Transat Live (Almost)!: Ahh, the wonders of technology. Thanks to the intrepid cameramen of Seamaster Sailing we no longer have to wonder what an Open 60 trimaran sailing the North Atlantic looks like. We can sit right at home on our fat duffs and click the mouse a few times (as long as we have Quicktime! If you don’t, just get it already. You’re missing a lot of great video…). First a quick race summary: The leading trimarans have sailed through the center of the gale, and are now blazing along in strong northwesterly winds, heading for the exits of the depression. They are more than halfway to Boston and nervous about icebergs. Except apparently leader Michel Desjoyeaux, who claims that he slept all night and let the autopilot do the driving in 44 knot winds and 18 foot seas (the fleet’s collective response: “Bullshit!”). A couple hundred miles back the three leading Open 60 monohulls are packed in a tight group and racing their hearts out, putting up 300 mile-plus days. Mike Sanderson on Pindar AlphaGraphics reports that he was sailing at 27 knots last night, which is just about the only reason these sailors put up with the cold and damp. Anyhow, let’s go to the tape!

Click here for a Day 3 report, which has some great shots of the tris at 24 knots, launching off waves. You can really see how light–and powerful–these racing machines are…

More? You want more? Okay. Click here for a Day 4 wrapup (and to practice your French). We’ve got fog, we’ve got spray, we’ve got more trimarans, and one great shot of the outboard steering station (towards the end). No wonder these guys love the autopilot…

Stop! Enough! You’re killing me! This is the last one! Click here for Day 5. See Foncia literally flying over the waves, and hear Alan Gautier describe how he broke almost all his mainsail battens in 40-plus knots, and had to drop the beast for repairs…

Phew, after all that I’ve got to lie back and smoke a cigarette…



Desjoyeaux Underway: Is that the sound of snoring?

(Photo: DPPI)