Gitana Team video of new lifting foil trials on the MOD70 trimaran Edmond de Rothschild

The Gitana team have been making progress on their implementation of a foiling solution for offshore use on the modified MOD70 trimaran Edmond de Rothschild.  In the Route du Rhum Seb Josse tested out T rudders with success and now with the addition of the lifting foil are conducting trials to test the modification under ocean conditions.  The trimaran is still running a C foil on the starboard side as a control.

From the following article on Yachting World:

http://www.yachtingworld.com/news/video-the-first-foiling-mod70-gitana-teams-edmond-de-rothschild-flies-during-her-first-trials-66373

Stand by for lift-off.
If you were impressed by the speeds of the AC45s last week off Portsmouth, check this out – the MOD70 Edmond de Rothschild is almost twice the size, has an extra hull, and is sailing, sorry flying, in the open ocean…

read more here



There is an additional press release from the Gitana Team that goes into more detail on the foil program and results so far:

http://www.gitana-team.com/en/event.news.aspx?eventid=97&newsid=1123

Lending Club team smash Los Angeles to Honolulu record

Lending Club team approaches Honolulu well ahead of record time

Offshore multihull racing legend Laurent Bourgnon lost in diving accident

One of the giants of multihull racing Laurent Bourgnon has been lost in a diving accident in French Polynesia.  He was reported missing on the 25th June and despite a comprehensive search no trace has been found.  His brother Yvan Bourgnon who recently completed a circumnavigation by a specially designed beach cat mounted his own search sadly without success.  Laurent was best known for his victories in the 1994 and 1998 in the solo Route du Rhum onboard the ORMA trimaran Primagaz.

A few additional details in the article below:

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2015/06/25/swiss-yachtsman-bourgnon-missing-french-Polynesia

And a tribute from his brother Yvan Bourgnon.  Vale Laurent Bourgnon.


Hommage à Laurent Bourgnon from Thomas Chabrol on Vimeo.

Update from the Lending Club team on day 2 of their Transpac record attempt

Lending Club team withdraw from Transpac race in order to challenge outright record held by Olivier de Kersauson on Geronimo

The Lending Club 2 team have officially withdrawn from the Transpac race in order to catch a more suitable weather window for their LA to Honolulu attempt.  The outright record which is currently held by Olivier de Kersauson on Geronimo at 4d 19h 31m 37s is separate to the Transpac Race record which is held by the 86′ maxi cat Explorer of with a time of 5 Days, 9 hours, 18 minutes and 26 seconds

http://www.sail-world.com/2015-Transpac---Lending-Club-2-going-early-to-beat-outright-record/136491

Maxi trimaran Lending Club2 flying hulls in San Francisco harbor

Video of Phaedo3 finishing Trans Atlantic Race

Phaedo³, TR2015, finish from Ocean Images on Vimeo.

Phaedo3 completes Trans Atlantic race and takes line honours in the open division

Phaedo have finished the Trans Atlantic race and took first place in the open division.  Paradox are still at sea with about 254 nm to go.  They are about 30nm astern of Rambler 88.

From the Phaedo facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=919096394795562&id=190043577700851

Phaedo3 records the fastest elapsed time (unofficial) in the 2015 Transatlantic Race
In spite of being becalmed for nearly two days early in the race, the MOD 70 trimaran Phaedo3 owned by owner/driver Lloyd Thornburg has crossed the finish line off the southwest coast of England to record the fastest elapsed time (unofficial) in the 2,800 mile Transatlantic Race.

Thornburg, co-skipper Brian Thompson, and the rest of the crew’s elapsed time of 7 days, 2 hours, 4 minutes, 9 seconds was well ahead of the other fast boats that started in Newport, Rhode Island last Sunday including Jim Clark’s 100-foot sled Comanche, George David’s Rambler 88, and Peter Aschenbrenner’s 63-foot trimaran Paradox. And since Phaedo3 was able to average speeds in the high 20’s once the wind filled in, they’re the 7th boat to finish overall and they came in well ahead the majority of the fleet that started a week before they did.

