Dee Caffari - The Famous Project

[John_Silver]

'In flight movie,' from the "Sodeboys" (drone shots)

Sitrep, from Alexia & Dee: They can hoist more sail, but can't reliably reduce it. Without climbing up and taking the car off the mast....

 

[John_Silver]

Cape Verde coming up. Decisions to make. 400+ nm ahead of the record.



British Ocean Race veteran, SiFi (Simon Fisher), on the shore-based routing team



The Famous Project fights on

 

[John_Silver]

IDEC clocked at 30kts (dashboard) - despite their hook problem



The “Sodeboys” are 560+nm ahead, of the record, as they tackle the doldrums. Their tactical eyes already on the Cape of Good Hope (side bar)

 

[John_Silver]

Thomas Coville & Co are through the doldrums, already. 500nm ahead of, a 2017 Francis Joyon, still to enter (hence compression of this morning’s delta).



The time to beat to the equator is that of Spindrift 2: 4 days 20 hrs, set back in 2019. On his way to the Jules Verne record, Francis Joyon took 5 days 20hrs, in 2017.

 

[John_Silver]

Sodebo sets new record time Ouessant - Equator (or ‘Ecuador,’ if you are on auto-translate)



From FB





EDIT Now on video (in 'Original French' or enable English subtitles). NB they crossed at night.....

 

[John_Silver]

The Famous Project hit their stride, in the Big South. Holding, perhaps eating into, their delta to the 2017 Francis Joyon. After falling off the back of one low, but successfully catching the one behind. Looks (to the untrained, armchair ensconced, eye) as if they could drop south, to shorten their circumnavigation distance, if they wished. Wonder if they will?



The (Ouessant-Equator) record setting "Sodeboys" are eyeing their route to the Cape of Good Hope. Will the weather gods continue to favour their progress? And can they keep the boat reliable at this pace? From SiFi and the routing team, their options 3 days out.:



In case you were wondering, life on deck at 40+kts looks like this:

 

[John_Silver]

Sodebo’s plan, to tackle the Big South, coming together:





The, ever philosophical, Thomas Coville reflects, whilst making 42 knots, on the highs and lows, which have brought his team to this point. The failures and the tensions, along the way. The record descent to the equator. The teamwork which it takes to make this project “fly upon the ocean,” instead of “crawl like a landlubber.” (I hope that I have those quotes right!) It’s in French, but English (auto translate) subtitles can be enabled. Thomas’ awed and humble tone hints that he senses his Jules Verne dream could be realised….

 

[John_Silver]

The Famous Project (red boat) making 30kts, South of Australia. (Pink boat is the 2017 Francis Joyon). With an all female reference time to set.



Thomas Coville's 'Sodeboys' (yellow boat) gybe east, for the Cape of Good Hope. Over 1000nm ahead, of Francis Joyon's (red boat) 2017 record pace.



Their forecast set fair. SiFi and the routing team hard at work ashore.



The on board team are also focussed on routing choices

 

[John_Silver]

Summat up, aboard IDEC Sport. Let's hope its just a data glitch, or the Famous Project taking/shaking out a reef (which requires a mast climb to free the mainsail halyard hook)



EDIT Whatever it was, IDEC back on course making 26kts. Phew. Dee & Co are close to the position Pip dismasted, a year ago. An inauspicious spot!



Alexia explains (FB) that they paused to dislodge a discarded net from the starboard daggerboard. No harm done. Windswept smile says it all!



Busy night, of gybes, aboard Sodebo. Still over 1000nm ahead of Francis Joyon's record. On track to set a record time Ouessant - The Cape of Good Hope



Christmas at sea beckons, for the two Jules Verne teams. May it bring both crews all that they wish for

 

[John_Silver]

Cold weather precautions are in place, aboard Sodebo. By way of a seasonal screensaver, for the nav station.



Thomas Coville's "Sodeboys" are 1375nm up, against Francis Joyon's 2017 pace, approaching the longitude of the Cape of Good Hope. With a record time, Ouessant to the Cape, in prospect.



