Monday 17th december
Race analysis
Marc Guillemot: “I feel good on this boat”
Around fifty hours after finishing the Transat Ecover B to B in fifth position,
Marc Guillemot draws a very positive conclusion from his first race aboard
Safran in solo configuration. He discusses the boat’s potential, his life aboard
and, in his own words “the really exceptional involvement in the project” of the
SAFRAN Group.
“The first thing I’d like to highlight after this Transat B to B, is the really
exceptional involvement of the SAFRAN Groupe in the project. I’m not just saying
this. I’d just like to underline this fact. When I arrived in Port-la-Forêt in
the middle of the night in a biting cold, it was nothing like Brazil and yet
they were there. It’s extremely important and motivating to feel this
involvement.” Marc Guillemot knows better than most that even in solo
configuration, ocean racing is a team sport. And as far as this is concerned,
there is nothing flat about the reaction of the skipper from La Trinité-sur-Mer,
SW Brittany.
Qualified despite damage…
“Of course I’d have liked to have given them a victory, insists Marc, it’s
always frustrating not to be able to really fight for your chances [ref: due to
damage to the keel system]. When leaving the Doldrums, I was battling with Loïck
[ref: Peyron, the winner] and even, a little further North and to the West of
him. At that point, playing to win really was an option..., so I have a few
regrets about that. It’s never pleasant to see the others slip ahead without
being able to do anything about it… But everything else is really positive! Most
importantly, there is the qualification for the Vendée Globe, which is now a
done deal.”
Confirmation of your choices
The rest? “The first point of interest is the association between the sailor and
the boat. I really felt good aboard. That might not seem like much, but it's
absolutely essential. This single-handed transatlantic race has validated the
choices we made. For example, I’m thinking about the location of the rig, with a
central sail area which is set quite far back. I’m also thinking about the deck
layout that I was using for the first time in solo configuration. This layout
was a boomerang shape, which centralised all the manœuvres and suited my sailing
style. It may not sound much but when the boat heels over at 25 degrees and
you’re not forced to endlessly cross a 4 metre wide cockpit, it’s very
satisfying. It was an idea designed on the back of an envelope with Vincent
Lauriot Prévost [ref: one of the architects], and we kept it as one of a number
of proposals and we were right to have done that.”
“I’ve learnt a lot of things”
I also feel a great satisfaction about Safran’s performance. “Between the
double-handed Transat Jacques Vabre and the single-handed B to B, I don’t think
we’re alone in saying that Safran is a fast boat, with a lot of potential. This
is reassuring and also scores a few points with the competition and demonstrates
that we are in the match in relation to the others. However, this also enables
you to sail differently: to resume, I know I can get some extra speed out of
her. I know I can make up ground if I slip back a bit, or better still, choose
when I can attack. I can even take a few more risks with the weather options.
Not everyone has that luxury. I'm not saying it'll be easy, I'm saying that the
boat allows you to manage the speed and the strategy, which is very appealing.
I’ve also learnt a lot about its potential during this solo race, which was also
something I was aiming to do."
And now?
“We’re bringing the boat back to its home port, where we're going to get it out
on the hard and begin two and a half to three months of work in the yard, to
dismantle, reassemble and optimise it. Gaining even more potential in order to
be at the peak of readiness in what is now less than a year until the start of
the Vendée Globe.”
Encadré
Diagnosis of the damage
The faulty actuator rod will be dismantled and assessed by SAFRAN's
metallurgical laboratory. The damage will be very quickly assessed, both by the
mechanics experts at SAFRAN, the project manager of the keel system, Cariboni,
and the architects. According to the results of these investigations, the design
of the actuator rod and its coupling on the keel may possibly be modified.
Furthermore, for precautionary measures, each metal part which is critical to
the boat will now be the object of a complete non-destructive test at SAFRAN.
Kate Jennings
Expression.
P.O. Box 26,
Dartmouth,
DEVON.
TQ6 0YG
United Kingdom
+44 (0)7795 116699
|