Phaedo3 continues to raise the bar of what’s possible in offshore racing and the numbers tell the story:

652 nautical miles = Max 24 hour miles covered
2,442 nautical miles =Miles covered in 4 days (once the wind filled in after being becalmed) averaging over 600 miles per day for 4 days
41.2 knots= Top speed

But this is only the beginning. Thornburg, Thompson, and several other Phaedo3 crew and going to keep racing (to Los Angeles for start of the Transpac) once boat docks in Cowes early tomorrow morning.

Thornburg and company have thrown the high performance multi-hull gauntlet down and hope to see more fast multihulls in future offshore races and they are putting their money where their mouths are. They’ll be racing aboard Thornburg’s original Gunboat 66 Phaedo as he goes for a rare Owner/Driver offshore double in the Transpac next week.

Yvan Bourgnon completes beach cat circumnavigation

Yvan has completed his journey:

From Scan Voile

http://www.scanvoile.com/2015/06/defi-tour-du-monde-en-catamaran-de.html

Challenge / around the world in sport catamaran for Yvan Bourgnon, arrived at Ouistreham! (Images)

After a course of 55 000 km around the planet on his small sport catamaran, the adventure of Yvan Bourgnon ended yesterday after 20 months of navigation. Party in October 2013 of Sables D'olonne, after beaching, two capsizing, and thousands of hours spent at the tiller, the sailor crossed the line yesterday in Ouistreham, marking the end of his journey on June 23, 2015.

Challenge Atlantis Television, the first round of the world uninhabitable sailing
Yvan Bourgnon completed its World Tour! He arrived yesterday at 1 pm at the port of Ouistreham Riva Bella.

Back on the adventure
October 5, 2013, departure from les Sables D'olonne. November 2013, first storm with more than 60 knots of wind and first capsize.

February 2014, the sailor is the Panama canal with the ship dismantled, put on the deck of a sailboat.

August 2014, after 19 days at sea in full monsoon, Yvan Bourgnon ran aground at night on the coast of Sri Lanka. A part of the boat is destroyed.

March 2015, after repairing his boat on the place of his grounding, he resumed his challenge.

Around the world of Yvan Bourgnon in figures
55,000 km travelled either 220 days at sea
20 stages, 3 oceans and 13 crossed seas
10.5 km/h, speed average over the whole route
7 storms to more than 90 km/h
2 capsizing,
2 falls to the sea
12 hours of hand steering per day (on average)

 

 

Trans Atlantic race, Open division deals with relatively light conditions

From the following press release on the Trans Atlantic race website:

http://transatlanticrace.com/2015-race/565-stop-start-transatlantic-race

Comanche, Rambler 88, Phaedo3 and Paradox – the four fastest boats in the Transatlantic Race 2015 – are now in hot pursuit of the remainder of the fleet.

Overnight the four have made solid progress with the Lloyd Thornburg’s MOD70 trimaran Phaedo 3 leading, having covered some 307 miles in the first 18 hours since starting. Jim and Kirsty Clark’s 100’ maxi Comanche was already 50 miles astern of the electric green tri, but was leading her smaller rival, George David’s Rambler 88, by 20 miles with Peter Aschenbrenner’s 66’ trimaran, Paradox, a further 30 miles back. This has been in less than ideal conditions, VMG running and having to gybe frequently in a 13-15 knot westerly as they attempt to take advantage of favorable eddies in the Gulf Stream.

“So far it is beautiful sailing,” said Ken Read, skipper of Comanche. “It is a nice way to break into a Transatlantic Race.”

Miles Seddon, navigator on board Phaedo 3, agreed: “We had stronger breeze than forecast getting out of Newport and it has been good fun. It is nice to get offshore and into the routine of racing again.” This morning, Phaedo 3 was averaging 18-20 knots in an 11-12 knot westerly, gybing along the top of a Gulf Stream eddy, while also trying to circumnavigate the top of some high pressure approaching from the south.

read more here

Former Maitre Jacques Multi50 trimaran to have a renaissance thanks to Thierry Bouchard will be renamed Ciela Village

The Multi50 Maitre Jacques suffered a float failure in the last Transat Jacques Vabre.  The trimaran has been purchased by Thierry Bouchard and is having new floats constructed at CDK technologies.  It will relaunch as Ciela Village and is being readied for the Transat Jacques Vabre.

The original press release (in French) can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/thierrybouchardcielavillage/posts/1601937736742502?fref=nf

And a rough bing translate below:

The Official Press Release. Now, you know everything!

