Vendée Globe 2016-2017

[westhinder]

Thomas Ruyant has struck a UFO at a time he was sailing in 40kts of wind and mountainous seas. Structural damage to hull and deck, rudder partly gone. He is limping towards New Zealand and has made preparations to abandon ship if the situation deteriorates.

 

[mainsail1]

484 miles is a lot to catch up....... unless the leader has a crunch.

 

[zoidberg]

I'm beginning to think Thomson has damage he's not telling us about....

 

[Robert Wilson]

Did any body watch it all the way through to see if he did get a mention?

Not the hole way through - but even during the "watery" reports - not a squeak.

 

[Robert Wilson]

484 miles is a lot to catch up....... unless the leader has a crunch.

+1

I'm beginning to think Thomson has damage he's not telling us about....

I agree with you. Poor guy (if correct). He's slipping back all the time - or is it that Armel is just that much more accurate and lucky with the winds.
Whenever Alex gets a decent wind it puts him on port, his disadvantaged side.

I hope he can keep going and at least hold his place.

 

[Hacker]

Did any body watch it all the way through to see if he did get a mention?

Yes and no

 

[LONG_KEELER]

I'm beginning to think Thomson has damage he's not telling us about....

Yes you get that feeling don't you.

Even with the damaged foil, he seems to be nursing something as his nature is to blast .

Looking at windy and his fellow competitors his boat speed seems odd.

 

[NormanB]

Clearly Alex has much better info than we get via windytv but from that feed his course selection always look less than optimal (armchair navigation alert). Armel is certainly routing into the better winds as evidenced by his daily tote as he draws away from Alex. Of course Alex is persitently on the port tack (so on the damaged stump of the foil), not much chance of starboard tack work and then for not very long prior to the Horn.

I think Alex is hoping Armel will stoof in - probably his only hope of supplanting him now.

Would be great to get a video update from Alex, not had one for a while.

(Edit just checked you tube and he uploaded one an hour ago - how did I miss that!)

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I guess he chose the wrong route in staying North of the GCR trying to offset the damaged foil but it didn't pay off with 500 mile lead Armel will sail on the conservative side and it's just too much for Alex to pull back unless something untoward happens to Banque Populaire. Looks like he's going to be the bridesmaid again. Splendid effort though.

 

[doris]

I guess he chose the wrong route in staying North of the GCR trying to offset the damaged foil but it didn't pay off with 500 mile lead Armel will sail on the conservative side and it's just too much for Alex to pull back unless something untoward happens to Banque Populaire. Looks like he's going to be the bridesmaid again. Splendid effort though.

Still a long way to go both for the chasing fleet to catch up and for ALC and AT to have further dramas.
I'm surprised none mentions the other RTW effort going on.
Thomas Colville is dong amazing well. see
http://tour-du-monde.sodebo.com/

 

[LePacha]

or is it that Armel is just that much more accurate and lucky with the winds.

You cannot say luck with Armel when it comes to winds. Take his sailing results over the last 10 years and you will see it has nothing to do with luck. This guy is just amazing when it comes to solitaire racing.
Luck is about hitting an OFNI - and there I guess we can all agree that Alex has been unlucky and that this unfortunate event is a real shame as we cannot see the match we were supposed to see.

For me Alex is a beast - he will give 100% of himself and sail to the limit. Armel is no match for him when it comes to pure physical sailing. This is also part of his issue, this means that he is experiencing, more than most, damages to his boat.

But when it comes to tactical racing, solo, I don't believe that anybody can match Armel at the moment. Maybe Mich Desj, but that's about it.

 

[Seven Spades]

Looks like Alec will be on starboard on 48 hours and is now taking the shorter route so he may well claw some miles back.

 

[NormanB]

Update on the dismasting - hairy stuff!

http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/...t-ville-de-boulogne-billancourt-has-dismasted

And AT's latest 'laid back' update - https://youtu.be/l0_7xiWYd6Y

Amazing fella ����

 

[Spyro]

I guess he chose the wrong route in staying North of the GCR trying to offset the damaged foil but it didn't pay off with 500 mile lead Armel will sail on the conservative side and it's just too much for Alex to pull back unless something untoward happens to Banque Populaire. Looks like he's going to be the bridesmaid again. Splendid effort though.

He spoke about it on an update. They are sailing in different systems now. Armel just managed to get through some light winds and get away and has been cashing in ever since. Alex said that if Armel had been 50 miles behind where he was he reckoned he wouldn't have made it through and it would be a lot closer. Classic example of the rich getting richer. Alex has been stuck in difficult winds for a few days now while Armel has just been flying away. Must have been very frustrating for Alex seeing those behind catching him and the one in front getting away. Looking good for Alex for a few days now but Armel looks to have good winds all the way to the Horn.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

He sounded very subdued and resigned in the last video, his race is run.

 

[NormanB]

There is an update on Thomas Ruyant's harrrowing experience, fortunately he is now within help range if it should all go Pete Tong.

http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/17297/ruyant-s-race-against-time-to-beat-the-weather

 

[Spyro]

There is an update on Thomas Ruyant's harrrowing experience, fortunately he is now within help range if it should all go Pete Tong.

http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/17297/ruyant-s-race-against-time-to-beat-the-weather

That boat looks like it ran into a brick wall.

 

[Andrew E]

Did any body watch it all the way through to see if he did get a mention?

I don't think so. I was expecting a mention, or at best a live link to Alex onboard Hugo Boss.

 

[Robert Wilson]

That's better

Alex has made-up 3nm and is sailing 0.6kts faster than Armel at 07:00 report.
Not much, in fact nothing at all - but it's better than losing distance and speed.:encouragement:

C'mon Alex

 

[sailorman]

Vendée Globe Sailor in Trouble After Boat Hits Shipping Container Off New Zealand
December 19, 2016 by Mike Schuler

Photo shows damage to Thomas Ruyant's boat. Photo: Vendee Globe
Photo shows damage to Thomas Ruyant’s boat.
A French sailor participating in the Vendée Globe around the world race is in serious trouble after his boat collided with what is believed to be shipping container while sailing a few hundred miles south of New Zealand on Sunday.

According to race organizers, skipper Thomas Ruyant, of team Le Souffle du Nord pour Le Projet Imagine, is in good health but his boat is on the verge of splitting in two.

Ruyant spent Sunday night hove to and is now attempting to motor to Bluff on the South Island of New Zealand, located about 260 miles away from Ruyant’s original position.

Ruyant told his team he was doing about 17 knots when he hit what he believes was a floating shipping container.

““It was a bit like a car accident,” said Ruyant. “The boat came to a sudden halt. It was an extremely violent shock. I felt extremely down about it yesterday, but I’m finding the motivation to bring my boat safely to port. That is my priority.”

Race organizers said on Monday that Ruyant is making 7.5 to 7.8 knots and, as of Monday afternoon, he had made it to about 205 miles from Bluff. He is trying to reach New Zealand ahead of a strong low pressure system forecast for Tuesday.

In an update, Ruyant said the damage to his boat was getting worse and he wasn’t sure if he would be able to make it to New Zealand.
http://gcaptain.com/vendee-globe-sa...boat-hits-shipping-container-off-new-zealand/