Archive for November, 2008
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Day 22Nov 30th, 2008
by tim -
Three weeks today - the Southern Ocean beckons
Just received Jonny’s blog as three weeks at sea approaches. He’s clearly been very busy and is getting more of the measure of the boat every day. The weather in the South Atlantic has been more testing to all the skippers than usual, and the next few days as they head towards the first gate will be very interesting, and will perhaps bring a few surprises in the positions.
“A squally ride” … by skipper Jonny Malbon onboard AOR II
29th November 2008 0942
POS 21.03S 07.25W
Wind 25 knots from 058
Boat Speed 13 knots
Heading 168
Well the last 24 hours have been very full on again! I did a radio interview yesterday morning, and they asked me “are there still lots of squalls around?” I replied “no, I think the last one of the morning has just passed and I can see some blue sky and cumulus clouds ahead”. This would have been perfect. However shortly after the interview we parked up (stopped dead in the water) for a couple of hours, and then some huge black angry squall clouds rolled in.
Very soon we had horizontal rain, and 30 knots of wind. I started with 1 reef and the jibtop, then 1 reef and the big Solent, then 2 reefs and the big Solent, then 2 reefs and the small Solent!!! It has been a succession of huge squall lines since the first one broke – the most powerful breeze hit about 20 mins ago recording 34 knots. I just about to go for 3 reefs and the staysail when the breeze moderated to 20 knots, so I have taken the opportunity to pound the keyboard!
Because there was so much cloud and rain last night the stars couldn’t pierce through, and that coupled with no moon = complete darkness. “As dark as the inside of a cow” is a phrase commonly used. It’s really hard to steer with no reference point or horizon, so I was overjoyed to let the pilot do the donkey work. He has done a great job all night, and I even managed to get some sleep.
This much breeze has not been forecast on any of the models that I have, except as rainfall. I hope it moderates further through the day as it is pretty exhausting to say the least. If it does then I have a few jobs that I want to try and tick off.
Climb into the bow and check for water
- Change the chafed traveller lines
- Refit the 4th reef outboard pin
- Remove water from the boat
- Restack the bow and move the code 0 to the middle of the boat
- Eat
- Sleep
- Check the gooseneck fittings
- Drop the jibtop
- Put the jibtop and the Genoa down below
Apart from that – it is basically a day off!!
I still seem to be making miles up, although Steve is doing a good job in resisting. Bernard Stamm is flying along and it will be hard to keep a man of his calibre at bay, but I will do my best.
Life onboard is good. I smell a bit, so it’s lucky I am alone. I can’t believe we are nearly into the 4th week. In 7 days a third of the race will be complete. The time has flown by so far, and I hope it continues to. I am enjoying it out here at the moment; even last night which was VERY stressful has passed, and is soon forgotten. It is slightly daunting moving south though. Very soon I will be deep in the Southern Ocean and barrelling around the bottom of the Earth.
Rightio – that’s all for now,
Cheers, Jonny and Artemis II
Day 22Nov 30th, 2008
by Yachtmaddie -
Day 18 - New Vimeo video from the South Atlantic
Jonny’s latest video, having sorted out the Fleet 77 satcom.
Day 18 - Video from Jonny onboard AORII from Artemis Ocean Racing on Vimeo.Day 20Nov 28th, 2008
by Yachtmaddie -
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Day 20Nov 28th, 2008
by tim -
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Day 20Nov 28th, 2008
by tim -
Day 18 - 27 Nov 08
Interesting times in the South Atlantic as the boats ahead and astern try and work out which way to go. Contrary to the usual arrangements at this time of year, the High seems stuck in the wrong place. It’s possible that the leaders will stall and let the followers catch up - which is not what usually happens. So lots left to play for and the usual supprise in store!
Jonny sounded very perky today, having moved in front of PAKEA, and has set his sights on Steve White. Steve is doing really well and confounding those who thought he would never reach the start in Sables. If Steve can be scalped the next pair in the take over should be AVIVA and AKENA. They are currently well ahead, so let’s hope that, for once, the weather comes to Jonny’s aid.
Day 19Nov 27th, 2008
by Yachtmaddie -
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Day 18Nov 26th, 2008
by tim -
Day 17 - Jonny speeds up and DELTA DORE retires
Jonny in good spirits today, taking some miles out of those nearest to him ahead and pulling away from the closest on his tail. Winds are more steady and he had some good kip overnight.
In other news Jeremie Beyou has had to abandon the Race after arriving safely in Recife.
Jeremie Beyou announces retirement from the Vendee Globe
Jeremie Beyou, skipper of Delta Dore has informed the Vendee Globe race organisers that he is retiring from the solo non-stop round the world race, deeming it impossible to repair his yacht’s broken spreaders without outside assistance. Outside assistance is obviously prohibited in the Vendee Globe.
While the Farr-designed Delta Dore was originally fitted with a unique rotating mast arrangement - the mast rigged conventionally but with three sets of hinged spreaders - following her dismasting in the Barcelona World Race she was conventionally rigged.
On day 14 of the race the former Solitaire du Figaro (AMAZING VIDEO!!) winner discovered the second spreader hanging from the rigging on the starboard side. A trip up the mast revealed that the tang holding the spreader to the mast had broken and that it was about to break on the third. The tangs are made from machined titanium and there waas no chance of fixing them.The spreaders were also damaged as was the PBO standing rigging on the starboard side due to repeated impacts from the broken spreaders. The starboard runner has also suffered.
At present the boat cannot sail on starboard tack.
Annoyingly for anyone who suffers a breakdown in the Vendee Globe, comparisons are always made with Yves Parlier who fixed his broken mast and incredibly managed to restep it, singlehanded without outside assistance in the 2000 race. Beyou points out that neither the titanium tangs nor the standing rigging can be repaired on board. Plus Delta Dore is 12 years newer than the boat Parlier was sailing and the load tolerances are much finer today.
“My disappointment is immense, and I imagine yours is, too,” wrote Beyou in an email to his sponsor. “The accumulation of disillusionment in this project is heavy to wear.”
He continues: “We will have to learn to live outside the race but continue to support my friends in the race and then rebound to other races in our IMOCA 60.”
All the latest sailing news in the Daily Sail every day - good value!
Day 18Nov 26th, 2008
by Yachtmaddie -
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Day 18Nov 26th, 2008
by tim -
Extraordinary video from the 2004/5 Vendee Globe
I’ve been scouring YouTube for video clips of the current race since it began. I’ve ignored video from the last Vendee, but then tonight I saw this clip of Bruce Schwab’s 2004/5 voyage in Ocean Planet - a film that follows him right the way through the the finish, and that’s been watched over 33,000 times. Bruce became the “first official American” (not sure what this means…) to finish the Vendee. Shot in the style of an extreme 4th July parade that takes place on a racing yacht in the Southern Ocean, it’s extremely patriotic - with an extraordinary message narrated by the Governor of Maine declaring the collective pride of the entire state of Maine in Bruce’s venture. As Bruce arrives alongside, French schoolchildren line the quay chanting “we love Bruce, we love Bruce”, and a Disney-esque soundtrack reaches its insane climax with the US Ambassador to France voicing over paean of national pride.
Awesomeness factor of 9/10. Starts really sane and normal. Persevere - it spears totally out of control just towards the middle.
It’s just interesting to see how other countries deal with this event.
Day 17Nov 25th, 2008
by tim
