Jacques Vabre Update–All At Sea: At 10 am this morning, Froggie time, the 14 Open 60 trimarans hit the start line. These boats are like Formula 1 race cars, arguably the most powerful…and fragile racing vessels on the high seas. Off the line they were all doing speeds into the mid-20s, blasting along with their two person crews, and settling into a 4300 mile sprint (they’ll sail direct for Brazil; Ascension Island was removed from the course due to the late start). When the running is tight the crews will hand steer, flying one and even two hulls, carving the fine line between speed and disaster. If they flip, they stay flipped, and they are so unbelievably powerful they can flip in almost any conditions if the helmsman makes a mistake or the autopilot decides to take a break. When they can, the crews will grab snatches of sleep, and heat up pasty freeze-dried food to try and stem the steady loss of calories that comes with racing a rocket ship shorthanded. The tris are rounding the northwest tip of France and will then cross the Bay of Biscay as they dive south for the equator. No weather bombs predicted for the moment. But hang on for the ride…Neptune never lets this race off without some surprises. Up ahead, for instance, the monohull Open 60s got pasted again overnight, with winds more than 60 knots. They’re all wet, cold, tired and miserable, pining for the moment they finally hit the trade winds and can shrug out of their dry suits and get a little sun. Britain’s ECOVER is still hanging on to the lead….



“Holy Merde, Michel. You dodged that chopper…but what are you going to do about the container ship?”

(Photo: Transat Jacques Vabre)