Spindrift 2: Decisions Ahead

(December 4, 2015; Day 13) – After entering the Indian Ocean last night at 04:04 GMT, only 12 minutes after the record holder Banque Populaire V, the 40m maxi-trimaran Spindrift 2, has begun its first few hours of sailing in the mythical icy seas of the south. The elements are not so bitter for the moment (with the water at 6 degrees Celsius, the outside temperature at 8, and the wind blowing around 18-20 knots), but the conditions to come promise to be more challenging for the crew and more tricky for the strategy.

It will be necessary to refine the trajectory while also taking into account the presence of icebergs at the latitude of the Kerguelen Islands and the arrival of a tropical depression descending rapidly from Madagascar. The choice of route will be crucial to maintaining their lead over the record time, that tonight has risen to over 70 miles. So, a bit of breathing space for the sailors, wrapped up from head to foot for now, who continue to benefit from the low-pressure system that they have been ‘surfing’ from Argentina.

As of 2100 UTC
Distance to finish: 15794.9 nm
Distance for 24 hours: 722.0 nm
Distance ahead of record: 193.33 nm

Source: Spindrift 2

Team website – Tracker – Facebook

Background: Spindrift 2 is seeking to claim the Jules Verne Trophy, a prize for the fastest circumnavigation of the world by any type of yacht with no restrictions on the size of the crew, starting and finishing between the Le Créac’h Lighthouse off the tip of Brittany and the Lizard Point in Cornwall.

Yann Guichard (FRA), skippering the 40 VPLP-designed trimaran, crossed the start line on November 22 at 04:01:58 GMT, and his 14-man team must return by 17:43:51 UTC on January 6, 2016 to beat the current record set January 2012 by Loïck Peyron and his crew on Banque Populaire 5 of 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes and 53 seconds.

Spindrift 2 was originally launched in 2008 as Banque Populaire 5.

MORE: Also starting on November 22 (at 02:02:22 GMT) for an attempt at the Jules Verne Trophy was Francis Joyon (FRA), skippering the 31.5m VPLP-designed trimaran IDEC SPORT. The 6-person team must return by 15:44:15 GMT on January 6, 2016 to beat the record. Here’s a tracker showing both teams: http://volodiaja.net/Tracking/

SPINDRIFT 2 CREW:
Yann Guichard, skipper
Dona Bertarelli, helmsman-trimmer
Sébastien Audigane, helmsman-trimmer
Antoine Carraz, helmsman-trimmer
Thierry Duprey du Vorsent, helmsman-trimmer
Christophe Espagnon, helmsman-bowman
Jacques Guichard, helmsman-trimmer
Erwan Israël, navigator
Loïc Le Mignon, helmsman-trimmer
Sébastien Marsset, bowman
François Morvan, helmsman-trimmer
Xavier Revil, helmsman-trimmer
Yann Riou, media reporter
Thomas Rouxel, helmsman-bowman
Jean-Yves Bernot, onshore router