J. Lasso C.
Seventy boats will set sail at 5:17 p.m. today from Puerto Calero to head to Salvador de Bahía in Brazil, where the second stage and the Mini Transat 6.50 race, which has been stopping over in Puerto Calero for several days, ends.
2,900 nautical miles must be covered by the solo sailors to reach the finish line in Brazil, where this regatta will finish for the third time. The participants must navigate from the trade winds of the northern hemisphere to the trade winds of the southern hemisphere, leaving the equator in between.
With this route, the complexity of the second stage has increased considerably. From Lanzarote to Cape Verde launched with downwind winds with tactical options included. Already in the last edition, those who opted for a more western route obtained a good prize. Then the passage of the area of the calms, the "Dolldrums". Showers with intermittence with long calms and groundswell.
Take advantage of the slightest breeze and always run the boat. Here the tactical options are more fortuitous. Let us not forget that the Mini Transat preserves the rules of regattas in the old style. There is only communication with the outside via VHF and BLU, each day a radio part with the positioning of the fleet and a summary of the Meteo. Without Internet, without external help... analyzing the weather forecasts without data leads the ministas to the purest navigation by the senses. The passage of the Dolldrums is more than in the rest of the route a lottery that can be on your side with patience, a lot of patience.
