Gitana 13 Tackles the Tea Route
Hong Kong - Lionel Lemonchois and the crew of Gitana 13 have cast off the docklines for yet another record attempt. This time, it's the old clipper route from Hong Kong to London known as the "tea route," a 14,000+ mile marathon that will give the crew a chance to think of days of old as they cover the same shipping route that connected East and West for centuries. It looks as though Gitana 13 is the first Maxi (certainly of its class) to attempt this record, currently held since 1990 by Philippe Monnet. If Team Gitana holds true to form, expect the record to be soundly smashed.
The tea route from China to London does have a racing history. The vessels weren't racing for glory, though, they were racing for profit. The first ship to land in London with a load of tea could demand the best price, and this is what pushed the design of the first tea clippers, as British companies tried to compete with faster, smaller American clipper ships. The ponderously slow merchantmen ships were no match for the most advanced technology of the 19th century, and the svelte, fast boats could carry precious cargo to market while the demand was still high, and the supply was still low. Clippers gave way to the massive Windjammers within a few decades, and the glory days when (legal) cargo vessels were sleek and speedy was relatively brief, but incredibly important to the evolution of modern sailing yachts.
For the ultra modern Gitana 13, the start will be relatively slow, as Lionel Lemonchois explained just minutes before crossing the start line: “The first part of the course as far as the Indian Ocean won’t necessarily be very quick. Until we get to the south of Vietnam, the anemometer will rarely exceed 10-15 knots, but as the wind gradually backs we’ll be able to pick up the pace as we approach the Java Sea. There aren’t likely to be any big surprises as far as the weather is concerned over the initial miles but the crew will have to be on their guard. We noticed during our previous records that our passage across the China Sea is likely to involve a number of encounters (fishing boats and drifting nets dotted about everywhere). In addition, throughout our descent of the Indian Ocean, we’re going to pass strings of islands… land will never be that far away.”
We wish the best of luck to Lionel and the Gitana 13 crew, and will be providing updates as they make their way down around the Cape of Good Hope and back up. They've been waiting for a window for some time, and seem happy to be back on the sea. One thing hasn't changed in all these years of sailing, and that's Joseph Conrad's observation that ports are where ships rot and men go to the devil.
- Brad Hampton for YachtPals.com
READ MORE ABOUT
Sailing Video: Gitana 13 sailing and the skipper of the maxi-catamaran Gitana 13, Lionel Lemonchois.
Submitted By YachtPals on 14 Aug
Gitana 13, Lionel Lemonchois, Gitana, Tea Route, Hong Kong, China Sea, sailing record, boat, boats, boating, yacht, ycahts, yachting, sail, sails, sailing
Delicious
Digg
StumbleUpon
Facebook
Google
Yahoo
Boating and Sailing Magazine Feed
Gitana Catamaran
Who designed it, who built it .
Are they French like the Skipper?
Gitana 13
Gitana 13 has a great history. She is a Gilles Ollier design built in the Multiplast yard and originally launched in 2000 as 'Innovation Explorer' for Bruno Peyron's 'The Race'. She was relaunched as 'Orange' in 2001, 'Kingfisher 2' in 2003, and more recently refitted and launched in the Team Gitana livery in 2007.
More about the boat http://yachtpals.com/gitana-13
Gitana 13 history
I found more Gitana history on this page
http://yachtpals.com/book/gitana-13
Gitana 13 on the Tea Route
Press Release from the Gitana Team:
The weather window selected by the crew of Gitana 13 to set out on the Tea Route record has proven to be the right one. Heading off from Hong Kong on Thursday 14th August at 07h55’32’’(UT), following on from the influence of the tropical storm “Kammuri” and prior to the arrival of typhoon “Nuri”, the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group has racked up a great time to the Sunda Strait, despite conditions which did little to favour performance. Passing through the passage last night, less than a week after setting off, this strait marks the entry of Lionel Lemonchois and his nine crew into the Indian Ocean.
The Sunda Strait, which separates the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Java, is now in the wake of Gitana 13. Last night, shortly after 0100 hours (UT), the 33 metre maxi-catamaran slipped into this narrow 12 mile wide passage: “The first part of this course was very tricky but we’ve come out of it rather well. Prior to setting out from Hong Kong, the most optimistic forecasts gave us 8 days to reach the Sunda Strait. In the end we covered the 2,000 miles of this initial section in 6 days 16 hours. It’s very satisfying, particularly as the weather didn’t really favour us; dishing out what felt like some rather interminable days sailing close-hauled and a rather long passage across the equator” resumed Lionel Lemonchois this morning.
