12.12.2007
Coming back on being dismasted
Jérémie Beyou: " What does not kill reinforces"
Coming back on the conditions in which DELTA DORE lost it's mast
The assistance organized from Cape Town
Jérémie Beyou and Sidney Gavignet explain
In which spirits are the two skippers
The video images and photos coming from on board
Although it was THE part of the Imoca 60 monohull DELTA DORE that Jérémie Beyou was taking care of as if his life depended on it. « The objective is to last so we are careful » repeated Jérémie time and time again during the phone calls exchanged it was the very same mast that suddenly fell last night. The duo non stop circumnavigation that Jérémie had decided to race with Sidney Gavignet stopped there somewhere in between South Africa and the Antarctic, by 47 degrees South and 33 degrees East. Thus the monohull has it's wings smashed, incapable of getting home on it's own, exactly one month after the start of an incredible adventure for the skippers and the 600 strong workforce of DELTA DORE.
Since Saturday 8 December, date on which the leader PRB dismasted, DELTA DORE was sailing behind the first three leaders in 4th position. The two men, whose first objective was to finish the race, were sailing watching out for the slightest slip of the helm, the slightest wave or shower. Just as the leaders were gaining distance at very high speeds, Jérémie Beyou and Sidney Gavignet weren't being destabilised and carried on at their own pace to make the monohull go forwards and certainly not leaving their fighting spirit in the changing room. In the night of Monday to Tuesday, dawn hardly rising in the Indian Ocean, Jérémie Beyou was waking up in order to go on watch; Sidney Gavignet is at the chart's table under automatic pilot. A huge crack made Sydney rush out towards the deck, but it is hard to reach: the mast is blocking the way and fallen on the roof et le cockpit. Jérémie could not hide his disbelief: « It's impossible not the mast ! » After having thrown the rigging over board to save the boat, Jérémie and Sidney are making progress at 3 knots under the small jury rig.
The team of technicians is organizing assistance for them. Indeed the DELTA DORE monohull, is a 1000 miles off Cape Town, only disposes of 188 litres of diesel, which is just the equivalent of two days autonomy motor sailing but it would take 12 days more to reach the South African port. Quickly the procedures are emplaced, DELTA DORE approve straight away the technical teams proposition and charter a « Adventurer » motor catamaran based in Cape Town, to go and rescue the monohull and to be able to cope with any eventual situations, depending on the way the sea is and weather conditions. They will then have to choose whether to tug the monohull, to fill it up with diesel or to set up a more consistent jury rig. On board, Fanch Guiffant, a member of the sailing team, will be in charge of the difficult task of helping the two skippers. The assistance vessel should be alongside the DELTA DORE Imoca 60 monohull during the weekend.
DELTA DORE, the Breton based domotics specialist, is more than ever backing it's two skippers. It is not however turning it's back on the race, DELTA DORE will continue to inform it's clients and it's partners on this great challenge. Everybody's objective is now to prepare the Vendee Globe with all the knowledge that this incident has given us.
Jérémie Beyou and Sidney Gavignet reported : « We were getting a 24-knot wind with gusts at 32 knots. It was time to change watch. Our sails were well set and we were sailing well with a reef in the indexsail and the staysail set.. Sidney was going to start the engine in order to recharge our batteries. He stood up leaving the chart table and I heard a huge crack. Sidney stuck his head outside and saw the mast on the roof. We decided to put on our life saving equipment and suits first. It was impressive to hear the noise of carbon breaking over our heads. We also prepared the survival kit and rescue iridium. The piece of mast was knocking against the roof. We immediately though of Isabelle Autissier who had dismasted and the mast had finally damaged the hull. It was dangerous to get out aft. We went on deck by the fore and saw the damage. The mast was in two pieces. One bit of the mast was in the water portside and we were side on to the waves. The top of the mast was a floating anchor and was ramming the hull with each wave. All the waves were very strong. Everything went fast. We then sawed and cut the cables. It took us nearly 40 minutes to clear the lot. After that we went inside to think about the situation were where in. We jury-rigged up a spitfire jib sail in between the two dagger boards. It looks roughly like a sock. It will push us a little. When we get to surf we reach 4 to 5 knots. We are heading towards the North East. The mast was one of the parts that I kept my eyes on. A team technician is devoted to the mast. We didn't go sparingly with the quantities of carbon used to build it. This mast is a strong pillar that has never been shook. We had already pulled a lot harder on it. I don't understand what could have happened... »
Jérémie Beyou's state of mind : " In my mind, I did not have time to think. We had to go fast. I am really just enraged to finish the story in this way; after all this work, all this implication and even more this first part of the race which was getting us into a position from which to attack in 2-3 days time, I am gutted. Leaving a regatta, especially this one is very hard ! We know the risks we take when we chose to leave but we never really think about having to abandon... To see the others sail on already makes me feel like going again. On top of my own deception I feel yours, of all the partners and from all the people who have given me support right from the start. The team's deception, those who worked so hard to prepare a boat that will be returned to them mutilated. We are going to have to get back up. You can count on me. Never less the experience gained is inestimable. The strength and the motivation that will grow in me thanks to it as well. What does not kill reinforces. Jérémie"
Sidney Gavignet says thank you : "Up to now I have spoken a lot about myself, about my feelings and way of seeing things. The adventure is coming to an end so I would like to take the opportunity whilst he is asleep to talk to you about Jérémie, the skipper of Delta Dore.
I am extremely grateful he chose me to share these nautical miles with. To be at the start of this race was a godsend for me, to be at the finish would have been even more so. I was supposed to bring maturity and experience to our duo, but on several occasions his propositions prevailed, wise and mature. His way of feeling the boat and his obsession about getting the priorities right.
He is naturally stressful and not always easy to live with but you understand quickly that it is his need to do things well and get things right that is tormenting him. We haven't had long chats but that's not what we teamed up for and the guy is a real Breton, butter made, those guys don't talk much. I deeply regret to no longer be in a position to prove what I am saying but I believe that the Beyou has it in him, I believe that with him, Delta Dore have a Mister big stuff and that together they have a real option to play during the next Vendee Globe.
He is enormously frustrated, even more so than me; when he gets over it there is no doubt that the results will follow. Thank You Jérémie. Sidney"
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