Spindrift 2: Faster But Not Fast Enough

(December 7, 2015; Day 16) – Since this morning, the 40m maxi-trimaran Spindrift 2 has been enjoying more lively conditions than in recent days, whilst remaining in a relatively flat sea, which is allowing the boat to maintain good speeds.

In an average breeze of 25 knots, downwind, boat speed of around 30-32 knots is being achieved. Since yesterday, the maxi-trimaran has been surfing along a depression that is barely moving faster than it, which means the skipper and the navigator have the chance to position us and choose the desired wind strength. If the wind softens, then we have to gybe south and move closer to the centre of the depression. If, on the other hand, the wind and sea state strengthen to the point of slowing the progress of the boat, there is always the possibility of readjusting north.

In these conditions, progress is rapid. A little less, however, than that of Banque Populaire V in the same place, which reeled out some quite staggering averages, particularly because it was sailing a direct route without having to gybe.

In the early afternoon, the crew passed about 20 miles north of the Kerguelen Islands. They chose this trajectory in order to avoid some overly strong wind and a horrible sea under the archipelago. The challenge ahead: to successfully pass in front of a deep depression arriving straight from Madagascar.

As of 2100 UTC
Distance to finish: 14259.7 nm
Distance for 24 hours: 616.1 nm
Distance ahead of record: -267.25 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