World Record Attempt - Sodeb’O Sailing across the Atlantic

New York - Thomas Coville sailed past Ambrose Light this morning on his attempt to break the North Atlantic sailing record on the 105 foot (32 meter) trimaran sailboat Sodeb’O. “I am really keen to set off, I've been waiting for this for years” said Coville shortly before setting sail from Brooklyn Harbour.

To beat the record of 6 days, 4 hours, 1 minute and 37 seconds set by Francis Joyon of France in 2005, Coville will have to average nearly 20 knots during this voyage. As the current 24 hour speed record holder, it appears that this skipper may have the speed, experience and the confidence necessary to smash Joyon's record: “Maintaining the speed of the maxi Sodeb’O at an average of over 19.75 knots for 2,980 miles for nearly 6 days remains an achievable performance” said Coville.

Sodeb’O was seen sailing past the start line at 0747 hours local time (1147 UT) in a quickly building 16 knot south-westerly breeze. The weather forecast for this record attempt is looking good. “The SW’ly air flow at the start will take Thomas as far as Cape Race to the SW of Newfoundland on Friday afternoon. A low stretching over from Canada will see the wind fill in slightly after the passage of Newfoundland on Saturday night. It is with this same low that he is set to complete the course” explain Christian Dumard and Richard Silvani, weather routers for the trimaran sailboat Sodeb’O.

“Throughout the record I’m going to be like a well supported and highly guided tightrope walker. You spend your time on the tracks just as you do on a ski piste, which has already been skied and you stay on that track for as long as you can” explained Thomas Coville before sailing out of New York.

Coville is currently sailing for Lizard Point, on the south-west tip of England, where if all goes well, he will arrive in victory next Tuesday the 15th. We'll keep you posted here at YachtPals on this exciting world record attempt as we receive news from Thomas aboard Sodeb’O.

- YC for YachtPals.com

Video in French (footage taken a few days ago): Thomas Coville, skipper du Maxi-trimaran Sodeb'O, attend une fenêtre optimale pour tenter le record de l'Atlantique Nord en solitaire.