Vendée Globe

February 19. 2009 at 17:05Dee live tomorrow with Cali

Dee Caffari, who, by completing her Vendée Globe on 16th February, became the first woman to sail solo non stop both ways around the world, will be bringing Aviva up the River Thames on Monday 2nd March. She will be leaving from Greenwich at two in the afternoon and sailing up under Tower Bridge to dock alongside HMS President at 17h30 GMT. For the moment, however, she is still in Les Sables and tomorrow will be talking live to Arnaud Boissières during the radio session. A chance to see how good his French lessons were…

February 19. 2009 at 16:40Safran going home tomorrow

Safran will be leaving les Sables d’Olonne tomorrow (Friday) at 7h30 local time, towed behind the motor catamaran Royale, which will take her to La Trinité-sur-Mer. She is due to arrive there in the afternoon after a delivery trip expected to last 7 to 8 hours in fine weather: flat calm seas and a ten knot north easterly wind are forecast.

On Tuesday, the mast will be removed, and she will be taken out of the water and pushed into the boatyard by the Safran Sailing Team, where she will stay for around two months. «We shall be emptying her completely, removing all the ropes, examining the rudders and deck hardware, redoing the composites, where that may be necessary. In other words we’re talking about a thorough service,» explained Thierry Brault, the Team Manager.

There is a long list of work to do, although the most important jobs will involve the keel and mast, as well as a general overhaul that is required after sailing around the world. As for the keel, the team has already set to work on making a new bulb in Spain and Thierry Eluère’s yard has been given the job of making the head for Safran’s original keel. «All of that will be carried out while Guillaume Verdier works on other solutions and I think that by 2010 we shall have a completely new keel, added Thierry. As for the mast, we shall be taking a good look at the one that has just been all the way around the world, but we may decide to fit the other mast that the team has at its disposal, the one that Safran used in the Transat Jacques Vabre.»
The whole refit should be completed to allow Safran to be relaunched in late April or early May.
 

February 19. 2009 at 14:00Final live radio session

All good things must come to an end and after 105 days of live radio link-ups with the skippers, the final radio session of this sixth Vendée Globe will take place on Sunday 22nd February. However, we have not forgotten those skippers still at sea and will be in contact with them every three days. The recorded conversation will then be made available online in the media (Audio) section.

February 19. 2009 at 08:11Norbert a week from the Equator

“Hello to everyone in snowy Europe,
I’ve had some good conditions today enabling me to make progress northwards. We covered a very decent 206 miles towards the finish and I hope that will continue, as that will mean I should be at the Equator in the middle of next week. Spent most of the day doing office work and talking to journalists. I shall rest a bit now and take some time to look at the stars and the Milky Way from here in the Tropics. Everything is fine on board and I haven’t had any more damage, so am on my way to Les Sables”

Norbert Sedlacek (Nauticsport-Kapsch) in his daily messsage
 

February 19. 2009 at 07:49Rich finds the trade winds

"Finally into what I recognize as trade winds, cresting seas, blue water, blue sky, fluffy white clouds. On edge between 2 reefs and 3 reefs, but going to stay with 3 to make it easier on boat. It doesn't mean the tremendous crashing will go away, but maybe it will be just a bit less bumpy if we happen to rocket off waves.  Cleaned the desalinator with biocide today, trying to keep ship systems going. Turning off computer between communication and weather sessions to save battery amps. Have forward ballast tank 1/2 full to help in the pounding upwind, have some apparent leak in the starboard side of the tank it seems, so trying to keep the water off that side. When we get to the lifting trades, will look again up forward. Took 25 buckets of water out of starboard compartment after the big blow off Brazil. Not making a very good course right now, but trying to keep going, laying the boat over a bit to let her land on her side, not her bottom, and keep the speed going. Four-day weather charts show a bizarre circumstance which will not be helpful, with the Azores high pracatically looking like it will move over to somewhere off New England, so we can't go north and wrap around like the others. We will have dead upwind, where those who have already finished the race had downwind conditions. We're not excited about that. Doesn't look as though there are too many alternatives, though, because to the east is a dissipating high which will have no wind in it. Maybe things will change from those forecasts. Hope so."

Rich Wilson (Great American III) in his daily message

February 18. 2009 at 18:15Breakfast for Dee and Sam

The two British sailors Sam Davies and Dee Caffari shared their breakfast this morning with over a million viewers on BBC Breakfast. Dee will be returning to Les Sables d’Olonne on Wednesday evening to await the next two competitors, Arnaud Boissières and Steve White.

February 18. 2009 at 08:19So what is your ETA, Cali?

