Vendée Globe

November 10. 2008 at 14:15Stamm against the clock

Bernard Stamm (Chéminées Poujoulat) talking about his repairs:
"It's a race against the clock, but there are things you can't hurry. For example, we're going to have to rebuild the bowsprit in its entirety and you can't change the time it takes to dry composites, whether you are racing or not. This repair job needs to be done as seriously as everything else we have done on Cheminées Poujoulat up until now. We're going around the world and it's going to have to last.

"The countdown has begun. while the others are all sailing upwind. It's not a big problem, but if I could get away today, rather than tomorrow, it would be better. However, looking at what needs to be done, I shan't be leaving Les Sables until tomorrow afternoon to try to sail the best race possible."

November 10. 2008 at 13:14Riding it out

The 10 skippers taking part in the first of the Vendée Globe live radio sessions are all weathering out the storm: "We're really being banged around!" they all agreed. The south-westerly wind was still blowing at around 30 knots with gusts up to 40. They are currently waiting for the wind to veer, as the cold front moves over the 30-strong fleet at around four this afternoon. When the front arrives, the wind is forecast to exceed 45 knots in the squalls, before easing off and suddenly veering NW'ly.

"There's going to be a difficult moment when we carry out the manoeuvres to change tack, as this will take around an hour and we're going to have to hoist more sail as the wind drops to 25 knots… » explained Jérémie Beyou (Delta Dore).

November 10. 2008 at 12:52Desjoyeaux reaction

Michel Desjoyeaux on Foncia: "I had a small leak in the ballast system and underestimated its importance and the damage. This morning I started up the engine and after 40 minutes of charging, I could smell something burning.  The engine was taking a swimming lesson and didn't appreciate it. I have already done part of a round the world voyage with an engine which was extremely difficult to start, but if it wasn't going to work at all... I therefore took the decision to turn around. I hope to reach Les Sables d'Olonne by 2200h and that the sea, which is already high, will allow me to do that, so we can get to work on the repairs."

November 10. 2008 at 12:05Life on an ice-rink - Roxy

Hello!
Finally we are out racing the Vendee Globe. The first night has been full-on, with too many sail changes and tacks! I tried to take advantage of a shift during the night, but tacking is SO hard and takes SO long with all this gear on board! Stacking is a nightmare, especially in 30 knots of wind and big seas! I think I lost more with my tacks than I gained from the shift!
Now it is day one, I am getting into the rhythm. The wind is building, between 30 and 40 knots. Roxy has 3 reefs and the ORC, and we are smashing though the ginormous waves!
All is well on board, I even managed to have a cup of tea this morning. We're expecting up to 55knots in the front this evening, so I am preparing for that.
The only annoying thing is that a little bottle of engine oil has exploded in my aft stacking toboggan, so there is oil everywhere, it's like living on a moving ice-rink (a rather smelly one - lucky I don't get sea sick!) Luckily, I have oil absorbing cloths in my spares, so I can clean that up properly once the front is through and everything calms down!
Otherwise, all is well on board ROXY!
S x
 

November 10. 2008 at 12:00Message from Delta Dore

Message from Jeremie Beyou this morning at 11h10: "It's a real battle...The wind is up to 40 knots. The seas are becoming high. It's really violent with the boat leaping about. I am under reduced sail... I may not have had enough sail up last night.This morning I've taken in three reefs and am under ORC. No worries on board. I managed to sleep a bit and haven't eaten much. I'm paying attention to the boat and to myself. It's important not to break anything."

November 10. 2008 at 12:00Safran still ahead, Golding gains 10 places

The second update from the Vendée Globe fleet today (1000GMT) shows Marc Guillemot on Safran holding onto his lead of 9.5 miles. Behind him Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environment) and Loick Peyron (Gitana) have traded places for second and third in the rankings.
Mike Golding’s decision to follow Guillemot with two tacks south last night seems to have paid off — the British skipper on Ecover has made up ten places from last night’s rankings, now lying 13th. Sam Davies on Roxy, who went with the pair, has also gained a couple of places to 17th.
The fleet is still tightly packed, with Dee Caffari holding on to her place as the first British skipper. Aviva is now in seventh position on the rankings, sitting just behind Kito de Pavant and Seb Josse, who are fourth and fifth respectively. Slightly further north Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) and Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar)
 

November 10. 2008 at 10:47Weather update: November 10-11

A low pressure area of 960 hPa north of Ireland is moving gradually eastwards and filling. The cold front associated with this low will be passing over the fleet this evening and is expected to reach Cape Finisterre by 2200h. A 30-35 knot south-wester'ly wind will be gusting 45 knots this morning and steadily strengthen as the front approaches to exceed 50 knots.The seas will be high this afternoon and occasionally very high and confused, as the wind suddenly veers NW'ly and eases off to 25-30 knots, although there will still be gusts in excess of 40 knots during the squalls. All of that will be accompanied by heavy rain or showers.

After this violent interlude early this evening, the wind will then ease off once again and veer northerly off Cape Finisterre. By Tuesday evening, everything is expected to be much quieter for the fleet, although the seas will still be rather tricky.

November 10. 2008 at 06:26Swiss cross in the night

Just before 2300 this evening Dominque Wavre on Temenos departed the port of Les Sables d'Olonne for a second time - despite the pitch black, again accompanied by cheers and waves from spectators on the seawalls and restarted the race from a 'virtual starting line' at 23hrs 19mins 42s.

At 0130 fellow Swiss sailor Bernard Stamm returned to the dock in Port-Olona, assisted by the shore teams of fellow competitors. The damage to the bowsprit on Cheminées Poujoulat sustained after it collided with a fishing boat is currently being assessed by composite experts.

November 10. 2008 at 02:37First message from Kito de Pavant

Hi everyone,

Everything is fine aboard Groupe Bel.  It was really impressive with the crowds in the harbour entrance. Thanks to you all!  Farewell to the land and hello to the sea…
Kito

November 10. 2008 at 02:29Bernard Stamm's reaction

At 1h30 precisely, Bernard Stamm and his team, aided by the shore teams from other competitors moored Cheminées Poujoulat up in Port-Olona. After a quick look at the broken bowsprit with some experts in composites, the Swiss sailor gave his impressions:
«There were a whole group of us racing upwind. There was a fishing boat in the area that I saw some way off and didn't seem to be a problem. I went down to do some nav work and a few minutes later… boom ! I reckon he must have changed direction. By the time it took me to go inside, I'd hit him. I couldn't raise him on the radio. I don't know whether he saw me. It was more or less a direct hit, a bit to one side. A huge collision. We'll be trying to repair it. I decided immediately to head back, as I can't hoist any headsails. For a downwind race, that isn't much good! Clearly only the bowsprit is broken. I'll be setting off again. There's no reason not to. The others won't be waiting for me, but it's around the world race, so isn't over yet. »