Think Edmond de Rothschild 17’s 2021 time is still the one to beat



The Famous Project gybe their way east, in festive spirits



As they leave the Indian Ocean and enter the Pacific, en route to Cape Horn. An all female reference time, theirs to set.

 

[John_Silver]

Anxious times, aboard Sodebo. As they approach the Cape of Good Hope.



They are travelling so fast that they have outrun the low. Which is propelling them to, potentially, beat Edmond de Rothschild 17's 11day 21hour record (Ouessant to the Cape).



South of Australia, the Famous Project are also slowed. Searching for wind and sun, in that order.

 

[John_Silver]

Thomas Coville live streams Sodebo passing the Cape of Good Hope.

9 hours inside the record





The next milestones to crack are:



SiFi and the routing team's weather / ice synopsis:

 

[John_Silver]

Sunshine, but light airs, for the Dee and the Famous Project



The "Sodeboys" are in amongst ice, making 30+ knots

Drone shot from Dec 2024 Jules Verne attempt

 

[John_Silver]

The Famous Project approach the half way point (100nm off) of their Jules Verne. They are back in the breeze and anticipating going down through the sail wardrobe gears, in the coming hours. Their sighting of the Aurora Australis, overnight, proving to be a good portent. "We're done with the slowness," states Dee, on today's Live Stream

 

[John_Silver]

Ice watch, aboard Sodebo

 

[John_Silver]

A routing dilemma for Sodebo today, as the delta to Francis Joyon 2017 (red boat) drops to 700nm. Ice and (perhaps) too much wind/sea to the south (shortest route). Risk of too little wind, exacerbated by Kerguelen's lee, to the north.



Aboard Francis Joyon's 2017 boat, The Famous Project are making 30+kts, as they close Point Nemo. The repairs made, whilst waiting for breeze, standing them in good stead. Their damaged mainsail halyard lock has sprung back to life. Molly LaPointe unsure why. She is monitoring it, whilst attempting epoxy repairs to the starboard C foil/daggerboard. The outer skin of which was damaged during the fishing net incident (Speculation: board thrown back in its case by the impact- nicking top forward & bottom aft edges?)



EDIT Interviewed by Voiles et Voiliers, Alexia reveals more about the starboard C foil situation



Earlier, Alexia revealed that the foil was intially jammed in the down position. Slowly rising as speeds and sea state increased, once they escaped the high. Her Log continues to read as a poetic mix of odyssey and ocean race.

 

[John_Silver]

For Thomas Coville and the “Sodeboys,” the routing die is cast. . . .



. . . . and the drone is up, at 34kts as the sun sets. . . .

 

[John_Silver]

Tough times, aboard Sodebo



With a long and winding weather routing seemingly in prospect. Lead, over Francis Joyon 2017 (red boat), reduced to 350nm



On the plus side: The “Sodeboys” are less than half way round and have a boat which can sustain 40kts over a broad range of conditions.

 

[John_Silver]

Snapshots from the Big South:

A still from today's Sodebo drone flight.



A paragraph from Alexia's entry in The Famous Project's Log

 

[John_Silver]

Heavy conditions persist for the Famous Project. IDEC is slowed to preserve the boat. (Pic of Dee on the helm before the breeze picked up & the reefs went in)



The main halyard hook is out of action once more (requiring a mast climb to take reefs). Its unexplained recovery short lived. Tracy Edwards' all female Jules Verne attempt is very much on Alexia's mind, this New Year's Eve. As IDEC approaches Point Nemo, where Royal & Sun Alliance's mast came down. Her New Year's resolution is to finish the job which Tracy (with a youthful Sam D aboard) started. [See posts #38 & #39]



Thomas Coville ends 2025 with two new speed records added to the "Sodeboys" tally (Ouessant - Equator & Ouessant - Cape of Good Hope)



Will 2026 bring him the Trophee Jules Verne record?




The team reflect on their blessings (a sound boat) and resolve to head south (shortest route) as the New Year dawns.