The Mediterranean Thierry Bouchard launches in multi50. follower of the regatta, monohull competitor accomplished by class40, avid sports of adventure, it is lance on three hulls with an appetite for ogre. This winter he bought the multi50 Maitre Jacques which he renamed ciela village and to which it offers two new floats currently under construction at cdk technologies to port-LA-Forest. First round of heats, the transat Jacques Vabre in November.

Thierry Bouchard love the competition: ten tour de France à La Voile (once winner, three times second), six times winner of the snim in mumm 30. When he takes a departure it is rarely to participate. Moderator Regatta in contact in mumm 30 in particular, during the last ten years, its blunt and motivation is to broaden his horizons, he chose the class40. break-neck to earth, Thierry practice to high level the bike, the atvs, the High Mountain Sports and overall everything that relates to the adventure of nature. The race off the seduced.

Why spend in multi50?

" I love the boats that go fast and which are fun. The Typology of class multi50 corresponds to an evolution of the class40. there are pros and amateurs and it is the sign of the most dynamic classes. For me, this aspect is very important. The Amateurs ensure the stability of the class; the pros the drive with the sporty side and give to the fans the urge to invest in their boats, optimize them ".

Why this vplp of 2005? (the former Master Jacques, EX-crêpes whaou! 2)

"I have always found that the multi50" crêpes whaou! " 2 and 3 were very beautiful boats. And they work very well. It has not had a chance on the last two seasons (breach of float on the Jacques Vabre 2013 and rum 2014, Ed). I told myself that it really would be a pity that this boat ceases to navigate. It is true I could have done more simple, choose a multi already ready to run. But to be familiar with my boat, it is also important to put my grain of salt in the construction, to make my own modifications. So I chose to make two new floats, in mussels of fenêtréa-Prysmian. They are currently under construction at cdk. We have modified the sampling, placed the weight smart ".

For What program?

" Ciela Village will be put to the water in the month of August. We'll have a month to practice before the transat Jacques Vabre on which I will go to familiarize themselves with the boat. Before that, I'll request the expertise of loïc féquet (the former skipper) and some friends who know the multi. I wish that this ship is sailing as much as possible in the race and if I can't do the entirety of the programme of the following seasons, I shall be handing over to members of my team ".

The teams facebook page can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/thierrybouchardcielavillage

Ultime trimaran Sodebo relaunched after repairs from Route du Rhum collision

The Sodebo Ultime trimaran has been relaunched after repairs to the damage from the Route du Rhum where Thomas Coville collided with a ship.  Mods include more protection around the cockpit area and an interesting prototype lifting type float foil on the starboard side.

Final start of Trans Atlantic race, Phaedo3 and Paradox depart in the open division

Press release by the Trans Atlantic Yacht race organization.

NEWPORT, R.I. (July 5, 2015) – With 2,800 miles to sail and just two boats on the starting line, a conservative start would seem like the smart play. But for the 63-foot trimaran Paradox, owned by Peter Aschenbrenner and skippered by Jeff Mearing, the start of the multihull class in the Transatlantic Race 2015 offered up a wondrous opportunity to throw a little mud in the eye of Lloyd Thornburg’s Phaedo3, the 70-foot MOD 70 trimaran that is the odds-on favorite to take overall line honors in the race. It was too good to pass up, no matter what the overall risk-reward analysis might say.

The starboard end of the starting line was heavily favored due to the straight shot it provided out the channel, so both boats set up off the Jamestown shore for a long timed run on starboard tack. Paradox led into the starting area off the Castle Hill Lighthouse and, with both boats a few seconds late, seemed to be content to cross the line with a slight lead. At the last second, however, Aschenbrenner hardened up and cut off the path of the hard-charging Phaedo3, forcing the larger boat to spin head to wind on the wrong side of the starting line and turn an achingly slow 360, before setting off in pursuit of its rival.



Phaedo3 (left) and Paradox at the start of the Transatlantic Race 2015 (credit Daniel Forster)

For a race of this extreme distance, such an advantage at the outset means little. To wit, by 3:30 p.m., 90 minutes into the race, Phaedo3 had rolled over the top of Paradox and was scorching south of Martha’s Vineyard on an east-southeast heading at 30 knots. Paradox wasn’t exactly plodding along, hitting over 22 knots according to the tracker, but was quickly losing touch with the competition. Hopefully the early win helped ease the pain of watching Phaedo3 disappear over the horizon.

