Just 2 miles from taking the lead for the first time ever in the Vendée Globe, Mike Golding (Ecover) suffered a broken indexsail halyard at 0630 GMT this morning. He has already made temporary repairs and on climbing the mast at lunch time to make things more permanent, he decided to try to replace the staysail halyard and check the rig.
At 1500 GMT he was making 6 knot averages, 47.6 miles from the head of the fleet. Around 3 short weeks from the finish, Vincent Riou (PRB) has been leading the fleet for the past 36 hours. He is level with the latitude of Buenos Aires with 6.1 miles on second placed Jean Le Cam. Ahead of the trio a front should pass them today with some good sailing, north of an expanding high to the north east them. They will be on starboard tack in downwind tonight. After that they should reach the Azores High and apart from a difficult transition, the forecast looks clear and all the weather files agree. In the Saint Helena high, the leaders will be looking for trade winds and “for now it looks like everything just falls into place” according to Riou.
Unable to contact Mike this morning for obvious reasons, Ecover’s Boat Project manager, Graham Tourell, outlined what Golding was planning: “He can either take the broken halyard back up and tie it on to the dead end on the mast crane or he has a complete spare index halyard he can run out. It depends on the conditions and how much time he wants to spend at the top of the rig. If he wants to attach the dead end properly it is a splice so he has to undo the split pin and take the sheave out and pop it back in. It is not too fiddly, but if he is cold and knackered he probably won’t want to spend the time doing that.” Mike is currently making 6.1 knots over the past four hours.
“I’m a bit disappointed as I saw Mike’s lights astern of me last night, and would have liked to have sent you the images” said Vincent earlier, 6.1 miles ahead of the Vendée Globe fleet. I was hoping to see him this morning instead. I was accelerating gently last night when I saw Mike and was happy to see him...astern of me. I’m now under solent and 1 reef, with 13/14 knots abeam. The conditions are good with light winds and flat seas. The skies are grey though and it rained all night. It’s quite something to be within 4 hours of the same winds and the same polars.”
Jean Le Cam (Bonduelle) was in great form today, packing in the jokes, delighted to be in second. “I was all ready with a little speech I’d prepared in English as I expected Mike to be leading. Frankly I was surprised to get the wind so soon and not lose more miles. All the better though! In terms of the weather, the further on we go the clearer it gets. Conditions aren’t that bad but you have to be on the ball.”
Behind the top trio the most significant development is the fact that Sébastien Josse (VMI) has had engine problems since yesterday night. At 1900 hours yesterday night, Jojo was clocked making 22 knots. For the first time in two weeks the gap between him and the frontrunner had dropped below 600 miles. Suddenly the engine came to an abrupt stop and he dropped the indexsail so as the autopilot could handle the monohull through the waves at 20 knots. Josse then checked out the whole diesel supply system but, despite a degree in the subject, he had to wait until this morning to speak with the mechanics at Fenwick who unfortunately agreed with his prognosis of fuel injection pump problems. This afternoon a technician on shore will dismantle the piece and try to guide the skipper over the telephone, but it looks like a very delicate operation.
Further back the only weather concern for the fleet is the depression in which Benoît Parnaudeau (Max Havelaar/Best Western), Bruce Schwab (Ocean Planet) and Conrad Humphreys (Hellomoto) now find themselves with expected gusts of 50 knots. Fortunately the latter got his mast climb out of the way yesterday. He scaled right to the top of his mast yet again yesterday having found a sheared bolt on the deck...only to discover after all that, that in fact the bolt had dropped out of his gooseneck.
Other news comes from those that are still on the water but are outside the race rules through having been assisted. Patrice Carpentier (VM Matériaux) and Marc Thiercelin (Pro Form) are still in Lyttleton, New Zealand. Patrice Carpentier (VM Matériaux), who celebrates his 54th birthday today, has confirmed that he will beginning heading back to France on Saturday or Sunday, while Marc is likely to leave on Wednesday. UUDS belonging to Hervé Laurent and Alex Thomson’s Hugo Boss have left Cape Town (South Africa) in crewed configuration and are already on their way back to Europe.
