Schwab, who’s currently lying in 11th position, sent this message this morning:

“After a lot of agonizing, I have decided to head north to fix the radar. It’s too bad as I am set up in a good position for a long starboard gybe run to the south which is the fastest route. But there is no way I’m going to get up the radar tower in these seas. It looks like the only chance for lighter air in the south would be in the center of a depression which was a possibility, but I decided not to chance it.

“Heading north also has its perils, as in a few days there may be very strong southerly winds near Tasmania and it would be good to be farther south then, but that is several days off and the weather predictions could change.

“This move will cost us a lot of miles which is a bummer since we had just got set up to cash in with the long starboard gybe. But that’s the way it goes, if I want to have the radar working before Tasmania.

“I spent hours all geared up today hoping for a chance to go up, but every time I thought it was possible the wind and waves convinced me otherwise. Once we get in good conditions the fix should be fairly quick and then it’s back to the races.”