Vendée Globe

February 22. 2009 at 10:19The Village open until Tuesday

The Vendée Globe Village will remain open until Tuesday evening (24th February). From Wednesday, a podium and press conference hall will be set up on the Place du Vendée Globe for the final skippers. Those still at sea will therefore be honoured in a fitting manner and will be able to address the public, who are expected to turn up in force to welcome them back to Les Sables in the coming weeks.

February 22. 2009 at 08:14Cali waiting patiently

Unable to enter the harbour in les Sables before miday because of the tide, Arnaud Boissières has been waiting off the coast since first light.  He is set to cross the finish line and enter the harbour immediately afterwards early this afternoon

February 22. 2009 at 07:39Diesel stink

"Today I inspected the diesel tanks and pumped 55 l diesel. I had to do it by hand as the electric pump flooded. By the end the hand pump was leaking, so I had to try to clean everything up, as the stench of diesel inside is dreadful. I also began to clean my fruit cans. I have around twenty of them and they have been in the bilge oil and water. The switch on the bilge pump wasn’t working, so I repaired that too. I thought about climbing the mast, but with the rain and gusts, it is not wise to get up there. It can wait for a few days, until I'm in the Doldrums. According to the latest forecasts, I could get through without any hold ups, but we shall see. Around 500 miles left to the Equator, so by Tuesday, we should be there!"

Norbert Sedlacek (Nauticsport-Kapsch) in his daily message yesterday evening

February 21. 2009 at 21:52Michel Desjoyeaux's projects

Before going off on holiday with his family, Michel Desjoyeaux has been talking about his future projects. The skipper of Foncia ,"I'm trying to find ways to use my experience to try to resolve problems in other sports. For example, I'm in contact with a sports federation where it may be possible to transfer our technologies. With Mer Agitée, I'd like to work too on new technologies to improve wheel chairs, making them of carbon, which is of course, much lighter. I've been thinking about this for a long time in particular with a friend who is in a wheel chair... I'd really like to help people working in that area. This is important to me and I've already come up with a few sketches… I'm also working with my partner FONCIA about what comes after 2009… »

February 21. 2009 at 07:55Erratic trade winds for Rich

"30 years ago I sailed downwind in the trades from the Canaries to Barbados.  I was impressed by how steady they were, in velocity, direction, and cloud  cover. Now, crossing these same trades, I'm impressed with how erratic they are, 12-28 knots of wind, direction varying by 25 degrees, cloud cover looking like an impending storm nearly always, It's totally different.  Last night, with 30+ knots across the deck, went to storm jib and 3 reefs. As I've commented before, our staysail is too big, and we can't carry it when we should be able to, so have to go down all the way, a huge leap to the storm jib. But with 30 knots, we were still making 10 knots, so it was ok. And it helped me get some rest to know that if a squall came through, I didn't have to suit up and jump on deck to deal with it. Actually got into the bunk for maybe the second time since Cape Horn, and slept for somewhere between 15 and 60 minutes, not sure, but it felt good. Of course at daybreak, the wind died, to 12 knots, and just when I was going into the bunk for nap #2, had to go put away the storm jib and roll out the staysail, so that pretty much wakes you up for the day.  Working on fluids, food, and rest. More of the same for the next couple of  days, then a very strange and complex weather scenario to try to negotiate."

Rich Wilson (Great American III) in his daily message

February 20. 2009 at 19:00Latest ETAs

Arnaud Boissières (Akéna Vérandas) is set to arrive on Sunday. According to his latest calculations, he is likely to finish early in the afternoon. As for Steve White (Toe in the Water), he is looking foward to arriving back in les Sables d'Olonne on Tuesday. We will keep you informed here of their latest ETAs… Keep watching this space.

February 20. 2009 at 07:52Strong headwinds ahead for Rich

"35 knots across deck, staysail and three reefs in main.  May reduce to storm jib for night, too much sail now going across these seas. Tried storm jib earlier.  Slowed considerably, but  now more wind, we'll see. Difficult weather pattern in days to come with big lows and multiple highs separated and out of position.  Not looking favorable for us at the moment, with strong headwinds forecast for after we get across these strong trades.  Not looking forward to that.  Making about 9 knots. That's ok for the night I think. Maybe it will allow me to get some sleep.  The indescribable pounding has not stopped, of course. It has diminished a bit, and when the wind slows, we slow a lot, but maybe it will be better for the boat."

Rich Wilson (Great American III) in his daily message

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.