This entrance into the Indian Ocean marks a change of rhythm for the sailors of Gitana Team. After a week spent in the closed waters of the China Sea and Java Sea, tacking upwind, Gitana 13 is now slipping along downwind on the steeper waters of the Indian Ocean. Benefiting from some well-established SE’ly tradewinds, the ten sailors will finally be able to express the potential of the maxi-catamaran equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild: “The SE’ly tradewinds are well and truly here! We’ve got 22 to 25 knots of breeze, which is enabling us to drive Gitana 13 at speeds close to 25-30 knots. The seas are building gradually and the atmosphere is wetter on deck now. The sailors on watch have swapped their T-shirts for foulies, which are better suited to these new sailing conditions. Everything seems to be in place to enable us to pass the Reunion Islands at a steady pace… some big surf awaits!” said the cheerful skipper of Gitana 13.
Weather analysis for the second part of the course: The Indian Ocean
Sylvain Mondon, loyal onshore router for the Gitana Team, explains the setting for the next 4,500 miles: “The SE’ly tradewinds are well established in the Indian Ocean. These highly favourable winds will enable Lionel Lemonchois and his crew to maintain an average speed of around 25 knots throughout the first half of this ocean crossing. This regular tradewind air flow is currently being produced by two vast zones of high pressure: the first close to Australia and the second close to Africa. These two systems are shifting slightly eastwards as they fill in and the second zone of high pressure will settle between the Kerguelen and Reunion islands and stretch right across the breadth of the Indian Ocean on Saturday 23rd August. A fine and slightly favourable SSE’ly swell is accompanying the maxi-catamaran so Gitana 13 should make fairly rapid progress over the next four days. Following on from that, they’ll have to line themselves up nicely in order to negotiate several passages of fronts to the south of Madagascar, prior to reaching the Cape of Good Hope. The second half of the crossing won’t be as direct and close-hauled sailing will prevail once more in increasingly big seas as they approach the African continent”.
A little history about the Tea Route
Beyond its commercial appeal, the Tea Route stood out during the XIXth century as one of the great nautical races. In 1868, Bernard Weymouth built the Thermopylae in Aberdeen, Scotland. On its maiden voyage the Thermopylae made it to Melbourne, Australia in 63 days, an incredible performance for the time. In order to challenge this record, the most famous clipper of all time, the Cutty Sark, was built in 1869, in Dumbarton, Scotland.
Today’s Gitana 13 Figures
Gitana 13’s crew
Gitana 13 - Storms in the Indian Ocean
Press Release from the Gitana Team:
REDUCED PACE FOR Gitana 13 - Lionel Lemonchois
25/08/2008 - 09:32
Since entering the Indian Ocean last Thursday, the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group has been throwing the dials into turmoil and devouring the miles with a certain ease. However, though the first half of the Indian was covered in express mode, 2,500 miles sailed in four days, the miles which still separate Gitana 13 from the Cape of Good Hope will likely cause Lionel Lemonchois and his nine crew no end of trouble.
It’s already been eleven days since the sailors of Gitana Team cast off from Hong Kong in their bid to break one of the oldest records: the Tea Route. With over 4,600 miles covered at an average speed of 17.94 knots, the skipper of Gitana 13 and his men have been maintaining a good pace.
However, after four days’ respite in terms of the weather analysis, Gitana Team’s router is back in action, with a change in speed on the programme: “Gitana 13 is continuing to sail along the edge of a powerful zone of high pressure situated over the Kerguelen Islands, producing some E to SE’ly tradewinds fluctuating between 15 and 25 knots. It is to the south of the Reunion Islands that Lionel Lemonchois and his crew are preparing to progressively leave these highly favourable sailing conditions behind them. Indeed, by making headway towards the south-west the wind will ease to 10-15 knots and return to the NE’ly sector, which will no longer enable direct and rapid progress towards Africa. Several gybes are likely to be needed over the next couple of days in order to escape this zone as best they can. However, prior to hitting the disturbed airflow of the temperate latitudes, the crew will still have to cross a zone of transition to the south of Madagascar in the middle of the week. This difficulty will prove difficult to handle, since it concerns a barometric col (light winds), the position of which still remains extremely uncertain” explained Sylvain Mondon.
We can fully understand that the weather situation currently taking shape ahead of the 33 metre maxi-catamaran is a far cry from the downwind points of sail and the high speeds to which the men of Gitana 13 have been accustomed over the past few days.
Aboard ship life goes on and the ten sailors are preparing themselves for this zone which they knew would be tricky. Indeed, a few days ago, Lionel Lemonchois dared to make a comparison between the passage of the Cape of Good Hope and that of Cape Horn, performed last January: “Good Hope is rather like the Horn of our Tea Route. I’m hoping it won’t be as difficult but the approach and the rounding of the southern tip of Africa itself could slow us down and make us lose some precious miles.”
At the 0900 hour position report this morning, Gitana 13 was sailing along the longitude of Rodrigues and was positioned 450 miles from the longitude of the Reunion Islands. Already Lionel Lemonchois’ crew were feeling the early signs of a more unsettled breeze.