"So Arnaud what is your ETA ? You must be in a hurry to finish, now that the rankings are more or less decided? How does it feel to see the others finishing?

A nice day of sailing, with a fine breeze that got up after 18 hours of calm. Under gennaker, surfing along at the helm with the iPod on but not too loud, so I can hear the boat and feel the waves. There are 900, 2000 or 20,000 miles. It doesn’t matter. It’s the present that counts. The boat is happy and sliding along, tossed about a bit by the waves, who want to show who’s in charge. Each mile is a struggle or a pleasure. In any case in these conditions it’s a pleasure and privilege to be here.

And your ETA ?
It’s dull. There are plastic bottles and crab pots floating around. This isn’t the southern ocean, but sometimes the surf makes me think of that

And your ETA?
Ask the wind god. I’m just his play thing or servant. All’s well on the veranda. In a hurry to finish and set out on new challenges

So what are your final days at sea like?
Like the first: It’s a pleasure to be here and a privilege to be still racing

And your ETA ?
The next black 18-metre veranda you see near the Nouch Buoy with one bloke on board means the ETA is not far off. If you want more information call our hotline 0.36 euros /min"

Arnaud Boissières (Akéna Vérandas) in his daily message

February 18. 2009 at 07:45Rich out of the low pressure-system

"Finally released from our private low pressure system that had clouded the skies and had bent the wind to a header of NNE to N. Wind now back to more normal NE. Also skies cleared
somewhat, got a bit of sun in late afternoon, may get stars tonight, good for the spirits. boat going fast, and pressed,and still crashes off the waves, going upwind is very hard on the boat. tried to rest this afternoon. Got some dozing in, no real sleep,but it helped, will do same tonight. Other day, when we crossed the equator, had a nice chat, forgot to report, with captain of Norwegian flag vessel, headed south to pick up 40k tons of paper for delivery to belgium, mostly newsprint. Smart looking ship, with cranes collected aft that could roll forward over the holds. Then later that night, at the equator, saw a brightly lit ship, holding station at 0deg, 32.5W, called him, but no answer, must be some sort of research vessel."

Rich in his daily message yesterday evening

February 17. 2009 at 18:50Familar stars in the sky

"We are officially out of flying fish territory now, and the last occupants who had somewhat outstayed their welcome under the staysail deckbag have now been evicted! It is a bit of a relief actually; although they are a real triumph of the creature creation department, to be throwing them back many times per night when I should be sleeping is an activity that will not be missed. Even though the have mastery of two elements, someone forgot to install brains, which was a shame, but I reckon one had a crash helmet to protect what little brain it had - there is a small head shaped dent in the cockpit side which was not there before. At fourteen inches long for a big flying fish it is possible........

It is gradually getting cooler, and I have broken out socks and boots for the nightime, and for the first time today, during the day as well. It's nice that it is a bit cooler, we just need some wind to go with it now. At night all the stars look familiar again, and if I look behind me, almost due south, the star that flashes red, white and green is clearly visible a hands width above the horizon - if you don't believe me, find a dark place where there's no light pollution on a clear night and have a look, it is there flashing away!

With Dee safely in up we have, she promises, seen the last of her jokes. Some will say that mine were worse I'm sure, but they all gave us something to have a groan about!  I've been thinking a lot about canting keels too, and the designs for the new boat. It's funny how you can throw a battery on any thirty year old JCB that has been sitting in a field and it will fire up and the bucket will go up and down without any trouble. Put that in a boat and it all seems to fall apart however, it should all work fine but never seems to....so soon hopefully I'll be on e-bay looking for a second hand digger to canibalise for my canting keel hydraulics!"

Steve White (Toe in the Water)  in his daily message

February 17. 2009 at 07:49Derek preparing to sail

“It's been six weeks since arriving in Hobart with Algimouss Spirit of Canada. During this time we have been slowly getting the boat back to sailing configuration. The remaining Vendee Globe competitors have been racing to the finish in Les Sables and it has been fantastic following the race from the sidelines but I must admit to a twinge of "unfinished business" for us as I watch and read about them going up the "channel" in Les Sables. It's pure magic and it makes my resolve even stronger to be a part of the race again in four years time. The team has a lot of hurdles to overcome and they won't be easy but that is why the Vendee Globe is the hardest race in the world. The new rigging from Navtec has arrived and the two spreaders for the mast are slated to arrive early on Monday the 16th February and with some luck with the weather, the mast will be back up Monday evening. I've decided to sail the boat back and it will take about 3 days to prepare for departure.”
Derek Hatfield (Algimouss-Spirit of Canada)