Tomahawk
Well-Known Member
If there is a kisshap... he will know who to blame.
La Route du Rhum
- Thread starter Sybarite
- Start date
If there is a kisshap... he will know who to blame.
davidaprice
Well-Known Member
So apparently Alex crashed into Guadeloupe. Forgot to set his alarm?
https://www.routedurhum.com/fr/actualite/1042
But it seems that apart from scratches all along the starboard side he's otherwise OK and completing the race, still doing 15 knots.
https://www.routedurhum.com/fr/actualite/1042
But it seems that apart from scratches all along the starboard side he's otherwise OK and completing the race, still doing 15 knots.
matt1
Well-Known Member
Seems like quite a bit of damage. Only Alex could sail a waterlogged boat, with damaged foil, bowsprit and keel box at 12knots! Seems in a hurry to get those last 35 miles completed!
matt1
Well-Known Member
Btw - the jury have protested him for using his engine to reverse off? Does that mean game over or the imposition of. Small time penalty
BigJoe
Well-Known Member
Alex Thomson Racing is currently managing a developing incident, which occurred during the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe. Today between 21:45 and 22:00 AST Alex Thomson’s IMOCA 60 race boat grounded on Guadeloupe island. Skipper Thomson is safe, uninjured and in no danger. Structural checks are ongoing. The situation is being closely reviewed and monitored by the technical and management teams at Alex Thomson Racing, who are in contact with Thomson, together with the Route du Rhum race organisation. Thomson is continuing to race onboard HUGO BOSS and intends to complete the race."
matt1
Well-Known Member
Speed just dropped to only 1.4 knots!! Oh c@@p not a good sign. Let's hope it's just hope it's light winds!
BigJoe
Well-Known Member
Back up to 5 knots............................ hopfully, just in a wind hole..............................................
Roger52
Well-Known Member
Unless something drastic happens, God forbid, he will cross the finish line first. I assume it's then down to Race Direction to decide on the penalty for use of the engine.
Spyro
Well-Known Member
Sounds like he did run into the island rather than a grounding, It may have lost a bit in translation but I think it sounds like the boat has a watertight bulkhead which has done its job.
"Tonight, the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe Race Direction contacted Alex Thomson to check on the skipper and his boat.
Launched at full speed port tack, Hugo Boss hit the cliffs of Guadeloupe around 21:45 (local time). The accident occurred at the north end of Grande Terre, just south of the Grande Vigie lighthouse on La Pointe à Claude.
Driven to the coast, Alex Thomson had to break the sails and start his engine to extract his boat from the rocks. He was able to move away from the reefs before re-hoisting to resume his journey. Alex then cut his engine and installed a new lead on the propeller shaft.
The skipper was not injured but the damage is significant. The crash box and the bowsprit were damaged, resulting in a waterway, circumscribed by the bulkhead of the front peak.
The starboard foil is damaged. According to Alex, the keel and its structure were also affected without being able to establish a more precise diagnosis in the middle of the night.
Currently, the boat is sailing at a speed of 7 knots and continues its tour of the island. A SNSM star has been dispatched to the scene and is ready to respond if needed.
Approaching the little island 'Head to English', he has about 60 miles to run to the finish line.
The Jury was informed by the Race Direction of the accident and will file a protest against Alex Thomson for using his engine during the race."
"Tonight, the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe Race Direction contacted Alex Thomson to check on the skipper and his boat.
Launched at full speed port tack, Hugo Boss hit the cliffs of Guadeloupe around 21:45 (local time). The accident occurred at the north end of Grande Terre, just south of the Grande Vigie lighthouse on La Pointe à Claude.
Driven to the coast, Alex Thomson had to break the sails and start his engine to extract his boat from the rocks. He was able to move away from the reefs before re-hoisting to resume his journey. Alex then cut his engine and installed a new lead on the propeller shaft.
The skipper was not injured but the damage is significant. The crash box and the bowsprit were damaged, resulting in a waterway, circumscribed by the bulkhead of the front peak.
The starboard foil is damaged. According to Alex, the keel and its structure were also affected without being able to establish a more precise diagnosis in the middle of the night.
Currently, the boat is sailing at a speed of 7 knots and continues its tour of the island. A SNSM star has been dispatched to the scene and is ready to respond if needed.
Approaching the little island 'Head to English', he has about 60 miles to run to the finish line.
The Jury was informed by the Race Direction of the accident and will file a protest against Alex Thomson for using his engine during the race."
Frogmogman
Well-Known Member
Ha ha ha. Love the translation of vedette (which in this case means patrol boat rather than star).
Hope they don't punish him too hard for the use of the engine.
thecommander
Well-Known Member
Asleep at the wheel?
Frogmogman
Well-Known Member
Understandable in view of how hard they push themselves, and how little sleep they get.
Remember how Ultimate winner Francis Joyon ran a previous IDEC onto the Pointe de Penmarc'h on his way home from the finish line after breaking the transatlantic solo record in 2005 ? IIRC it was the autopilot had tripped out and ran him onto the rocks while he took 40 winks.
BigJoe
Well-Known Member
Yes as he's been racing for 11 days
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
Well I don't understand that. It's the point of the passage that needs full on alertness. No doubt the real reason will be promulgated in due course. And if it was sleepy, then bad management.
BigJoe
Well-Known Member
Not 100% sure of the rules, however, I believe Alex will be disqualified for using his engine
Spyro
Well-Known Member
I suppose it will come down to an argument about it being for safety reasons.
Roberto
Well-Known Member
There will probably be a time penalty, IIRC the rules are about "getting a significant advantage" through the violation, which on one side he has indeed as without engine HB would have sunk, but surely not a significant advantage in terms of time to finish.
bbg
Well-Known Member
Agreed. I know several people who have grounded (and in one case lost the boat) on the final run to the finish in an ocean race. IMHO it is something you should plan for: You should know that in three days you will be approaching land, so in the run-up to that you take your foot of the pedal and get some extra rest. Maybe you compromise a few miles over the next 48 hours, but it lets you stay alert on final approach.
bbg
Well-Known Member
How much time would it have taken him to get off without an engine? Try to lay out an anchor and kedge off? Maybe not possible without a dinghy, so it is most probable that using the engine has made the difference between finishing and not finishing. That must be a significant advantage.
There is a pretty strong case for DSQ or very long time penalty (24 hours? 48 hours? more?) but it depends on the rules and how these things have been dealt with in the past.
From a seamanship point of view, using the engine was absolutely the right call in order to save the boat. But that doesn't mean he should be allowed to be classified in the race.
Frogmogman
Well-Known Member
Much though I find this sort of racing gripping, and have nothing but admiration for the participants, a little part of me has always been uncomfortable with the fact that it is totally incompatible with the requirement to keep a proper look out at all times.
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