Gitana 13 - A few figures
Gitana 13 left Hong Kong on Thursday 14th August at 07h55’32’’ (UT)
On Monday 25th August at 07h15 (UT), Gitana 13 was sailing at 23°33.97 S / 63°37.43 E
Watch No1: Lionel Lemonchois (Skipper / watch leader / helmsman) / Olivier Wroczynski (trimmer /head of computers and power) / David Boileau (Bowman / head of deck fittings)
Watch No.2: Ludovic Aglaor (watch leader / helmsman) / Laurent Mermod (trimmer) / Ronan Le Goff (Bowman)
Watch No.3: Pascal Blouin (Watch leader / helmsman) / Ronan Guérin (trimmer) / Léopold Lucet (No.1, head of supplies and doctor)
Outside the watch system: Dominic Vittet (navigator)
ThE INDIAN FIRES ITS FIRST ARROW - Gitana 13
26/08/2008 - 09:09 - The first half of the Indian Ocean and its powerful SE’ly tradewind have proven to be particularly cooperative with the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group. However, as Lionel Lemonchois announced yesterday, things are now becoming complicated. Whilst Gitana 13 was passing not far off the longitude of Mauritius this Tuesday morning, the tradewind was reaching the end of the road and is gradually dying out. Ahead of the bows of the giant of the seas a complicated weather situation is taking shape, in which the crew will have to know how to be opportunistic and constantly adapt in order to make the appropriately named Cape of Good Hope.
After spending four days on the same tack, racking up the miles at an average of over 26 knots, the pace has become more disjointed for Lionel Lemonchois and his nine man crew, forced to handle the meteorological instability: “Since yesterday afternoon, it’s been possible to observe a change in conditions. The wind has become more capricious both in terms of strength and direction. We’ve had squalls for most of the night and for the past two hours we’ve been battling to escape a large zone of calms, which has formed to the north-east of us” indicated Dominic Vittet shortly before 0600 UT.
For the crew of Gitana 13, the results of this new deal have been immediate. There has been a renewed flurry of activity on the deck of the vessel and it’s action all stations: “We’ve manoeuvred a lot more over the past 24 hours than we have in the past four days. The instability of the weather situation is forcing us to regularly modify the sail configuration: rolling in the small gennaker, taking a reef, dumping it, hoisting the large gennaker, rolling it in, hoisting the Solent… This morning, we’ve already made two gybes so it’s a bit of a scramble! On the other hand though, the manœuvres are often inversely proportional to the speed. We currently have 5 knots of breeze and Gitana 13 is making headway at more or less the same speed.”
The men of Gitana 13 know only to well that the route which is taking them as far as the Cape of Good Hope is dotted with hazards and the conditions enabling them to slip along at pace are but a distant memory. In addition, the latest forecasts for rounding the cape are not optimistic: “Today the grib files are indicating that when we get to Port Elizabeth on 30th August (the south-east tip of Africa), we won’t get round!” said the onboard navigator, before concluding: “Here though, the distribution of the unexpected is a permanent phenomenon. Things can evolve very quickly and between now and our arrival along the African coast, the door may well open”.
Aboard the maxi-catamaran equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild, wisdom, patience and opportunism will be the three key words over the coming days.
INDIAN COGITATIONS - Gitana 13
27/08/2008 - 10:09 - With yesterday enabling 191 miles to be covered, morale was given a real boost for the troops aboard Gitana 13. Down but not beaten, Lionel Lemonchois’ men knew they would just have to endure the situation before they could extract themselves from the zones of calm lined up along their course. On the pace again now, working harder than ever, the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group is continuing its ‘Way of the Cross’ towards the Cape of Good Hope. However, the renewed activity in no way means that the skies have cleared ahead of Gitana 13’s bows.
Dominic Vittet, the quickest to pick up the iridium handset this morning, discussed the reduced pace endured by the maxi-catamaran yesterday: “We are happy to have found some wind again after this long spell of calm which was totally unexpected and irritating. These shifty, erratic winds can be par for the course in the squalls of the tradewind, even though we naturally hope never to come across them”.
At sea it is essential that you adapt your strategy to the evolutions in the weather conditions. That’s why Lionel Lemonchois and his crew have changed their shoulder rifle, instead favouring a slightly more N’ly route than planned in order to make the African coast: “Initially we were hoping to adopt a direct course towards the south and the Cape of Good Hope but the latest wind forecasts show W to SW’ly winds to the south of the great circle route (direct route) and calms along the course. Given these observations, a northward passage appears to us to be more beneficial so as to keep hold of the favourable winds” explained the onboard navigator.
However, an even more important point about this approach towards the African coast, which concerns the onboard tacticians today, is the Cape of Good Hope. Indeed, the southern tip of Africa doesn’t seem to want to play ball: “To round the Cape of Good Hope from east to west is one of the most difficult stages in our course and long before the departure, we knew this may be a difficult moment to deal with. For the past 48 hours, the weather has proven us right since the situation is deteriorating. A big low is forming between 31st August and 1st September and for the time being, it’s preventing us from rounding!”
