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