Route du Rhum 2014

Gitana

I hope I'm not re-posting something already here-I did a search and didn't come across anything. From the Daily Sail:
Significantly, learning for the technology from last year's America's Cup, the Gitana Multi70 has now been equipped with T-foil rudders in her floats. Josse explains: “The aim of these new float rudders is to reduce the boat’s pitching. This increased stability should enable us to make significant gains in terms of average speed and boat handling. The idea isn’t to get Edmond de Rothschild to fly…not yet anyway!
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Team Lalou have taken their Multi50 Arkema out for the first test sail since fitting the new mast and sails.

http://laloumulti.fr/site/?p=1653

 

The new Sodebo Ultime has been launched.

http://youtu.be/U01NzSEUe_A

 

Here is another shot of the modified MOD70 Edmond de Rothschild's new T rudders from Voiles et Voiliers:

It looks like there is a small trim tab on the outer edge of the T?

http://www.voilesetvoiliers.com/pop...multis70-ultime-chez-gitana-cest-lheure-du-t/

 

Mod 70

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My guess is that is some sort of optical delusion-having such a small flap on just one side seems counterproductive-especially from a structural standpoint. Maybe they'll be some other pictures?

 

An optical delusion? That sounds like the condition the male brain suffers when you have consumed too many drinks and the women just keep looking better and better .

Anyway Sodebo Ultime has just been fitted with it's rig at Lorient and the Sodebo Team have posted up a nice video on Daily Motion.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1...atage-matinal-a-lorient-de-sodebo-ultim_sport

 

The Multi50 Maitre Jacques is receiving her new floats.

 

The latest edition of 40 metres solo from the Spindrift Team traces Yann Guichard's career in sailing and celebrates his 40th birthday:

There is a press release and video:

http://www.spindrift-racing.com/201...res-solo-episode-16-happy-40th-yann-guichard/

http://youtu.be/3SV6GKXOIqI

 

Armen Race

The Armen Race currently underway has many of the competitors in the Route du Rhum competing. The former MOD70's Edmond de Rothschild and Oman Sail are running the longer Ultime course nothing really to separate them at the moment. The tracker is here:

http://yb.tl/armen2014

 

An article on the mods to the MOD70 Edmond de Rothschild has been uploaded on BYM news. I'd question the assertion by Sebastian Josse that the T rudders are a first having been fitted to a number of ORMA's back when they had a circuit and currently fitted to Team Vodafone Sailing so not really a new idea just new to a MOD70:

http://bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=133202

 

Sidney Gavignet on the Oman Sail MOD70 defeated Sebastian Josse on Edmond de Rothschild in the Ultime class of the Ar Men Race. Seb claimed that they hadn't had time to properly shake down and tune their modified MOD70 since launch which sounds fair enough. Of course the solo racing in the Route du Rhum is a very different kettle of fish.

 

Sodebo Ultime has been out on it's first sea trials. It appears that everything is looking good so far the team have put out a press release that also includes a video showing the mast compression test being carried out:

http://www.sodebo.fr/voile/actualites/article/sodebo-ultim-tire-premiers-bords

 

First sea trials for the new Sodebo Ultime:

http://dai.ly/x1yr6ac

 

Not strictly Route du Rhum news but still interesting. The Spindrift team are optimising Spindrift 2 for the North Atlantic record and for sailing on one tack. The work includes canting the mast and fixing in position and removing the windward foil and engine.

http://youtu.be/7eLXTwJEyrc

 

Prince de Bretagne have posted up a new video showing the mast for the Maxi80 in the paint booth awaiting a coat of paint (red).

http://youtu.be/Z-kpE0DsR20