Wednesday 27 August 2014

Armel le Cleac'h seriously injures hand and will be unable to compete in the upcoming Route du Rhum on maxi trimaran Banque Populaire VII

From the following press release (in French) by the Banque Populaire team:
 
 
The rough bing translate is below:

Tuesday, August 26, 2014 - 4:30 pm

Armel Le Cléac ' h, skipper of the Maxi Solo Bank Populaire VII, was an opportunity for the 10th

edition of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe November 2. It was unfortunately injured severely to the right hand, which prevented him from taking the start and forced him to forfeit.

Victim of an accident, Armel is seriously wounded in the right hand. Consulted doctors have issued a negative opinion to its participation in the next Route du Rhum. The skipper of the Bank of the sail will use the coming months to recover and be able to browse again with all his faculties as soon as the water of the new monohull Banque Populaire.

This accident does not call into question the presence of Banque Populaire on the starting line of the 10th edition of the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe November 2. Indeed, the Bank of the sail, with the help of Armel, makes every effort to quickly designate a skipper for this test.
Armel Le Cléac ' h, skipper of the Maxi Bank Populaire VII:

"It's a terrible disappointment to have had this accident. We were well prepared for this Route du Rhum, I felt ready for this challenge, but it is like that... Now, let's focus on healing so I find all my abilities and that I am ready for the program with the new monohull Banque Populaire which will be put in the water. This will be my new goal for the coming months. »
 
Banque Populaire VII © Yvan Zedda
 

Monday 25 August 2014

Spindrift Racing update, maxi trimaran Spindrift 2 breaks starboard float rudder after impact with container on return trip to La Trinite sur Mer

From the following press release on the Spindrift Racing website:

http://www.spindrift-racing.com/2014/08/spindrift-racing-series-40-metres-solo-special-episode-part-1/

An unscheduled episode of 40 metres en solo, as the Route du Rhum adventure continues…

On Friday August 22nd, as night fell over the mid-Atlantic, midway between Newport and La Trinité-sur-Mer, Spindrift 2’s starboard float rudder broke in two under the hull. The maxi-trimaran hit what appears to have been a container drifting in the middle of the ocean.
Despite the significant impact, nobody on board was hurt and there does not seem to be any further damage to the boat. Yann Guichard left the USA on August 18th and had planned to drop off his crew members in the Azores, before sailing back to Brittany single-handed to prepare for the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. Due to the damage, the trimaran has been forced to reduce its speed as it heads for the port of Horta. Spindrift 2 is expected to arrive at the Azorean capital, on Faial island, on Sunday morning.
 
Spindrift racing’s technical team was immediately called into action, and is pulling out all the stops to allow the boat to return to open waters as soon as possible. The replacement rudder will be flown out to the Azores, along with several of the team’s technicians.
 
Hitting a whale, dolphin, iceberg or any other drifting objects while on board a carbon-fibre multihull travelling at 25 knots is a frightening scenario, with potentially devastating consequences. Striking a container out at sea is most unfortunate, but happens more and more often, and is a sad reflection of the state of today’s oceans. Yann Guichard and his men realise that the damage could have been much worse, and are focusing now on the future.
 
read more here
  

Article on the Hydroptere program by Alice Myhre

From the following article (in French) on LePoint.fr

http://www.lepoint.fr/voyages/l-hydroptere-le-bateau-qui-voulait-voler-24-08-2014-1856147_44.php

The rough Google translate is below:

By Alice Myhre

They dreamed, they did! In 1963, the publication of The 40-knot sailboat Bernard Smith, navigate 72 km / h is science fiction. Forty-five years later, in 2008, the team of Alain Thebault shouts of joy when the Hydrofoil, flying over the waves, breaking the "wall of wind": 50 knots under sail (92.6 km / h)!

In Greek hydros means "water," ptère, "wing". You understand that this is a device that combines aerospace and marine engineering. "We're like weightless, 5 or 6 feet above the water: it was like being on a magic carpet," says Alain Thebault. The secret? The foils, kinds of shaped wings that move in the water. Thanks to them, the boats take off, only connected to the sea by three foils. Supported by these submerged wings, boats double their speed in the blink of an eye. While afloat, the speed of a sailboat is limited by its length, when it was drawn up on the foils, the water is no longer an obstacle but a fulcrum. Thus, Hydrofoil, with only 2.5 m2 in contact with the water, sailing at 30 knots with a wind of 15! It's wanting to overcome the laws of physics that some enthusiasts have devised this system. But it took a hundred years of research before coming to near perfection: the Hydrofoil Alain Thebault.

