Vendée Globe

November 21. 2008 at 17:58Today's best performance

For the second day in a row, Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty bringing up the rear of the fleet, is awarded the title of today's best performer, having covered 340 miles in 24h between 16h on Thursday and 16h on Friday. The skipper of Groupe Maisonneuve, currently sailing off the Canaries, restarted the race a week after the initial start, in order to carry out repairs to the deck of his boat. 

 

November 21. 2008 at 17:14Hot and sticky - for the moment

After overtaking Steve White (Toe in the Water) and Arnaud Boissières (Akena Vérandas), Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) is in 16th place, 273 miles from the leader with Dee Caffari firmly in his sights. Like the other competitors around him, he has certainly noticed the heat:

"I try to sleep when I can... As soon as I'm no longer under spinnaker, I take advantage to grab some rest.  As soon as the wind shifts, like it did during the night, when I was under reacher, I go for a sleep.  It's wet here all the time.  It's never-ending.  The air temperature is around 30°C and it didn't drop off during the night. As soon as you carry out any manoeuvres, you wear just you boxer shorts, or otherwise you'd die with the heat.  I just put on my trousers to protect my legs from the sun.  It could be a lot worse.  I prefer doing manoeuvres sweating like this, as a month from now, when I try to do the same manoeuvre, it will be with a temperature of just 5°C..."

November 21. 2008 at 16:20Who dares wins

Unai Basurko (Pakea Bizkaia) has opted for a route a long way to the east of the rest of the fleet.  He is currently in 20th place, 385 miles from the leader.

"I know it is risky because in this area the changes of the winds are very fast and unpredictable, but I have studied the different options and I have made a decision. If it goes wrong it doesn't matter, we will be some more miles from the leaders, but if it goes well Jonny and I will gain many miles to catch the leaders. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. We are conscious that our project is one of the most humble of the Vendée Globe, but that doesn't mean we are not going to fight every mile in this race. "

 

November 21. 2008 at 15:58Dejeanty narrowing the gap

"Not bad going now for 48 hours! I'm at 16, 16.5, 17 knots and the swell is building. I'm very happy about my option off to the west at Cape Finisterre.  I was 520 miles behind Algimouss and now there's a gap of only 344 miles. I've made up a third of the gap! "  Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty (Groupe Maisonneuve)

 

November 21. 2008 at 15:17Champagne on ice

Armel Le Cléac'h (BritAir) on today's radio sesson:  "We're now in a world that is leaning over. I've set up my bunk to sleep with a heel of 20°. I'm pleased to have found the southern trade winds. There are still some heavy clouds, but we can feel that we're getting close to the Equator. We should be crossing tonight. I've put the champagne on ice… or should I say out in the heat?"

However, for Vincent Riou (PRB), the Equator crossing will be a bit quieter, "Nothing special planned for  when I cross the Equator.  The days of drinking alone are behind me, because it's not much fun.  I'll reserve the drinks for when I'm in good company. "

 

November 21. 2008 at 14:57Too hot to eat

Dee Caffari (Aviva) is currently approaching the Doldrums in 15th place, 262 miles from the leader. "It is boiling. The sea temperature is 29 degrees and the air temperature is mid thirties both during the night and day. Doing anything in the black carbon boat is like a sweaty oven. Even a bucket of water over your head is quite warm at the moment but it is never too warm. I would much rather be too hot than too cold and it won’t be long before it gets too cold so I’m not complaining. There’s no sitting around getting a sun tan that’s for sure. It’s quite hard to eat because it’s so hot…you don’t really want to eat a meal because of the heat. The only meal I eat at the same time I would at home is breakfast. The rest of the time I eat when I’m hungry…..but when I’m not hungry I have to keep an eye on my watch. I have no idea if I’m losing weight – I will find out when I get back.  So there’s not a lot happening on this boat. Just sailing, sleeping and eating. It’s quite nice at the moment.”

 

November 21. 2008 at 14:10Derek's energy saving measures

Derek Hatfield (Algimouss-Spirit of Canada)is currently sailing south-west of the Canaries in 25th place 1441 miles from the leader.  Here is his daily message:

"The electrical problems have my attention and we are still trying to rectify the problems. It seems that with every Vendee Globe one or more of the fleet is destined to go around with minimal power. It's ironic that I set the boat up to use as little power as possible utilizing the wind and a wind turbine.  Now with the wind turbine not working, we must preserve the fuel that we have on board. To help the battery/power situation, I am hand steering about three hours a day to supplement the power supply. Otherwise, every thing is fine on board and it is now hot inside the cabin. The trade winds are being a little elusive today and I have only 14 knots of wind. The fresh food is slowly disappearing and now onto the freeze dried, which I don't mind.   
More soon
Derek"

 

November 21. 2008 at 11:37Off with the hair

In his daily message this morning, Steve White (Toe in the Water) reports a change in his appearance:
 
"I did give myself a haircut and then washed it! I felt much better to not be like a mop, and a lot cooler too! I remembered each of my kids has cut their hair at one time or another as all kids do, and I wasn't quite sure that I shouldn't be telling myself off for doing it too! It doesn't look that bad though I don't think; no patches of scalp showing through that I can feel (I can't see anything, my mirror is pretty poor!) Still, who cares, nobody has to look at it, and it's got a while to grow back!"

"The boat is going along quite nicely, and the jobs list is coming getting smaller too. I have to go up the rig tomorrow, I need to make sure everything is OK before we go into the south. With everything being new up there it is possible that there could be all sorts of problems, mainly where things rub together and chafe through, but we shall see tomorrow..... I hate going up the rig at sea, you have to wear loads of clothes to stop you bashing yourself to bits!"
 

 

November 21. 2008 at 10:51See the Doldrums for yourself

Remember you can view the day's highlights by simply clicking on the daily review video in the video section in the media feature.  The main subject yesterday was the Doldrums...

 

November 21. 2008 at 09:26Pete Goss leaving the Doldrums too

Pete Goss finished in fifth place in the 1996 Vendée Globe.  At the moment he is sailing a hundred miles or so to the south-west of the leaders in the Vendée Globe, but this time on a very different type of boat, a reconstruction of a nineteenth-Century lugger. On his way to Cape Town after setting out from Cornwall a month ago, he too is just leaving the Doldrums. Here is what he had to say about his experience this week:

"This is my fifth time through the Doldrums and I can safely say that it has been the worst by far and we have as yet to clear them. After a day of squalls and heavy rain the sky allowed a peep of blue to show through the oppressive grey that we have been suffering this last week. The night saw a few showers but this was more than made up for by a bright moon and star studded sky. Our world, closed down under a carpet of grey was stretching itself and expanding into a gloriously vivid and vibrant expanse. Even the flying fish have started to fly again. The sea, in sympathy with this new order, has calmed a bit and has been joined by a large swell from the south east as the South Atlantic high starts to show its influence. Although the Doldrums have been bad they have not been as frustrating as in the past because we are not racing. There is nothing worse than being becalmed in the knowledge that the competition, no more than thirty miles away could be creaming away at ten knots. This time I have actually been able to enjoy the intensity and diversity that it has to offer if you take the time to stop and look."