  And he was right.  So we entered in the lead with only our historical data and some pretty sketchy weather analysis and a prayer. Just hoping to get out within some shot at the lead, and not put ourselves in position to have to play a substantial catch up game on the next part of this race- which is notoriously hard to catch up in.  We aren’t out yet.  Capey figures 60 miles to go as I write this.  And our goal isn’t secured to get out within a shot of the lead either.  

Things are just now starting to become clearer though.  I think in this particular case it was certainly a disadvantage to enter this massive Doldrums in the lead.  A few of the boats had a nice shot at seeing our 3 hour position reports and seeing what the wind was doing with us, evaluating their weather files and deciding where to go next.  We always like the west, but to go there meant to jibe away from the entire fleet at one point and give up the lead for positioning sake- while still in the lead- a lead that we had just planned down the Atlantic Ocean to grab.  And there was certainly some of the old adage- “if you don’t have a clear picture- stay between your competitors and the mark”.  Well, we ended up losing the lead by being too tactically conservative at the front end of the doldrums.  In the Green Dragon’s case, they did a really nice job- back a hundred miles at one point, sailing right around the fleet to the west.  Same thing with Ericsson 4, who after dropping off Tony for medical help found themselves a ways back and also boogied to the west.  We got to the west finally as well, although a little late.  Hopefully this strategy will inevitably pay off for us over this last 60 miles.  I will tell you it is no fun seeing a particular 3 hour boat position reports and finding out that by sailing sideways on the race track to get to the west, you actually gained little to no ground toward the mark and lost 15+ miles to most of the other competitors each time we did it.

All for the end game though.  And in this case the end game is getting out of this bear trap called the “extended” Doldrums.  And we don’t even know for sure if this will work yet in the end!  Did I mention that it is pretty hot as well?  

We are working hard to keep things loose on the craft.  It’s pretty easy to do when sailing with some of the most sarcastic people on earth- makes it quite enjoyable actually, especially during trying times like “massive doldrums” and a bad position report or two.
I bet all of you at home are tearing your hair out watching this unfold. Believe me- I know exactly how you feel!  Hopefully the next writing can come from il mostro with a bit more conviction and normalcy.  Dear Lord I hope so!

-Kenny

Sailing in strong trade winds with speeds of over 20 knots, PUMA are currently engaged in a tight tussle with Ericsson 4 at the head of the fleet. The tactical choices made aboard each boat in deciding which route to take, will result in obvious gains and losses for each team. More than ever, the PUMA Ocean Racing team will be looking to squeeze every inch of speed out of the boat that they can, to extend their lead.

The mood onboard is positive, with all minds concentrated on the job in hand. Skipper Ken Read commented from the boat early this morning: “I was just told that the TP 52 World Championships [an in shore event] are going on in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands right now.  Not only did we just sail right past that island, but did so in the middle of a gybing duel with Ericsson 4, with them about two boat lengths ahead of us at times. No matter how close the boats racing in the TP 52 event are, my guess is that there won’t be any tighter racing than the racing Ericsson 4 and ourselves are having right now.”
“As they zig zagged all over the lot trying to prevent us from passing us, we decided to set up about a mile to leeward, trying to sail our own angles and see if we can boat speed them and finally break through. For sure there isn’t much in it. Very fun though. Doesn’t make for much sleep, that is for sure. Honestly, I thought the racing would be close but this is ridiculous!”

“Besides that, it is business as usual…lousy food, smelly guys, getting fire-hosed on deck and sleeping inside a base drum with someone relentlessly beating on it 24 hours a day.  There’s nowhere would we rather be right now.”

Current Position:
1st Place
Distance to Leader: 0 nautical miles
Distance to Leg Finish: 5436 nautical miles
Miles covered in last 24 hours: 384 nautical miles

To track PUMA live online, go to: http://www.traclive.dk/events/event_20081011_VORLeg1/

The Volvo Ocean Race is made up of ten legs, finishing in June 2009 in St. Petersburg, Russia. The fleet is expected to finish the first leg of the race, in Cape Town, around 3rd November.

By joining the race, PUMA has entered a new premium category and is the only Sportslifestyle company to participate in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09. For more information about the race, team and the PUMA Sailing collections, please visit www.pumaoceanracing.com
 

Having waved an emotional goodbye to family and friends on the dock this morning, the eleven crew on board il mostro - ten sailors and one media crew member, who will document life onboard as the race unfolds - prepared themselves for a 6,500 mile leg to Cape Town. Expected to take around 23 days, the fleet will sail westwards out of the Mediterranean Sea, and then down through the Atlantic Ocean to Cape Town, crossing the Equator as they go.

