Mr Paul Blande, Chefmeister on Heartbeat IV had the first opportunity to shave of his MoBro moustache – grown for prostate and testicular cancer charities.  Go to the MoBro website and search his name and if possible donate an amount to charity in response to his stirling efforts at we think being the person to shave his moustache off further from land in a small boat than anyone else at 21 28N  and 40 35W. It was a couple of days late as any attempt at shaving his moustache in the last couple of days would have resulted in him chopping his head off due to extreme weather. Pics are of before, intermediate and shaved. Well done Paul – say the Heartbeat IV team!!

Saturday night exceeded others – 8h of massive electrical storms – lots of electrical issues pre-empted by disconnecting all hard-wired equipment – 39 knot squall (one of many) which ended up with needing to run off at 300 degrees for 20 minutes.  Rain coming down was denser than the water we were sailing through.  1245h today (ie completion of 7 days) had completed 1404 nautical miles. Average speed last 24h about 9.5k. Still very squally 27k wind.  Co-owner Judy diagnosed with cortical rib fracture following fall – symptoms controlled and no off-watch.  The new book I am writing ‘The Lull That Never Came – the Story of ARC 2012′ – is seeking contributions  from all participants on their experiences! Living conditions mildly grim at present – however homemade chilli chicken wings extremely good.  Bogmeister Walker hit on head by flying fish while helming. Thank goodnes, fish is fine. Pics show a lovely Saturday afternoon in mid-Atlantic and off watch team working on chilli chicken wings.

After 7 days barely seeing another boat at about 2230h Friday a boat was spotted about 0.5 mile to windward. Who should it be but Selene. So > 1000 miles into the Atlantic with > 200 other boats to see, Heartbeat IV and Selene meet up; have adjacent moorings on the River Crouch in Essex, UK; both have flag officers or former flag officers of the Royal Burnham Yacht Club on board; the respective skippers went to school together; both are doctors; both crew and teams have raced against each other in RORC and East Anglian Offshore racing. Selene reported being under reefed main and furled genny – we on 2 reef main and #3.  Conditions as North Sea like as possible – with two possible good exceptions slightly warmer and no wind farms.

Selene doing very well – good sailing and tactical decisions,  The more observant followers would note we should be far ahead based on TCCs but we hope that now our various probs have been sorted we should begin to make better progress!!  Conditions on board – v v wet – impossible to dry anything at the moment so in generally damp clothes. Lots of water across deck. Hope it may improve in next 24-36h. No fishing yet. Seen – 1 dolphin – 20 flying fish – 3m long 3″ hawser (just avoided) – what appears to be Venezuelan Pygmy Hard Hat (not sure about that one) – and two unidentified birds. Images completely fail to show horrible sea state! Note rainbow with Nic and Judy. Bruise one of our substantial collection!

Well now we now about rain and squalls. Wednesday night truly wet, wild and windy – up to 35 knots, biggish rollers and disturbed seas. Took decision to revert to two watches as unpredictability of conditions meant needed faster reaction time. Good overnight run and began to settle and then had to cut reef 2 as jammed in block and reverted reef 1. Good run all day with debate on best option to repair boom end fitting – decided to drop mainsail at which point vang imploded. Two hour under #3 at ~6k as boom fitting and vang stopgap replacement by on-board Vangs’R’Us team. Underway again 1900h – great conditions 25-33k – but caution with sail plan – enough 11+ and 16.6 max to remain happy knowing there’s a long long way to go.  Now 22.8k NE 8knots + boat speed – sunny and well-fed by Subway Blande. BLT wrap for breakfast and  guacamole and Spanish omelette for lunch.  Boat clean and dry(ish) – just sorting YellowBrick who have informed us there is battery prob with transmitter.

GoPro being used creatively. All now pottering doing essential maintenance and just noting slight lull. Much discussion currently on strategy and options.  Thanks to all who are following for messages – will try and reply to all in next day.

