Barcelona World Race: Good Spirits on Hugo Boss

Saturday, 17 November 2007 Alex Thomson wrote in: Yesterday was a good day for Capey and I onboard Hugo Boss. After so many days of little wind, we are starting to benefit from being out in the Atlantic. We have had 14 knots of breeze from behind, which has allowed us to make up a few miles on the leaders with some fast downwind sailing. Capey did a great job yesterday of finding the right lane that gave us the best wind and for most of the day we were the quickest on the water. Often it is a case of the rich get richer and the poor poorer in these races but thankfully not yesterday! Rock on the poor I say!

Article from BYM News

Photo : ©Rich Page / richard-page.com


Lake Erie Solo Challenge

The Challenge starts August 25, 2007

True to the mandate stated in the GLSS Constitution, the Lake Erie Solo Challenge represents the latest effort to establish a solo sailing Challenge upon all of the Great Lakes. While Lake Erie may be the smallest and shallowest of the Great Lakes, those very characteristics make for some extraordinarily difficult sailing at times. Winds can produce large, steep-faced waves seemingly in minutes, and summer thunderstorms can turn a placid body of water into a tempest just as quickly. Throw in in a high concentration of pleasure craft, fishermen, and fish nets interspersed with commercial freighter traffic, and the ingredients are in place for a Challenge on par with those of any other lake.

The Lake Erie Solo Challenge will start off of North Cape Yacht Club near Monroe, MI and proceed past Pelee Island, Ontario and eastward to a rounding of the Seneca Shoal Light near Buffalo, NY, thence on to a finish off of Presque Isle Harbor at Erie, PA. The course measures 312 statute miles, and in terms of comparison to the other GLSS Challenges, it ranks third behind the Trans Superior Solo, and the Chicago to Mackinac Island Solo Challenge. Inaugural medallions for any GLSS race have a special significance - make plans to secure one for yourself on August 25, 2007!

See theThe Great Lakes Singlehanded Society website for more information.


The Open 30 Class
4 Images (Click Here)

The Open 30 Class seems to be having a little difficulty getting traction (landlubber terminology), but I find it to be a very interesting Class. All the bells and whistles of the Mini, and Open 40's, 50's, and 60's .... but shoehorned in between dinghyish and yachtish.

Find out more at the Open 30 Class website.


Summary of the 2007 edition of La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro race
Solitaire du Figaro: Michel Desjoyeaux remains undisputed King of Solo Thursday, 23 August 2007

The 2007 edition of La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro race has been held in truly wintry conditions: Lots of wind, cold, rain and big seas… A Solitaire held in testing conditions, a Solitaire for the brave. The first leg to Ireland was incredibly varied and tactical, full of opportunities to come back, followed by a second very fast sprint south to Brest for the second leg. Then two huge and memorable storms in the Bay of Biscay, one the competitors had to endure upwind on the third leg and the other downwind with anemometer readings of 50 knots during the final leg. Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) proves to the world that when he competes only two other spots remain on the podium at the end of the race. The ‘King of Solo’ continues to show his dominance in this game completely: with four out of four podium finishes, a leg win and logically the overall title holder. Incredible.

Just behind him half a dozen new sailors take some of the glory. Fred Duthil (Distinxion), with good fortune on his side this year, won two legs, the first into Ireland and the final one to Les Sables d’Olonne. Corentin Douguet (E.Leclerc/Bouygues Telecom) gained such a huge time margin winning the leg to La Coruña that he was able to take the third step of the podium on only his second participation in the event, whilst Nicolas Lunven (Bostik) won first place in the Bénéteau Rookie Rankings.

Here we take a look at the 38th edition of La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro race leg by leg: a race for the brave.

