Vendee Globe 2024, Brits

[matt1]

Terrible news to wake up to. I was only thinking the other day how much better the fleet have evolved not to have lost a rig or had the normal structural issues by now. Reliability generally seems much improved. Thank goodness she isn’t so far from Australia. I hope she can raise the funds to get a replacement and get the boat back - she seemed to be really getting going these last few days too

 

[Royedge]

Absolutely heart-wrenching news. It's a testament to how far yacht design has come that we're taken aback by such events now. Fingers crossed that she's close enough to Australia to make recovery feasible. Hopefully, the community will come together to help her not only replace the rig but also continue her journey. She was really hitting her stride.

 

[John_Silver]

700 nm to Hobart.......fingers crossed......

 

[Buck Turgidson]

The low should overtake her today and then "relatively benign" conditions pushing her downwind to Tasmania.
Attanasio is 60nm to her NNE and Seguin is 3 days behind her.

 

[flaming]

. I hope she can raise the funds to get a replacement and get the boat back -

I am beyond gutted for Pip.

If there's one thing I can can say for certain though, having known Pip for 18 years, is that when Pip says she's going to do something, she does it. If she says she'll be back, she will. And I'll be there supporting her in any way I can.

 

[ridgy]

In her own words

 

[John_Silver]

Don McIntyre (of Golden Globe Race fame) maintaining a watching brief, on Facebook….Its good to have friends….especially ones with contacts in Oz and a track record of getting boats patched up on the shores of the Big South.

 

[John_Silver]

Pip, on getting to the Vendee Globe startline........French v's British sailing culture........and "living it."

 

[John_Silver]

Matt Sheahan on recent IMOCA mast failures & the new, for 2025, foiling-friendly mast design. (Should open @ 4.04)

 

[John_Silver]

IMOCA mast 'factoids:'
Before foils, an IMOCA generated 12t of righting moment. The current standardised Lorima mast was therefore designed to withstand 13t. On big foils, a 2024 generation IMOCA can generate 25t. Will edit in a link if/when I can remember where I saw that..... Plus, as Matt Shehan observes above, there are the fore and aft G-forces. Much greater on a foiler's, than an archimedean's, mast.

Good to see Pip achieving a steady 4 knots, toward a port of refuge, on the18.00 sched.

 

[John_Silver]

Yoann 2nm from Charlie, at the 22.00 sched. Some clues, about how he got there, in this pre-race interview / boat tour:

 

[Sea Change]

IMOCA mast 'factoids:'
Before foils, an IMOCA generated 12t of righting moment. The current standardised Lorima mast was therefore designed to withstand 13t. On big foils, a 2024 generation IMOCA can generate 25t. Will edit in a link if/when I can remember where I saw that..... Plus, as Matt Shehan observes above, there are the fore and aft G-forces. Much greater on a foiler's, than an archimedean's, mast.

Good to see Pip achieving a steady 4 knots, toward a port of refuge, on the18.00 sched.

Is she under jury rig?

 

[Skellum]

Is she under jury rig?

Yes. In the onboard video that came out after the event you can briefly see it, and some of the broken parts of the mast secured to the deck. Gutted for Pop, and now Szabo has had to retire as well.

 

[John_Silver]

Wonder how much Pip's (and his own, in the New York - Vendee) dismasting is on Sam G's mind? Riding this front.

EDIT: He's just posted this. Reduced pace (relative to peers) not due to (any additional) mast preservation precautions!

 

[John_Silver]

Rough night for Sam D too

 

[Allan]

After 14000 miles sailing, the first two are within 4 miles of eachother. The first three are within a bit over 3miles in distance to the finish. What a race!
Allan
Edit: 0600 ranking this morning has 2nd and 3rd with exactly the same distance to finish and only a couple of miles behind 1st!

 

[John_Silver]

The 'fourth Brit,' James Harayda, is already eyeing up boats for a 2028 entry. He narrowly missed the qualification cut this year. After competitive results, at the budget-entry, end of the fleet. (Lost out to Olly Heer, on mileage. Due to rig issues, early on in his campaign). Should open @26.13.

With the new build and 'nearly new' IMOCA arms race already well underway

 

[John_Silver]

Word from Pip
If you're not on FB:
She's looking well rested. Is pleased to have covered 96nm (since dismasting). Reckons 12 days to Melbourne. Where a volunteer shore party, 'from the Australian sailing community,' will greet her (to whom she is 'extremely grateful'). Meanwhile Pip is 'planning the next racing project.' And to 'pimp' her jury rig, to increase speed......

 

[John_Silver]

Charlie’s been on sail bricolage. Stand by for (more) fireworks, at the front.

 

[Sea Change]

The three leaders are within 900m of each other!