To find solutions to this situation, there have been frequent exchanges between Sylvain Mondon, the onshore weather router for Gitana Team, and Dominic Vittet: analysis of the wind and wave charts, updating and adjustment of the strategy… The two men are joining forces to determine the best point to make their entrance into the southern Atlantic. In the meantime the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group is having to continue westwards. Positioned 1,200 miles from the coast of South Africa this morning, Lionel Lemonchois and his men are still aiming for Port Elizabeth, on the SE tip: “The problem we have to deal with today is to try to make as much southing as possible, without dropping down too far in relation to the storm which is forecast. For the time being we have opted to aim for Port Elizabeth, which we should reach on Saturday 30th August” added Dominic Vittet.
On this 13th day at sea, Gitana 13 has got back into the familiar routine of racking up an average of over 20 knots of boat speed. The maxi-catamaran equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothcshild should be able to keep up this pace until tonight because the wind is set to begin to ease as it heads, as they pass over 250 miles from the southern tip of Madagascar.
AWAITING THE STORM - Gitana 13
29/08/2008 - 12:25 - With the week drawing to a close, the crew of Gitana 13 is preparing to tackle the storm which is set to sweep across the tip of South Africa this weekend. There is a mix of apprehension and impatience aboard the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group. With the primary focus being the safety of his men, Lionel Lemonchois has opted to take a slightly more N’ly course than planned in order to attempt to minimise the effects and consequences of this strong gale.
Slipping along beneath Madagascar, bound for the east coast of Africa, the sailors that form Gitana Team have experienced a stormy night, influenced by squalls. In order to adapt to the shifty wind, Lionel Lemonchois’ men had their entire sail wardrobe out last night: from the large to the small gennaker, via the solent and trinquette, then the ORC, which is now in position whilst the mainsail has been reefed… nothing has been forgotten! These incessant changes are synonymous with repeated manœuvres for the crew: “The stand-by watch have been called upon a lot and it hasn’t been uncommon for the whole crew to be on deck. It’s been the most hectic night in terms of manœuvres since we left Hong Kong” confided Dominic Vittet, this morning.
The background noise was audible during our daytime telephone conversation and still bore witness to the harshness of the elements: “There is about 38 knots of wind and we’re beginning to feel the effects of the SW’ly swell. The forecast descent from the north is very active and we are likely to conserve these conditions until the middle of the afternoon. We’re reaching (wind on the beam), which will enable us to make headway at a fairly correct speed, but the sea isn’t making it easy to slip along. It’s already a little ‘boat-breaking’ added the onboard navigator.
“It’s quite hard to get a clear idea about what lies in store for us…” said the skipper of Gitana 13 yesterday, confirming the concerns about the weather over recent days. A very big low is taking shape this weekend at the gateway to the Indian Ocean. Indeed the ten sailors aboard the maxi-catamaran equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild have been forced to give up their plans to take shelter: “All of a sudden we won’t make it to Port Elizabeth before the strong SW’ly wind kicks back in so we’ve decided to climb a bit further north, to within around 150 miles of Port Elizabeth between the Morgan headland and St John’s point. This zone should be more sheltered.”
It is plain to see that aboard Gitana 13 today a lot of questions still have to be answered and the team are continuing to rack their brains: “Will the seas enable us to remain hove to? If this isn’t possible, how far will we have to climb to preserve the gear?” Lionel Lemonchois and his nine man crew know that the coming days won’t be particularly pleasurable, but they can nevertheless count on the reliability of their steed, which has been put to the test on a number of occasions this year, whether it be during the Route de l’Or, the North Pacific crossing or even the maxi-catamaran’s tour of Asia.
Gitana 13 - A few figures
Gitana 13 left Hong Kong on Thursday 14th August at 07h55’32’’ (UT)
On Friday 29th August at 07h45 (UT), Gitana 13 was sailing at 31°13.80 S / 38°03.07 E
Watch No1: Lionel Lemonchois (Skipper / watch leader / helmsman) / Olivier Wroczynski (trimmer /head of computers and power) / David Boileau (Bowman / head of deck fittings)
Watch No.2: Ludovic Aglaor (watch leader / helmsman) / Laurent Mermod (trimmer) / Ronan Le Goff (Bowman)
Watch No.3: Pascal Blouin (Watch leader / helmsman) / Ronan Guérin (trimmer) / Léopold Lucet (No.1, head of supplies and doctor)
Outside the watch system: Dominic Vittet (navigator)
Gitana 13 - Approaching Africa
Press release from Gitana 13:
Setting out from Hong Kong on 14th August 2008 in a bid to set a new reference time along the highly select Tea Route (Hong Kong / London, via the Cape of Good Hope), the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group is approaching the coast of South Africa.
However, after making highly rapid progress between the Sunda Strait and the island of Rodrigues, the ten sailors have had to face the whims of the Indian Ocean for the past few days. On the approach to the Cape of Good Hope, all minds are trained towards the famous promontory. However, to date, the latter doesn’t seem to want to open its doors to Gitana 13.
