Approaching a large tropical cyclone named ‘Gelane’, Majan’s skipper Paul Standbridge, had to take a painful decision yesterday, deliberately slowing down the boat in order to avoid the storm. The result is frustration on board…

“It’s goes against every racing bone in your body to actively reduce sail and slow down. After Paul made the call we all felt very strange. We had only about 15 knots of wind with a grey sky and a small swell. We furled the J1 and put a reef in the main.

Now we have to crawl, the crew doesn’t know what to do with themselves. Mohsin was happy to sit on the deck in the light rain and get a slow shower as if in a stream bath with its fine spray. Mohammad looked crest fallen as he had worked really hard in the night sailing his fastest. Only now to have his good work reduced to slapping waves and sloppy sails. No longer is Majan singing her song of speed. It’s hard to explain to Mohammed what we are trying to avoid, as it’s an experience any sailor would not want to witness. He nodded his head and said, “I never thought I would be racing with Paul Standbridge and have to slow down. I guess it’s just a lesson I have to learn”.

Mohammed’s wide eyed expression just got more extreme as Mike Gilles told stories of 50 knots onboard Thomas Colville’s maxi-trimaran, Sodeb’O on a trip from Cape Town to New York back in 2008. We are all learning a lesson in patience and how not to walk straight into a tropical storm asking for a fight.”

Sent last night by Mark Covell.