Keel free for 2000nms

oldbilbo

oldbilbo

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Tonight Jean-Pierre Dick is gybing downwind just off La Corunna and it looks likely he's looking to bring his 'keel-free' Open 60 'Virbac-Paprec 3' all the way home to Les Sables D'Ollone. That's around 2000nm from where it snapped off south of the Azores. Should he manage to bring her back without further loss, I imagine he'll have a hero's welcome....



VP3.jpg



The forecast suggests a relatively gentle 36 hours or so before the breeze starts to build again. Should he be able to maintain an average of 10 knots, which he has demonstrated much of the way so far, he ought to be able to squeeze in before the next system starts to interfere with his equilibrium. But, as we all know, lots of things can change in 36 hours - especially the weather in Biscay, in January. However it pans out over the next couple of days, he is certain to provide his sponsors with a few more miles of column inches.

Let's wish him the very best of luck.....
 
According to facebook and Bing translate, it seems he is opting to shelter in a Spanish port to await better weather, before continuing to Les Sables.
Shame, as he will lose his race ranking, but an eminently understandable and sensible decision given the nasty weather that Alex encountered in Biscay.

From the horse's mouth:
"Jean-Pierre Dick a décidé d'aller se mettre à l'abri dans un port espagnol. Il n'abandonne pas et repartira vers les Sables d'Olonne ce week-end !"
 
Typical, blurry typical! About half-an-hour after my 'best guess' above, based on his track up around the corner, the French skipper's Articles page ( http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/article/11805/jp-dick-will-stop-in-north-of-spain-but-does-not-give-up.html ) posted this....

Racing without a keel for a week now, at 2100hrs French time (2000hrs UTC) this Wednesday evening Dick made the decision to seek shelter and anchor in the bay at San Ciprián, and so avoid the strong gale force winds which are about to sweep the Bay of Biscay especially between Thursday and Friday. The skipper of Virbac-Paprec 3 hopes to return to the race course late Saturday or early Sunday, seeking to make the final 290 miles across the Bay of Biscay to the Vendée Globe finish line in Les Sables d’Olonne

Jean-Pierre sent an email to his team in 21h

Hello,

There will be a lot of wind on the way to go to Les Sables d'Olonne! The models predict a violent front for the night of Thursday to Friday. I still remember my return in the Transat in 2004. I sailed with the mainsail dropped and staysail only. Me and my monocoque (Virbac-Paprec 1) were rolled around like a washing machine
In one second a wave bloody wave finished off my desire to win to nothing. The sea had been strong but had allowed me to carry on.


This is the argument that has made today to stop and not give up. I am expecting to anchor or find buoy on the Spanish coast in the hope that it is better than toughing it out off Cape Finisterre. But I really want to be home with my own family. I will probably have to be at anchor for about three days. Repairs, reading and eating the remains of my freeze-dried food, what a treat is in store. Such is the price of trying to finish the Vendée Globe.



The Vendée Globe has remained true to the end. I want to finish this race and have had the adventure, I wanted to wear the yellow jersey but I got the polka dot jersey as the best climber. I wanted the fun of surfing and have had this stressful high wire act. To finish the Vendée Globe is the aim but what a joy it will be to cross the line!

This race really builds your character and keeps you humble at the same time.

Thank for your messages of support, it makes me feel better.


JP

* San Ciprián is a cove protected from NW and SW winds. It is located on the north coast of Spain at about 70 miles to the east of La Coruña
Click to expand...
 
Thanks for the additional info. Would I be right in thinking that if he merely anchors in a bay, he will not be DSQ, as opposed to actually entering a port and berthing?
 
This looks like the place he has in mind. San Ciprian lies just north-east of the city of Viveiro, and north of Cervo. There's an apparently decent harbour close by, should they need to bring her back as deck cargo.....


SanCiprian.jpg



Anchoring under sail, eh? Never easy.... should be a manoeuvre to watch.
 
oldbilbo said:
Anchoring under sail, eh? Never easy.... should be a manoeuvre to watch.
Click to expand...

Not at all difficult - just head into the wind and drop the hook when the boat starts going backwards.

Retrieving the anchor while sailing singlehanded off a lee shore, without a keel, is a different matter, so lets hope the winds are kind.
 
