Solo sailor Florence Arthaud killed in tragic helicopter accident

Florence Arthaud has been killed in a helicopter accident during the filming of a TV show.  Perhaps most famous for her solo victory in the 1990 Route du Rhum on the ORMA60 trimaran "Pierre 1er" she continued her career in sailing well after that point also taking a Transpac win along with Bruno Peyron on the 86' catamaran "Explorer".  A true inspiration to solo sailors worldwide we extend our sincere condolences to her family and friends.  Fair winds and following seas Florence.

Florence Arthaud arriving in Guadaloupe onboard Pierre 1er
photo (c) Thierry Martinez Sea&Co

Yvan Bourgnon secures crowd funding to continue beach cat circumnavigation attempt

Yvan Bourgnon has managed to secure sufficient crowd funding to continue on his beach cat circumnavigation.  He is going to rebuild the remains of his wrecked boat in Sri Lanka and continue on to France to complete his journey.

http://ledefidyvanbourgnon.com/les-actualites/

Yvan Bourgnon departs on the next leg of his beach cat circumnavigation Martinique (Guadaloupe) to Colon (Panama)

From the following entry on Yvan Bourgnon's FB page:

 

https://www.facebook.com/yvan.bourgnon/photos/a.291016674251063.79161.117142148305184/748750488477677/?type=1&theater

 

The rough bing translate:

 

It seems that this man is happy to resume the sea!
It is the smile on his lips and in Olympic form that Yvan is slender on the sea of the Caribbean, today at 11:20 (local time) of the sailor in the direction of the Panama.
We wish him beautiful sailing, lots of fun and a lenient weather!
 Fair winds Yvan

 

the tracker is here:

http://ledefidyvanbourgnon.com/suivi-en-temps-reel/

 

 

 

Yvan Bourgnon's circumnavigation in a beachcat attempt, Yvan now sailing solo and more than half way across the Atlantic destination Point a Pitre

The tracker is active for Yvan Bourgnon's circumnavigation attempt is active at:

http://www.en-avant-toute.ch/yvan-bourgnon/le-defi/suivi-en-temps-reel/

here is a recent update:

Solo Round Britain has started, Alan Rankin departs on his challenge

Alan Rankin has departed Ullapool on his challenge to circumnavigate Britain in a Farrier F-27 trimaran.

You can see more details on the Solo Round Britain challenge and a tracker showing Alan's progress on his website:

http://www.soloroundbritain.com/

Excellent article on Multihulls World on singlehanded multihull sailing

From the following Multihulls World article

http://www.multihulls-world.com/us/catamarans/dossiers/tips-for-singlehanded-sailors,11.html

Sailing singlehanded on a multihull imposes a different rhythm, greater anticipation and absolute respect of safety rules. Don't think that this subject only concerns real singlehanders. Family cruising with young children finally imposes the same constraints. 

read more here

Francis Joyon attempts to better own time on the Discovery Route (Cadiz to San Salvador)

Francis Joyon is also attempting to better his own record on the Discovery Route (Cadiz to San Salvador) it was intended that he and Thomas Coville on Sodebo would compete more directly but since Thomas has been injured and knocked out of the competition for now Francis is going to attempt to set a higher reference time.

The tracker for the current attempt is here

http://www.trimaran-idec.com/multimedia_cartographie.asp

original article on attempt:

http://www.trimaran-idec.com/actualite_article.asp?id=204

Here is the rough Google translate of the article:

Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Alone aboard his maxi-trimaran IDEC, Francis Joyon crossed the starting line of the Route Discovery, in Cadiz (Spain), Wednesday, February 6 to 12 hours, 50 minutes and 25 seconds UTC. Towards San Salvador (Bahamas) via the Canary Islands. Objective: To improve his own record in 2008, namely through the 3884 miles in less than 9 days, 20 hours, 32 minutes and 23 seconds. It must cut the line on the other side of the Atlantic before Saturday, February 16 at 9:21 minutes 48 seconds.

