Dee Caffari - The Famous Project

2011 Alexia Bex Dee.jpg

23 kts SOG But only 9kts VMC, for the Famous Project. Forced to take the long way around the top of an expanding Azores High. Currently on course for Newfoundland.

2011 Screenshot 2026-01-19 095855.png

With it unclear if a full hoist of the main has been attempted. And, if it has, whether the repair has held.
EDIT Update from Bex on today's Live. Main can be fully hoisted. Sailing with 2 reefs from choice. Mainsail has to be gybed to free the lock, when taking a reef. This is how sail was damaged. Batten also broken. No spare. But Stacey has splinted it with epoxy and a repurposed measuring stick. "We think we shouldn't carry the [repaired] sail in a big breeze"...."looks like its going to be 2 reefs from the Azores in, anyway"

2011 616173007_1440554957643380_7024809327147805241_n.jpg

The Sodeboys have made short work of the Doldrums. Emerging 270nm ahead of Francis Joyon 2017. SiFi's radical routing option (below the Azores High. See post #100) holds good. However, the weather systems intend to keep life interesting......

2011a.png

The Biscay storm will also affect the finish of the Famous Project.






​
 
Last edited:
Both Alexia's Famous Project and Thomas Coville's Sodeboys share the challenge of taking the finish line with an intense storm forecast for their ETA:

2013 Phillipe legros chart j.jpg

The Famous Project have a new, all female, Jules Verne benchmark to set. They could still succeed if they wait for the system to pass. Their priority is to preserve the boat so that they register a time.

2013 dee.jpg

For the Sodeboys, success depends upon beating Francis Joyon's 2017 record. They cannot afford to loose a minute.

2013 all eyes on the weather data.jpg

Voiles et Voiliers weighs their options with Sodebo's Head of Routing, Philippe Legros:

2013 Legros 1.png

2013 Legros 2.png

The conclusion? Take a step into the unknown, "bet everything on a single move" (see post #99)

2013 Legros 3.png

2013 file_1837_VidVSkkP1t-1024x576crop.jpg


​
 
Last edited:
They’ve had some proper bad luck, is that budget constraints? Looking at the weather out there, they may not even need the main at all to finish. But it must have cost them several days overall.
 
Chiara’s slave said:
They’ve had some proper bad luck, is that budget constraints? Looking at the weather out there, they may not even need the main at all to finish. But it must have cost them several days overall.
Click to expand...
Suspect it is partly budget - assume they couldn’t afford new sails and these may have been round before?
But also the sail problems have been heavily impacted by the halyard lock issue - as having to gybe hard (and sometimes repeatedly) to get the lock to play ball. Sounded like it was doing this again that split the sail. So really caused by the original problem and deciding to sail on rather than abandon to fix it.
 
Sails are the ones Francis Joyon used for 2022 Route du Rhum. (Which had already been damaged and repaired. Posts #99-102)

Up thread (post #104) Alexia was suggesting that, unless they got lucky, they’d circle in the (relative) Lee of the Azores, whilst the storm blows through.

Unlike the Sodeboys, The Famous Project are setting a time (all female benchmark); rather than needing to beat a record…..So they can still succeed, with a delay…..Different story for Thomas & team……
 
Last edited:
The die is cast. Famous Project now slowed to 8kts mid Azores archipelago. (Speculation: wing mast only?) Thinking of Sodebo, their own ultimate goal and Aesop's Fables.

2015 decision.png
2015 decision 2.png

Thomas Coville's team press on. In pursuit of Francis Joyon's Jules Verne record. Presently ahead, of his 2017 pace, by 650+nm.

2015 Sodebo plus.png

From the horse's hare's mouth

 
Last edited:
The Sodebo 'hare' is off the Azores. About to overhaul the limping Famous Project (neither visible on AIS unfortunately)

2016 Screenshot 2026-01-23 123500.png

Francis Joyon's Jules Verne record within Thomas Coville's grasp. If his crew can hold their ship together through Storm Ingrid

2016 Screenshot 2026-01-23 124440.png

2016 Sodebo.png​

2016 Screenshot 2026-01-23 124523.png

Voiles et Voiliers asked Charles Caudrelier to rate the record prospects of the Sodeboys (Charles Caudrelier is Skipper of Edmond de Rothschild 18 and winner of the 2024 Arkea Ultim Challenge. Elsewhere in the interview he shares trenchant analysis on the 2017 record)

2016 caudrelier Screenshot 2026-01-23 125244.png​
 
Last edited:
Wave height 7.8 metres… we had that at the Azores this time last year. It was fun, from the deck of Cunard’s Queen Vic. Not so much fun in an ultim going twice as fast, I would guess.
 
John_Silver said:
Snippets from the Gitana press release:

View attachment 203154

View attachment 203155
View attachment 203156

.....So, the 'double blade' rudder design is there to reduce cavitation. Cavitation being the reason why Edmond de Rothschild, and her peers, rarely sail at or beyond 40kts, even when conditions allow. Due to cavitation bubbles ‘shot blasting’ the existing foil designs to destruction, at those speeds.

EDIT: appendage innovations and their true function (not as speculated above!) explained in this 'reveal' video. (English subtitles).

Click to expand...
What a massive vessel. Great photo.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top