Tuesday, December 10, 2024 11:58

Charlie Dalin beats the record for the passage Cape of Good Hope to Cape Leeuwin
Its actually a record that dates back to... 2008! Until yesterday, it was held by a certain Michel Desjoyeaux. 16 years ago, the only double winner of the Vendée Globe took 10d 7h 37min to complete the section from the Cape of Good Hope to Cape Leeuwin. Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) beat it yesterday by 9h 10min, setting a new reference time: 9d 22h 27min.

Tuesday, December 10, 2024 10:11
Bulkhead problem for Pip Hare, small repair needed
As a result of the really tough conditions in the Indian Ocean Brit Pip Hare has a small composite repair to make to a bulkhead on Medallia as she reports this morning

Pip Hare, Medallia: The last 24 hours have been a really rough ride, looking out at the sea state it is still just a maelstrom. The waves are close to five metres, 4.5, but basically we are being lifted into the waves, we have altered our course in the lift so we are now taking the waves side on rather than from behind, but also the wind is side on to the waves and so they are breaking, the period has become shorter, much steeper and quite violent and so difficult to keep the boat going in these conditions, it is exhausting but it is really taking a toll on the boat, sadly that has taken a toll on my boat. Last night when I was doing my checks I discovered that I have a crack in one of my bulkheads forwards. 

"It is not too bad and I have found it very, very early, I have been up and checked it again and I can feel it moving and it is something that needs to be addressed and so the team have put together a laminating schedule for me, I have really good instructions to make a confident repair, but right now I am just trying to work out when to do it and manage the boat in the meantime. Conditions are tough, I am looking at waves climbing up above the coachroof at the moment and so it is really hard to try to keep the boat in a more gentle motion. 

"It picks up on these waves and goes, foils in or foils out the boat is going and that is it. I have had quite an anxious night trying to find a balance of keeping the speed on so that I keep going forwards, I am still racing and I have worked really, really hard to catch up Romain, and then also to reduce to any further impact on the boat  and I am hoping that this afternoon (UTC) the sea state will have died down enough to start that repair, which is probably three or four hours of work and needs to be done before the next system comes through in about 30 hours time. 

"I have a really limited time. It is disappointing but, you know, this Indian Ocean is not easy, I think it is relentlessly throwing energy at all of us and finding the balance of racing with the tools that you have and trying to keep the boat in one piece, racing an older boat, we kind expected these things to happen and we are ready to deal with them. And I need to get my overalls on and become a boat builder for a while!”

I need to get my overalls on and become a boat builder for a while!  Image: Pip Hare