 

© JEAN MARIE LIOT / DPPI / IDEC

A hunter (records) hunting the other on Route discovery: Francis Joyon just jump with his trusty trimaran IDEC! He cut the line to Cadiz this Wednesday, February 6, 2013 at 12h50'25'' UT.
Originally, the case would give rise to a duel with Thomas Coville distance, but fate decided otherwise: Sunday party Thomas Coville was wounded in the leg in a jibe and decided last night to throw in the towel and go stop in the Azores. Francis Joyon only learned this morning, while he was already in the water round to the port of Cadiz, waiting for the best time to cross the line. "I am wholeheartedly with Thomas" says Francis few minutes before the lap top, "on these boats, we are always on the verge of getting hurt and it may very well happen to me too! Too bad, I regaled the idea this game with Thomas. would have been exciting for both of us, but it is like that and I do not change my program: I'm leaving. " Against his own time of 2008 Without duel, so it is to attack its own clock - which dates back to 2008 - that will soar driver IDEC. It's simple: you have to be most often beyond 20 knots average expect to improve its own performance. The margin is not huge, can be a handful of hours to earn ... therefore committed a record, which of course is an end in itself, but also and above all a great way to prepare for the big 2013 target Francis Joyon, namely regain Record North Atlantic between New York and the Lizard. For the North Atlantic from West to East is the only one of the four largest record that lacks the track record of IDEC now. Joyon is indeed the current record for the Discovery Route, Around the World Solo and the absolute record of 24 hours alone. "It was all ways take the boat to New York in the spring," jokes Francis, "so much trying to improve this clock!" Road north ... and without routing! skipper IDEC not expected necessarily a lot of fun because it fetches sustained winds: 30 knots announced as the night the weather files can easily turn into 35 or 40 knots actually on the water. No router - it will make its on-board weather itself - Francis imagine a general scenario which does not follow the road alizéenne but, on the contrary, very back north in the middle of the Atlantic. Explanations: "I go with northeast winds sustained to the Canaries, but I will have to readjust to meet the course mark in the archipelago (you must leave the island of Gran Canaria to starboard, ndr). It will thus not necessarily very rapid at first, but then I'll get this cold front towards the middle of the Atlantic. This should allow me to go faster on the direct route behind the front, in the north-east wind. alizéen A passage by south, he would have forced me to multiply gybes to avoid dead downwind and maintain a fast wind angle. " Gybes should therefore only be reserved at the very end of the course, when IDEC actually find in a stream of East approaching the Bahamas. "This is a good weather window that is presented" ensures the skipper of IDEC, "he should seize this opportunity."

 

 

Thomas Coville withdraws from Cadix - San Salvador record attempt

Thomas Coville has suffered a leg injury while racing the Maxi trimaran Sodebo.  It seems he has injured his calf severely and has had to withdraw from the record attempt.  He is now headed to the nearby Azore's for treatment.

http://www.sodebo.fr/voile/actualites/article/blesse-jambe-thomas-doit-renoncer

Here is the rough Google translate:

Wounded in the leg, Thomas must give up on attempt:Party Saturday from Cadiz for a record attempt on the solo Discovery Route towards the Bahamas, Thomas Coville decided tonight to give up on the advice of his doctors after an injury to his left leg that does not change in the right direction. The skipper of the maxi-trimaran Sodebo is underway in moderate weather to the port of Ponta Delgada on the island of Sao Miguel in the Azores it will reach tomorrow, Wednesday evening.
 Thomas was injured Sunday night in the calf during a jibe made in 25/30 knots, approaching the Canaries. Operate a multihull 31 meters long, with a mast 35 meters, demand and trade is the first time in 25 years of career as a seaman is injured so. In operation, listening mainsheet a damaged leg, causing significant edema.
  After observing the evolution of the injury for 48 hours, the skipper decided to follow the recommendation of the two doctors who advocate immobilize the leg and daily care to avoid aggravation and sequelae. The most reasonable decision is required, Thomas waives his heart against crossing.
  The sailor did not hide his disappointment. If the weather window this attempt was complicated, it had all the components of a good workout for the round the world record which he will tackle next winter.
 "I thought it was going to reverse but the situation deteriorated rapidly," confided the skipper in the evening. "My ankle was very swollen and I am now struggling to move that can engage my safety and that of the boat. Doctors fear it gets worse and causes affect my long-term recovery. As I am not far from the Azores, confuse me turns out to be a wise decision. It's a shame because I felt really good about this boat downwind transfigured. This training was really interested even if this record Discovery is not the center of our program Sodebo. '

Thomas Coville solo attempt to better Cadix to San Salvador record

Thomas Coville on the Maxi Trimaran Sodebo is attempting to better the solo record set by Francis Joyon on the "Discovery Route" Cadix to San Salvador.

Article on Voile et Voiliers
http://www.voilesetvoiliers.com/popup/record-route-de-la-decouverte-sodebo-thomas-coville-s-est-fait-la-belle-de-cadix/

tracker for attempt
http://sodebo-voile.geovoile.com/routedeladecouverte/2012/