Suspended in the air

In 1861, wanting to test wings planned for the first aircraft, the British Thomas Moy discovered the principle of the hydrofoil. The idea, once launched, will spread gradually. Sailboats to powerboats, experiments are linked to the United States and Europe. Many engineers are interested, including big names such as Alexander Graham Bell. The latter, after having equipped with foils motorboats, Nancy realizes, a model sailboat equipped with this wing. We are in 1912 and eight years later, the first patent was filed by Malcolm Thomas McIntyre and brothers. Their boat he sailed really? It

remains a mystery.

Testing, from 1938, models in her bathtub, Robert Gilruth initiate a turn. In the living room of his apartment, the future director of NASA goes from scratch to develop the first hydrofoil on water: Catafoil. In 1941, in the Chesapeake Bay on the East Coast of the United States, this boat has a great foil in "v" takes off. "It was a great time, we sailed low in the water at about 4 knots trying to catch a sailboat ... After having passed, we got up on the foils. You can imagine their shocked looks when we went to about 12 knots, hanging in the air, "tell the pioneer.

Then, in the 1950s, Gordon Baker, technology enthusiast, dreams of designing a hydrofoil sailboat marketable. This project, funded by the Navy, gave birth to the Monitor. After seventeen years of research, Baker finally pilot his car, whose stability is surprising. Hands on a car steering wheel, it reaches 35 knots, a record that will not be beaten 35 years later! Paradoxically, this engineering gem can not find opportunities. Well, not quite. Ten years later, the American David Keiper, he still believes. He dreams of a foiling trimaran can take off. He designs the Williwaw. The boat, equipped with retractable foils, travels the oceans. It carries 20,000 nautical miles, solo or in teams. Even if it is not built for speed records, the hydrofoil is propelled into the era of sailing the high seas.

"We're going to be scared"

Meanwhile, Eric Tabarly, driven by instinct, think the future of racing through the multihulls. Aboard his giant trimaran Pen Duick IV, lighter, less sail and easier to maneuver solo skipper search pure speed. In 1968 he crossed the Atlantic in 10 days and 11 hours, smashing all records! A year later, he discovered for the first time a hydrofoil: the Williwaw. This face-to-face give him wings to embark on a new project: the construction of the Paul Ricard which transposes the foils on an "offshore racing machine."

The initial objective of improving the stability and drift boat is quickly exceeded. Engineers, especially Pierre Perrier, revved "They began their study, following the idea that I had given them, but less shy than me, they arrived quickly to take off the boat for them c. really was the way forward, "explained Tabarly. Based on a hull Tornado, they build a prototype in 1976 whose essays are dreaming. Unfortunately, the materials of the time did not allow to build the full-scale machine. Tabarly was stuck with the Paul Ricard, a pale copy that can take off only partially. Shortly afterwards, Alain Thebault intervenes. He contacted Tabarly, takes the original project and began building what would become Hydrofoil.

Between the first model produced in 1985 and the first record broken by hydrofoil in 2005, the team of Alain Thebault had to sail in troubled waters. "We flew over the area still little known high speed sailing. I think at times we will be afraid," confided at the time Alain Thebault ("The Hydrofoil, the breath of a dream" by Thalassa). Indeed, the challenge is to marry the lightness and strength of the boat. The foils must be particularly robust to withstand stronger than that experienced by the wings of fighter planes pressure twice. In addition, when the node 50 reaches Hydrofoil, water boils around airfoils, thus reducing the stability of the vessel, among others. A year after their first flight, floats breaks during an event at sea. "It [was] glad I brought the boat. This was not granted," recalls Alain Thebault. After several failed attempts, they finally manage to beat their first record.

The instinct of the Marine is not enough

It was in 2005 that the Hydrofoil IV gained a few precious seconds on 35 minutes set by the aviator Louis Bleriot between Dover and Calais. Then addressing the world speed records, the creature becomes the world's fastest boat. In 2008, breaking through the 100 km / h, the team will pay his madness a spectacular dismasted. "We really had the wind barrier This is quite extraordinary in terms of skiing and feel very airline. It ended badly, but hey, is cleared as pioneers. " But with a top speed of 56 knots (104 km / h), their pole position was thrilled later by Australian Paul Larsen aboard his Vestas SailRocket.