Seems hard to imagine it will go to windward sans keel.You would need faith in the weather forecast when chosing an anchorage. Good Luck to JPD,hope he does complete the race .
 
Bernard Stamm was given permission to use his engine to anchor - it was his subsequent finding a man on his foredeck that caused his disqualification.

These yachts are a nightmare to anchor, at the best of times. You need to set up a bridle so as to clear the bowsprit and kicker wire. I have a suspicion they might not have foredeck cleats - so have no idea to what you secure the bridle. I think anchoring is probably easier than the subsequent departure.

Tongue in cheek - the rules clearly define these yachts have a keel and bulb of pretty specific weights - as far as I can ascertain he's outside the rules, hero maybe - but if they use the rules as they did with Stamm? Or has he already retired.

Oldbilbo - you are doing a great job keeping me updated on the race, well done and thanks!

Jonathan
 
JPD did not ditch his keel on purpose, it was damage / latent defect /fault.

no different than coming home sans 1/2 a mast under jury rig.
he could always take his bread knife to the anchor warp
does his boat have canards that would assist going to weather


Neeves said:
Bernard Stamm was given permission to use his engine to anchor - it was his subsequent finding a man on his foredeck that caused his disqualification.

These yachts are a nightmare to anchor, at the best of times. You need to set up a bridle so as to clear the bowsprit and kicker wire. I have a suspicion they might not have foredeck cleats - so have no idea to what you secure the bridle. I think anchoring is probably easier than the subsequent departure.

Tongue in cheek - the rules clearly define these yachts have a keel and bulb of pretty specific weights - as far as I can ascertain he's outside the rules, hero maybe - but if they use the rules as they did with Stamm? Or has he already retired.

Oldbilbo - you are doing a great job keeping me updated on the race, well done and thanks!

Jonathan
Click to expand...
 
graham said:
Seems hard to imagine it will go to windward sans keel. . . .
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It will go to windward fine in lightish airs. The boat's 'bite' in the water is provided by the daggerboards not the keel.
As long as he can contrive enough righting moment it will sail as well as ever.
He's got his waterballast tanks to play with, but his AVS (angle of vanishing stability) will be down to about 30 degrees! Do-erble, but not relaxing!
 
graham said:
Seems hard to imagine it will go to windward sans keel.
Click to expand...

When going to windward the keel is fully canted to weather - almost parallel with the water - so doesn't provide any lateral resistance. As others have said, the bite is provided by the daggerboards, which he still has.
 
Niander said:
So has it any keel left or nothing and if nothing how can it sail?
i can understand if wind behind otherwise cannot?
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All the bits he needs to sail are still intact - the mast / sails / dagger boards / rudder.

'All' he has lost (and I'm not downplaying this!) is his ability to generate maximum righting moment by canting the ballast keel to windward.
But that still leaves him with the form stability of a very wide flat boat, the water ballast tanks, the stacking of gear and equipment to windward, plus him sat on the rail.
This is all quite effective up to 30 degrees of heel, when he will suddenly loose righting moment and the boat will invert as none of this does much for his Large Angle Stability (ie no self righting).
He also doesn't want to get caught 'aback'.

Think of it as a multihull, but with shortcomings.
 
From the Official Site <http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/article/11815/a-lay-by-on-the-long-and-winding-road.html>


A lay by on the long and winding road

Articles | Thursday 31 January 2013, 09:33

At 0430 this morning, Virbac Paprec 3 moored in the bay in San Ciprian 70 miles to the east of La Coruna. This will be Jean-Pierre Dick’s haven for the next three days as he waits for the strong winds of the difficult low pressure to pass over the Bay of Biscay. He expects to leave Saturday night or Sunday morning for the 290 miles passage across Biscay to the finish in Les Sables d’Olonne where he is likely to get a great welcome.
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"It's not over until the fat lady sings"...... or summat.
 
These things always seemed like Big Dinghies ... now he's gone and converted it fully into a big dinghy - and still sails it!

Amazing ... !
 
Great seamanship.

OTOH, I was looking at Queen Beatrice's yacht which is a sailing "Lemsteraak" : De Groene Draeck .

It's a typical Dutch sailing yacht, 50' x 15' x 3'. ie only 3' draft. The stability comes from its beam and internal ballast (as does Stamm's boat now) and dagger boards for leeway.

There are certain parallels.
 
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