Ultim Tri Macif round the world in solo

[Dolfiman]

I would be in favor of making the attempt with two crew. The extra weight would be relatively low, but the safety and assistance factors would be great benefits.

It is clear that safety is in the thoughts of all stakeholders for these offshore ocean races, moreover when including remote areas, as capsize risk is inherent to multihull when hard sailed for a race (and a race put more pressure that a record to break), and unfortunately statistics is not null.

I agree that two crew is of course a safety factor but with the paradox that the boat is then harder sailed, the risk taking is higher, and eventually does not prevent any capsize. Here above is the story of Multi 50 « Drekan groupe » capsize during the twohanded Jacques Vabre 2017, translation + original text in French :

Title : « The capsizing of the 50-foot trimaran Drekan Group in the Transat Jacques Vabre, could have turned into drama. One of the two seamen fell into the sea and was raised in extremis, at the beginning of the night, in 25 knots and 4-meter waves.”

Text :” Wednesday night, 300 miles north-east of the island of San Miguel, the Azores archipelago. The North-East wind is blowing at 25 knots with 4-meter waves. The weather is gusty, Drekan sailors redoubled their vigilance at the helm and the sheets. They are on the attack after doing the big back since the passage of a muscular front out of Bay of Biscay. The night has just fallen, the wind is not stable, the duo decides to roll the gennaker. The mainsail is at one reef. When maneuvering, the boat is assigned to the autopilot.

While Christopher Pratt is already on the front platform, Eric Defert ends up changing himself inside and getting ready to get on deck. The wind suddenly forced, the boat accelerates, impossible to shock the sheets. The trimaran takes off and propels the sailor on the front into the sea. The boat capsizes completely. Eric Defert is inside, safe. But no trace of Christopher, no sign of life. The skipper informs the race management of the gravity of the situation and exits through the survival window to join the trampolines of the overturned platform. Endless minutes in the wind and at night. Nobody on the platform, neither around the hull. Long minutes later, two arms appear along a float, Christopher Pratt is hoisted by Eric Defert. The sailor is recovered breathless, completely dazed. They return inside the central hull and try to regain their minds. Christopher Pratt came close to the absolute drama.

Upside down, the platform is relatively stable, with the mast and the entire rig apparently still in place. Inside the central hull, the situation is less comfortable. No way to update and report your position. In the overturned hull, water and diesel oil released from the tank. Fumes from the burned electrical and electronic systems mix with smells from the batteries became detached. Christopher Pratt remains in shock. Eric Defert decides to trigger the beacon and resigns himself to abandon the overturned trimaran. "He followed the advice of the race management which made him play the card of caution" complete Thibaud Georges, the co-owner of the boat with Eric Defert.

The Dutch freighter who joined them in the middle of the night launches a boat to recover them. Twelve hours after the capsizing, they are taken care of by the sailors of this freighter en route to the United States. The returned trimaran drifts 280 miles north-east of San Miguel. He approaches slowly (at about 1,5 knot) from the island” End of text

Ref : http://www.letelegramme.fr/france/transat-jacques-vabre-chavirage-de-drekan-groupe-le-drame-evite-de-justesse-09-11-2017-11734480.php

Also this info about the boat recovery option, I don't know presently the decision taken ?

Text « Suspended by the decision of his insurer, Thibaud Georges (the owner) was ready to take off Thursday afternoon for the Azores, to participate in recovery operations of the trimaran. But the boat will not be easy to locate since it drifts without a positioning marker. Will the 600.000 euros of the insured value be enough to engage a recovery device? It is the German insurer, the only one who has agreed to insure this kind of boat for the race, who will decide if he starts the operations. » End of text

Ref : http://www.letelegramme.fr/voile/transat-jacques-vabre-chavirage-de-drekan-groupe-le-trimaran-sera-t-il-recupere-09-11-2017-11734550.php

Next singlehanded races with Ultims (Route du rhum 2018, Round the world 2019) are already planned anyway, the question is now how to minimise at the best life risks in case of capsize, by rules on on-board arrangement to survive 4-5 days at least in an overturned hull in remote (and cold) areas while continue to communicate and/or be positioned, on some body protection too in case of violent capsize, on life line on the boat when manoeuvring, by pre-established plans for rapid rescue and costs coverage. When Ultims are semi or full flying, capsize can also come from just an ofni hit 30+ knots, and the last Vendée Globe showed that Ofni occurrence is far from null unfortunately, some specific design may be necessary here also.

