Vendée Globe

November 27. 2008 at 10:35Dee providing scientific data

Leeds Metropolitan University is in the process of conducting a study into the use of energy by the human body and they are taking advantage of Dee Caffari's experience on Aviva to obtain the relevant data.  Over a fourteen day period in the Atlantic and the southern oceans, she is taking 5 urine samples, which will later be analysed to calculate energy expenditure.  This will enable scientists in the future to calculate precise energy requirements during such a race and better adapt Dee's diet to these needs.

 

November 27. 2008 at 09:32Catch up on the latest stories

Remember you can catch up on the day's news stories and enjoy the highlights of the Vendée Globe as seen by the sailors by viewing the daily round-up video available online in English each evening.  Just click on videos in the media section.

 

November 27. 2008 at 07:20Backstabbing

"Yesterday the pounding of the boat was so bad that I re-injured the rib that I think is fractured. Over the two weeks since the start of the race the injury had slowly gotten better, although sometimes it seemed like there was a sharp knife in my back when I was grinding the pedestal winch to hoist the main sail from one reef to the next (360 revolutions!)  The pain had eased until it felt like only a butter knife in my back instead of a sharp knife. Then yesterday, while resting on the chart table bench, we crashed off a wave and it felt as though everything that had healed in my back came undone. The rib felt broken and very painful again. I spoke with the doctor later in the day, and he, too, thinks that I cracked the healing rib again. Fortunately, he does not think it will take two weeks for the rib to get back to the healed state that it was in before yesterday. "

Rich Wilson (Great American III) in his log yesterday evening.

 

November 27. 2008 at 06:45Water water everywhere

"So this is Martin Vaz.  Reminds me of home in Brittany, home sweet home. It has rained non-stop for almost three hours.  Unfortunately, as we were upwind, we were also getting covered in salt water,or otherwise, I would have got a good wash.  The seas are still just as confused, and it's starting to get a bit annoying.  They could fit in with the wind but clearly, they can't agree.  Not easy to get any rest, which I think I deserve after this battle. Going to have to put up with it. I could have booked a hotel here on Martin, but given the size of the island (3.4 miles across at its widest point), I don't know if there is one or if anyone lives here, maybe just a soldier being punished.  
Sorry, I got it wrong.  I don't know why but in my mind, Martin Vaz was to my west and Trindade to the east and as I was west of them both, I thought I was next to Martin, but no. So it's Trindade that is 3.4 miles across and Martin Vaaz includes three islands, the biggest of which is 0.39 miles across (about 800 metres) and is an amazing 175 metres high."

Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) by e-mail

 

November 26. 2008 at 20:29Jonny goes marching on

In this evening's rankings only 1.5 miles separate Jonny Malbon (Artemis) from Unai Basurko (Pakea Bizkaia) and the English sailor is determined to move up a spot in the rankings by tomorrow morning: 

"Whoop whoop, hopefully I can continue to be a little quicker and take a position by the morning.  I know Unai will want to keep it, so we will have a bit of a fight on.  Its so nice to be back in it.  The boat is going well, and its nearly time to shake a reef."

November 26. 2008 at 20:00Greatest distance of the day

Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) covered the greatest distance of the day by clocking up 373.9 miles towards the finish over the past 24 hours.  This evening he is in 14th place, 386 miles from the leader.  

 

November 26. 2008 at 19:38A bit of a lottery ahead

Dominique Wavre (Temenos) in 11th place, 253 miles from the leader, was sailing by the islands of St. Martin Vaz and Trindade  this afternoon with Brian Thompson on his port side.

"If I could have avoided going between the islands I’d have done so, but it’s down to the wind really, which pushed me this way. It’s always a little tricky when the sea bottom rises sharply. Here they go from 4000m to 100m, so I may still suffer the effects of the current and a bad sea state.  It was a very tiring night. I got virtually no sleep. I tried to rest this morning but with the wind filling in it was difficult as I had to trim the boat. Right now it’s shaking about so much down below that I’m unable to find a good spot to rest. I downloaded some grib files this morning and they mirror those of yesterday for the time being. The zone of high pressure is switching back to a more normal position, though the transition won’t be easy. There will be some calm zones to negotiate and it may well be a bit of lottery."  

 

November 26. 2008 at 19:07Design choices

"Safran is completely fulfilling our expectations.  She is the boat we were looking for and all the choices we made, particularly favouring a lightweight approach rather than power, are paying off.  But I do have to spend a lot of time carrying out adjustments.  The difference in speed from a boat like Pindar, for example (overtaken two days ago, and today 40 miles behind - editor's note) is not uniquely down to the design choices. We saw during the races before the season, that the speed differential between the boats could be a quarter of a knot, not one or two, as is currently the case. It would be easy to ease off on the pedal, to say stop, as it is extremely uncomfortable. You take in one more reef in the mainsail and you go one or two knots more slowly, so there is less stress. That is not my choice, but at the same time I don't feel I'm taking any risks. I'm pushing her all the way, that's all."  Marc Guillemot (Safran) talking earlier today

 

November 26. 2008 at 18:15Time to unpack the thermals

As the leaders move down from the North to the South Atlantic, they have been through a series of weather patterns, but are now finding cooler weather in the south, as Mike Golding (Ecover 3) explained this morning:  
"I had a  good night's sleep last night, so feel quite rested, eggs on toast this morning.  The sailing is not that enjoyable.  It’s extremely wet on deck and its pretty remorseless port tack and  high angles of heel but it is at least cooling down now so it’s a  little more liveable onboard – it’s changed very quickly from Biscay howling gales, then into the trades, mild and steady breeze to the Doldrums that are stinking hot with very light airs, then the south Atlantic which has been hot and breezy with trade winds, but from a rather unusual direction as we are upwind and then of course very rapidly we are descending down into the cold of the Southern Ocean.  In fact, last night I dug out my thermals for the first time since Biscay."  

You can see Mike Golding heading south in his latest video.  Just click on videos in the media section.


 

November 26. 2008 at 17:49Derek down in the Doldrums

Derek Hatfield (Algimouss-Spirit of Canada) is in 24th place, 1509 miles from the leader and is just passing through the Doldrums, as he explains in a mail sent earlier this afternoon. 

"A tough 24 hours starting last night with two major black clouds in the path to the south. These are very localized conditions and can be disruptive for many hours as you get through them. Especially after dark, it is hard to tell the intensity and sometimes the wind doubles in strength. This can be boat breaking if you have a lot of sail up when it hits. The first one had torrential rains as well and caught me on deck without my wet gear on. The fresh shower was welcome but by the end of it I was freezing and unable to leave the helm. Today the wind has shifted to the south a little bit so I am upwind at 5 degrees north through the doldrums. Always an experience. Two beautiful snow white sea birds have been following me now for an hour, flying very close to the transom. I'm not sure what they are expecting but I think they will be disappointed with my leftover freeze-dried noodles and chicken.
Take care
Derek "