The Bateau des Métiers by Aérocampus abandons the Transat Jacques Vabre
On Thursday, October 29, Le Bateau des Métiers by Aérocampus was forced to return to Les Sables-d'Olonne due to the tearing of their mainsail. Unfortunately for the two sailors, they had no choice but to abandon the race. Indeed, the replacement Mainsail revealed weaknesses in several places and it would not have been serious for the two skippers to cross the Atlantic. Arnaud Boissières and Stan Maslard are therefore heading to Les Sables-d'Olonne and should arrive on Monday morning.
Bastide Otio reroutes to Portugal
On Thursday, October 29, at 3:30 pm, Kito de Pavant and Yann Régniau informed their technical team and the race management that they were diverting to the port of Cascais in Portugal, located about 400 miles from their current position.
For the last three days, the boat's "Fleet" satellite antenna has been out of order, forcing the duo to operate without weather data. Several sails are also damaged and it was not safe to continue towards Itajai. The Imoca Bastide Otio is expected to reach Cascais on Saturday, October 31, where she will be joined by her technical team to consider the repairs needed to continue the race.
L'Ultime Actual gives up
On Friday, October 30, at 5:00 a.m., Yves le Blévec and Jean-Baptiste le Vaillant, aboard the Ultime Actual, informed the Race Direction of the Transat Jacques Vabre of technical problems. As they were diverting towards the European coast, they finally took the heavy decision to abandon the race. A part of the starboard shroud jack broke, causing the boat to dismast and preventing it from being at its maximum functionality. They are now heading for La-Trinité-sur-Mer, which they should reach in three days.
"Ãa made a big "crack", the characteristic noise of the mast... I was on the deck, I had the reflex to look downwind to see the mast falling into the waterâeuros¦ but no, fortunately, it stopped. It went from 10° tilted into the wind to 30 to 40° tilted into the lee! It was a piece of the starboard shroud bolt that broke clean off. A steel rod, wear and tear no doubt. We were sailing under canvas, because it was squall conditions. I think it saved the mast" explained Yves le Blévec.
Adopteunskipper.net forced to abandon
Nicolas Boidevézi and Ryan Breymaier, skippers of the 60-foot monohull Adopteunskipper.net, informed their shore team of a technical problem with the starboard bottom runner (cable that holds the mast in place). While they were supposed to simply divert, the duo finally decided to abandon the race and reach Concarneau.
"It is necessarily a very difficult decision to make. But the rupture of this cable at the mast anchor is a serious enough warning. We can't afford to take the risk of continuing and seeing another cable breakâeuros¦ Ocean racing is not Russian roulette." says Nicolas.
It is now a question of convoying the boat to Concarneau under reduced sail. It will take the duo nearly four days to reach the Cornish port. The new objective: to prepare for the 2016 Vendée Globe.
Credit: DR
Créno-Moustache Solidaires joins Spain for a repair
Créno-Moustache Solidaires is heading to Spain to repair its high starboard spreader, which had broken. In a steady 30-35 knot SW'ly wind and heavy seas, a stainless steel part broke and the crew was able to quickly change tack to head north. But as the wind should quickly turn to the north-west, Créno-Moustache Solidaire will be able to curve its route towards La Coruña or Vigo in the next few hours. Thibault Hector and Morgan Launay think they will be able to repair quickly to get back to sea.
St-Michel Virbac rerouted to the Madeira archipelago
This Friday, October 30, Jean-Pierre Dick and Fabien Delahaye contacted their team to warn them that two stringers (structural reinforcement) were broken in the middle of the sail locker. The island is 250 miles away and the two sailors, joined by their technical team, will assess the damage in order to know whether they will set sail again or abandon.
