18.07.2008
Dominique Wavre - A new keel for Temenos II
After a spell of spring sailing, Temenos II is back in her cradle once again
at the heart of the nautical platform in the old port of La Rochelle.
Following a set timetable, the month of June has been largely devoted to
working on a set of sails for the next Vendée Globe. Though the skipper is
entirely satisfied with the new upwind sails, a lot of thought has been
going into the downwind sails throughout the past few weeks.
“The sail trials have gone very well, and it’s been good for the team to get
away from the yard for a bit and get a dose of sea air again. We’ve had a
few outings offshore, which have enabled us to trial the new upwind sails
and come to a decision about the choice of downwind sails, which still had
to be designed for the Vendée Globe. We were able to decide on the surface
area and the geometry, and we have performed a certain number of trials to
compare the various foresails, in order to obtain a precise inventory. As
usual, we have returned from these sail trials, our notebooks full of
scribblings, and the sail loft is ready to set to work. The sails are likely
to be delivered in around ten days’ time” explains Dominique.
As a result, work has begun on Temenos II again over the past week and
although the majority of the optimization desired by the skipper on his
return from the Barcelona World Race were completed early in the year, there
was still a sizeable modification to the programme. Following the problems
encountered with the steel appendage during the round the world race,
Dominique decided to opt for a carbon keel on his return. And it is this
delicate task that the shore crew set to work on almost a week ago in La
Rochelle.
“After two months construction, the new keel has been delivered. In the
period leading up to its installation it has required a lot of study and
preparation, and handling it has been a tricky process. We have done a good
job and we are satisfied with the result. The adjustment has been very
tricky due to the difference in volume and shape between the former keel and
the new one. It’s really required the precision of a Swiss watchmaker to
work with the few tonnes of suspended lead! We still have the coating to
apply as the bulb reindexs in its raw state at the moment, and then we can
envisage taking this keel for its first dip” jokes the skipper.
This change of keel contributes to the global lightening of the boat, which
a lot of work has already gone into during the winter jobs list. A direct
result of these modifications is that the monohull’s technical
characteristics have evolved and Temenos II will have to be remeasured.
“We’ve saved some more weight, which is always appreciable in the boat’s
performance. The shape of the bulb has been optimized thanks to CFD studies.
In ten days’ time, Temenos II should be entirely emptied and will undergo
the necessary scrutineering after these latest alterations. After that we
will head out to sea for some offshore sailing in order to validate the new
keel and get back down to training.”
After his last double-handed circumnavigation of the globe, the skipper is
set to regain his solo sailing reflexes, as much with the manœuvres as the
mental and physical management. This shouldn’t prove too much of a problem
to Dominique, who will be tackling his 3rd Vendée Globe in November.
Whilst he waits for the possibility of being able to test out the new keel
and the reindexder of the set of sails during August, the skipper has already
been able to appreciate the ergonomic modifications made on board. For the
time being, Dominique declares himself to be satisfied with the
modifications performed on Temenos II since the start of the year.
“It’s true that when we were trialling the sails, I spent most of my time on
deck, but I have already noticed that the boat’s new interior makes it
really easy to move about and shift the moveable ballast. We still have a
few changes to make to the layout in order to facilitate the storage and
stowage as this is fundamental for a 3 month long race”.
The sailing will go on throughout September and Dominique will continue with
his regular training prior to the month of October, which will echo the
final home straight before the start of the Vendée Globe...
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
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