At such a speed, instinct alone is not enough. The crew of the Hydrofoil is assisted by an arsenal of electronic devices that measure every reaction of the boat. The democratization of this type of machine is not for now, even with the marketing of smaller models, such as the Flying Phantom One of Martin Fischer. After a hundred years of research, performance competition continues. The engineers of the future will win new challenges. , We await the day when the Hydrofoil will tour the world above the waves.

Sunday 24 August 2014

Multi50 update, Trophee Prince de Bretagne, Team Maitre Jacques leads at end of first day of competition

Standings at the end of day 1 after 6 races.  Team Maitre Jacques narrowly in the lead on points showing good boatspeed with their revamped trimaran.


A video from the first day of racing:

Thursday 21 August 2014

Multi50 update, Trophee Prince de Bretagne to take place 22nd to 24th of August

From the following article (in French) by Scanvoile:

http://www.scanvoile.com/2014/08/multi50-actual-fenetrea-cardinal-maitre.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

The rough bing translate is below:

The traditional trophy Multi50 Prince de Bretagne - Côtes d'Armor prepares to resume his summer quarters off the coast of Saint-Quay-Portrieux. From 22 to 24 next August, the sides of Goelo will once again vibrate to the rhythm of regattas between multihulls. Eleven Multi50 promise to ensure the show.

A fleet of 11 multihulls
On the field of play, a team of eleven trimarans has already answered the call to cross the bows one last time before joining, November 02, the starting line of the Route du Rhum. Gauge the competition, to sharpen, validate the material, and, why not, score psychological points: the objectives are many for teams to the ranks of this 6th edition of the Prince de Bretagne - Côtes d'Armor trophy.

Land, two surprises of size register in the menu of the 2014 edition: the feast of coco from Paimpol on Sunday, and the visit of Executive Chef Jean Imbert ship Ambassador, Maxi80 Prince of Brittany, still faithful to the position and place for Public Relations.

Jean Imbert, invited mark aboard Maxi80 Prince de Bretagne
To share the limelight with the Coco de Paimpol, this 6th edition of the trophy Prince de Bretagne will also rely on the visit of the Chief Jean Imbert. Native of Erquy, not far from Cape Fréhel where he has never missed the start of the Route du Rhum, the famous chef costarmoricain do not declined the invitation which was made to embark aboard the trimaran Prince de Bretagne, which he is the godfather.

Vessels registered
Actual (Yves Le Blevec)
Arkema Region Aquitaine (Lalou Roucayrol)
Délirium (Hervé de Carlan)
˜windowâ-Cardinal (Erwan Le Roux)
Kid (Pierre Antoine)
Maître Jacques (Loïc Fequet)
Nootka (Gilles Buekenhout)
PiR2 (Etienne Hochede)
Green Ray (Alain Delhumeau)
Rennes metropolis Saint-Malo agglomération (Gilles Lamiré)
Towards a world without AIDS (Erik Nigon)

Note:
Trips with the star of Erquy to follow the races closer to the fleet
Departures from 11: 00 to 16: 00 on Sunday, August 24 - duration: 45 minutes
On-site ticket: €3, free for less than 10 years

Tuesday 19 August 2014

Lionel Lemonchois takes Prince de Bretagne Maxi 80 trimaran on qualification run for the Route du Rhum

From the following article (in French) on the Prince de Bretagne Maxi80 website:

http://www.voile.princedebretagne.com/fr/actualites/418/en-route-pour-la-qualif.html

and the rough bing translate is below:

Lionel is preparing to make the 1000 miles of course required for its qualification to the Route du Rhum. Because, if he had widely traveled that distance during his record attempt of the Mauritian at the beginning of the year, the boat has since, underwent some changes. He notably welcomed a new mast and the skipper wanted to do things in the rules of the art.

"Ca is part of the regulation and it is perfect for my preparation. Four days at sea, solo, to work to the best boat, it was some time it pleased me, I'm happy to leave. This is the real recovery! I'll first do 400 miles to the West to reach a first Waypoint, then take due north to go turn the Fastnet before descending on Saint - Quay Portrieux. I have an appointment with producers Prince of Brittany for the multi50 trophy and the feast of the Coco de Paimpol ", explains Lionel."

Weather, conditions will be fairly quiet to start (15-20 knots) and increase a little bit on the second half of the course (20-25 knots). "I will evolve to the close the first two days, then it's downwind in a nice wind." Since the Mauritian, this is my first solo release, I can practice maneuvers, but also on the "side": routing, shipments of photos..."

Arrival in Saint-Quay Portrieux around Thursday noon.