Heartbeat IV Team

Day 3 and Heartbeat IV is heading ~ 270 degrees. Under spinnaker and mainsail – wind 12-20 knots NE to East. Bright sunshine and warm at last after a pretty grim first two days more reminiscent of beating up to Smith’s Knoll in May on the North Sea Race. After slowish start down the Gran Canaria coast we followed the wind round with part of the fleet, although many appeared to adopt the inshore route. With winds S and SW up to 32 knots it was full HPX gear overnight and some of the day. Pretty miserable and not helped by genoa sheet failure on Sunday night, followed by reef line failure on the Monday morning. Both sorted without too much effect on speed. Skipper particularly unwell after failure of scopolamine. Excellent food provided by Paul B and Nicola. Waited for wind to veer to N on Monday evening which it did on time – to about 20+ knots. Main and number 3 have good speeds and worked for the rotating three watch system (Jude, Jason, Roger – Russell, Karen, Ian and Nic, Trev and Paul). Assy up for first time Tuesday morning followed by almost immediate halyard failure. Managed immediately to get Russell up mast – mouse dropped – new halyard sited by Trev without slowing down. Wind increased to 25k so changed from A2 to A5 and then replaced by S2. However S2 wrapped in middle of night by managed to recover but as halyard and uphaul/downhaul tangled made decision to go bareheaded until daylight. Then wind back to 28k+ so reefed main and #3.  Hoping conditions will remain similar for a while. Spirits good. Many bruises and grazes. Pic by Trev whilst up the mast. Hope that he’ll have lost weight next time he goes up.

Delayed start for most of fleet but Racing Division A and B due to start tomorrow..  Conditions not ideal with South, South Westerly 20 knots ++.  Not quite what was ordered We start on the Inshore line at 1245. Team all present and correct – Judy, Jason, Karen, Nicola, Trevor, Ian, Roger, Paul, Russell – currently battening sails, checking reef line, securing stowage. The weather situation very closely…..consideration of going north round Gran Canaria if strong southerlies but sea state not great. Roger setting up our dual GoPro system with remote control. Paul off to find 100 eggs that haven’t arrived. Usual pre-race tensions, really just want to get going.  Good to see Matthew Vincent last night.  Picture of the Farewell Party with Adrian Lower of Selene.  Hope to do twice daily blogs but if weather is as predicted, possibly not for 48  hours.

Now have Ian, Russell, Karen, Jude, Jason, Trev and Paul here.  Have built second spin pole, sorting satphone links, have hauled out, anode replacement and scrubbed, provisioning today.   Have been in contact with Adrian from Selene and Mike from Dufour 45e, Patience.  ARC Masqued Party last night.  A few pics of what’s been happening below.  Tomorrow off for trial sail and ID of start area.  Rog and Nic arrive tomorrow. It’s been exhausting……

Flying the flags

Nasty

Nearly out

Hold the stomach in

Sailor's Bar - Las Palmas - some sailors

Ready for the start?

The Lone Ranger and Tonto

Only Paul Blande and Trevor Bassett in Gran Canaria at present, but flew the flag at the opening ceremony – note HB IV strip highly visible amongst the others!

ARC Opening Ceremony - 18th November 2012 - flag procession

We hope you’ll follow us!

Heartbeat IV arrived in Las Palmas Marina early this afternoon. Well done to Trev, Paul, Ian and Marcus and thanks.  The first beer on arrival is pictured below. We assume the second on the left is Mr Blande’s.

Beer in Las Palmas just after arrival 8th September - second one on left is Paul's

….hard at work…

This'll need the gaff!

Tattifilarious!

……and Alan Bartlett and the team for winning the Burnham-on-Crouch Town Cup. Wish we’d been there to see it. But here’s a pic of Inn Spirit anyway!

Inn Spirit

Alan Bartlett

HB set off last Tuesday – delivered to Weymouth by Scott and Will. Then left last Thursday with Ian, Paul, Trevor and Marcus. Brisk sail south to Brest.  Stopover and then on to Dufour at La Rochelle for work on rig. Brief stopover and set off on 30th August to cross Bay. Have now turned South and on way down Portuguese coast.  A couple of pics below.  Follow HB IV on marinetraffic.com (HEARTBEAT IV) and Twitter (@OffshoreHB).

Position 1st September ~ 0900

Paul fishing