Thomas Coville and Sodebo likely to depart tomorrow based on evolving weather window

From the following article (in French) on the sodebo.fr website:

http://www.sodebo.fr/voile/actualites/article/vers-depart-demain-mardi-pour-thomas-coville

and the rough bing translate below:

11/11/2013

Towards a start tomorrow Tuesday for Thomas Coville

Since four days, Thomas Coville and his team of routing observe the evolution of a weather window for a possible start of Ouessant (end of day) Tuesday on record around the world single-handed. If conditions appear muscular between Ushant and the Canary Islands, doubts persist on the strength of the trade winds up to the latitude of Cape Verde. The skipper of the maxi-trimaran Sodebo chose with its routers to await analysis of forecast files tonight to confirm whether his departure tomorrow to assault the record held by Francis Joyon since January 2008 in 57(j) 13 h 34 m and 6 s.

 

Behind a passing cold front that night on Ouessant, North 25 knots wind must settle in tomorrow off the coast of Brittany tip and the Bay of Biscay. With acceleration at over 30 knots at Cape Finisterre, the launch pad would be fast and physical for the skipper. With a few gybes to disengage from the shores of Europe and win in the West, the path then announced fluid on one long edge in the Northeast Tradewinds. It is at this stage that routers observe a possible slowdown.

 

« It is a beautiful window even if it is not perfect, ' said the skipper whose trimaran Sodebo is on standby at the Port of the castle in Brest since October 18. « It is always an evil Chu cut a good weather window.» We must accept that this is not ideal and know-how for violence to soar. Departure would be tomorrow evening at Ouessant with 25/30 knots of wind from North and the sea front. The first 24 hours should be manly between the Bay of Biscay and Cape Finisterre. Then, we could draw a pretty path between the coast of the Portugal and Ecuador, almost on an edge. On the other hand, we have a period of lower wind between the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, we therefore wish to wait the next files to see how this evolves. »

 

More info to follow at 10 p.m. tonight.

When a start tomorrow on Tuesday, 12 November, here is the place envisaged:

H-4 of the crossing of the line at Ushant: the maxi-trimaran Sodebo drops the mooring lines.

H-2 of the crossing of the line: Thomas Coville is alone aboard the maxi-trimaran Sodebo

Time H: top departure!