100' Tri IDEC capsizes in Atlantic Record Attempt

Joyon is ok : http://bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=90863

From the Daily Sail-read whole story here: http://www.thedailysail.com/offshore/11/59553/0/idec-capsizes
excerpt from Francis Joyon from Daily Sail article:

"I was in my seat to watch what was going on outside the boat. I was in the process of extricate myself from a meteorologically disturbed area close to the American coast. [Since starting] I had managed to sail about 90 miles in very irregular and highly unstable wind, shifting in direction and fluctating between 10 and 30 knots. I went through some very intense squalls, marked by violent gusts, but it was when I thought I was leaving this area that I received a massive gust that catapulted the boat on its side.

At the time I was sailing under triple reefed mainsail and with the small ORC [storm jib]. The violence of the squall was such that the sensor, and the anti-capsize alarm did not have time to go off. The wind continued to build very violently and I felt the boat literally catapulted into the air. Within seconds, I was 'on the roof'. I found myself under water, beneeath the nets. I tried to guide myself back to open air. It was night and chaos. Eventually, I made it to one of the floats. I'm not sure how I reached the forward beam but I was able to climb up onto the platform. I then got inside the boat through the escape hatch.

pictures: Lto R-1st two from BYM site, 3rd from AFP/Daily Sail:

click on image---

 

Not the first time a record attempt has capsized close to the New York start, any one remember the other boat some years back? It would be interesting to compare a weather map with the land masses.

 

Yes. At the start of the NY/Bermuda race in 1969 we experienced violent weather at the edge of the gulf steam after leaving NY.

 

IDEC capsized

On the way in-photo from SA front page by Miller Marine Services:

click on image:

 

The Joyon website states that he is on dry land in Montauk ( East Hampton) NY where they have arranged for a crane to right the boat. Apparently the mast broke in 2 pieces but was recovered before the tow. According to Joyon IDEC was literally blown out of the water and over by the gust. It ,must have pivoted around the ama but I wonder if it lifted on the mast, pole vaulting as it hit the water before it broke. The nets may have added lift.

 

Staying with His Vessel

But here is the most inspiring story about this incident....

http://www.thedailysail.com/offshore/11/59664/0/francis-joyon-and-hurricane-irene

The capsize was just the beginning...
Post-salvage, Joyon then had to deal with Hurricane Irene

Friday September 2nd 2011, Author: James Boyd, Location: United States
The capsize last week of Francis Joyon's maxi-trimaran IDEC at the start of her attempt on the solo west to east transatlantic record proved to be only the opening chapter of the events in a dramatic week.

Joyon spent 48 hours on board the upturned hull of his 97ft trimaran, as he waited for the salvage operation to start. When Tiger Shark, the tow boat of Miller Marine Services in Port Jefferson, arrived, despite there being three commercial divers on board, Joyon insisted it be he who dived 40m beneath his trimaran in an attempt recover a section of IDEC's broken wingmast.

The upturned trimaran was initially towed to the Montauk, East Hampton, at the entrance to Long Island Sound, where with the help of Christophe Houdet and Jef d'Etiveaud, well known skipper of Robert Miller's Mari Cha giant monohulls, the maxi trimaran went through the delicate operation of being righted.

But then there was the onset of Hurricane Irene...

With the hurricane forecast to strike the eastern seabound of the USA over the weekend, so IDEC was towed 40 miles across to Rhode Island and up into Narragansett Bay, where initially she was moored off the Herreshoff Museum in Bristol. With the onset of hurricane Irene the museum was already on high alert, busy preparing their facility and their collection of more than 100 historic vessels for the powerful winds expected, but still their staff took time to accommodate the maxi-trimaran and her French skipper.

Unfortunately the mooring for IDEC at the museum proved too exposed in the building wind, already gusting to 60 knots, and so at the instigation of solo round the world sailor and local resident Jean-Pierre Mouligne, IDEC was moved once again to a small cove nearby at the Hunt Shipyard in Bristol. And of course on Saturday night, as the hurricane struck (thankfully now degraded to a Tropical Storm), Joyon remained on board IDEC throughout, with 12 mooring lines securing the boat. By Sunday morning the winds had subsided and the worst was over, IDEC saved.

Since the news of IDEC's capsize and the plight of her legendary skipper, so tremendous support has rallied on both sides of the Atlantic including Jef d'Etiveaud, Jean-Pierre Mouligne, Vendee Globe skipper Rich Wilson and Chris Segal and others. A French friend, Laurent Appollon, who Joyon had met briefly when IDEC as moored up in Brooklyn, acted at the go between with the crew of the Tiger Shark.

Even if this adventure ended up quite differently from what he envisioned, Francis Joyon thanks all those who have directly or indirectly participated in this show of solidarity to allow him to save his boat, and in particular the President of IDEC Patrice Lafargue and his assistant Prune Maguet, who instigated the salvage operation. Maguet was regularly in contact with the US Navy and Commander Wagner at the Marine Operations Department, as well as the CROSS Gris Nez in Calais, that co-ordinate rescue operations in international waters.

This week getting IDEC back to France on the deck of a cargo ship is being investigated, although this is no small undertaking in terms of both cost and logistics for a 97ft by 54ft wide maxi-trimaran. As a result Joyon is considering sailing IDEC back to France under jury rig.

"17 metres of the mast were recovered and I have saved enough sails to sail safely," says Joyon. "I still have a staysail, the ORC and a code zero."

Even with a broken boat, Joyon remains an inspiration to us all.

WOW!! Who wouldn't want this guy on their team !!

 

quote

The violence of the squall was such that the sensor, and the anti-capsize alarm did not have time to go off.


who designs this junk that does not work

who pays for false security, its better not to have it

 

Great story, Brian-thanks!

 

What an interesting story. Kind of odd reading about it, since these are my home sailing grounds. I even know JP (who insisted IDEC move to Hunt Shipyard). ha ha ha

It's too bad this happened, but it was great that it happened in a very populated area instead of mid-Atlantic. Sounds like it happened somewhere around "The Race?" Maybe between there and Block Island?

 

It is an important reminder about salvage laws and commercial "rescue". Joyon is aware of the legalities and so does what he needs to.

 

This really caught my attention,
"Joyon spent 48 hours on board the upturned hull of his 97ft trimaran, as he waited for the salvage operation to start. When Tiger Shark, the tow boat of Miller Marine Services in Port Jefferson, arrived, despite there being three commercial divers on board, Joyon insisted it be he who dived 40m beneath his trimaran in an attempt recover a section of IDEC's broken wingmast."

Do you realize that this gentleman Joyon is now 55 years old !! This is stamina.

 

I had no idea. Wow.

That's what a lifetime of sailing will do for you. Keeps you in shape.

 

Quick sheet release

Peter, Francis had already released all the sheets before the gust arrived. The capsize had nothing to do with faulty gear
Philip Steggall

 

you must think i am stupid,i am well aware the capsize had nothing to do with faulty gear

 

Then why did you ask "who designs this junk that does not work" ?