Latest Position at 1600 GMT 17 May 44deg 25.330N 50deg 57.150W Speed 17.8 kts

In a message to Mission Control directly from the boat, skipper Steve Fossett said: “We have entered the “Area of Many Icebergs”. It’s a little spooky because if we hit any ice, even a small growler, it would destroy PlayStation. The Titanic rests 150 miles to the south. We are studying up on icebergs – identification and likely location. We are maintaining a watch on deck and continuous radar monitoring. In addition we are using an Infrared Camera which displays anything colder than the water.

“We could have gybed south the iceberg region, but the longer course would have given us no chance of breaking the TransAtlantic Record. Such is the decision countless transatlantic racers have made over the years.

“The worst of the iceberg risk is tonight. Let’s hope it’s not foggy. You know we will be slightly disappointed if we don’t see any icebergs.”