Anticipation for today’s second start—the final act of the fortnight of U.S.-based activity for the Transatlantic Race—has been building since last summer when the news broke that two new super maxis – the 100-foot Comanche and Rambler 88 – would be competing in the race. While both skippers have downplayed the duel—the boats have different design briefs and there is a 12-foot difference in overall length, in a sport where longer is often faster—the sailing public hasn’t let go of the “which one is faster” debate. It doesn’t hurt that the two skippers—Ken Read, who is skippering Comanche for owners Jim Clark and Kristy Hinze-Clark, and George David, the owner/skipper of Rambler 88—were once crewmates on David’s IMS 50 Idler, which competed as a part of the American team in the 1999 Admiral’s Cup.

Whether despite this or because of it, the final start of the Transatlantic Race 2015 was more true to expectations for such an event. Both boats maneuvered significantly through the pre-start, probing for an advantage. But with neither boat providing an opening, the afterguards of each boat were content to blast across the line in sync, Comanche to leeward and slightly ahead. As with the trimarans, the speeds jumped significantly once the boats passed the R4 channel marker south of Brenton Reef and were able bear off and ease the sheets. At press time, Comanche had pulled out to approximately a 1.3-mile lead over Rambler 88, with both boats recording speeds in the low 20s.

No matter where they stand relative to their respective competitors, sailors on all four boats have to be extremely pleased with the weather, which provided them with ideal reaching conditions for the escape from Newport. Whether it lasts, however, is a significant question. In the immediate future it appears to be some lighter winds. Any advantage or disadvantage at the start will be quickly forgotten if any of the boats struggle to push through to the next band of breeze.

TR 2015 Roster of Entries Starting on July 5 (4 boats)
Comanche, Jim Clark & Kristy Hinze-Clark, New York, N.Y., USA
Phaedo3, Lloyd Thornburg, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
Paradox, Peter Aschenbrenner, San Francisco, Calif., USA
Rambler, George David, Hartford, Conn., USA

The tracker is here:

http://yb.tl/transatlantic2015

And a video of the start from the Phaedo team:


Phaedo³, TR2015 start from Ocean Images on Vimeo.

Phaedo3 training prior to the Trans Atlantic race which starts on the 5th of July

Phaedo³, TR2015 training from Ocean Images on Vimeo.

Hydroptere fails in attempt to better Los Angeles to Honolulu passage record

The Hydroptere teams attempt at bettering the Los Angeles to Honolulu passage record has fallen short.  Stymied by light winds and unfavorable wind direction the hydrofoil was not able to show the high speeds it is capable of achieving. 

From the following article on Sailing Scuttlebutt:

http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2015/07/03/slow-trip-for-hydroptere-to-hawaii/

Honolulu, HI (July 3, 2015) – The 60-foot foiling trimaran Hydroptere left Los Angeles on Monday June 22 and has just arrived in Honolulu after a crossing of more than 2215 nautical miles (4102 km). Hydroptere becomes the first flying hydrofoil to cross an ocean.

The transpacific speed record from Los Angeles to Honolulu, Hawaii was not beaten as the weak wind conditions along the route did not allow the trimaran to achieve high cruising speeds. The outright record is 04:19:31:37, set by skipper Olivier de Kersauson (FRA) and crew on the 110-foot trimaran Geronimo in November 2005. The Hydroptere passage took nearly 11 days.

read more here

Trans Atlantic race, Phaedo3 and Paradox in the open division.

The final round of departures in the staggered start of the Trans Atlantic race are set to depart Sunday 5th July at 2pm local time.  This year in the multihulls will see the MOD70 trimaran Phaedo3 and the Nigel Iren's designed cruiser/racer Paradox squaring off.  Phaedo3 is clearly the favorite but Paradox is no slouch either.

There is an article on Sailing Scuttlebutt with more details.

http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2015/07/02/transatlantic-race-saving-the-biggest-for-last/

Event website:
http://transatlanticrace.com/

The tracker is here:
http://yb.tl/transatlantic2015

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TransatlanticRace