Vendee Globe - the Real Race

[DeepFrz]

Someone just posted on the Vendee Globe facebook page that Javier Sanso was picked up by an EH 101 helo. of the Portugese search and rescue and they should be back to base about now 03:00 UTC, Feb. 04.

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

They expect to pick up Tanguy in about an hour, 23:00 UTC. Another keel lost. I was hoping he would make it as he was doing such a great job for kids.

Edit: Add: There will be no penalty for JPD which is great to hear.

Oops, I meant Javier Sanso will be picked up.

You scared me there for a second. I'd be gutted if Tanguy had to abandon! I think he'll be able to make repairs and continue. Fingers crossed

[DeepFrz]

Tanguy has averaged only 2.8 kn over the last 24 hrs. so it is looking very bad for him. In the meantime I am waiting official word that Javier is safely on land.

[Maxs]

Good to hear that Sanso was recued.. Hope his team can salvage Acciona, those guys put a lot of thought into that boat, they where going in the right direction with all those very cool electrical systems on board..around the world with no fossil fuels, very impressive!!

[DeepFrz]

There is finally an official notice on the VD French web site that Javier is safe and in good health. He is on the Isle. of Terceira, Azores.

I doubt that anyone will try to salvage Acciona. All of her electrical systems will be ruined and pretty much everything else will be broken up by the time they get to her.

[cwyckham]

Javier has told his story (briefly), and there's a video of the rescue on the site. Video clearly shows no keel (as you'd expect for a sudden roll in only 20 kn of wind).

So that's 3 keels gone or about 10% failure rate. That's freaking rediculous for such a critical structure. IMOCA needs to address this quickly.

[cwyckham]

JP has just finished! What an accomplishment!

[DeepFrz]

Javier was very lucky to survive after being thrown out of the boat. Had the boat come upright it is unlikely that he would have been able to get back on board. Lucky too that it happened in warmer water as he was just in ordinary clothes.

He did talk about recovering the boat, much to my surprise.

[Doodles]

Looks like Le Cam has won his duel with Golding. :-(

[DeepFrz]

It looks that way if the wind predictions are true. It will be a close finish though I think.

Tanguy has increased his speed slightly so he may have reduced the water inflow.

Alessandro has crossed the Equator.

[Doodles]

Sounds like Golding has some serious problems with this keel box. Hope he can keep it together to the finish.

[DeepFrz]

Yes he does and the bilge pump empties into the keel box so he has to slow down to pump out. What a pita. I think I would try to rig something to pump into the cockpit.

[Doodles]

The latest from Mike:

Just in from Mike at 1230 GMT: "I've crossed onto the continental shelf and had a couple of really big waves. All is fine, 42 knots of wind and gusts of up to 50 knots. I've going at 12-16 knots, occasionally up to 20. Looking forward to seeing everyone in Les Sables."

[DeepFrz]

Congratulations to Jean le Cam, finishing in fifth place.

Bernard Stamm has reported that the keel mechanism has broken at or near the attachment point to the hull. He has apparently managed to save the keel by lashing it somehow.

[barnakiel]

Right now wx in the Vizcaya is bad to say the least. Big winds and plenty of wind waves that tend to get pretty nasty as they get over the shelf. On top of that, I think, Mike and Bernard have to time their arrival with the tide.

b.