Vendée Globe

December 01. 2008 at 19:21A helicopter for Loïck Peyron

“I have a big bag containing a mixture of birthday and Christmas presents. As a result I’ve opened a few presents today and of particular note was a present from my eldest daughter as well as one from Gitana Team: a small, remote-controlled helicopter!” Loïck Peyron, celebrating his 49th birthday is in second place this evening, 43 miles from the leader.

 

December 01. 2008 at 18:54Dinelli's halyard problem

Message sent today by Raphaël Dinelli (Fondation Ocean Vital): "Following the decision not to stop off Trindade yesterday evening, we decided to head for Vitoria in Brazil. This morning I managed to remove the loose part of the mainsail halyard cover and I put two stitches in so the halyard will work.  The cover has come off the length of the mast starting with the fixed point at the top of the mast.  I'm heading now for the Tristan Islands to try to drop anchor there.  I think I can sail without damaging the halyard up to first reef, unless it's gone right through at the top. See you soon. Raphaël"
 

December 01. 2008 at 18:35A near miss caught on film

The pictures taken by the skipper of PRB, who had the reflex to turn his camera on just after moving away from his fellow competitor, show that this was not a story about the one that got away.  The video shows just how close the racing is in the Forties.  Unprecedented for a Vendée Globe!   
Vincent Riou's (PRB) version of events:
"It was one of the most dangerous moments I have ever had on the open seas. With Virbac, I was forced to grab the helm, because he was starboard and I was on the port side.  So I just had to give way, as he had priority! It just goes to show how close we are… It's completely mad!"

"I just came within a few metres of PRB. I didn't see him as I was sleeping. Vincent called me to tell me.  Luckily he saw me, or it would have been a complete disaster!  With hindsight, it was pretty scary!"  Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2)

Click here to see the video

December 01. 2008 at 17:35Dominique Wavre's weather analysis

"The small band of air in which we’re sailing at the moment, is moving off northwards. I’m going to try to follow it for a little while to avoid getting caught by the large, wind hole in the centre of the low further south. From tomorrow onwards we should have less wind, but those out the front should hang onto it for longer. A low is forecast mid-week, which is likely to enable us to make up a bit of ground. We can also expect a compression and  expansion of the fleet as each of the lows home in on us. It’s forecast to be quite blowy.  I’ve opted to be fairly north, so I don’t get trapped beneath the ice gate as the wind drops down.” 
Dominique Wavre (Temenos) in twelfth place, 247 miles from the leader.

 

December 01. 2008 at 16:55A jarring pain for Rich Wilson

"The boat structure has a wave-focusing physic into the cabin, when the bow pounds down, the cabin, after a slighly delay, sledgehammers up. This is what re-opened the rib problem a week ago, and did so again last night.  Standing in the cabin watching the instruments, braced in every direction, the boat leapt off a wave and pounded down up forward. 1/2 second later, a sledgehammer shot was applied upward through my feet and skeleton, and I could actually feel the rib healing area tearing again. Mon dieu! Will it ever heal?!"
Rich Wilson (Great American III)

December 01. 2008 at 15:50Hoping for a rest

"I'm pretty tired because I manoeuvred a lot in the last hours. I gybed at night, and took the gennaker down this morning: it was getting a bit tricky given the wind conditions. I have 23 to 28 knots of breeze, and big downwind sails are difficult to handle over long periods when it blows hard. I now have one reef in the main and the Solent jib, it's still fast but much more stable - it will allow me to get some rest, and that's exactly what I'll do after I hang up!"

Sébastien Josse (BT) remains in the lead this afternoon.

December 01. 2008 at 14:01Attack of the baby squid

"Yesterday I saw some interesting wildlife. In the morning, Roxy was covered in little squid. So I guessed that we had been under attack during the night! Guillaume, one of the Roxy boys, would have had a whole meal out of what was on deck, but eating them raw like that is not my cup of tea! Later on during the day, I saw my first albatross and even a seal! I didn't realise seals swam so far away from land. Nice to have a bit of company anyway.  It was such a busy Sunday and I am glad I got all my jobs done. I even had time for a last bucket shower, in the evening sunshine, probably the last time I chuck seawater over my head until after Cape Horn!  It was yet another beautiful sunset and Roxy was bubbling along under spinnaker. Just perfect sailing and hard to believe we are in the Southern Ocean. The sun dropped into the sea, colouring the sky oranges and pinks and turning the sea into an oily blue. The sky above, the colour of twilight, decorated by a slither of the new moon. It is good to see the moon again putting to an end these pitch black nights we were having, where it is impossible to see anything. The stars are less easy to see now. However once we are in the "land of the shadows" for real, to see any star will be a treat as the sky is nearly always cloudy."

Sam Davies (Roxy) in her daily message

 

December 01. 2008 at 13:23Another broken car for Derek

"A bit of a shocker this morning to find another batten car on the mast broken and the batten hanging loose against the mast. As daylight came on I could also see damage to the mast track but once I could take a closer look by climbing up, it turns out that the track is damaged but not so much that the cars can go by. I had visions of the same thing back in Les Sables d'Olonne after the storm.  I've replaced the broken car with a spare one and after three hours or so, am  back up and running again. This is the second batten car that has broken and what is disconcerting is the fact that they are breaking and why? I will try and figure it out to prevent others breaking as I only have one spare left. "

Derek Hatfield (Algimouss Spirit of Canada)

 

December 01. 2008 at 11:25Just like England

"Feels like I have been in one massive squall for the last 24 hours – 20 – 28 knots of wind, thick cloud, and horizontal rain.  Sounds just like England.  Hope to have a little break in the weather at some point, but maybe not for 24 hours. Still, making good progress, and life on board is not to bad."

Jonny Malbon (Artemis) in his daily message

December 01. 2008 at 07:54Daily round-up

A transition day for the Vendée Globe fleet. Some are finding it difficult to get out of the St. Helena high, while others are beginning to pick up the winds that will take them to the Atlantic gate and the Cape of Good Hope.  See all the action and the latest news in the daily video for the 21st day of racing. Just click here.