Ultim Tri Macif round the world in solo

Its a shame he wont be stopping in Tasmania - I would have bought him a beer.

 

Still another average 32 Knots during the last 24h, wind gusts up to 40 Knots presently (video), FG yesterday afternoon reduced the mainsail at 3rd reef, the best way to face with anticipation stronger winds while maintaining speed over 30 Knots.
Video : Tour du monde en solitaire: En approche du Cap Leeuwin - Macif Course au Large http://www.macifcourseaularge.com/actus/tour-monde-solitaire-approche-cap-leeuwin/
Cartography : Cartographie - Macif Course au Large https://www.macifcourseaularge.com/cartographie

 

Still at high speed (average 28 knots in the last 24h), soon in the south of Tasmania.
In the video of the day, FG had to change the failing filter of its watermaker. If you fix the image at 1:09 1:10 you can see the speed polar of the boat for wind 38 knots with, highlighted in yellow, "27 knots at twa 150°", + some other points (32 Knots at twa 140° , 34-36 knots at twa 125°, 19 Knots at twa 60°) :
Tour du monde en solitaire : Un vendredi chargé ! - Macif Course au Large http://www.macifcourseaularge.com/actus/tour-monde-solitaire-vendredi-charge/

Cartography : Cartographie - Macif Course au Large https://www.macifcourseaularge.com/cartographie

 

Video of the day, Macif now in South of Tasmania (no time for a beer in Hobart, this will be for next time ), continue at high speed towards the orthodromy route at average 30 knots per day in lighter winds and mostly flattened sea which is highly appreciated by Francois Gabart after 3 days of "cobblestone" like sea : sleeping time, checking the boat.
Tour du monde en solitaire : Une glissade bienvenue - Macif Course au Large http://www.macifcourseaularge.com/actus/tour-monde-solitaire-glissade-bienvenue/

Cartography : Cartographie - Macif Course au Large https://www.macifcourseaularge.com/cartographie

 

I can see why he avoided Tasmania with its low pressure winds. Of course, he also missed out on our 27 degree weather, and is cooling his feet in 6 degrees. Never mind. It wont be long before he is back in warmer Latitudes.

 

Macif now in the Pacific ocean, presently more pacific than the Indian one 2-3 days ago.

In Francois Gabart suuport team (called "FG MerConcept"), Benoît Piquemal is in charge of electronics and software on board :

About winchs turns counter : "On each column, we put a small counter this year, it's home made. Initially it was not intended for the website but to help François who sees the count scroll on its big screens. This allows him to know where he is with the furl of his jibs. Since he has no visibility on his sails when he has his head in the column, he knows where he is in during long maneuvers. To haul in them, he does not need the counter. The use on the site came next."

About aids to navigation : "François has feedback on all basic information: wind, speed, wind angle, GPS ... He has of course all these generic tools. We added sensors on the boat to record the forces, the positioning of the appendages, the use of the cylinders, the rocker of the mast, its inclination. This allows him to adjust what he cannot see, like the foils position. All these data recorded throughout the year have allowed the performance cell, piloted by Guillaume Combescure, to refine the right settings"
(Nota : Guillaume Conbescure participated himself to the Mini transat in the Série class and is now returning to the cell in support of Francois Gabart)

MerConcept academic publication : http://lab-sticc.univ-brest.fr/~gou...s-and-papers/papers/aProcessForEvaluating.pdf

Cartography : Cartographie - Macif Course au Large https://www.macifcourseaularge.com/cartographie

 

Cold vision, hot fright !
While he had just maneuvered this morning to oblique his route to the north so as not to enter an area of cold water, François Gabart saw an iceberg. The jibe had previously been planned on the edge of this zone, the visibility being good and the conditions manageable. The sight of this iceberg at this place, not expected by the forecast, confirmed without doubt the choice of the maneuver !
Video : http://www.macifcourseaularge.com/actus/video-iceberg-a-vue/

Cartography : https://www.macifcourseaularge.com/cartographie

 

Man, thats spooky! Wonder if that means there could be growlers in the same vicinity?!

 

Macif is in the front of a powerful Low. Francois Gabart was forced to reduce sails to a minimum. After a night with three reefs in the mainsail and J2, he resolved to put the J3. And, even with this minimalist configuration, it is hard. FG : "I'm trying to stay at the front (of the Low) to escape from its center, it will be a race for three or four days. I am still keeping a low profile facing the sea which is getting bigger, hour by hour, to try to reach Cape Horn as soon as possible".
No video but an audio where he explains this situation, and as he speaks you can hear the alarm when the wind exceeds 40 Knots, the boat itself being at 38-40 knots during the recording :
http://www.macifcourseaularge.com/actus/au-mastic-dans-le-pacifique/

Cartography : Cartographie - Macif Course au Large https://www.macifcourseaularge.com/cartographie

 

The last video is on Facebook :
Macif Course au Large https://www.facebook.com/MacifCourseAuLarge/videos/1627210727343547/

 

Its interesting to see how he is "tacking downwind" to maintain maximum speed.

 

During the last 24h, Macif faced too much winds (40 Knots, gusts last night to 50) and rough seas (5-6 to 7 m) to continue at high speed with too much angle with waves, so Francois Gabart "just" maintained speed around 20 knots and direction close to the waves ones. By hoping not going too much South like that. He also had to repair the J2 swivel round plate which broke again due to the high acceleration/ slamming forces at the bow : he actually built a new one that he cut in a piece of monolithic carbon, as he has no spare for that plate that had not failed for 2 years.
Video of the day : [Vidéo] Le récap' du 26è jour en images - Macif Course au Large http://www.macifcourseaularge.com/actus/video-recap-26e-jour-images/
Cartography : Cartographie - Macif Course au Large https://www.macifcourseaularge.com/cartographie

 

Unfortunately his VMG on port is only about 8kn, he must be wishing at every moment that he could gybe back. :-(

He's still more than a day in front of where Sodebo was at the same time, at least he has that.

 

Macif now returns to a better speed (> 25 knots) with better VMG but still 3 delicate days up to the Cap Horn between the edges of an ice zone and of an ex-tropical Low, winds should turn from West to North and help a fast direct route.
Video of the day about the building of "galettes" for the J2 Swivel, actually he did 4 of them to have spares in case of ...
(I think "Galette" also exists in English, in French it is in general a round flat cake but also, in Britanny where live Francois Gabart, a pancake made of buckwheat flour, it is the traditional dish of the region that you eat garnished with egg, ham, cheese, ... , very good with a glass of cider)
Video : [Vidéo] Le récap' du 27è jour en images - Macif Course au Large https://www.macifcourseaularge.com/actus/video-recap-27e-jour-images/

Cartography : Cartographie - Macif Course au Large https://www.macifcourseaularge.com/cartographie

 

Macif now can take full advantage of the North more moderate winds and sea to go fastly (average speed 35 Knots for the last 24 h) and directly to Horn Cap (no VMG loss). There is still the concern of icebergs (forecasts are not 100% reliable as demonstrated few days ago) but probability should be quite null on the direct route envisaged. Horn expected Sunday night.
Video : [Vidéo] Le récap' du 28è jour en images - Macif Course au Large https://www.macifcourseaularge.com/actus/video-recap-28e-jour-images/

Cartography : Cartographie - Macif Course au Large https://www.macifcourseaularge.com/cartographie