17.12.2008
Dominique in difficulty aboard his monohull
At 1015 UT, Dominique contacted his shore crew to alert them that the
imposing steel part weighing close to 100 kilos, which had been attached to
the head of the keel in Kerguelen, wasn’t able to withstand the considerable
stresses currently placed on this area of the boat.
Surprised by weather conditions which were more violent than forecast,
heightened by the strong venturi effect around Kerguelen, the skipper is
currently negotiating a solid cold front and is struggling to make headway
in cross seas and a wind oscillating between 30 and 40 knots. For the time
being there is no way Dominique can envisage returning to Kerguelen. Were he
to turn back, the boat would end up in headwinds, tacking upwind, slamming
against what is already a very bad sea state. The damaged keel would stand
no chance of withstanding that.
Dominique finds himself in the same situation as when he arrived in
Kerguelen. Though he’s not requested assistance, the skipper has transmitted
a PANPAN (emergency message). The CROSS (emergency services) and the Vendée
Globe race management were immediately alerted to the skipper’s situation
and are ensuring the regular monitoring of the boat’s positions. Though the
skipper is currently preparing his grab bag and getting into his survival
suit, he isn’t abandoning the boat for the time being.
Dominique is sailing at a reduced speed, with all his ballast tanks filled
so as to make the boat as stable as possible. The two lowered daggerboards
are also limiting the boat’s movements as much as possible as it gets tossed
about in the big seas of the Indian Ocean. In this configuration, Temenos II
is managing to make headway under reduced sail, three reef indexsail and
storm sail, making between 8 and 10 knots.
Dominique will only be able to escape the strong winds by climbing
northwards, but the keel damage is limiting the points of sail which are
possible for the boat. Currently the skipper is managing to indextain a
course of 45°, a heading which is still not far enough North to stand a
chance of extracting himself quickly from the continuous flow of australe
depressions, however it should progressively get him away from them. In
order to make more manageable conditions forecast at around 46 degrees
South, Dominique still had 200 miles of northing to make. However, prior to
being able to reach this latitude, the skipper still has to negotiate strong
winds forecast tomorrow morning. The next few hours are likely to be
difficult aboard Temenos II.
Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
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