single handing 100 foot multihulls

Irrelevant as to the lead at present. There is a long way to go. Take the time to look at a map showing the relative distances yet to be traveled and imagine how the weather may change considerably between the boats and their objective.

Being patient and understanding the process would be beneficial.

 

Groupama to win Route du Rhum

I'm convinced that the magnificent one and his boat are so much better that he will win especially after reading the following:

Route du Rhum - La Banque Postale 2010
Leading the fleet of 84 competitors still racing since the skipper of Côte d'Or had to be airlifted to hospital, Franck Cammas is continuing to extend his lead aboard Groupama 3. Never dipping below an average of 20 knots, the maxi-trimaran is now positioning her bows westward in a NE'ly breeze of around twenty knots, which is highly reminiscent of the tradewinds.

Decidedly Franck Cammas likes challenges. Not only has he set off on this ninth edition of the Route du Rhum La Banque Postale aboard the largest and most powerful trimaran ever to be raced single-handed, but he has also opted for a S'ly option which a fair number of his rivals didn't believe would pay off.

By making headway along a tiny vein of air along the Spanish coast in the same way as he did during his third and victorious attempt at the Jules Verne Trophy back in the winter, the skipper of Groupama 3 forced the pace so as to make it through before the gateway to the favourable winds closed behind him.

Determined but also confident about the capacity for speed that his giant trimaran has displayed since leaving Saint Malo, Franck has really set a furious pace in this race: "It's true that sailing aboard Groupama 3, which is less flighty than the others thanks to her wide beam, enabled me to keep more sail aloft on traversing the Bay of Biscay".

As such the skipper of Groupama 3 is confidently carving out his course towards the West Indies, without being overly concerned about his rivals. Some of these, like Idec and Gitana 11 are behind him on the same course, while others like Sodebo and Oman Air Majan are also behind but on a completely different course, further to the North, the outcome of which may or may not be relevant: "It's not easy to know if they're right. It'll come down to very little in my view. One thing for sure is that I couldn't see myself taking the N'ly option with Groupama 3".

2,700 miles from the goal, don't expect Franck Cammas to shout victory though, despite this great start to the race: "We still have a long way to go and it's not going to be a clear run. I'm going to have to traverse some zones with light airs, but it's true that for now I'm pretty much ahead of my routing whilst those on a N'ly option are behind".

On a physical level, the skipper of Groupama isn't sparing any effort with the frequent, exhausting manoeuvres. However, thanks to Groupama 3's stability, he's managing to relax and even sleep in small 20 minute chunks when he gets the chance.

This is no longer a constraint Bertrand Quentin will have to deal with and he is sure to be very disappointed to have had to retire his Côte d'Or from the race, but he will also be happy to know that physically he is completely safe tonight.

===================
Anyway, I hope I'm right!! Go Groupama!

 

You are convinced. Yet, Cammas, himself, says, "It's not easy to know if they're right." when referring to Sodeb'O and Oman and their routing choices.

Cammas goes on to say, "We still have a long way to go and it's not going to be a clear run. I'm going to have to traverse some zones with light airs"

This does not sound like a done deal by any type of rational thinking. Perhaps a few of you guys could organize a fresh look at what is involved in these big water events, Ja?

And who calls Cammas "Magnificent One", besides his wife and mistress?

 

Well, this is turning into desktop, vicarious sailing with already some animus being shown by the sit down competitors. Got to admit Doug, that "the magnificent one" is either a bad translation or just a very wet piece of embarrassing writing from you? Anyway Franck is going to have to come up on course soon and in a couple of days ...? Those who are claiming a done deal are being premature. Groupama we know is a rocketship, especially in the light - but the two close Iren sisters look to be just as fast, if not slightly quicker in these conditions.

 

correction: Irens sisters, meaning Sodebo and Oman - and don't rule out Idec either - all these guys are brilliant sailors.

 

=================

No, Gary-I'm no competitor. But I'm a fairly well informed fan of these great boats and their sailors. To me this is about the same as some football fans might feel about their favorite team(s).
I think Groupama will win and I am unabashedly rooting for her and Mr. Cammas. An extraordinary boat and skipper with the power to win!

