Katie has just called in - she's doing well after a bit of a slow start and is keeping pace with the front runners in the fleet but the bad news is there appears to be a problem with one of the alternators on board 'Hot Socks'.

Without any means of charging the batteries Katie won't be able to use the autopilot to steer the boat so she can't leave the helm - not the end of the world with 50 miles to go to Kinsale, but a complete non-starter for a 525 mile 3 day leg to Santander.

The race is now on to get a new alternator to Kinsale before the race re-starts on Wednesday !

To follow Katie's progress click here to go to the Race Viewer...

Leg 1 of the bluQube 1000 Solo race got underway from Mylor in Cornwall at 9:30am this morning.

Katie and Hot Socks were 4th over the start line in 12kts of breeze as they headed for the Lizard peninsular and then Lands End. With the wind forecast to increase later today it looks like it could be an entertaining passage to Kinsale in Ireland.

To follow Katie's progress click here to go to the Race Viewer...

Katie's first major solo race on "Hot Socks", her new Figaro II race boat, is the bluQube 1000 mile Solo race organised by Petit Bateau.

Starting from Mylor (nr Falmouth, Cornwall) the first leg will see the 26 competitors sail across the Irish sea to Kinsale. Then it's on to Santander in Spain some 525 miles away across the Bay of Biscay - this leg is the official qualifier for the 2009 OSTAR which is Katie's next big goal. Finally a third leg takes the fleet to Camaret in France where the prize giving ceremony takes place on the 12th of July.

Katie left Cowes for Falmouth on Tuesday the 24th with her father along for the ride. After an overnight stop in Dartmouth on Wednesday they finally made it to Falmouth late on Thursday after battling into strong head winds most of the way.

"Hot Socks" is now tied up at the Mylor Yacht Club ready for the start of the race at 09:30am on Sunday.

To follow Katie's progress click here to go to the Race Viewer...

Now that Katie's 2nd year exams are over at Southampton Solent University, it's back to the training on "Hot Socks", her Figaro II, before her first major solo race - the Petit Bateau / bluQube 1000 mile Solo race.

Today was the first major test of all the new Raymarine electronics that have been fitted over the past few weeks, so after half an hour or so of motoring around in circles to calibrate the autopilot it was time for another circuit of the Isle of Wight in a reasonable 20-25 knots of wind. Watch out for a full report on the Raymarine kit soon...