Vendée Globe

November 25. 2008 at 06:13Pleased to be working

"I'm sailing at 17-18 knots with the wind on the beam under solent and full mainsail. She's slamming into the waves, but everything is OK on board PRB. The weather models do not concur with the strength and direction of the wind we are getting. I'm not dissatisfied to have work to do. When sailing upwind, there's not a lot you can do. I was starting to get a bit depressed about it (laughs)!" Vincent Riou (PRB)

November 24. 2008 at 19:15Golding: Not your regular Champagne sailing

Mike Golding said today that he is pleased with progress and speed on Ecover 3, but only one position matters: 

"I'm well positioned in relation to my direct competitors and its nice passing boats, but the only boat I ever look at is the lead boat because everyone else is just in the way to the lead boat, that's the goal."

"The reality is that anyone of this lead group is in a very strong position now to potentially win the race." 

"The boat is up there in speed and performance, we've been quick all the way down the track even on the downhill sections we've never really lost any noticeable ground on the leader other than regular compressions and extensions so I think the boats got the potential to do very well we've just got to hope pray that it all stays together and we can complete the course."

On what to expect for the week ahead. "The high pressure system is situated a very long way to the South West and that means we're having to sail through the more headed winds before we get to it and go round it.  The weather forecast is fairly stable at least in context of the fact that we are going to be sailing on this or near this heading for several days. The conditions are quite unusual, by now on a regular round the world trip you'd be expecting to be reaching and eventually putting up a spinnaker.  It's not your regular champagne sailing conditions at all,"

November 24. 2008 at 18:50Excellent day for Marc Guillemot

Marc Gullemot (Safran) has moved up two places in the rankings since yesterday.  After overtaking Dominique Wavre (Temenos), he also got ahead of Brian Thompson (Pindar) today. 

«I'm pleased to have caught the President of the Imoca class (Dominique Wavre),  but especially Brian Thompson. Our boats come from very different design choices and are diametrically opposed.  We were sailing in the same conditions in the same area with Safran giving 100%, which proves we were not wrong in our basic design options. We're going to continue to sail close reaching, heeled over. Gradually I'll be coming around more towards the east.  Going around the St. Helena high is out of the question, as it could block our path right across to the coast of Brazil.»  

 

November 24. 2008 at 18:01And six days from now?

"I took in a reef for the first time in three days! The gusts were above 20 knots. The sea is choppy. They need a steam roller to flatten it out here… It was a busy night with calms and squalls, especially as the sea wasn't in the same direction as the wind.  I haven't touched the helm since I came out of the Doldrums! The pilot doesn't use much energy. I keep looking at the weather  and wondering about about the options the leaders are taking… It's going to be very different six days from now." Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia)

 

November 24. 2008 at 17:34Black-legged kittiwakes

"The wind is very unstable. So consequently I spend a lot of time manoeuvring the mainsail and jib, even if most of the time I have a reef in the main. I also play around with the ballast, when the boat starts slamming too much. It feels like a little front has gone over.  Yesterday evening, after a squall, I fell into a wind hole for an hour (less than 6 knots). I took advantage of the occasion to lower the mainsail and inspect the traveller cars. It is very hot and it's not easy to eat or sleep during the day. The advantage is that solar panels are recharging the batteries, which means I don't need to start the engine, which is another source of heat.  The Veranda is still heeled over 
from left to right, which could give you a crick in the neck.
 As for the view, there are blue skies with two metre high waves from the E-SE.  I've seen some kittiwakes that I managed to identify in my book. They hunt flying fish and kick up a racket.  Great to see them." Arnaud Boissières (Akena Vérandas) by e-mail.

 

November 24. 2008 at 17:08The angel Gabriel

"I passed the island of Santo Antao late last night, so that has taken me just over a week! A good score!  This island has a peak rising up to 3000 metres and I felt the wind shadow this morning, although I was over sixty miles away. Maisonneuve has been sailing at Mach 3 for a week, and it's a bit tiring.  After a  week like that, your ears need some rest! I'm pleased to be down at Cape Verde. It's a place I love even if during the 2005 Transat Jacques Vabre, we nicknamed them the Calvary Islands (due to the lack of wind) and I stopped here too during the Mini 6.50 to repair my spreaders… I do have some good memories though.  Mindelo on the island of Sao Vicente, where the welcome was tremendous, particularly a certain Gabriel (a local angel?), who looked after me to take care of all my problems and showed me around, offering me food.   I visited Césaria Evora's house and discovered the music of Cape Verde." Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty (Maisonneuve)

 

November 24. 2008 at 16:02Heading for the high

"We haven't been doing too badly since last night. The wind suddenly shifted in the right direction and is currently averaging 20 knots. That wasn't really what was in the forecasts. So now we're sailing directly towards the St. Helena high. Will we get held up there? Maybe. This voyage down the South Atlantic is taking some time. This part of the race, on the way down and indeed on the way up, is fairly routine." Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty)

November 24. 2008 at 15:06Derek's Doldrums practice

"Yesterday was practice day for the doldrums. A weak low pressure system seems to be crossing in front of me and the result is that for 24 hours now I have had very light winds. A very frustrating day indeed as I never sleep during the slow times as I don't want to miss any opportunities to take
advantage of the wind. I must say I'm feeling a bit unlucky with the weather systems that I have encountered so far in the race. I must get my head into the weather files a bit more than I have been but this is a double edge sword; more computer time, more energy consumed. Oh well, I think I'm whining a a bit too much here, I just need to get on with it. My turn with the good luck with the weather will come."  Derek Hatfield (Algimouss-Spirit of Canada)

 

November 24. 2008 at 12:04Jérémie Beyou, afraid of imagining the worst

"Not the easiest of nights. The top set of spreaders, which I thought were not looking good, finally gave up the ghost.  Tried to secure the mast with the halyards in between the squalls and in particular, in between the cargo vessels.  There are people on land and at sea, who are very understanding, but others, who are crazy idiots.  Some cargo boats call you up and change course, while others pretend they haven't understood...

The goal is to reach somewhere to shelter with the mast in one piece. For the moment I'm not looking any further ahead than that for now, perhaps because I'm pragmatic or perhaps, because I am afraid of imagining the worst.

How do I feel today? A sort of hatred. The desire to start all over again,and find myself several weeks ago back in Les Sables with some other mast parts and ready to go. But time machines don't exist. I'm going to have to wait four years, enter other races and try to forget this one.  Let's not be too dramatic.  Worse things happen in life.  But I'm not the only one involved in this project.  It's tough too for Delta Dore, my team , friends and family.
Apart from feeling sad for myself, I feel upset for them too. "  Jérémie Beyou (Delta Dore)

 

November 24. 2008 at 10:13A bumpy road

Message from Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit'Air)
"Start of the third week on Brit'Air off Brazil.  Heading south on a bumpy country road (which is need of repairs..) before we reach the motorway… Everyone seems to be in a hurry and we're trying not to get stuck in a traffic jam.  I spotted my old mate, M. Riou during the night and now Brit'Air is out to the left. So I don't have time to get bored and no time to stop for a snack, as I must respect my schedule… So it looks like another sandwich at the wheel : as long s the police don't see."