 

[Clarkey]

The possibility of capsize is only one risk - the inability to keep a proper lookout is the unseamanlike part of singlehanded racing.

 

[rwatson]

I......
I agree that two crew is of course a safety factor but with the paradox that the boat is then harder sailed, the risk taking is higher, and eventually does not prevent any capsize. ......

Its a great story, but I dont think the idea that concept "the boat is then harder sailed, the risk taking is higher," holds true.

If anything, its a story about how having two crew saves lives.

The latest world record attempt benefited from well planned weather overview, and lack of major problems, especially the absence of traumatic weather events, as well as a very experienced skipper, who after a week at sea had reduced his performance pressure by getting so far ahead of the record holder.

If things had gone badly at the start, and he had the pressure of catching up, that might have been a totally different story.

 

[Doug Lord]

Macif---- I think its going to be real interesting to see the mods that are made to Macif now. One thing I think will be done is to add a controllable lifting foil to the daggerboard since Gabart talked about that early on. It would add roll and pitch stability to the boat and possibly provide an automatic response to gusts by developing downforce.
Gabart thinks such a foil may have helped him to sleep......

In François Gabart 10 nov. message :
""You have to find the balance to be able to stay in support on the central hull, but it's not so easy when you go fast. I cannot stay on the central hull all the time and I'm still not comfortable sleeping like that. It's starting to come, it will take training again. But my sleep is damaged, despite fatigue. I still managed to take a few naps."

Is it not in this case that a foil on central daggerboard, when adjusted to provide a small downforce, which can add passive safety when the singlehander is sleeping ? In case of gust of wind with a move to more heel, the inflow incidence on this foil increase instantly and can provide an extra RM which adds to the one due to the weight. And moreover in steady state condition, this foil RM component is in squared speed boat, can increase in parallel with heeling moment in squared apparent wind speed. I am right ?

 

[Dolfiman]

Here is an interview of Vincent Lauriot-Prevost, Macif naval architect (the LP of VPLP design) :

"Vincent Lauriot-Prévost, architect of the maxi-trimaran Macif, was surprised by the time achieved by François Gabart: 42 days 16 h 40 '35' '. While highlighting the fact that the man and the boat have evolved together, he also evokes the changes, including larger foils, to come for the Route du Rhum 2018 and around the world race in 2019."

Q : "What do you think of this chrono?"
>> A : "You are a little flabbergasted. It's amazing what he did. We did not expect that. We know that the boat goes fast, that the boy is good. You have to have a bit of grace with the weather conditions but to put a week less and be so close to the absolute record, we did not expect. Before the boat was started, to the question: "What do you have in mind, what would be your goals with the boat?", Francois had already answered me: "I think that I will be able to attacking the record of Loïck Peyron (45 days)" He already had in mind to go at this pace."

