After 40 hours of racing, the south-westerly wind picked up during the night of November 5 to 6 in the Bay of Biscay, with chaotic seas. " The low-pressure front is continuing its course, passing over a third of the fleet this morning, with squalls of 40-45 knots and a cross swell of 5-6 metres. These conditions make maneuvers difficult and cause regular damage, especially to the autopilots. Sail changes are tricky and that's why we're seeing some very strong downwinds explains the race director, Jacques Caraës.
Indeed, on the map, it goes in all directions! If the first Ultimates - Macif (François Gabart) and Idec Sport (Francis Joyon) have managed to avoid the gale, the Class40s are shaken by a NW swell countered by SW waves and a wind that oscillates between 35 and 40 knots with gusts. The skipper of Arkema, Lalou Roucarol even recorded "55 knots of wind, 65 knots in the gusts with head seas and 5-meter swells."
First dismastings
These rough conditions have done their first damage, starting with two dismastings, one in IMOCA, the other in Class40 Isabelle [Joschke] was sailing on port tack close hauled with two reefs in the main and staysail 200 nautical miles northwest of A Coruña when, due to a pilot problem, the Imoca changed tack unexpectedly. Isabelle then took the time to properly prepare another tack to get her sixty-footer back on course when the mast broke." After securing her boat, the sailor notified the race organization and headed east under motor. She is not injured, but very disappointed.
Sam Goodchild, who was in 8th place in Class40, has informed the race directors that his boat Narcos: Mexico has been dismasted. He has managed to secure the rig and is heading for land, and should arrive in Brest in a few days.
"I was going great, 10 knots, two reefs-J2, there was 30-35 knots of wind, I was sleeping, I went up on deck to check that everything was okay and that everything was stabilized. Then I went down, started to put the boat away and I heard a big bang, I went on deck and the mast was in the water. It's very disappointing, I wasn't expecting that at all. ... I think it's from something that broke a year ago that we checked 6 months ago. For me, it was a really closed issue, it wasn't an issue anymore, but apparently it was... I have no regrets and that was a goal for me for a long time. I wanted to go all the way, of course, but my goal was really to have no regrets and I have none. So at least I'm happy, and if I had to do it again, I wouldn't change anything. Maybe I'm naive, but I think it's more bad luck than bad preparation and that's part of ocean racing. Right now, I have a small makeshift rig with the tourmentin, I'm making 4 knots, I still have 270 miles to go, so I think I'll arrive in Brest on Thursday"
Sheltering
If some had anticipated the gale and had taken shelter others have only just taken the decision. Thus, in Rhum Multi, Loïck Peyron followed by Yann Marilley as well as Gilles Buekenhout, are trying to reach the north coast of Spain, probably towards Gijon or La Coruna, while Charlie Capelle, Pierrick Tollemer, Christophe Bogrand, Gérald Bibot are heading towards South Brittany.
In the Multi50 class, even though Lalou Roucayrol has already rounded Cape Finisterre, followed by Armel Tripon, he has nevertheless decided to take shelter "Already very tired from this energetic start to his 4th Route du Rhum âeuros Destination Guadeloupe, and in consultation with his routing team, the decision has been made to play it safe to ensure the Arkema Multi50 finishes the race. Lalou is therefore heading for Porto, which he should reach at around 9 am HF. The port is aware of his arrival and ready to welcome him, members of his technical team are on their way to take care of the trimaran, which has not suffered any damage, while Lalou will rest, waiting for the worst of this storm to pass."
Indeed, the organisms get tired, as Paul Meilhat (SMA) also explains "
36 boats in the waiting
Between those who are already in the shelter and those who are going to start, there are 36 solo sailors who are in "break" mode this Tuesday morning, November 6, 2018, as explained by Jacques Caraës, the race director : "In terms of the latest calls received, Charal (Jérémie Beyou), taken in tow by a tugboat from Brest, has indicated that he is heading for Lorient rather than Brest, Halvard Mabire (Colombre XL) has decided to take shelter to preserve his boat, which does not belong to him, and is heading for Bénodet or Lorient, the three Multi Rhum boats of Charlie Capelle (A Capella Soreal Proludic), Pierrick Tollemer (Resadia) and Gérald Bibot (Zed 7) have turned back towards Lorient or La Trinité-sur-Mer, Loïck Peyron (Happy) is heading towards the north of Spain, probably to a small port located 60 miles west of Gijon, David Ducosson (Air Antilles-Caseneuve Maxi Catamaran) has torn his solent.
In total, between those who have stopped and those who are on their way to shelter, there are 36 boats, including 3 in Roscoff, 2 in L'Aber Wrach, 7 in Camaret, 7 in Brest, 1 in Loctudy, 4 in Bénodet, 2 in Concarneau, 4 in Lorient and 3 in La Trinité-sur-Mer. When will they leave? It's hard to know, because a second and third low-pressure system is forecast for the middle and end of the week. As for the first ETAs [Arrival Day], we are still six days away for the first Ultimates."
