Frenchman sets sail across Atlantic in a barrel!

Oh no...sorry to hear she wasn’t too seaworthy. A good daggerboard or keep may have helped her. I’ll read up on those modifications.

 

A board would enhance her windward ability when sailing, but more importantly to be safe that life boat needs to get self righting capabilities, both when the sails and mast are up and down, and she needs to have her entrances watertight closeable.

 

I love the pictures, but imagine all the water fore and aft coming in at a knockdown, and even when watertight closed I don't think she will right from about 120° and beyond...



— Model of a Watson motor lifeboat (circa 1925) - Overall: 627 × 924 × 262 mm - scale 1:32 —

 

Angélique, you're right about the entrances on deck. That angled picture gives a better view and shows they're just too deep and a potential death trap. Water could not exit quickly. Back to the drawing boards for that boat. The deck would need to be closed off, cockpit well drained, and a good sized keelboard that can self right the vessel. In its current state I wouldn't sail it in winds over 15kts, with a lot of ballast and an closed cockpit & front deck.

 

An absolutely huge day's run yesterday of 36.75 nautical miles really makes things interesting:

Frenchman in a Barrel Pool - Google My Maps https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-85FL-zqZMTj0nLP_3OXi8ZpfcSKV2ku&usp=sharing

If he can keep this up then making it across starts to seem believable. Unfortunately there is a rather large wind hole due in a few days that he might get stuck in unless he can make some progress to the South:

Windy as forecasted https://www.windy.com/28.290/-31.149?2019-02-09-09,27.386,-31.003,6,m:eskafjg

 

Have you also noticed that there is a consistent swell oriented North to South, presently Hs 2,7 m and Ts 11s, that could help him to mitigate his North component route if the Wind push to North. But not easy to estimate that influence, the last experience was the lost of Gitana 17 float, which did about 300 NM in 30 days before its stranding on a beach. That means 10NM per day, i.e. average speed ~ 0,4 Knots, but it was in very rough seas. If we consider 25% to 50% of that for the current swell acting on the barrel, that could give a South component of about 0,1 to 0,2 Knots, ie 2,5 to 5 NM per day ?
Weather Forecast Maps https://www.ventusky.com/?p=27.3;-32.4;4&l=swell
Weather Forecast Maps https://www.ventusky.com/?p=27.3;-32.4;4&l=swell

 

Do you know if he has any mechanism to allow him to harness the swell in some way? I ask because his track has not been noticeably more Southerly than the wind direction so far, and because I cannot think of a way of achieving it.

Perhaps if he can control his angle to the waves then he could sit with them on his Starboard quarter and surf SW.

 

I am not aware of a rudder on this barrel vessel. He has twin keels and a long center keel. There is a Canary current (heads southwest) that feeds into a North Equatorial current (heads west/northwest to the Caribbean). That is the general direction of his current track when the currents can do their job. He has been occasionally been blown north though. That is why you see variability in his route. It is a mix of wind & currents. If you examine live wind maps you'll see it's a totally dynamic situation at any given moment.

Weather Forecast Maps https://www.ventusky.com/?p=19.0;-20.3;3&l=temperature-2m

​

 

If he has any significant speed relative to the water he could presumably tow a drogue from a bridle and thus have some control over attitude. Might be helpful to stop him sliding sideways down the face of waves if they are pushing in the wrong direction (not that they have been so far).

Edit: He has just passed my estimate with two days to go, but will he reach Dolfiman's in time (or rather halfway between the two)?
Edit 2: I think that might be his longest day's run so far.

 

His last vacation dated 02-04, he used a sea anchor when the wind direction is not favorable, that seems efficient when seeing his performance without.
" Day 40 - Monday, February 4st, 2019
The wind turns and I return to the South. I raise the anchor and go for a few days in the South West!
The sunrises with beautiful weather in my back, and in front of me there’s a beautiful rainbow.
Some ask the question of my electric autonomy, I have two solar panels of 100 watts each, offered by Raphaël DINELLI, great navigator and survivor of the offshore races.
Thank you Rapha! The 2 panels feed 2 90 amp gel batteries to power my chart table, kitchen area, bunk and my phone and tablet charging jacks. Installation made by Michel and Raymond, I thank you again both! It's simple and it works very well
Tomorrow I will talk about seawater and freshwater circuits.
Everything is going well aboard the barrel which goes at 1.6 knots average which I happy!
See you tomorrow…"
Source : TESA : Traversée de l'Atlantique en Tonneau https://www.facebook.com/BOUTESA/

 

I wonder if the novelty of this escapade has worn off yet. I'm tipping yes !!!!!!!

 

Nonsense Mr Efficiency. He's surfing along in a glass bottom barrel boat. Many creatures to see. People pay for this experience you know.

​

 

For some reason, he seemed to be worried about Orcas. Probably won't even see one. Sperm Whale would be a small risk.

 

It's very tight with one more day to go:

Frenchman in a Barrel Pool - Google My Maps https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-85FL-zqZMTj0nLP_3OXi8ZpfcSKV2ku&usp=sharing

He is due to fall into a wind hole some time today, so I am hopeful...

 

It is good for you, I am far too South ...