Go Groupama!!!

 

Groupama still moving faster and pulling away.

http://routedurhum-labanquepostale.geovoile.com/2010/?lg=fr

 

Ah ha, now it gets even more interesting. Francis and Yann have caught Thomas (just) but they, like Franck, are south of the Azores and entering lighter winds. Whereas Thomas is beating in freshening winds and Sodebo is a proven great windward boat with her foils. Also Sidney will make gains too. Places will change again in the next 12 hours.

 

Groupama doing the job....

As of 8:17 Eastern:
Idec 225 miles behind
Gitana 236 miles behind
Oman 303 miles behind
Sodebo 266 miles behind

BEHIND Groupama!

Go Groupama!

 

From Groupama:
Aboard Groupama 3, Franck Cammas certainly hasn't been standing idle, linking together no less than five gybes so as to remain well positioned along the edge of the zone of high pressure.

This manoeuvre, which consists of switching tack when the wind is behind you, is physically testing when you have to haul on a gennaker spanning 390 m2. On the stopwatch the operation takes six to seven minutes. This is a relatively short sequence thanks to the use of the bike, which enables Franck to alternate between working his arms and his legs.

Clearly happy to see that the lead he has over his pursuers has extended considerably overnight, stretching from 65 miles over Sodebo to 206 over Idec, the latter now in second position, the skipper of Groupama is remaining concentrated, well aware that he has only covered a third of the course.

Indeed, though those favouring a N'ly option, Thomas Coville and Sidney Gavignet, are being forced to traverse an unfavourable weather system, Francis Joyon and Yann Guichard have come back into the thick of the action and, though set back from the leader, they are on a similar course to him. As such it will be interesting to see how the Groupama 3's separation evolves...

However, the bad news this morning is the damage that occurred last night to the mainsail head on Prince de Bretagne skippered by Lionel Lemonchois. Forced to switch course towards the French or Spanish coast, the winner of the last edition of the Route du Rhum La Banque Postale will no longer be in contention for victory in the Multi 50 category. We hope he can effect repairs as quickly as possible.


Go Groupama!!


Groupama bicycle winch drive(from SA):

(click on image and then again on resulting image)

 

G4 gybing in lightening winds, less speed than Sodebo who is now easing sheets and twisting the Ducati throttle harder in the increasing wind - plus Thomas is above the Azores and closer to proper course. Ahead lies a lull which both boats will have to pass through. Not over yet chaps.

 

Unfortunate news with Oman Sail-front beam damage-Gavignet is in his survival suit and Portugese rescue service notified....

http://www.thedailysail.com/offshore/10/57064/0/oman-air-majan-beam-issue

 

Oman Air Majan----skipper rescued

Glad the skipper is ok! From Sail-World.com:

Route du Rhum-La Banque Postale - Oman Air Majan update, skipper resuced.

As outlined in the last statement at 18: 30 CET (GMT+1), Oman Air Majan received substantial damage to the leeward front beam, and it is confirmed that Oman Air Majan has lost her mast. The port float is under the main beam; due to the serious nature of damage, and the uncertainty, the skipper Sidney Gavignet has made the difficult decision to abandon the boat.

At 20: 51 CET (GMT+1) skipper Sidney Gavignet was picked up by a bulk carrier called Cavo Alexander which was en route to Turkey. Sidney is safe and well and is in contact with his shore team via satellite phone. The bulk carrier is 840 miles from Gibralter and is expected there in two days.

Oman Air Majan is being tracked via its iridium-tracking device and a salvage operation is well under way.

http://www.sail-world.com/USA/Route-du-Rhum-La-Banque-Postale---Oman-Air-Majan-skipper-rescued/76532
--------------
About the boat:
Originally designed by Nigel Irens and Benoit Cabaret, the Arabian 100 is a close sister ship to the very successful and very famous 'Sodeb'O' campaigned by Thomas Coville. Sodeb'o has set many records around the world and her design was a perfect platform on which to develop a new class of racing trimarans that also offer perfect training platforms.