Leg 1: Caen to Crosshaven (415 miles)
Tactical with currents and rocky coastlines… “I can’t ever remember as a young Figaro sailor having seen so many changes to the leadership. It was like musical chairs, well that is what the first leg of the 2007 edition of La Solitaire was like”. The “young” Figaro sailor, talking that morning of the 3rd of August, was none other than Michel Desjoyeaux who finished third in Ireland, behind Nicolas Troussel (Financo) and the victor, Frédéric Duthil on Distinxion. The leg was full of changes, each part of the racecourse requiring careful strategy: passing the Barfleur mark, the English Channel crossing, navigating along the south coast of England with the currents and calm areas…right up to the “re-start” between Lands End and the Scilly Isles where the fleet re-grouped to cover the last 140 miles of the leg. Just one Figaro sailor did not get to the start line: James Bird (GFI Group) who missed the first leg after hitting something upon leaving the port. The other 49 skippers did not have a moment’s rest on the 415-mile leg. It was a continuous tactical game with currents and wind shifts to deal with leading to seven lead changes: Duthil at the Radio France mark, Gérald Veniard (Scutum) at the Fairways buoy, Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) along the south coat of England, Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert) and then Nicolas Bérenger (Koné Ascenseurs) at the mark at Hand Deeps, Thierry Chabagny (Brossard) at Cape Lizard and finally Fred Duthil, who at 33 years of age won his first leg after 4 participations. He covered the leg in 2 days, 19 hours, 49 minutes and 55 seconds at an average speed of 6,12 knots.

Leg 2: Crosshaven / Brest (344 miles) An exhausting sprint
The second leg to Brest via the Fastnet, 344 miles long, proved to be exhausting. For 41 hours the sailors went without sleep, stuck to the helm as they reached their way round the southern shores of Ireland before rounding the Fastnet and then tackling the 200 mile downhill run south to Ushant. Shattered and full of stories of hallucinations, the sailors all tried their best to shine out by the time they reached Brest. In the end it was Michel Desjoyeaux who won the leg, the sixth Figaro leg win of his career, ahead of Frédéric Duthil and the local Brestois sailor, Gildas Mahé (Le Comptoir Immobilier). The 50 solo sailors set off from the Bay of Cork in the rain, with Foncia leading the fleet round the Radio France mark. There then followed a 10-hour sail along the stunning Irish coastline with Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert) heading the fleet followed by Frédéric Duthil, who rounded the Fastnet Rock in the lead. Then conditions got tough with 20 knots of wind and a rough sea…the downhill run proved to be exhilarating but also exhausting. On the 7th of August Michel Desjoyeaux moved into the lead and never lost it. After a final game of cat and mouse in the vast bottleneck harbour of Brest with Duthil, Mahé, Lebas, Bérenger, Morvan and Chabagny, Foncia crosses the finish line at 05h20 the next day to win the leg.

Leg 3: Brest / La Corogne via BXA (562 miles)
Corentin Douguet – the king of upwind sailing On Saturday 11th of August the weather forecasts at the Fastnet rock were predicting 55 knots of wind and huge seas. Because of this, the Race Committee decided to avoid sending the 50 solo sailors in that direction. And so the longest leg of the race was reduced from 762 miles to 562. The new course left out the Fastnet and had the fleet heading down to the Gironde Estuary and the BXA mark before heading for La Coruña in Galicia. After a third start in light winds; some skippers were forced to anchor over the evening to hold their position against the turning tide at the Raz de Sein. Shooting stars and wonderful spinnaker sailing conditions followed for the first night at sea. Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia), Gildas Mahé (Le Comptoir Immobilier) and Thierry Chabagny (Brossard) enjoyed the lead initially, but it was Jean-Pierre Nicol (Gavottes) and then Christian Bos (Belle Ile en Mer) who managed to get out of the calm area after BXA first. The calm was deceptive because soon after the fleet endured a 300-mile battle in winds gusting 45 knots and 5 metre waves to get to the finish in La Coruña. Corentin Douguet (E.Leclerc/Bouygues Telecom) proved strongest in these hellish conditions. He decided to tack South for the finish last and won his first leg with a healthy margin over the rest of the fleet. Only Nicolas Troussel (Financo) and Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) were able to limit the damage by finishing in 2nd and 3rd place, 24 and 47 minutes behind respectively. Huge gaps built after that and the overall time rankings were completely changed: Michel Desjoyeaux moved into first place with a 9 minute lead on Corentin Douguet and 14 minutes ahead of Nicolas Troussel.

Leg 4 : La Coruna / Les Sables d’Olonne (340 miles)
Second leg win for Fred Duthil / Michel Desjoyeaux triumphs for the third time

From an upwind thrashing to a downwind one! After a start in sunny conditions in a big swell, the wind increased and continued to increase throughout the race. For the first part of the race, the idea was to work out where to position oneself on the race course, either north or south for the crossing of the Bay of Biscay to reach Les Sables d’Olonne. Butin the end it came down to the gruelling weather conditions - 40 knots of wind, gusting to 50 with 5 metre high waves in the pitch-black night. For some it was a matter of survival, for others it remained a full on battle to the finish with the maximum amount of sail up. Fred Duthil, a former windsurf champion, and Gérald Veniard (Scutum) sailed furthest south and on the most direct route to the finish. Duthil refused to even put a reef in and overtook Veniard who close to the finish blew out his spinnaker. With waves thundering over the boats, Jeanne Grégoire (Banque Populaire) dismasted just 25 miles from the finish. Douguet, Mahé, Troussel and Desjoyeaux took the most northern course in search of the best angle for the final approach based on the wind shift due to come in, but when it did it was not for long. Fred Duthil took a second amazing win followed by Gérald Veniard and who other than… Michel Desjoyeaux, who joined the legends of La Solitiare, Jean Le Cam and Philippe Poupon as the only ever triple winners of the race. Fred Duthil moved back onto the podium to take second place 26 minutes behind Michel Desjoyeaux with Corentin Douguet taking 3rd. Nicolas Lunven (Bostik) takes the Bénéteau Rookie class lead off Vincent Biarnes (Côtes d’Armor) and Aymeric Belloir (Cap 56).

And so Michel Desjoyeaux remains the undisputed King of Solo!

Sabina Mollart-Rogerson Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro


Pretty ........ Wild

I wish I could link directly to this Figaro video, but I can't. So here is a link to the lasolitaire video page. Select the August 16, 2007 (16/08/07) video. The first half of the video is Pretty, the second half is Pretty Wild!!

The video may ... pause ... on you as it runs through the buffer, even if you have a fast internet connection, but be patient. Play it again after all of it has downloaded to the cache on your computer. It is worth watching a second time, even if you don't speak french (I don't ... sorry no subtitles).


Sam Ausmus - This guy should get some sort of award!

I love guys who build their own boats!! Sam is building a Transat Mini. If you have ever thought about building a boat his site is very much worth checking out. Gallery after Gallery full of pics and commentary covering the building process.

I should note that Sam does more than just apply epoxy and sand it away. He recently completed the Bermuda 1-2. Hats off to you Sam.

Check out him out at his website mini-sailor.us.

News flash: It seems that Sam has just gotten into the boat kit cutting business. If his site inspires you to build a boat give him a call. I'm sure he'd love to cut a kit for you ... the more Mini's the merrier! Check out Rainbow Boat Works.


Corentin Douguet victorious in La Coruña
Great article and photo from the Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro website.

Corentin Douguet crossed the finish line on the Wednesday 15th of August at 23h39m45s to win the third leg of La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro race between Brest and La Coruna. The skipper of E.Leclerc / Bouygues Telecom covered 562 miles in 4 days 5 hours 29 minutes and 45 seconds at an average 5.52 knots. This is a first victory for the 33 yearold French sailors from Nantes who won the last Mini-Transat in 2005.

Nicolas Troussel (Financo) finishes in second place and Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) in third. These three lead also make up the top three in the overall general ranking..

Corentin Douguet (E. Leclerc / Bouygues Telecom) – first words from the winner….

“You must not this kind of thing too often; it is not good for your health! I have aged at least 10 years. It was too much…hours and hours of upwind in 40 knots, its pure hell. These boats are only little and the sea was truly awful. It was painful and at one point I nearly gave up. I had been there for hours and went below deck to check on the charts…have a look and see I was exactly half way between the home and the finish, only that heading home would have been downwind and hesitated at one point because it was so tough. I never thought that all my fellow competitors would leave me to work alone. When I heard that I was in 33rd place on this mornings poling, I even told myself that fine, they had all tacked before me so felt confident. I said to myself that maybe there is a chance here. On the next position report I was 18th and then on the last one I was second behind Bostik. It was incredible when I thought I could do it..

I was with Gildas (Le Comptoir Immobilier) and then Mich’ (Foncia) in the same place. I must have continued west for a couple of hours. It is just incredible because that happens because Michel Desjoyeaux does not make mistakes..

I had been checking the weather charts since the start to try and work out when the wind shift would come in. It was important to use that to work out when to tack. We had everything on this leg and particularly on the long stint in the windy conditions. It was not so much the 40 knots of wind, but the violent sea state. I tied the lifeline round my waist as a belt and clipped on to stop me from being thrown off whilst helming. When you are tired you fall asleep and if a wave crashes over the boat you can get washed out the cockpit..

At one point I told myself to just forget about the race, just sail safely. It really is that: sailing as a good sailor and not get worked up about pure performance because in those conditions it was no longer possible..

Douguet, Desjoyeaux and Troussel – top three to finish on the podium of the third leg of La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro between Brest and La Coruña.

Nicolas Troussel (Financo) finishes 2nd 28 minutes and 5 seconds behind to the leader. Nicolas currently lies in third place in the overall time rankings, 17 minutes and 26 seconds behind Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) and 8 minutes and 13 seconds behind Corentin Douguet (E.Leclerc / Bouygues Telecom)..

1/. Corentin Douguet – E.Leclerc / Bouygues Telecom.
2./ Nicoals Troussel – Financo
3./ Michel Desjoyeaux – Foncia
4./ Gildas Mahé – Le Comptoir Immobilier
5./ Eric Drouglazet – Luisina
6./ Thomas Rouxel – Défi Mousquetaires


Solitaire du Figaro: Fleet continues in tough conditions
The low depression that has swept over the fleet of Figaro solo sailors competing in La Solitaire continues to influence conditions on the racecourse. Strong winds of up to 50 knots, last night, together with rough crossed seas and breaking waves has made life on board the Figaro Bénéteau II boat tough, and whilst some can continue to race to a strategy, others have been operating on survival mode. The lateral separation has reduced to 80 miles with Nicolas Lunven (Bostik) at 66.7 miles from the finish at 3 pm holding a narrow 0.3-mile lead over Corentin Douguet (E.Leclerc / Bouygues Telecom) who gets payback from northern option. Strong winds and rough seas have battered the fleet of 45 competing Figaro sailors on the final stages of the third leg of La Solitaire. The wind gradually built in force to reach 45 knots, even 50 for some, at the height of the depression last night. Conditions stabilised slightly but continue tough throughout today. The Medical Support Boat, one of the security boats following the fleet, reported experiencing 40 steady knots of breeze and a rough and crossed sea with breaking waves. “I think that the competitors must be feeling the same and experiencing the same conditions, from what I have gathered over the VHF from some, is that they are very tired and quite shattered. This depression has been very long, deep and violent”, explained Jean-Yves Chauve, the race doctor reporting over the VHF this afternoon. Patrick Eliès, winner of all four stages in the 1979 edition of the race is skippering the Medical Boat, on situated towards the head of the fleet. The final leg of that race in “1979 from Kinsale in Ireland to Concarneau in Brittany, was sailed in similar conditions” explains Eliès, “we has a violent wind storm, we had 50 knots then, I was a bit younger so it was different. The conditions are not particularly easy for the fleet. We have had quite violent wind gusts we also have a very confused sea with breaking waves which means you can’t make up much ground. We get 34 knots so think the wind is going to ease and suddenly it is back up to 45 knots. Having seen Fred Duthil sailing yesterday, I was really surprised at just how seaworthy the boats are how safe the competitors sail. The skippers are good and the boats are wonderful.” Looking at how the fleet is positioned on the water, we can see that those furthest north now making headway south for the northern tip of Spain. “I think that the west option will end up paying off and think they will get through, because those close to shore will find it hard to get round when the wind veers to the west. For now with the wind conditions we have, it not straightforward for anyone!” concludes Eliès. Corentin Douguet (E.Leclerc / Bouygues Telecom) has an average 7.4 knots as opposed to Lunven’s 6.4 with Nicolas Troussel (Financo) in third place following Corentin’s run south. Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) is further North and ranked 19th for now. When the wind shift does come in, the ones furthest North and West could continue on one tack down to the finish, whilst those to the south, notably Frank Le Gal (Lenze) in 4th place, Gérald Veniard (Scutum) in 11th place and Christian Bos (Belle Ile en Mer), let alone those close to shore, Jean-Paul Nicol, Marc Emig (AS.T Group) and Grégoire le Miere (Basse-Normandie OTCes Group) could loose ground as they continue to tack upwind to round the northern point of Galicia to reach La Coruña.