After a great start, the PUMA Ocean Racing team aboard il mostro had a gruelling first few hours, rounding the first mark of the course in Alicante Bay in second place behind Swedish boat Ericsson 4 and storming back down towards the second mark. Impressing the crowd with visually stunning huge bright red sails, Ken Read and his team treated the spectator boats to a fine display of boat handling as they sped off at speeds of up to 24 knots.

PUMA Ocean Racing skipper Ken Read commented on the dock this morning: “Today is very special for us, it’s the end of two years of incredible preparation and hard work to bring us to where we are right now. It’s not the perfect Spanish weather we expected for the start of the race, but it’s time for us to get out of here.

I can’t say enough about this whole team, everyone involved in the PUMA Ocean Racing team as well as all the folks at PUMA, they have been magic to work with. I hope we can put on a good show out there. We just need to get through the night, and then we’ll have a nice ride down to Cape Town. We’re looking forward to seeing you there.”

The Volvo Ocean Race is made up of ten legs, finishing in June 2009 in St. Petersburg, Russia. The fleet is expected to finish the first leg of the race, in Cape Town, around 3rd November.

By joining the race, PUMA has entered a new premium category and is the only Sportslifestyle company to participate in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09. For more information about the race, team and the PUMA Sailing collections, please visit www.pumaoceanracing.com
PUMA Ocean Racing Sailing Team List, Leg One, Alicante – Cape Town:

Ken Read, 46 (Newport, RI, United States) Skipper
Andrew Cape, 43 (Lymington, Hampshire, Great Britain – originally AUS) Navigator
Michael “Michi” Müller, 24 (Kiel, Germany) Bowman
Rob Salthouse, 41 (Auckland, New Zealand) Trimmer
Casey Smith, 29 (Brisbane, Australia) Bowman
Jerry Kirby, 52 (Newport, RI, United States) Bowman
Jonathan McKee, 47 (Seattle, WA, United States)Trimmer/Driver
Justin Ferris, 32 (KeriKeri, New Zealand)Trimmer
Sidney Gavignet, 39 (Paris, France) Watch Captain
Chris Nicholson, 37 (Belmont, NSW, Australia) Watch Captain
Rick Deppe, 44 (Philadelphia, USA, originally UK) Media Crew Member

With Fall soon approaching, it is time to start breaking out the fleece jackets. If you haven’t yet purchased your Swiss Army knife of outdoor clothing, you may want to look into the Patagonia Classic Retro-X Fleece Jacket. While the price tag of the Patagonia Classic Retro-X Fleece Jacket may be a bit more than some of the other fleece jackets on the market, its well worth the price. Anything made by Patagonia is going to be expensive, but well made.

So, whats makes the Patagonia Classic Retro-X Fleece Jacket worth shelling out a steep $185 smackers for? First of, the name. I don’t mean buy the jacket because it has the cool Patagonia tag on it, but because of who they are. They offer one of the best guarantees in the industry, are all about being eco friendly, and regularly give back t the community.

But, lets get down to the technical specs of the Patagonia Classic Retro-X Fleece Jacket. The jacket is made with a cool blend of recycled materials. The fabric is made up of a blend of recycled polyester Synchilla pile and a Capilene. Talk about a warm and cozy fleece. This material will having you pet yourself all night long beside the campfire.

The quick & dirty:

Where you can get one: Point Loma Outfitting, of course!

Why they rock:

It’s windproof/breathable barrier comes sandwiched between cozy recycled polyester Synchilla pile and a Capilene brushed-mesh lining
Full-length zipper is backed by a storm flap
Stand-up collar protects your neck from cold breezes, and the Lycra spandex binding at cuffs and hem seal in warmth
Zippered hand pockets are lined with a moisture-wicking brushed polyester mesh
Vertical zippered chest pocket
Seat-of-the-pants rating: 9 out of 10
Im all about a good fleece jacket. It is one thing I dont mind spending a lot of money on. If I were in the market for a new fleece jacket, I would seriously consider the Patagonia Classic Retro-X Fleece Jacket. But, my North Face Denali has laster a good number of years now, so I think it may be a while before I have a chance to buy this bad boy.

Looking to buy? Check it out!

After a tricky first race, the PUMA Ocean Racing team aboard il mostro – ‘the monster’ – showed what they were really made of in the second. Narrowly missing out on first place after being overtaken by Spanish boat Telefonica Blue on the final leg, il mostro flew round the course stunning the crowd with their sheer speed and power upwind using a huge new sail – the ‘Code Zero’.

With an audience of thousands lining the shores, and hundreds of spectator boats crowding the racecourse, the atmosphere in the race village was buzzing. In port racing will be conducted in seven ports of the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race, and count for points towards each boat’s overall score in the race. Whilst contributing a relatively small amount to the overall score in comparison to offshore legs which will cover thousands of miles, the PUMA Ocean Racing team will now go into the first leg of this epic 37,000 mile race with a positive mindset.

