Pressure Drop

Duelin Dalin Extends Lead

Published on 01-18-2021 06:24 PM

With less than two weeks - perhaps even just ten days – until the finish of what is set to be the closest ever edition of the Vendée Globe it is still impossible to predict which three skippers will finish on the podium.

“To be honest we wont really have a decent idea until the first ones get to the entrance to the Bay of Biscay at La Coruña," warned Jacques Caraës, race director this morning.

Race veteran Jean Le Cam (Yes We Cam!), 61, in ninth place on his fifth ...

Afterburners Ignighted!

Published on 01-18-2021 12:19 PM

Acceleration at 30° south

After a relatively peaceful two-day transition along the Brazilian coast, the crew of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild has begun to put some easting into its course, gradually bending the 32-metre giant’s trajectory round towards the point of entry into the Southern Ocean, the Cape of Good Hope. Very quick over the past four hours with an average speed of over 35 knots at the 07:00 UTC position report, Franck Cammas, Charles Caudrelier ...

Mind Boggling Massive Mavericks

Published on 01-16-2021 12:30 PM

The Waves at Mavericks This Year Are Mindbogglingly Huge

Article by Kevin Stark KQED

image © Frank Quiarte

Every fall, Brian Garcia briefs officials across the Bay Area counties on the winter weather outlook, what he calls “my traveling road show.”

In San Mateo County, people always ask Garcia, a National Weather Service meteorologist, if the thundering, big-wave surf spot near Half Moon Bay known as Mavericks will break. (The famous Mavericks surf competition has been cancelled indefinitely).

Most ...

Herrmann Slides Into 3rd!

Published on 01-15-2021 02:20 PM

Racing some 35 miles off the NE corner of Brasil, at Recife this afternoon, speeds remain very even between the top trio of Vendée Globe boats, German skipper Boris Herrmann having moved into third place overnight.

The skipper of Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco has modulated his attack with the same patience and diligence that has ensured that he is playing with a full deck of cards, racing an uncompromised ...

Into The Southern Hemisphere

Published on 01-15-2021 11:37 AM

Navigating the southern hemisphere
After setting sail from Ushant on Sunday 10 January at 01:33 UTC on the quest for the Jules Verne Trophy, the crew of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild crossed the equator this Friday 15 January at 14h48'32'' UTC, after 5 days 13 hours 14 minutes and 46 seconds at sea. Though this first passage time is a far cry from the outright record for this section, which has been held since 2019 by Spindrift Racing in a time of 4 days 19 hours 57 minutes, ...

Things Tighten At The Top

Published on 01-14-2021 11:55 AM

Leaders 20 miles apart, Herrmann in fifth, Merron At Cape Horn at Weekend

Today passing Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, there are no options In terms of strategy and choices on the northwards climb up the Atlantic for the tightly matched Vendée Globe leaders. But the conditions are difficult and tiring. The E’ly tradewinds shift in direction and more particularly in strength and that is proving especially wearing, with squalls and gusts which make setting the optimum sail are difficult on the close reach. ...

Reeling In The Miles

Published on 01-13-2021 12:56 PM

Trade wind flight at last

The efforts deployed by the men of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild since leaving Ushant on Sunday are bearing fruit on this fourth day of the record. To exploit the chosen weather window as best they can, Franck Cammas, Charles Caudrelier and their four crew have had to link together a series of gybes, extending the course which will lead them down towards the equator. Since this morning though, they’ve been making headway in the trade wind and have got nicely ...

The Ever Evolving Pecking Order Continues

Published on 01-13-2021 12:04 PM

Dalin Leads Speed Test Up Brazilian Coast.....Six boats in 88 miles..Costa, Le Diraison At Cape Horn, Shiraishi this evening

TRACKER

With nothing more than a handful of small miles separating them, the leaders of the Vendée Globe are engaged on a straight head-to-head speed test which may yet prove decisive, and which may finally show the ultimate value of a fully functioning latest ...

Wide Open Race For Top 10!

Published on 01-12-2021 04:19 PM

Restart off Rio..... Five boats within 27 miles.....Hare at Cape Horn

After 65 days racing and over 23,000 nautical miles sailed on the course, the Vendée Globe in effect restarted off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil today with the five top boats regrouping within 26 miles of each other in terms of the distance to the finish line in Les Sables d’Olonne.

Charlie ...

Shifting Into Overdrive

Published on 01-12-2021 12:04 PM

At the gates of the trade winds

Departing from Ouessant on the night of Saturday 9 to Sunday 10 January, at 2:33 '46' ', Franck Cammas, Charles Caudrelier and their four teammates continue their rapid descent from the North Atlantic towards the equator. With nearly 2,000 miles covered in two and a half days, at an average speed of 31.4 knots, the men of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild are perfectly on the pace and even offered themselves, at the 6 p.m. check-in, a lead of 139 miles on Francis Joyon's record. This third day at sea was marked by a weather transition along the ridge ...

Dalin Slips Ahead Of Bestaven

Published on 01-11-2021 05:23 PM

UDATE: Apiva New Leader!

Bestaven caught to within 38 miles.....New leader tomorrow?....Hare approaching Cape Horn after Boissièrres, Roura, Beyou.......Beyou fastest in the Southern Ocean Between Good Hope and Cape Horn

All bets are off. Normally by the 64th day of recent editions of the Vendée Globe, the solo non- stop race round the world has been distilled down to a choice of two or at the outside three potential winners.

But as the group of six chasing solo racers are now compressed ...

The 3 Bridge Fiasco Goes Single Handed Only For 2021

Published on 01-11-2021 12:50 PM

Three Bridge Fiasco Race Update: After discussing and considering the current Covid-19 situation & compliance with the Regional Stay-At-Home ...

The Dominos Effect At SC Small Boat Harbor

Published on 01-11-2021 11:10 AM

Massive Swells Capsize Sailboats At Mouth Of Santa Cruz Harbor; 12 Children Rescued From Turbulent Seas

SANTA CRUZ (CBS SF) — A massive swell, kicked up by storms out in the Pacific Ocean, capsized several small sailboats ‘like dominoes’ at the mouth of the Santa Cruz Harbor Sunday afternoon, forcing marine rescue units and local surfers ...

Skirting A Hole And Congested Traffic Lanes

Published on 01-11-2021 10:46 AM

Jan 11th

Madeira bound

A little over 24 hours out from Ushant, the men of the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild are rolling out the plan drawn up before the start with their router Marcel van Triest to perfection. Following an express exit from the Bay of Biscay of around ten hours or so, ticked off at an average speed of over 30 knots, the first day at sea ...

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