The northern part of the Indian Ocean has afforded the ‘mile devourers’ that make up the crew of Gitana 13 the maximum of pleasure. Thanks to a powerful SE’ly tradewind which blows at this season, the 33 metre maxi-catamaran equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild covered nearly 3,000 miles on a single tack in the space of four days. The whole thing was achieved at an average speed bordering on 26 knots! However, since the start of the week, the sailors that form Gitana Team have known that their future would be coloured rather differently to the start of their journey: “Conditions are still good for the time being and we’re benefiting from a regular air flow of 24 knots in order to make a direct course towards Port Elizabeth, at the south-east tip of Africa. Given our current speed we should make the outskirts of this town early morning on Saturday 30th August. We opted for Port Elizabeth, as the goal is now for Gitana 13 and her crew to seek shelter! A very big low will sweep the tip of Africa this weekend, and it wouldn’t be a good idea to hang around outside…” conceded Lionel Lemonchois.
Indeed, for several days, the forecasts offshore of the Cape of Good Hope have been deteriorating. Situated along the route of the big southern storms, the African tip can be violent. According to the latest estimates from Sylvain Mondon, sea safety forecaster at Météo France and router to Gitana Team, the expected low could generate average winds of between 45 and 50 knots, and pick up very big seas, with 8 to 10 metre waves on the coast.
Faced with such numbers there’s no way they can just hope it will pass! Sitting it out for a while in order to be able to continue on their way in conditions of optimal safety is paramount and something they encountered last February during the Route de l’Or. In the latter scenario, Lionel Lemonchois and his men had to halt their progress and wait for five days in the lee of Tierra del Fuego for the weather conditions to calm down off Cape Horn.
The WSSRC ruling – a body which governs and validates records – forbids the maxi-catamaran from making any stopovers alongside a quay. In this way, in order to remain within the ruling and hope to be able to continue their record attempt once the gale has passed, the ten sailors have to find an alternative: “We have opted for Port Elizabeth because it doesn’t take us too far off Agulhas and the Cape of Good Hope, situated around 300 miles away. The winds during the passage of a front will certainly force us to climb a little northwards but the goal will obviously be to make as few miles as possible so as to be ideally positioned to get back on track again as quickly as we can” explained Lionel.
Aboard Gitana 13, the ten experienced sailors are preparing for a difficult 48 hours from Saturday, during which time the performance and the record time will naturally be of secondary importance.
Weather analysis at the approach to the African coast
The weather situation which the men of Gitana Team are confronted with, requires the analysis of the specialist in the subject. Sylvain Mondon thus details this second stage of the Indian Ocean, at the approach to the Cape of Good Hope: “To the south of Madagascar Gitana 13 is sailing along a small zone of high pressure in 7 to 12 knots of S’ly breeze, backing slightly to the SE. This is a tricky passage since it’s very narrow between the two zones of wind. One is a few miles to the north and the other is a few miles to the south. Once the wind backs to the east, Lionel Lemonchois and his crew will proceed with a gybe, which will enable the maxi-catamaran to escape this passage along 30 degrees south. It is then that the pace will pick up progressively in a NE’ly air flow reaching 10 to 15 knots in the evening, before backing to the north as it fills to 20-25 knots on Friday morning. These N’ly winds are produced by a small disturbance which is forming on Thursday, downwind of Lesotho and shifting rapidly eastwards. Whilst finding more established winds again during the course of the night, Gitana 13 will begin to see an influence from the Agulhas current. This current transports warm waters from the Mozambique Channel (between Africa and Madagascar) as far as 40 degrees south as it runs along South Africa.
Once past this small scale system, Lionel Lemonchois and his crew will have to prepare to tackle several vast disturbed systems circulating around the roaring forties, which will further hinder the maxi-catamaran’s progress over the last days of August.”
Gitana 13 - Today’s figures
Gitana 13 at Agulhas Cape
Press release from Gitana 13:
01/09/2008 - 10:06 - The storm which passed over the tip of South Africa this weekend fully lived up to expectations! Though gusts onshore did not exceed 55 knots, at sea the wind was more violent. Indeed, to the immediate south of Port Elizabeth the average wind reached 55 knots with gusts approaching 80 knots. Fortunately the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group was able to reach Algoa Bay off Port Elizabeth on Saturday evening, less than an hour before the arrival of the cold front, so they were a little less exposed to these extreme conditions.
Dominic Vittet describes the living conditions and navigation from their shelter: “Since Saturday evening we’ve been going back and forth barepoled, remaining as close as we can to the coast. During the course of yesterday the onboard anemometer recorded a gust of 67 knots, but Port Elizabeth really was the right choice as we’re very well protected here. The swell put in an appearance yesterday evening at the bottom of the bay, but nothing dramatic. On the other hand, just one or two miles downwind of us, there are big seas and you can make out the crests of the breaking waves.”
