Hello Again - What is it day 7 today? I can tell it's a weekend as the text messages and e-mails have been rather far and few between. A few one liners and all the others e-mails have been from competitors.

I'm sailing at about 260-265 T just under white sails and hit a max speed of 11.9knots. There are some pretty good waves out here for surfing if you fancy driving for a time. I have been under autopilot pretty much all day as the wind vane was steering such a zigzag course. It's been doing a pretty good job except the odd wave that picks us up and slams us along sides ways. I ran the engine for an hour this morning to make up for using the autopilot yesterday and it is looking like I will have to run it again before the day is out. It's not exactly easy sailing for the autopilot - you can here it straining away push pull push pull and fighting the water. Battery levels are down to 12.3volts and I normally let them drop to 12 - 12.1 before charging.

I filled up with 90 litres of diesel which should work out at 3ltrs a day for 30 days. I guess I am using about 2-3 ltrs an hour to charge batteries so no need to panic just yet. With the way the whole fleet seem to be sailing the layline we have got to be saving our selves a day or two in the total journey time anyway.

The big issues of the day is the sat phone. The power button is being a bit temperamental! Some time its turn on and some times it doesn't. I have informed the RWYC of the issue so they don't panic if they don't receive a day position report - but more importantly I am worried that I will not be able to keep in contact with you guys. You have no idea how writing these blogs and reading my daily e-mails breaks up the day. I would hate to be stuck without if for half the race. Look there you go - the sat phone has just turned itself off!!!! Taking the battery out and putting it back in sometime jumps it back into life or just charging it can help but one thing for sure is it doesn't matter how many time you press the power button it doesn't start up.

Adrian - You have my e-mail password. If I suddenly stop replying to your e-mails it means its finally packed in. In that case can you ensure that my mail box doesn't fill up with 10's of e-mails as this will jam up the system when/if I get it working again.

Everybody who has the boat e-mail address please be careful and don't send me loads of e-mails If I am not replying to you.

I am going to try and get this sent out now and see if it works.

Will.