PUMA Ocean Racing skipper Ken Read commented: “Finishing on the podium was the goal that we set ourselves aboard il mostro for today, so we’re really happy to have achieved that. Our first race was pretty ugly; we didn’t have a great start and then just sailed into a hole, but the second race was great.  We got a nice puff [of wind] on the first beat, and got ahead of the fleet. Whilst Telefonica Blue overtook us on the final leg, finishing second, and to be lying in third overall tonight, feels really great. I will say however, that today we really only saw light winds, it’s when we’re offshore we’ll really see what these boats are made of.”

The first leg of the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race will begin on Saturday 11th October 2008 from Alicante, Spain, taking the fleet 6,500 miles to Cape Town, South Africa. The Volvo Ocean Race is made up of ten legs, finishing in June 2009 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

By joining the race, PUMA has entered a new premium category and is the only Sportslifestyle company to participate in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09. For more information about the race, team and the PUMA Sailing collections, please visit www.pumaoceanracing.com

PUMA Ocean Racing Sailing Team List, In Port Race, Alicante:

Ken Read, 46 (Newport, RI, United States) Skipper
Andrew Cape, 43 (Lymington, Hampshire, Great Britain – originally AUS) Navigator
Michael “Michi” Müller, 24 (Kiel, Germany) Grinder/Sewer
Rob Salthouse, 41 (Auckland, New Zealand) Pit
Casey Smith, 29 (Brisbane, Australia) Bowman
Jerry Kirby, 51 (Newport, RI, United States) Bowman
Jonathan McKee, 47 (Seattle, WA, United States)Tactician
Justin Ferris, 32 (KeriKeri, New Zealand)Trimmer
Sidney Gavignet, 39 (Paris, France) Trimmer
Chris Nicholson, 37 (Belmont, NSW, Australia) Main
Andrew Taylor, 45 (Valencia, Spain – originally NZ) Grinder
Shannon Falcone, 27 (Valencia, Spain – originally ANT) Grinder

Puma Ocean Racing crew sporting the SLS Performance Polo. 

Alicante, Spain, September 20, 2008 – PUMA Ocean Racing joined the seven other teams in the opening ceremony festivities for the Volvo Ocean Race last night.  The crowd in the Port of Alicante were introduced to Puma and gave a warm welcome for il mostro and her crew.  The team will remain in Alicante through October when the race begins with the In-Port and Pro-Am Races on October 4-5.  Leg 1 of the 2008-2009 edition of the race begins on October 11 when the team leaves for Cape Town, South Africa.

Photo Credit: Sally Collison/PUMA Ocean Racing

I couldn’t say with any certainty how much time had passed since the MAYDAY and subsequent ABANDON SHIP call had gone out.  But there I was standing there in my survival suit, waiting to jump into the icy water below, knowing that we would have to form a safety circle and take a head count before swimming crocodile style to our life raft.  This was a daunting task and the crew knew that by the time we got to the life raft we would be exhausted.  
As night fell, one of our big guys, Shannon Falcone was able to right the raft allowing us to climb in as per our training.  Skipper Ken Read then called for another head count.

1 Kenny shouted

2…Jerry Kirby bellowed

Then silence…where’s 3?…It’s Michi someone yelled…Louder Michi!!!…sree (three in his German accent)…said Michi in the quietest shout I have ever heard

4…Capey…

5 Justin…on and on through the entire crew.  

Sidney Gavignet is number 10, one before me.  When it came to my turn I prepared to belt it out big time but couldn’t tell if it came out as a roar or a whimper…11.  The noise of the wind inside the raft was deafening.  Thunder and lightening was all around us and the sky filled with huge flashes of light.  The water inside our raft was already ankle deep from the waves washing in over the side, and the rain seemed to find its way in everywhere.  This sucks I thought.    

And finally number 12, Shannon, our extra man was safely onboard.  Relief, all twelve members of PUMA Ocean Racing accounted for and present.

Thankfully, this wasn’t for real but was in fact the PUMA Ocean Racing team completing the two day Volvo safety course in the UK alongside the Irish Green Dragon team.  

As Volvo Ocean Race sailors, we take safety very seriously and the events of the last race are never far from our minds. We’re fully prepared for the worst, but I hope we never have to put our skills to use.

