22.09.2008
www.gitana-team.com
Gitana 13 back in familiar waters
The maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group made its
entrance into the Bay of Biscay on Sunday afternoon and is this Monday
sailing at the latitude of Bordeaux. They are making headway in rather
uncomfortable conditions, close-hauled in steady NE’ly winds, combined with
short, big seas. However, aboard Gitana 13, Lionel Lemonchois and his nine
crew had prepared themselves for these last chaotic miles. At 1315 UT they
were 550 miles from their goal.
The passage of Cape Finisterre, at the NW tip of Spain, wasn’t a trifling
matter for the ten sailors of Gitana Team: “We had to make a series of tacks
all the way along the tip of Galicia: in total close to twenty-three tack
changes! It was a really intense rhythm which took a lot out of the crew.”
From his offices in Toulouse, Sylvain Mondon, who only very rarely
disconnects from his computer, explains this series of manœuvres: “Gitana 13
sailed along the coast of Galicia to shelter from the swell and the more
unfavourable wind offshore. Indeed, onshore, there was between 25 and 30
knots of NE’ly breeze (compared with 35 to 40 knot gusts offshore) which
enabled them to make sufficient easting before beginning their climb up the
Bay of Biscay. This position shift required a great number of manœuvres
level with the rocks throughout the whole of Sunday afternoon and a large
part of the night. However, the reward for the crew of Gitana 13 is the
opportunity to sail close-hauled on starboard tack in ENE’ly winds of
between 20 and 25 knots, through 2 to 3 metre high waves. These conditions
mean that they’re making laborious headway but they are still a lot less
tortuous than if they were further over to the west, where the wind is
stronger and there is more of a tendency for them to be headed.”
Despite all this, life aboard the maxi-catamaran equipped by Baron Benjamin
de Rothschild reindexs complicated: “The seas aren’t very big, but they are
rather short and Gitana 13 very often buries her bows in the waves. We’re
brought to a stand-still every three minutes, which can lead to a few
stylish moves amongst the crew. In these conditions, sleeping is a real
mission!” The background noise in the short conversation with Léopold Lucet
largely confirms this.
This brisk NE’ly breeze which Lionel Lemonchois and his crew have been
exploiting to best effect for the past 24 hours, will accompany the 33 metre
maxi-catamaran for their entire passage across the Bay of Biscay as well as
for the climb up the English Channel. Their return to steady downwind
conditions which are more favourable to Gitana 13, will have to wait until
the final hours of the course, between Pas-de-Calais and their arrival in
the Thames. The ETA is still scheduled between late evening on 24th
September and the morning of 25th September.
A few figures
Gitana 13 left Hong Kong on Thursday 14th August at 07h55’32’’ (UT)
Monday 22nd September at 0745UT, Gitana 13 was sailing at 44°15.97 N
/07°10.80 W
Watch No1: Lionel Lemonchois (Skipper / watch leader / helmsman) / Olivier
Wroczynski (trimmer /head of computers and power) / David Boileau (Bowman /
head of deck fittings)
Watch No.2: Ludovic Aglaor (watch leader / helmsman) / Laurent Mermod
(trimmer) / Ronan Le Goff (Bowman)
Watch No.3: Pascal Blouin (Watch leader / helmsman) / Ronan Guérin (trimmer)
/ Léopold Lucet (No.1, head of supplies and doctor)
Outside the watch system: Dominic Vittet (navigator)
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
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