Sunday 17 August 2014

Spindrift Racing abandon standby period for North Atlantic Record in Newport to return to home base and prepare for Route du Rhum

From the following press release on the Spindrift Racing website:

http://www.spindrift-racing.com/2014/08/newport-stand-by-ends-for-spindrift-racing-yann-guichard-to-return-in-preparation-for-route-de-rhum/

The wait is over for Spindrift racing. On stand-by since the beginning of June, Dona Bertarelli, Yann Guichard and the rest of the team will abandon their attempt to break the Crewed North Atlantic Record on August 15th and prepare to sail home to France. Since their arrival in Newport, an unusually powerful anticyclone located at high latitudes has starved them of any opportunity to take on the record. There is no time to relax, however, and Spindrift racing must now focus on the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe, which will depart from Saint-Malo on November 2nd. Technical staff in Newport are already hard at work, configuring Spindrift 2 for single-handed racing to ensure that everything is ready for Yann Guichard to set sail alone.

Few records have been attempted more often than the North Atlantic crossing. To sail from New York to Lizard Point in less than 3 days and 15 hours requires both an experienced crew and an exceptional machine such as Spindrift 2, combined with ideal weather conditions. “For a multihull to achieve such a feat on this route, you need a depression that crosses the ocean at the same speed as the record so that you can ride ahead of it on a flat sea,” explains Richard Silvani, a Météo France meteorologist who is Spindrift racing’s onshore route-planner. “This summer’s weather has made any record attempt impossible,” he says. “The anticyclone located at 50 degrees north, directly above our intended route, has prevented depressions from crossing the ocean between America and Europe. Even today’s 10-day forecasts predict no change in the situation.”

read more here


Friday 15 August 2014

Multi70 Oman Sail/Musandam break Round Britain and Ireland multihull race record (awaiting ratification by the WSSRC)

 From the following article by RORC:

http://roundbritainandireland.rorc.org/newsblogsphotos/press-releases/326-an-extraordinary-series-of-events.html

Sidney Gavignet and the crew of Musandam-Oman Sail, a MOD70 trimaran crossed the finish line of the 2014 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race off the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes, at 12.42.36 BST on Thursday 14th August 2014.

This is an elapsed time of 3 days, 3 hours, 32 minutes, 36 seconds and, subject to ratification by the World Speed Sailing Record Council, a new Outright World Record for the Round Britain and Ireland course and a new race record for the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race.

It was almost unthinkable that a 70ft trimaran, with no ability to decide when to start, could defeat a 140ft trimaran that had decided exactly when to set off. However a fantastic boat, a perfect performance and an extraordinary series of coincidences lined up to make the impossible a reality.

read more here

Multi70 Oman Sail/Musandam in full flight, photo Mark Lloyd/Oman Sail

Tuesday 12 August 2014

Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland yacht race update

After a start in ideal conditions the Multi70 Musandam/Oman Sail has powered up the coast of the UK and is now approaching Muckle Flugga the northernmost turning point of the race in the North Sea.  They are currently 2 hours ahead of the record time set by the maxi trimaran Banque Populaire V.

More details in the latest RORC press release:

http://roundbritainandireland.rorc.org/newsblogsphotos/press-releases/295-record-pace-at-muckle-flugga.html

and a good video showing the start of the race:


Monday 11 August 2014

Start of the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland race delayed by 21 hours

Nick Elliot Racing manager of the RORC gives a brief explanation of the reasoning behind the decision.



And the press release and quotes from the fleet below:

http://roundbritainandireland.rorc.org/newsblogsphotos/press-releases/273-race-postponement-quotes-from-the-fleet.html

The Race Committee have taken the decision to postpone the start of the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race 2014 by 21 hours. The new start time will be 0900 on the 11th August 2014.
The Race Committee took this decision after receiving advice that the low pressure system known as Bertha is moving more slowly than previously predicted, with the result that the forecast winds for the start and the immediate period afterwards include sustained winds of 40 knots, with gusts in excess of 50 knots in the English Channel.

The advice is that this delay will allow time for the severe winds to abate as the low pressure system moves North East.

Katrin Hilbert speaking on behalf of the Custom JV 52, Haspa Hamburg, commented, "the adrenaline was pumping, we were ready to go but we realise that the decision was made for all the right reasons; our hearts were saying let's go! But our heads were looking at the bigger picture. Some of the younger crew are disappointed but we will sit down and talk about it in a coffee shop. Cowes is a nice place, it is better to have the discussion there than in terrible weather in the English Channel.

read more here

Sunday 10 August 2014

Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland race set to get underway

This RORC event is a perpetual favourite and a strong fleet have returned to contest the race this year:

The race website:
http://roundbritainandireland.rorc.org/

The race tracker:
http://roundbritainandireland.rorc.org/tracking.html

Due to the prevailing weather conditions they have decided that the race direction will be reversed and will now be anticlockwise.

