Update
After further sea-trials on Charal with its now modified fuller bow shape and V2 foils Jérémie Beyou was a little more ready to share. ‘To win the Vendée Globe we had to make progress running which meant an evolution of our foils. We also needed a spare set in case of a problem. With only one set you are not pushing as hard through the preparation, or sailing less because you don’t want to break them. We knew the V1 foil was versatile, with a little “plus” reaching but a bit less good running. We finally found the right set-up for the foils on the Transat Jacques Vabre but only by pushing really hard on the boat. However, my co-skipper Christopher Pratt and I agreed it would not be possible to hold this rhythm alone over time. The boat was accelerating very fast! She tended to take off, but then she would stall, causing violent decelerations. It was very uncomfortable onboard and impossible for a long run solo as in the Vendée Globe. With the new foils the boat flies lower but she is more nose-up and above all much more stable, which allows us to sustain higher average speeds – 24-26kt – without stalling. The attitude of Charal is also better and safer in 25-30kt, the conditions we will see in the Indian Ocean and Pacific. It is definitely less stressful for the skipper. Reaching we see the same performance as the V1. Upwind we are also a little more efficient – we take off earlier. But there is a lot still to do. For the VG we must be good, 100 per cent!’
THE JOY OF IT – Terry Hutchinson The simplicity and passion of sailors are highlighted in a time of quarantine. As one surfs through Facebook or Instagram you gain an appreciation – even more so – of how lucky we are to experience sailing and time on the water. The latest video I got a kick out of was Michele Ivaldi ripping around Lake Garda in the Persico ‘69er’ with American Magic trimmer Maciel ‘Cicho’ Cicchetti: 9kt of wind- speed and 19kt of boat speed and, as Cicho and I were debriefing that evening, you could hear the smiles through the phone. My first post-quarantine sail was the inaugural Wednesday night
race out of the Annapolis YC aboard the J/70 Joint Custody, bor- rowed from Ray and Jenn Wulff. With the enlisted crack crew of Aden Hutchinson (son), Annabelle Hutchinson (niece, All-American sailor, Brown University), Quantum Racing bowman Greg Gendell, Ben Gendell (son) and yours, truly we set off with mask and all for a new adventure. The first thing that stood out was the smiles and banter in the
boatpark. You definitely got the feeling that people could have just hung out and caught up as it was so nice just to be outside and socialising. The sailor service at Annapolis YC is awesome and with a youthful squad who help launch the boat you can be rigged and gone in 15 minutes. Which for our team was perfect as I think on our best days we were always going to be disorganised. Our arrival at the startline was met with a 12-17kt southwesterly
running down the Severn River. Perfect! Understanding that we were one of eight J/70s with another six J/80s on our startline, we figured a good start away from the pack was in order. As a team we divided up the responsibilities and Aden was quick to lead: ‘Dad, you do
14 SEAHORSE
the start and after that I will steer.’ Great instincts, Aden, can’t imagine where you got that from… Ha! But we did stick to Aden’s plan. After a somewhat aggressive
midline start to which Greg commented, ‘If the recall goes up it will be us’ (code for you are really close to being OCS). The individual did go up and we were not OCS. Foxy and I then bantered for the next five minutes about ‘quarantine dust’ when calling the line. Somehow we managed our way into the lead at mark one then
went straight into a long run that soon saw the strength of the J/80s in displacement mode! Aden did good work, though, nice and smooth as we rounded the bottom in a good enough spot. I quickly got ‘here, Dad, you steer’ which, for anybody who knows
me, means you won’t have to ask twice even if you are my son. A quick beat upwind to another bearaway in which the Joint Custody came to life now with Ben Gendell on the helm. The perfect end of the evening was a 15-minute reach to the finish, Ben keeping us perfectly on the step. Obviously the finish had to be highlighted by none of us being
able to find the RC boat. After the usual spirited debate Annabelle was quick to say, ‘Uncle Terry, trust me, just leave R6 to port and we will be fine.’ Copy, Annabelle, trust, she was right, and I also learned never argue with an honours student from Brown!! The slow sail home back to the hoist was a little bittersweet. The
evening was over way too quickly and yet a quarantine race has been the highlight race of the year. Actually, at this writing the only race of the year – which on the eve of the America’s Cup is a bit scary. But there is time and as we already know we have been racing for 24 months! Standing by, Harwood, MD
GAUTHIER LEBEC/CHARAL
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