Quotes from the Boats:
Conrad Humphreys (Hellomoto) :
“This week has tested me physically more than any other so far this trip. The chafe on the cap shrouds required a second and third climb to eventually cover it. Yesterday I found a sheared bolt at the base of the mast. My heart was in my mouth when I immediately assumed it was from the forestay pin. Without hesitation, I grabbed my climbing gear and threw some essential tools into a rucksack and started climbing the rig. I strained my groin trying to pinch the mast between my legs (luckily the pain did not arrive until after the climb) I reached the forestay and was hugely relieved to see all three pins in place with their bolts. I looked above; the only other place this mystery bolt could have come from was the index halyard dead end which was a further 3m above my head, the exposed part of the climb. I scanned the horizon for any suspect clouds; there was the front behind and to the north. I had no time to waste. I stepped on the jumar loop and pulled myself the last few metres to the mast top. All was fine; this bolt was in place too. Where had it come from? I quickly slipped down the mast, descending faster than ever, passing and checking on my way down. Back on deck I was shattered, my arms were completely pumped and my groin strain was starting to ache. I was soaked with sweat so after setting the boat back on course I went below and changed into a dry set of thermals. I phoned Joff. We both racked our brains as to where this mystery bolt had come from. Joff casually mentioned the goose neck fitting had two bolts attaching it. Bingo! I eased the indexsheet and put a new bolt through, securing the pin with an additional vectran lashing for safety. Within ten minutes of arriving on deck the wind veered into the north and quickly rose to 25 knots. I´d been lucky. My mast climb may not have been necessary after all, but had it been the forestay, I might have been writing a very different diary.”
Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss):
(Left Cape Town on Friday, bound for England with his shore crew): “It was interesting for me to see what it would be like sailing the boat with a crew onboard, especially after spending so much time alone. I have always professed that I prefer sailing with a crew because you get to share the high points; the big surfs, beautiful sunsets and hilarious jokes together ... but also it makes the low points easier, broken gear, freezing conditions, awful food and being soaked to the skin. However, initially I felt like my space had been invaded, rather like having uninvited guests. That soon wore off though when we went to pull the indexsail up, all 150kg. I helmed while they did the pulling! Another high point of sailing with a crew, you get to share the work load! I am well used to how tough it can be to sail this boat she can be so gentle and easily driven when all is going well, but what an animal she is when things start to go wrong. Sailing solo is a challenge in itself but the one thing I never get to do (contrary to popular belief) is really put the hammer down and push the boat 100%.”
Nick Moloney (Skandia):
“Just taken a reef, and my glamour run [been averaging 16 knots for past hour] has come to an end...I’ve got shitloads of wind, 35 to 40 knots. If I can progress all right through this over the next day or so then we could hang on to it for a quite a while though. There is such a big step between 2nd and 3rd reef, really feeling it in the South. Surfing at 22 knots, but then I’ll be going 10 knots for a few minutes really underpowered...”
Dominique Wavre (Temenos):
“An anticylone is blocking our route at the moment. I am under spinnaker, code zero and full index. There was a big storm after the Falklands with a steady 40 knots of wind and 50 knot gusts. There are still some 3 metre waves but there is a bit of a calm for me to take some care of myself. Everything is becoming more civilised which is a change from the wilds of the Southern Ocean. If I get dealt a couple of jokers I’d like to come back on the head of the fleet. Right now history is repeating itself as 4 years ago I was chasing the same boat (VMI is Thomas Coville’s ex-boat Sodebo). I haven’t had time to make my checks yet, there’s been a lot of wind and seaweed. I’ve got a little rip in my working jib and though I should probably climb my rig to make checks, I’m not going to do it unless it’s really necessary. I’m currently in a high pressure ridge and rounding to the west of the high, upwind on a port tack. The skies are blue but sailing close-hauled isn’t very pleasant.”
Raphael Dinelli (Akena Verandas):
“I’m beginning to ration myself as I’d planned on 110 days of food. I’ve got 30 knots of wind and am making peaks of speed at 16 knots with some big surfs. I make a tour of the horizon for icebergs every hour. I’ve sorted out my computer problems and now I’m on the expected southern expressway between two girls!”
Benoît Parnaudeau (Max Havelaar Best Western):
“Conditions are pretty feisty at the moment. I’ve got 47/48 knots of wind and the boat is making 13/14 knots of speed. The wind is coming from the south south-west now having originally kicked in from the east and then the south, which is a good sign. I’m happy with the boat though the engine has a bit of difficulty when it heels over a lot. It’s very wet and cold and I’m afraid I might get stuck in the centre of this system.”
Source: Vendée Globe 2004
www.vendeeglobe.org
Vendée Globe Press Office Tel: +33 1 55 56 62 95 - Fax : +33 1 55 56 62 90 - @ : press@vendeeglobe.fr
French Media: Caroline Concetti, Anne Millet and Soazig Guého
International Media: Sabina Mollart-Rogerson, Ophélie Théron
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