Sad for such a gorgeus-and fast-boat:
(click on image and then again on resulting image)

 

Groupama 3

"The priority has been on designing a multihull, which can be manipulated by a crew of ten people and therefore not enter into the nature of the length which was in force: Groupama 3 is not a maxi multihull! It's a trimaran, which is also heavily inspired by Groupama 2, the 60 foot Orma: with the adoption of foils and the installation of three rudders, with a wide, open cockpit and a proportionally moderate sail plan. As a result, we opted for a relatively small boat which is rather light, progressive and very reactive. The deck plan enables the crew to manoeuvre faster in order to adjust the sail area to changes in condition and hence permanently exploit the trimaran's potential.

As the record programme included above all the Jules Verne Trophy, it was necessary to take into account the `Southern ocean' parameter: the foils are far forward so that the boat is nose up, the freeboard is high to prevent the bow from burying, the height of the mast limits the trim changes. The balance when sailing is considerably safer than on a 60 foot Orma... "
=Technical specifications
LOA/ Beam 31.50 m(103') / 22.50 m (73.8')
Weight (Jules Verne Trophy conditions) 18 tonnes
Air draft 41 m
Boom length 12 m
Draft 5.70 m

Sail area surface (Incidences sails)

Mainsail 356 m2
Solent 201 m2
Gennaker 472 m2

=================================================
Sodebo
The characteristics of the boat
Launch: June 2007
Homeport: La Trinité sur Mer
Architects: Nigel Irens / Benoît Cabaret
Calculation of the structure: John Levell
Drawings of appendices: Martin Fischer
Hydrodynamic studies: Yann Roux
Builders: Boat Speed (Australia)
Length: 32 meters (105 feet)
Width: 16.55 meters (55 feet)
Weight: 12 tons
Draft: 2.50 meters
Mainsail area: 240 m²
Solent area: 152 m²
Staysail surface: 94 m²
Gennaker surface: 325 m²

 

Groupama 3

From Groupama (prior to the news about Oman and Gavignet) :

Suffice to say that the two competitors, who shared the same boat during the Jules Verne Trophy, are certainly not in the same boat now, in any sense of the term! And yet, despite being positioned over 300 miles behind in relation to the finish, Thomas' Sodebo is proving to be a concern for Franck's Groupama.

In fact, between the two men, two proud vessels are also in the thick of the action and they certainly won't be intending to play a bit part. This duo are formed of Idec, helmed by the colossus Joyon, holder of the solo round the world record under sail, and Gitana 11, which is none other than the revamped winner of the last edition of the Route du Rhum La Banque Postale. However, this time the latter is being helmed by Guichard who Franck is very familiar with, having often seen the stern of his Extreme 40 this season.

With a deficit of 249 and 251 miles respectively in relation to Groupama 3, these two boats are in fact sailing in the same weather system as the leader. Logically then they are currently involved in a drag race, which for now isn't often proving favourable.

To go back to Coville, fairly close to him on a route which could be described as West, is the skipper of Oman Air Majan, Sidney Gavignet. These two men will have to traverse a front tomorrow morning and behind this technical term is hidden a fairly brutal change of wind direction which, in the space of a few minutes, is likely to switch from SW to NW. Moving from an upwind point of sail, close-hauled to a quartering wind, breeze on the back, the two sailors will be able to lengthen their stride. Paying a good deal of attention to the sea state all the same, which will involve the boats driving head on into heavy seas, it will be a while before the wind and seas are aligned again. The strength of the wind will also change, making conditions pretty full-on in the forecast 30-35 knots of breeze.

For the skipper of Groupama 3, he will have to endure this same pattern a few hours later. On the programme at that point will be a few changes of sail area aboard a boat whose performance in breezy conditions is celebrated.

Right now it's down to these three sailors to prepare their steeds well, to stow everything away and lash everything down. As the French saying goes: "It's in the squall that we see the sailors' talents all".