As Cheyenne, Steve Fossett’s 125ft maxi catamaran, speeds round the world on her attempt at the non-stop round the world record, David Scully – onboard watch captain – sent yachtingworld.com this report after 10 days at sea.

“Sail, eat, sail, sleep, sail, how can you beat it?” asks crewmember Damian Foxall. Well, it can take a little out of you, too. Since yesterday’s festivities, we have been close reaching in stiffish trades. The boat is working hard, bucking like a mechanical bull as she drives through the frothy blue crests.

We are walking the fine line between making time, and pushing the boat beyond her limits. It was a beautiful night’s sailing, the stillnes of the stars and the horned moon counter-pointed by the spray shattering rush of the boat’s progress.

Reefing, unreefing, changing headsails, we need to get some longer daily runs in while the going is good.

At the moment we are 80 miles behind Orange’s Jules Verne record. We have caught up over 500, but these last few are proving elusive. Adding to our concerns is a complicated development in the South Atlantic High, 20 degrees south of us. According to current progs we hit a wall of light air at about 30 S, right on the doorstep of the reliable 40s. Adrianne and Steve are sweating over a hot nav table to find the wormhole that will release us into the Roaring 40s. Too bouncy to write much today.