This pause is not dissimilar to the five day wait the crew of Gitana 13 were forced to endure at Cape Horn last January during the Route de l’Or. However there is one very big difference: “We are sheltered and the boat isn’t suffering so the crew is managing to relax. It’s nothing like the atmosphere during the standby at Tierra del Fuego either. In January, the days where we were stopped were also synonymous with total isolation, whilst here we’re really just a stone’s throw from the town and numerous oil tankers, cargo ships and commercial vessels are taking refuge like us. The situation is fairly unique!”
The crew of the maxi-catamaran are benefiting from this ‘downtime’ to rest. Indeed with Gitana 13 currently sailing barepoled, the tack changing manœuvres amount to rotating the mast and moving the mainsail traveller; a task which is easily achievable for the three men on watch: “The boat is highly fluid when barepoled and the crew on watch is largely sufficient on deck. As a result we’ve got rid of the standby watches whilst we’re stopped so that the boys can benefit from 6 hours in a row of sleep” explained the skipper of Gitana 13.
The reasons for this are that they’re going to need their strength in order to tackle the rounding of the tip of South Africa, as the skipper of Gitana 13 confided: “Over 300 miles separate our place of shelter and the Cape of Good Hope. We’re going to have to make a series of tacks upwind in what will still be a steady breeze and big seas. We’re going to have to endure a bit of pain in order to make the Atlantic.”
The crew of the maxi-catamaran equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild will have to find the right weather window to head back onto the racetrack, a time slot on which Sylvain Mondon is working: “This Monday, the wind is a lot less strong. The last squalls have passed and the gusts have died down overnight. However, it will be best to be patient before rounding the Agulhas Cape and the Cape of Good Hope, as there are still very big seas this morning with waves continuing to reach 7 to 8 metres in the 5 mile coastal strip and in excess of 10 metres 30 miles offshore. This big, powerful swell becomes more abrupt when it encounters the Agulhas current along the SE coast of South Africa and it’s worth taking note that this region is notorious for its ‘heinous waves’. Prudence will remain paramount for Lionel Lemonchois and his crew, who won’t be able to leave the bay of Port Elizabeth until there is a significant calm in the swell along the coast.” At present, this lull is expected this evening.
02/09/2008 - 10:03 - After a 48 hour forced stopover in Algoa Bay off the town of Port Elisabeth, the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group headed back out onto the racetrack yesterday, shortly before 1630 hours UT, in its bid to secure the Tea Route record. They are bound for the Agulhas Cape and the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa. Forecasts suggest they are likely to experience some harsh passages, though Lionel Lemonchois and his crew are currently benefiting from a calm period. After 19 days at sea, Gitana 13 is now at the midway point of the course.
Yesterday at 2120 hours local time, 1620 UT, the crew aboard Gitana 13 hoisted the mainsail and unfurled the solent at sunset and headed offshore. With the worst of the storm which swept across the tip of South Africa throughout the weekend having passed, it was out of the question for Lionel Lemonchois and his men to lose a minute more on their record attempt between Hong Kong and London.
Nevertheless, on deck the apprehension is palpable as the sailors have spent the past two days watching the waves unleash themselves just a few miles downwind of them. The condition of the maxi-catamaran’s platform bears witness to this: “During our stopover in Port Elizabeth, Gitana 13 was really caked in salt. Everything on the deck of the boat was white: trampolines, winches, sheets… Yesterday we had to clean certain tracks with fresh water (mainsail cars), as well as the sheets which were totally stiff” explained Dominic Vittet.
There are certain rituals which you respect aboard Gitana 13… In this way, in order to make the atmosphere more relaxed prior to taking to the seas again, Léo (Léopold Lucet) and Zolive (Olivier Wroczynski) slaved over a hot stove in order to prepare the first meal shared by the entire crew: “We’re trying to make a special meal for the big occasions. Our departure from Port Elizabeth was one of those times! As a result we’ve opened the dishes specially prepared for us by the team from the Chalet du Mont d’Arbois* and delivered to Hong Kong shortly before our departure: a confit de canard stew, rechristened by the Port Elizabeth bay! It’s an indescribable pleasure for the crew after over 15 days of freeze-dried dishes” explains Léopold Lucet. This first meal shared by all was a treasured moment of conviviality prior to what is forecast to be a difficult rounding of the tip of Africa.
Off South Africa this morning, the maxi-catamaran equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild was benefiting from a light W’ly air flow of less than 10 knots, to tack through over two metres of residual swell. The conditions differ greatly from those observed over recent days. However this relative tranquillity will soon be but a distant memory: with the arrival of a new disturbance to the south of their course, Lionel Lemonchois and his men will see the atmosphere transformed. In the afternoon, there will be a 30 to 35 knot SW’ly wind, with possible gusts of 40/45 knots expected. The passage of the front will also pick up bigger seas: “We’re not expecting it to be particularly enjoyable and the next 24 hours won’t be very comfortable aboard Gitana 13” highlighted the onboard navigator.
