80' trimaran for Route du Rhum to be skippered by Lionel Lemanchois

Lionel Lemonchois is about 107nm ahead of Francis Joyon's reference time at this point and conditions appear favourable.

Frances Joyon, that man is everywhere, lol

Happy New Year, Blackburn

 

It seems that Lionel Lemonchois on Prince de Bretagne maxi has triggered a manual tag distress beacon. They have not been able to contact him since hopefully everything is ok.

http://www.courseaularge.com/articl...e.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

 

Apparently he has capsized...........

 

Good news:

After his emergency beacon in mid-afternoon to 800 miles off the Brazilian coast Monday, Lionel Lemonchois had a brief telephone contact with his team ashore evening.
The latter informed its multihull had capsized, he was safely inside the central hull after having released the rigging to relieve the boat.

 

Doesn't it seem like we've had a lot more big tri capsizes in the last year and a half than in previous years?

 

The MOD70's were the real surprise two capsizes in short succession for a boat that was supposed to be a heavier and detuned ORMA60 platform.

Sebastian Josse on Edmond de Rothschild noted he had some concerns on the effectiveness of the quick release for the hydraulic mainsheet on the MOD70 and that seems like it may have been at least partially to blame in the case of the Virbac Paprec capsize.

 

This is today's communique from Lionel's PR firm Rivacom.

 

Besides food and water capsized boats also need a fresh air supply, there have been a few people lost in multis who didn't realize this. Race boats with the required inverted hatch are covered in this regard but many cruising cats etc....aren't.

 

^^^

If the capsized PDB resembles the capsized Multi 50 Arkema (the 2013 Jaques Vabre) then the boat is floating on its beams and the center hull is clear of the water with its 3 hatches above the surface.


.......


Here's a Facebook message of support from Jean Imbert (a famous young chef with big hair and impish looks. That this kid also can boil a potato is a great turn-on for all the French women who aren't that aroused by their President, who does an excellent impression of a potato).

In France you see, any important boat must also have godparents. By extension Prince de Bretagne is then associated with Robert de Niro, since he's a famous pal of Imbert!

What? you didn't know that de Niro is a trimaran buff? lol

...

Another important French custom is to bless the boat. And thank goodness that Prince de Bretagne was properly blessed, otherwise she might not have chosen to turn turtle in such a pleasant patch of the ocean, where gentle breezes urge her softly towards Ipanema Beach and the enchantments thereof, which are providing great solace to Lionel Lemonchois during these difficult hours and days:




Ooops!
Sorry!
That's from some wretched beach in Australia, no doubt.


... As I was saying, all indications are that the winds and tides are now pushing Prince de Bretagne and our megalithic French skipper Lemonchois 'Le bon chois' in the direction of these hindrances:



...

Why is he so lucky, your ask?
Because he took the trouble to have his boat properly blessed!



Please see to it, that your boat is likewise prepared for any ill circumstance.

 

...

Understandably, Lionel is now becoming slightly impatient to reach the Brazilian shore.

And the heat is getting to him; 40C during the day, a zone of the ocean where he sees neither fish nor birds... Yesterday after cleaning up the motor oil spilled in the center hull during the capsize he grumbled over his satellite phone, asking what in l'enfer was keeping his guys from just getting on the tugboat and coming out to get him!

Ha! They plan to right the boat in the middle of the ocean? I've never heard of such a thing before.

I know what they're more probably doing... Sipping caipirinhas and watching the girls on the beach.

 

I've yet to hear of a large trimaran righted succesfully at sea. I guess it's worth taking the gear to give it a go otherwise you are looking at a long and slow tow back to a dock and righting with a crane. Multihulls up to 40' seem to be able to be towed over and righted with success. I've even heard of some finishing races after being righted .

 

The large 75 foot racing cat Credit Agricole (but shortened to 60 feet for one of the big singlehanded races and sailed by Philippe Jeantot) was righted in mid ocean; the arriving helpers flooded one hull by drilling holes with brace and bit to let air excape and then it was dragged by tugboat so that it rolled upright, rig still intact.
I guess you could do the same with a big MOD.

 

I've got pictures of that one, Phillippe did the wet work and rode it over.

 

That's pretty cool Gary thanks for the info.

 

This info from you and Cavalier led me to search the net for any photos of that occasion, which photos I've not found yet...

But I found something better!

Have you seen this wonderful and well illustrated online French book Gary?

"Pushing the Limits, Thirty Years of Composites with Multiplast" by Daniel Charles.

The Transat 1984 (and the problems besetting Multiplast's top 3 contenders in that race) is described on pages 60-64.

I did a forum search to see if this book was mentioned, didn't find that it was. Will post a link to this book in the historical multi's thread.

There is news (see below) from our leguminous friends at Prince de Bretagne!