Vendee Globe and Alex Thomson / Hugo Boss

Sort of nice ironical symmetry in that it was Escoffier's boat (PRB), then skippered by Vincent Riou, who rescued Le Cam in the 2009 Vendee. Not the exact same hull I don't believe, but still.
 
Le Cam makes the actual rescue seem very easy which I doubt it was. Does anyone know what the 'transmission' is that he mentions in the video? Possibly a translation error or actually a thing?
 
Le Cam makes the actual rescue seem very easy which I doubt it was. Does anyone know what the 'transmission' is that he mentions in the video? Possibly a translation error or actually a thing?
I don’t know but I’m guessing it’s one of the outriggers I assume they use for outboard sheeting angles? I’ll email Eric who’s a French sailing friend (and is one of the official ‘measurers’ for mini-transats who also run similar rigs on a different scale. ) Whether we’ll understand the answer is another matter. Eric and I talk nineteen to the dozen in a huge mixture of pigeon French and his pigeon English.
 
Fantastic news and well done Le Cam!

Anecdotal evidence I know, but one has to wonder whether some systemic design fault has crept into these new boats.
 
Fantastic news and well done Le Cam!

Anecdotal evidence I know, but one has to wonder whether some systemic design fault has crept into these new boats.


The need for speed and making it too light?
But seeing how the crash capsule on Grosjeans car survived a 55g impact and was completely intact it must be possible to make them light and incredibly strong.
 
Escoffier’s description of PRB folding 90 degs and sinking, sounds like another major structural failure. Not good news for other similar boats in the Southern Ocean !!
 
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