Vendee Globe

[Pericles]

The singlehanded race around the world for Open 60s started at 13-02 on 9th November. apparently 8 boats have been forced to return to Les Sables d’Olonne for various reasons, the latest bring Hugo Boss with hull damage.

If conditions in the Bay of Biscay can create such damage what will the Southern Ocean do to these craft?

http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/newswire/5463/another-mast.html

Perry

[Tad]

Oh just teething problems Perry, they'll get it sorted....anything that could break perhaps will in the first few days when they're close to home.

[fcfc]

Just a bit more precision.

Hugo Boss hull structural damage: Hugo boss was severely hit and dismasted by a fishing boat 12 days ago, on its arrival to Sables d'Olonnes. It was thought that it could not start the race due repairs. See http://voilesetvoiliers1.customers.artful.net/course-regate/video/701/hugo-boss-reprend-la-mer-apres-seulement-12-jours-de-reparation look the first seconds the hole in hull and bulkheads.

Cheminee Poujoulat collided with a 250 ft cargo. I wonder how AIS and radar did not detect anything, on both sides.

Temenos, Foncia and Algimouss have electrical problems, and preferred to go back and restart the race.

Maisonneuve have a real structural problem on deck. Crack in deck at roof junction, but intent to repair and restart.

DCNS, Groupe Bel and Aquarelle.com dismasted.

[ancient kayaker]

I don't know what kind of weather they are getting right now but the weather in the Bay of Biscay can be a source of concern to any vessel. A lot of it is shallow due to the continental shelf which steepens the waves entering it and they have the entire width of the Atlantic in which to work up a good sense of outrage at Man's puny efforts.

Of course, it's not the widest part of the Atlantic, but the only time I sailed across it it the liner I was aboard was tossed around like a toy and I was looking up at the waves most of the time. Show some respect.

[DGreenwood]

Bashing against a 40 kn headwind out of the Bay of Biscay probably does more damage to the boats in a single day than the whole of the 40 or so days they will spend in the Southern Ocean. The reasons are numerous but primarily they are built to take advantage of the huge proportion of time that they spend in reaching or running conditions. Build to be fast in the Bay of Biscay and you will lose the race.
Add to this built in weakness the fact that it is the first hours out of port and our eager skippers are gauging their restraint levels--- you are going to have some casualties.
It is all the talk this year about whether the horsepower levels are too high again and the risk will have to managed by rules again for the next VG. We will see. One thing that is very clear is the level of skill has increased exponentially in recent years. The top ten sailors in this years VG have reached levels of experience and technical ability that, given cooperative weather, will up the speed anti by another few days.

As a sporting event I can't think of any that touch the VG. Now that we can watch it thanks to advanced electronics it is even more exciting.

[Pericles]

Loick Peyron lost his mast a few days ago and now Mike Golding has just lost his, after taking the lead from J-P Dick, who has damaged his starboard rudder.

This is one helleva Vendee Globe. http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/

Carrying a kite for use as a jury rig would seem to be an essential item.

http://www.kiteship.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_kite