By Sabina Mollart-Rogerson of Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro


Solitaire du Figaro: News from the Sea (Wind and seas building)
Nicolas Lunven (Bostik), on the lunchtime VHF today
“The anemometer reads 25 knots average wind and it is due to build. Things are not going to badly. I changed headsail at just the right time before the wind picked up which keeps me in control. I have also put a reef in the mainsail. The pilot is driving the boat quite well and I am making the most of it to get some eat something and get some rest. I passed Christian Bos who was on starboard to port of me. I can’t see anyone else. There is always something to do, some little thing to fix and then we are going to have to drive soon…The anemometer reads 25 knots average wind speed and the wind should gradually pick up. I am happy that Jean-Pierre Nicol is in the lead because he is a friend of mine, but then I do hope I can get passed him!”

Jean-Pierre Nicol (Gavottes):
“It will have been 24 hours that I have been in the lead. I am pleased to be here but the conditions that we are going to get are quite dantesque. It is like a washing machine, tough stuff. We have 30 knots of wind but it is actually the sea that is really rough. Now is not the time to break anything. We must get to port safely and in good condition. I am sailing under solent, and full main sail and ask myself whether it is not time to put a reef in. I slept a bit last night but the pace is tough. When you are in the lead it is harder to sleep. I have my harness, life jacket and dry suit on, everything to face the storm.”

Thierry Chabagny (Brossard) – in 4th place – talks to use over the VHF at lunchtime
“It is quite wet now and I am getting quite few sweeping over the deck. It is not easy to sleep and let the pilot work, ware crashing around quite a lot, so not all that nice. I am not pleased with my position as I am slightly left of all the others. I am going to try and fix that. These are tiring conditions, not as nice as the sailing under spinnaker downwind! I have a safety harness on and helming otherwise you just get thrown forwards and come crashing down.”

Ronan Treussart (Groupe Celeos)
“It could be worse, we could be getting 45 knots. It is exactly what they announced: Upwind in 30 knots. We should get the stronger conditions tonight. It is not going all that bad! I planned ahead and put a reef in and the solent sail up. It is really banging around though. I have just come back from going below deck to change jacket. I am sailing with the pilot on and got some sleep last night to try and gather as much energy as it is going to be a tough night driving the boat. I am alone with Kappa just above me and we are both on port tack. I reduced the sail area this morning at sunrise, when I was sailing under genoa. It quickly built to 20 knots and then 30; within two hours had changed to a solent and put a reef in the main. We might well have to put another reef in. I am enjoying being on the water; there is only one thing that bothers and that it is being wet.”

Nicolas Troussel (Financo): moves into the lead at the 1h30 postion report…
“We are crashing around a bit here and you need to really hold on, as there are some quite good waves. We are going to have our fair share of upwind all the way to La Coruña. I am in the middle of heating up some water to have a freeze-dried meal, whichever one I find first will have to do. The sea is really rough though. You have to really remain vigilant, hold on and helm as much as possible. I have slept most of the night to be on form today. There are some boats around me so I know where I am and it is always a good thing to be able to compare boat speed.”

By Sabina Mollart-Rogerson of Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro.


Transat Mini - M65 production getting closer

The hull mold has been popped off the plug of the new Owen Clark designed production Mini. First deliveries are currently targeted for this coming fall.

Check out the m65usa team website, or the m65 itself.


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