Sentenced to a series of upwind tacks as far as the bay of Cape Town, over 260 miles away, the crew of Gitana 13 will have to be patient before they can open the sails and thread their way along towards the equator. According to the latest forecasts from Sylvain Mondon, the maxi-catamaran is set to leave the Agulhas Cape to starboard late tonight. Lionel Lemonchois and his nine man crew will thus make their way back into the Atlantic Ocean, after over seven months’ absence.
03/09/2008 - 11:07 - This Wednesday morning, whilst the crew of the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group is attacking its twentieth day at sea, the Agulhas Cape is still 90 miles ahead of their bows. Despite yesterday’s forecasts, Gitana 13 is slightly behind schedule which is the result of a difficult day as much for the men as the gear. Grappling with a new front associated with a low, Gitana 13 has suffered, and Lionel Lemonchois and his men are lamenting some damage to the starboard beam up forward. Their entrance into the Southern Atlantic will certainly be well deserved!
Contacted by his shore crew, Lionel Lemonchois went over the circumstances of the damage which was incurred by Gitana 13 yesterday afternoon: “As we were heading towards the front, which we knew was set to be rather venomous, the wind was gradually picking up. The crew, who had fully anticipated this strengthening wind, had perfectly adapted the sail area so that Gitana 13 would suffer as little as possible. We had up to 55 knots at the strongest part of the system. However, it was the seas more than the strength of the wind which caused us problems. They continued to build until the waves reached 6 to 7 metres. As we were sailing against the current, the seas were abrupt and fairly breaking. One of the waves was stronger than the others and Gitana 13 dropped down heavily. It was one impact too much!” conceded the skipper of Gitana 13, before going on to say: “It was a dark night, the seas were still very big and there was nothing more we could do. As a result we’d decided to heave to for the night, in order to be able to inspect the damage at daybreak. It consists of a crack spanning over 60 cm on the forward section of the starboard beam. However, to the best of our knowledge it isn’t detrimental to the boat’s structure. However, we’re continuing investigations together with the help of Gitana Team’s shore crew.”
Since 0400 hours UT, the maxi-catamaran equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild has got back on course towards the Cape, whilst remaining vigilant and adopting a reduced sail area. Given the numerous members of the crew aboard Gitana 13 who are skilled in composite, together with the material we have on the boat, the crew should be able to repair the damage themselves. However, such an operation will have to wait until they get into some milder conditions.
The positive point at the start of today is that the sailing conditions and life aboard for the crew have greatly improved over the past few hours. The wind is now blowing at between 15 and 22 knots and the seas have eased on the whole and are thus becoming more practicable.
A few figures
Gitana 13 left Hong Kong on Thursday 14th August at 07h55’32’’ (UT)
On Wednesday 3rd September at 0845 (UT), Gitana 13 was sailing at 34°49.13 S /21 °38.77 E
Gitana 13 Rounded Cape of Good Hope
Gitana 13 press release:
Setting out from Hong Kong on 14th August 2008, Gitana 13 is tackling the climb up the Atlantic having rounded the legendary Cape of Good Hope in the early hours of yesterday. At a reduced pace over the past few hours, the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group is having trouble getting free of the clutches of a zone of light winds this morning. This isn’t of great concern though as Lionel Lemonchois and his men know that they’re soon to hit the SE’ly tradewinds and thus the expressway to the gates of the equator.
We generally talk about the calm before the storm but the opposite is true for Gitana 13! The raging elements at the tip of South Africa have given way to evanescent winds and a calmed sea, as the 33 metre maxi-catamaran sails along the African coast bound for the equator. The situation is the result of the remains of the ridge of high pressure from the Saint Helena High: “we were caught by a zone of calms at around 0200 hours this morning. It wasn’t really part of our programme but we’re making do with the situation. Outside there are smooth seas despite some residual swell, and the anemometer is rarely exceeding 5 knots! We didn’t really make much headway last night, encircled by the tentacles of this calm spell (zone of very light winds)” conceded the onboard navigator this morning.
However, this calm weather is in no way synonymous with a drop in pace aboard Gitana 13. Indeed, these light airs have called for permanent attention on the part of the ten sailors. Trimming the boat as best they can in order to exploit the slightest gusts and thus stand a chance of getting free and finding the way out, such has been the motivation of Lionel Lemonchois’ men: “On deck, activity has been fairly intense throughout the night. You might think that no wind relates to no effort… but it’s quite the opposite. The little amount of wind certainly enables a relaxed atmosphere but requires an enormous amount of physical effort: shifting sails to balance out the weight, fine trimming, manœuvres (gennaker hoisting); those on watch are frequently accompanied by the standby watch on deck” explains Dominique ‘Mino’ Vittet.
For the time being the skipper of Gitana 13 hasn’t been able to begin repairs to the area of the boat which was damaged last Tuesday: an 80 cm crack on the starboard beam: “Despite the calms, Lionel hasn’t yet begun repairs as our ship’s wound requires tranquillity, as well as a few extra degrees. Heat is essential for the resin to set. As we wait to make sufficient northing and ensure that we have all the right conditions, Lionel is drawing up plans and preparing all the details of the intervention” the onboard navigator tells us.
