Francis Joyon and the IDEC team depart in their attempt to claim Jules Verne Trophy

The IDEC team have sailed into some softer conditions at 58 degrees South as they approach Cape Horn they are looking to hook onto the high and heading south to achieve that. Overall they have been able to keep quite close to the rhumb line.

http://www.idecsport-sailing.com/calming-things-down-in-the-pacific/?lang=en

 

Idec

From Scuttlebutt Europe today:

There has been a slight slow down today, which is a welcome break for the six men on IDEC SPORT, as they make their way towards the Horn, which is around 2000 miles ahead. Because of the weather uncertainties, Francis is unable to give an ETA for the third major cape, but for now he is 1185 miles ahead of the record set by Banque Populaire V.
"We're still feeling positive as we approach Cape Horn, which offers us a lot of hope, as we should be well within the record when we round it," he added as the trimaran continues through the fog and relatively mild weather in the South Pacific at 58°S.
www.idecsport-sailing.com

 

As always, I agree. There are two design spirals you can use to go faster. Add more sail. But then the loads are higher so the boat is heavier so it goes slower so you have to add more sail... etc

Or reduce weight. Then the rig size can come down so the loads are less, so the boat is lighter etc...And of course doing the latter means you need fewer crew, which on a 50day sail implies a lot of extra weight

It is always easy to add sailarea in light winds if your hull shape isn't optimised for "slow" speeds. It is in strong winds that you want an efficient hull so you don't need too much sail. I thought Sodebo was too big and bulky which is why I think that record can be beaten

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com

 

Their latest press release, Down in the Sixties:

http://www.idecsport-sailing.com/down-in-the-sixties/?lang=en

 

As they approach the horn the IDEC team are weighing up the different weather models to try and find the best solution.

http://www.idecsport-sailing.com/straight-on-and-out-of-the-southern-ocean/?lang=en

 

Idec

Great video(from catsailingnews.com)-with translation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7JcWtDUaaU

 

You have the illustration with 2 very different boats running around the word.
- Orange II 37m mast 45 m 30 tons 800m2 sail 13 guys around the world 50 days
- IDEC 30m mast 32m 12 tons 350m2 1 guy around the world 57 days...and in 2013 the tri got the Atlantic record in 5 days.

 

They are at Cape Horn, 26d 15h 50' aprox. since Ouessant.

 

Their latest press release on the new Cape Horn record:

http://www.idecsport-sailing.com/francis-joyon-sets-a-new-record-at-cape-horn/?lang=en

 

Idec

Imagine this:

In such a lonely point on the planet it was strange to be standing on deck and then see the dark shape of a huge trimaran emerge from the mists. It was Idec Sport, a massive 100 foot trimaran that left France on December 16th 2016 in pursuit of the Jules Verne Trophy, the prize for the fastest nonstop circumnavigation of the globe. I have several friends onboard and it was an odd feeling to run into my buddies and swim training partners so far from home, but then where else would you find French ocean racers?! They are well ahead of the record time and going well so I wish them well, even if they will be home and dry weeks before me!

http://www.conradcolman.com/single-post/2017/01/12/Update-day-67-Cape-Horn

 

https://youtu.be/knHcDbPvl1s

 

I would do almost anything to get a ride on something like this in the southern ocean. I cant imagine what it would be like to tame the sort of seas that would have a regular cruising boat crew trigger happy on the epirb.

 

IDEC-SPORT sailed the 18,332 miles out on the water between Ushant and Cape Horn at an average speed of 28.7 knots.

That's absolutely incredible.

 

Latest press release, From peaceful calms to pleasant tradewinds:

http://www.idecsport-sailing.com/from-peaceful-calms-to-pleasant-trade-winds/?lang=en

 

It does seem possible to reach the Equator keeping the 3 day advance they have, it's looking good !