Q : "You did not imagine that this boat could go so fast?"
>> A : "Yes, but if we look at this boat in comparison with the ones that have just come out, it is not the most extreme boat nor in mass, nor in size nor in weight nor even in height of mast or size of sails. In the discussions we had with François, we limited ourselves. We wondered if we were doing a maximum boat that we would use at 80% or a boat with a little less power but we use 100%. Eventually, we chose the formula at 100%. It is a boat certainly more suited for singlehanding than the other Ultim"

Q : "Is this a boat adapted to François Gabart ?"
>> A: "It's one of the best. He is a guy who is amazing for all the qualities he has. He has a good relationship with his router, he knows how to surround himself. He knows how to be helped but he is always free of his choices at the end. He is not someone who is teleguided. All is well. Since his Vendée Globe, all the timing and tempo of his project is perfect. We go gradually. And all the pieces for the next season have started to be built and that will give an even more accomplished version. At first, we made a boat to go faster than the existing boats, to learn by confronting with the records, and then we will arrive with a boat fully mature on the Route du Rhum 2018. All the intelligence of the project is from the date of the first decisions. We do not try to make an absolute weapon the first time. We go piano but sano."

Q : "So he can go faster ?"
>> A :"Yes. This is the idea. The objectives differ. The next exercise is a crossing of the Atlantic. A sharper boat will surely be among the fastest especially because it will be fully tested and he knows it on the fingertips. Then there is a race around the world (2019). We will see with him how we dose the feedback from the Route du Rhum. That takes place in the medium term with a great tempo. The foils he has currently are first generation. They are very stable but limited in speed. And the next foils will be a little less stable, drag a little less and go a little faster. Imagine on phases where it is 35 knots, it will be 38 ... Instead of being often between 720 and 760 miles, it will be between 760 and 800 in 24 hours."

Q :" Does the sheltered cockpit of "Macif" help the performance ?"
>> A : "Yes, it comes from the Vendée Globe. The first to protect himself was Michel Desjoyeaux. And little by little all the boats of the Vendée, we try to go out (of the cockpit) less and less. And there, the concept is even more pushed because when it's closed, it's dry. And it's important because they are very noisy boats, the apparent wind is always very strong and all these are elements of fatigue and physical stress, protecting yourself from it all give you more energy when needed. I do not know if he would have been able to do what he did with "Groupama 3" cockpit in which Francis Joyon sails."

Ref : Maxi-trimaran. Lauriot-Prévost. "Avec les nouveaux foils, ça ira encore plus vite !" http://www.letelegramme.fr/voile/maxi-trimaran-lauriot-prevost-avec-les-nouveaux-foils-ca-ira-encore-plus-vite-18-12-2017-11785586.php

VPLP : https://vplp.fr/

 

[UpOnStands]

For the next attack, Gabart may need to wear a support net sewn into his clothes that can be clipped into a hummock arrangement. The idea is to sleep/nap more upright suspended in a compliant web of support. A system that minimizes the shocks to the greatest extent possible.

 

[Doug Lord]

Macif / Gabart-
from Scuttlebutt:
Solo around the world record ratified
Published on January 2nd, 2018
World record set by Francois Gabart (FRA) when he sailed the 30m trimaran MACIF singlehanded around the world in an elapsed time of 42 days 16 hours 40 minutes and 35 seconds (avg. speed 21.08 kt). Gabart covered the 21600nm distance on November 4 to December 17 in 2017, improving on the previous solo record set in December 2016 by Thomas Coville (FRA) on the 31m trimaran Sodebo4 of 49d 3h 4m 28s

WSSR Newsletter No 295. MACIF. Around the World Singlehanded. 02/01/18 https://www.sailspeedrecords.com/news/231-wssr-newsletter-no-295-macif-around-the-world-singlehanded-02-01-18

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[Doug Lord]

Another Record:
The WSSR Council announces the establishment of a new World Record:

Record: Singlehanded Equator to Equator Intermediate Record
Yacht: "MACIF" 30 metre Trimaran
Name: Francois Gabart. FRA
Dates: 10th November to the 10th December 2017.
Start time: 05;45;00 on 10/11/17
Finish time: 10;35;00 on 10/12/17
Elapsed time: 30 days 4 hours and 50 minutes .
Comments: Previous record: Sodebo4. Thomas Coville. FRA. 18/12/16. 35d 21h 38m 49s

John Reed
Secretary to the WSSR Council
sailspeedrecords.com