The first signs of an ESE’ly air flow are this morning beginning to fill the sails of the maxi-catamaran equipped by Baron Benjamin de Rothschild, and the way out can’t be far now. From then on, Lionel Lemonchois and his nine crew will endeavour to make as much northing as possible in order to find the established SE’ly tradewinds, synonymous with the expressway to the equator.
Gitana 13 nearing the Island of Saint Helena
Setting out from Hong Kong 25 days ago, Gitana 13 crossed the Greenwich Meridian late morning today and is once again sailing in western longitudes. Positioned 400 miles from the island of Saint Helena and sailing abeam of Angola, the maxi-catamaran in the colours of the LCF Rothschild Group is continuing to make headway, still accompanied by a SE’ly tradewind of between 10 and 15 knots. This air flow should nevertheless fill in over the next few hours. In the meantime, Lionel Lemonchois and his men are making the most of the current conditions to ‘recharge the batteries’ prior to a grand final sprint.
“The seas are flat and there is 10 to 15 knots of breeze. Gitana 13 is making between 15 and 20 knots under gennaker. At the moment we’re heading in a straight line so there are no manœuvres and for once it’s not wet on deck! The boys are making the most of it to chat under the hoods or allow themselves some free time” confided Dominic Vittet during the daily morning call. Though some of the crew are isolating themselves to read or set about their washing, the others are making the most of conditions to check and maintain the mechanical elements of the maxi-catamaran. This is the case for Olivier Wroczynski and David Boileau who spent Sunday in the engine hold. The aim of the operation: to clean the starters and re-tension the belts.
One thing for sure is that the period of calm which Lionel Lemonchois and his men are currently experiencing is being appreciated by one and all. In a few days time, they know only to well that it will be quite a different rhythm aboard the 33 metre maxi-catamaran: “This period of recuperation is important and the crew know how to make the very most of it. The section between the equator and the doldrums may well prove tricky or at least demanding for the crew: lots of manoeuvres, stress and little rest” added the onboard navigator.
As regards ‘environment’, Dominic draws up a rather unusual description of the classic tradewind skies: “The sky has been very overcast since we began our ascent of the Atlantic. The boys aren’t hiding the fact that they are keen to find a little heat again as it’s still cold. At night, salopettes, fleeces and light jackets are still indispensible. Yesterday, we were able to observe an albatross in our wake, which is pretty incredible at these latitudes! However, you mustn’t forget that in the southern hemisphere, we are currently in the winter.”
The weather analysis by Sylvain Mondon (Météo France), router for Gitana Team:
“It was when sailing on port tack in rather sluggish SE’ly tradewinds (just 10 to 15 knots) that Gitana 13 crossed the Greenwich meridian this Monday morning. The long tack which began on Sunday morning, will accelerate a little (average speeds will exceed 20 knots) during the course of the day and the evening in particular as the maxi-catamaran passes to the north of the island of Saint Helena. Lionel Lemonchois and his crew will thus have to continue to make headway on port tack for 12 to 24 hours, prior to performing the gybe which will mark the start of the rapid downwind course on starboard tack towards the equator. The moment and the location of this manœuvre are influenced by the decision of where to cross the doldrums, scheduled for the end of the week and situated between 4°and 8°north in this season.”
At the 1000 UT position report, Gitana 13 was just 4,500 miles from London, with just a third of the course of the Tea Route left to sail. The latest weather forecasts are still showing a passage of the equator on around Thursday 11th September.
The island of Saint Helena
The island of Saint-Helena is a volcanic island spanning 122 km², situated in the middle of the southern Atlantic, 1,930 kilometres from the African coast and 3,500 kilometres from the Brazilian coast. Discovered on 21st May 1502 by the Portuguese sailor João da Nova Castella, the island forms part of the British overseas territories. Since 1657, Saint Helena has belonged to the British East India Company, but the island is essentially famed as the place where Napoleon Bonaparte was imprisoned from 1815 to his death on 5th May 1821.
Gitana 13 - A few figures
Gitana 13 left Hong Kong on Thursday 14th August at 07h55’32’’ (UT)
Monday 8th September at 0745 UT, Gitana 13 was sailing at 14°06.67 S / 00°27.42 E
Watch No1: Lionel Lemonchois (Skipper / watch leader / helmsman) / Olivier Wroczynski (trimmer /head of computers and power) / David Boileau (Bowman / head of deck fittings)
Watch No.2: Ludovic Aglaor (watch leader / helmsman) / Laurent Mermod (trimmer) / Ronan Le Goff (Bowman)
Watch No.3: Pascal Blouin (Watch leader / helmsman) / Ronan Guérin (trimmer) / Léopold Lucet (No.1, head of supplies and doctor)
Outside the watch system: Dominic Vittet (navigator)
Gitana 13 - Thames this morning
Saw Gitana 13 this morning sailing up the Thames, what a sight under sail at 0730 with 2 ribs in attendance.
Neil Padley
Post new comment