January 2009 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 23.
Yacht Racing News
Update Vendee Globe & Carnage in the South Pacific
Jean-Pierre Dick holds the lead by 30.4 The distance between second and headquarters that he had suffered a problem stop and back up to clear seaweed from his
miles and Roland Jourdain is in second. fourth, Michel Desjoyeaux (FONCIA), with his rudder bearings and the leeward keel.
Michel Desjoyeaux (FONCIA) is in fifth and Roland Jourdain (VEOLIA rudder was not easy to more. The problem Those in the back of the pack have been
is sailing a quicker course. He has gone ENVIRONNEMENT) and Mike Golding surfaced a couple of days before when he consistently beaten by storms. American
further north and this has paid off. (ECOVER 3) is a mere 3.6 miles. noticed that they were grinding, but had Rich Wilson, (GREAT AMERICAN III), said,
Under jury rig, Peyron making 6 knots Not just the horrible sailing conditions gotten progressively worse. He felt that he he had been sailing in 45 to 60 knots of wind
north east as he moves away from the next were a problem, but icebergs had been sighted. would make a stop at Fremantle, but if the over a 16 hour period. He was watching the
low pressure system, which is presently over Jonny Malbon (ARTEMIS II) sighted one situation worsened he may have to stop at barometer dropping again as he waited for
the Prince Edward Islands. over 1,000 feet in length and about 250 feet the Kerguelens. In a later message he said another storm to pass.
high. that that the pintles have been crushed and Mike Golding (ECOVER 3) is concerned
Day 32, 11 December broken and that he did not foresee a solution. over the problem on board Wavre’s racer,
The top three boats are posting speeds Day 33, 12 December When Dominique Wavre (TEMENOS since they are both Ownen Cook designs.
of 18-plus knots. Michel Desjoyeaux Dominique Wavre (TEMENOS) con- II) arrived at the Kerguelen Islands he in- Golding said that he does not have a problem,
(FONCIA) continues to make gains and is tacted race headquarters and informed them formed the race organizers that he had official but that they are talking with the designer.
now in second place behind leader Jean that he had suffered keel damage and was retired from the race. There is a maxim used by Some of the issues being discussed are the
Pierre Dick. heading northeast to the Bay of Morbihan on skippers, which states “To finish first, first engineering, construction, geometry inside
All racers are converging on the the east side of the Kerguelen Islands. His you have to finish.” Wavre was going to try the boat, how the reams work, and the reliev-
Kerguelen Islands and Heard Island, which team stated that the ram attachment to the and make temporary repairs to the keel and ing and accumulator systems. Golding was
is a channel just 230 miles wide. The problem keel head was damaged and was allowing the then head to Australia, where they could concerned enough to run with less keel pres-
is that the waters are shallow and creates keel to swing freely under the boat. When the make permanent repairs. sure until the have an idea of why the problem
very confused seas, coupled with gusty damage occurred he dropped his sails and Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec-Virbac 2) leads occurred on Wavre’s racer.
heavy winds. If you opt for less sail you filled the ballast tanks. He then put up a deep by 41.1 miles, Roland Jourdain (Veolia Bernard Stamm (CHEMINÉES
could lose miles, but if you are overpowered reefed mainsail and a small headsail so it had Environnement) and Mike Golding, GBR, POUJOULAT) ran aground at Port aux
the autopilots can not adjust quickly enough. little power. (Ecover 3) tied for second. However, during Francais in the Kerguelen Islands in about 45
The predicted weather as the leaders enter If you thought Jean-Pierre Dick the night Dick was sailing two knots faster knots of wind. He was trying to moor to a
the channel will be for the wind to veer from (PAPREC-VIRBAC 2) had a quick day yes- than Jourdain and Golding and was now 72.8 buoy, which had been set up for him, under
west and southwest to the northwest, blow- terday with 411 miles, he bested that by 34 miles ahead of Golding. Jourdain has dropped power and the assistance of an inflatable.
ing 30 knots and gusting to 45 as the low miles setting a new record for the race, but back 20 miles behind Golding. Unfortunately things went sour and the boat
passes. Gybing in these conditions can be a has yet to best Alex Thomson’s 468 miles set The winds for the leaders were calming went ashore. Stamm was taken off, but due to
problem. in 2003. as they waited for the next front to push the conditions they were going to wait for
Former leader Seb Josse (BT) is still The top three boats were separated by through. They also were heading northeast morning to rescue the boat.
further north, but now has dropped to fifth 51 miles and it is the southern boats which are to make the next ice security gate, which is As the day wore on Golding had gained
place. He hopes to make gains in the channel. sailing faster. about 400 miles away. back five miles on leader Dick. The stronger
As the day went on Jean-Pierre Dick The following morning Wavre stated The final skipper, Norbert Sedlacek winds were back and the leaders speeds were
(PAPREC-VIRBAC II) was the first to pass that he was just 30 miles from the Bay of (NAUTICSPORT-KAPSCH), has entered the back up to about 18 knots.
Heard Island. He is still further south than Morbihan and that his yacht has been very Indian Ocean. He is 3,000 miles behind the
others and he has been quicker than those stable, despite the swinging keel. leader. Day 36, 15 December
just behind him. Over a 24 hour period he had During the afternoon leader Jean-Pierre
sailed 411 miles, which is just short of the Day 34, 13 December Day 35, 14 December Dick (PAPREC-VIRBAC 2) was in a collision
record, 438 miles, set by Roland Jourdain in More carnage as Bernard Stamm As a storm heads for leaders, Jean-Pierre with a floating object and suffered damaged
2004. (CHEMINÉES POUJOULAT) informed race Dick (PAPREC-VIRBAC) has extended his
Continued on Page 24.
lead another ten miles. This despite he had to
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