Rekordversuch von Francis Joyon mit Trimaran IDEC www.trimaran-idec.com - Übersicht 17.01.2007 JOYON STEPS UP THE PACE TOWARDS BREST SINGLE-HANDED ROUND THE WORLD RECORD Exactly as he planned yesterday, Francis Joyon is working hard today to find the best sailing conditions for the final few days of his round the world voyage. The SW’ly wind has allowed him to reindex on the Great Circle route, taking him directly towards Brest. Caution is still very much the watchword, as he listens to his boat, worn out after 55 days of sailing and with more than 25,000 miles on the clock after the voyage around the world’s oceans. This evening, IDEC will start to experience some gales, generated by a low-pressure area circulating in the North Atlantic. On seas, where the swell is now in the right direction, the large red trimaran will be picking up speed again, but her skipper will continue to reindex attentive right up until the end, in order to look after his equipment and avoid any breakages. Going through the Azores at lunchtime today gave the single-handed yachtsman a taste of home ... "IDEC will manage to obtain some more fine days, with 450 to 500 miles under her belt..." With 1100 miles to go to the finish, Francis is now expected to arrive in Brest sometime on Saturday night.. Right at the heart of the Azores "I wasn’t very pleased about my tack yesterday afternoon," explained Francis Joyon talking about his route strategy. "However, it did enable me to pass through between the islands of Terceira and Sao Miguel in the Azores. Sao Miguel has some high peaks, which can produce calms. I’m trying to avoid them by sailing 60 miles further out." On the starboard tack, IDEC is going from a high-pressure system today to the North Atlantic lows without slowing down. Clearly aimed at looking after his equipment, Joyon wishes to avoid as much as possible gybing in the gale. "On the starboard tack, I sailed all night long under gennaker… It was quite pleasant, because it was so warm." As the wind gets up, the sailor from Locmariaquer has wisely decided since then to put away the downwind indexsail and to hoist the solent. "I’m keeping an eye on all the bits of equipment, where there are signs of wear and tear," explained Francis. "In particular, my indexsail halyard is still worrying me, as it is rubbing nastily against the indexsail track..." While still refusing to talk about Brest and the finish, Joyon has nevertheless confirmed that he will be taking advantage of some fine conditions to reach the tip of Brittany very quickly: "Going through the Azores, it is true that it is beginning to feel a bit like home," he admitted. "IDEC will manage to achieve some more good days of sailing 450 or 500 miles..." With 1100 miles to go to the finish, Francis is now expected to arrive in Brest sometime on Saturday night… Reminder of the records already set by the IDEC trimaran: Start from Brest: Friday 23rd November at 10h05’52”GMT Brest / Equator : 06 days, 16 hours and 58 minutes Brest / Cape of Good Hope: 15 days, 7 hours and 16 minutes Brest / Cape Leeuwin : 22 days, 15 hours and 28 minutes Brest / Cape Horn : 35 days, 12 hours and 36 minutes Brest / Equator : 48 days, 2 hours and 18 minutes Indian Ocean record: 09 days, 12 hours and 03 minutes* Pacific Ocean record: 10 days, 14 hours and 30 minutes* Equator-Equator record: 41 days, 08 hours and 19 minutes* * Awaiting ratification by the WSSRC Copyright © 1996-2016 - SEGEL.DE