-Rick Deppe

Photo Credits: David Kneale/Volvo Ocean Race

Technology clothes the city…A new thermo regulating jacket for all seasons: “Full Metal Jacket”.
Layered pants which boast a look for city wear but are technologically futuristic.
A warm-up vest in which to face the winter cold…The rallying cry for SLAM’s 2008-2009 collection is: TECHNOLOGY.
The company from Genoa is concentrating more and more on transferring the technology and engineering used for clothing in its ADVANCED collection to its TECHNOLOGY and SPORTSWEAR collections for everyday use.Thermo-taped seams, breathability, waterproofness are but a few of the intrinsic winning features in SLAM clothing.  An accurate choice of materials: cashmere, “soft shell” and velvet, precision in the stitching and care exercised over the finer points result in an attractive and attention-getting collection.  Apart from classic cuts, we find close fitting lines, custom fit shirts and polo shirts designed for sportsmen who follow the latest trends.Jackets, which for years have been the top of the range in SLAM’s collections warrant particular attention.  Quilted jackets increase in volume and become glossier; new cloth reefer jackets are matched up with the technical features which set sports jackets apart (thermal taping, lamination and waterproofing) whilst retaining the look and comfort of cloth. Worthy of a special mention are the futuristic “soft shell” jackets assembled thanks to a system which uses ultrasound technology.  The SLAM man, who has always been sporty, a lover of the great outdoors, is a dynamic individual, attentive to detail and to quality of life.Loads of innovation too for the ladies for whom a collection with greater fashion emphasis and femininity has been designed.  Waistlines are higher and pants figure hugging; knitwear has longer lines, prints become transparent and t-shirts double-sided.Created for the dynamic and glamorous woman, the new gold line is embellished with gold detail.The new “Full Metal Jacket” is thermo regulating, adapting itself to variable atmospheric conditions.
SLAM attentive to changes in weather conditions and clients’ needs has designed a revolutionary jacket capable of regulating temperature in tandem with changing atmospheric conditions which have now become so unpredictable.
By wearing the “Full Metal Jacket” you will never again feel too hot nor too cold, but will always experience a feeling of wellbeing thanks to the use of Outlast lining.Outlast is a material which is able to keep body temperature constant by absorbing excess heat and releasing it as and when required.  Excursions in unpredictable temperatures and changes in climate will no longer present a problem.  PCM Outlast® Adaptive Comfort® technology was originally developed for NASA to provide astronauts with protection against the freezing cold or fiery heat out in space.In the patented microcapsules, known as Outlast® Thermocules™, substances similar to paraffin capable of changing the state of matter have been incorporated.  This principle of physics is well known, for example water changes into ice or vapor when energy is added or removed.  Outlast® technology makes use of exactly the same law of physics.The other characteristic inherent in Outlast® materials is the fact that the sheaths of the microcapsules incorporated in the fabric remain intact, meaning that their temperature regulating properties remain active ad infinitum.Layered pants with a city look but technologically futuristic.
Another jewel in the crown from SLAM’s collection is the surprising Three Layer Pant. “Classic” for men and with “5 pockets side by side” for women, these formal looking pants disguise a host of technical features: they are windproof, waterproof and at the same time breathable thanks to their Sympatex® membrane.  These pants which will never let the wearer down, even when taken unawares in a downpour.Sympatex® is an ultra fine and non porous polyester membrane which, apart from guaranteeing excellent performance makes the trousers comfortable and elegant.In order maintain the human body’s energy balance, humidity produced by the body must quickly be wicked away to the outside; the membrane transports this moisture through the garment, creating an optimum micro-climate which keeps skin dry even during intense physical activity.  It offers protection, furthermore, against wind, rain and snow.In the wake of the success of the “Warm-up Jacket” the “Warm up Vest”.
THE COLD WILL NEVER AGAIN BE A PROBLEM THANKS TO THE WARM UP VEST; THE VEST MADE FROM SOFT SHELL FABRIC AND FURNISHED WITH AN INTEGRAL WARM-UP GADGET. 
Possessing three temperature settings, the new system guarantees 10 hours of warmth and, when the battery runs down, you only have to recharge it for three hours using the USB cable.
An overcoat in the wardrobe?  Let it gather dust because with this hyper technological vest you will never again suffer from the cold.  Worn under any jacket,  coat or top you will always feel warm and at ease.The ecological technology of the Light Bay Shirt and the Blue Peal Polo shirt
SLAM continues to amaze… engineering and turning clothing for everyday wear into technologically advanced garments.
The Light Bay Shirt and Blue Pearl Polo shirt, thanks to workmanship both inside and out, benefit on the inside from the use of high tech polypropylene Dryarn® and externally from fashion design detail. 
Dryarn® is an innovative (dermatologically tested) micro-fiber which guarantees increased levels of performance even in the context of extreme use.  The principal characteristics of the garment are:
BREATHABILITY: Dryarn® transports perspiration produced by physical activity to the outside. 
BACTERIOSTATIC:  It acts like an invisible barrier protecting and respecting the skin’s natural ph.
LIGHT: Dryarn is currently the lightest yarn on the market.
EASY CARE: Stain-resistant, non iron, colors don’t run.
THERMOREGULATING: stabilizes and keeps body temperature constant in external high or low temperatures, even in the most extreme conditions.
ECOLOGICAL: Dyed at the beginning (in paste) with non polluting additives. 100% recyclable.