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/index.cfm?SEID=0&Nid=125410&SRCID=0&ntid=0&tickeruid=0&tickerCID=0

In the Multihulls Damien Foxall of Oman Sail/Musandam are hoping to break the race record which is currently held by the Maxi trimaran BP5 at 3 days, 3 hours, 49 minutes, 14 seconds.

http://roundbritainandireland.rorc.org/newsblogsphotos/press-releases/267-as-tough-as-it-gets.html

Friday 8 August 2014

Artemis Challenge, Prince de Bretagne Maxi 80 first home after a closely fought battle with Musandam/Oman Sail MOD70

From the following article on the Artemis Challenge website:

http://www.artemischallenge.com/news/view/sailings_top_pros_rising_stars_and_royalty_compete_in_the_eight_artemis_cha

Some of the hottest professional names in sailing and the sport’s rising stars jostled for position alongside royalty, rugby and rock ‘n’ roll stars in the Artemis Challenge – the 50-mile race around the Isle of Wight (Thursday, 7th August).

The eighth edition of the Artemis Challenge, that first took place in 2007, has become a ‘stand-out’ event of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week and adding a touch of glamour, as well as their sporting prowess, were Zara Phillips, Mike Tindall and Simon and Yasmin Le Bon.

Six ocean-going racing machines competed in today’s 2014 Artemis Challenge and the calibre of sailing talent was impressive – Volvo Ocean Race skippers Samantha Davies, Team SCA; Charles Caudrelier, Dongfeng Race Team; two time Olympic silver medallist Ian Walker, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing; alongside ocean racing masters that included multiple round the world record holder Brian Thompson, Artemis Ocean Racing; Damian Foxall, skipper Musandam Oman Sail and Lionel Lemonchois, Prince de Bretagne. And alongside eight 33-foot Bénéteau Figaro IIs lined up carrying the next generation of offshore sailing talent racing including Sam Goodchild, Jack Bouttell, Sam Matson and French Figaro skipper Charlie Dalin – who in future years hope to emulate their sailing heroes.

read more here

 
A highlights video has also been released:


Wednesday 6 August 2014

Maxi trimaran Banque Populaire VII back in Lorient and hauled out

After a successful delivery from New York by Armel le Cleac'h and Gildas Morvan Banque Populaire VII has been derigged and hauled out.  The tech team will now check the boat over carefully and prepare it for the upcoming Route du Rhum.


Sunday 3 August 2014

Yvan Bourgnon loses his catamaran on rocks in Sri Lanka while attempting to reach the shore during his beach cat circumnavigation attempt

Yvan Bourgnon's catamaran on which he has nearly completely circumnavigated has sadly been lost on the rocks in Sri Lanka.  Yvan has thankfully survived without injury but the boat is a complete write off.  His plan is to head back to France and attempt to raise funding for another catamaran built along the same principle of no accommodation and short LOA to complete his adventure.

Here is a rough translate of the news article:

http://www.en-avant-toute.ch/page/yvan-bourgnon.html

Big problem on arrival in Sri Lanka

"A few miles from the finish, the wind will was finally appeased; so I set the autopilot to sleep a few moments with a heading seaward. I woke up on a surf spot with huge waves crashing on the rocks. I was thrown out of the boat and thought I live my last moments being drawn in by a mishmash of pebbles, pieces of boat and water rollers. I'm out of it unscathed. It's just a miracle!"

This accident does not mark the end of my project. I intend to find a partner and additional funds in the coming weeks to arm a catamaran of existing sport and continue the adventure...

Yvan Bourgnon (August 1, 2014)

I've had a few people email me to see if there is anyway they can help Yvan complete his adventure.  There is a donations page on his website here:

http://www.en-avant-toute.ch/page/j-embarque-avec-yvan.html

photo courtesy the Daily Mirror


Friday 1 August 2014

Weta Trimarans, short video details updates on 2015 model

A short video by Weta Trimarans showing the improvements made in the 2015 model.  It's just a general tidy up of the platform smoothing things out and cleaning up details the one design rule remains unchanged and the platform, sail area etc is the same.