Gitana 13 bound for China in record attempt

by Gitana Team media on 10 May 2008 After setting out from Yokohama on Thursday 8th May at 05h55’45’’ UT bound for Dalian in China, Gitana 13 has experienced a gentle start to their record attempt. Lionel Lemonchois and his seven crew have had to make constant manœuvres in order to extract themselves from Tokyo Bay, followed by the calms which awaited them at the exit from the bay.

Gitana 13’s router Sylvain Mondon had this to say about the situation: 'Gitana 13 left Japan in 8 to 10 knot E'ly winds, after suffering the effects of some very light SE'lies just two hours after the start. The following hours were marked by numerous fluctuations in the wind system, both in terms of strength and direction. The crew has had a lot of work to do to exploit the frequent changes as best they can.'

Despite everything, after 30 hours at sea, the crew on the maxi-catamaran, skippered by Lionel Lemonchois, has made good 500 miles at an average speed of 16.85 knots. The sailors on Gitana Team are currently making headway towards the SW tip of the Japanese archipelago – Cape Sata –, which they are set to reach tonight. From there they will begin the climb towards Korean waters. A right-hand turn which, according to the latest forecasts, promises to be quite harsh.

Between Yokohama and Dalian, there are eight crew members aboard Gitana 13. This is a smaller crew than in the previous record, which has meant a new organisation of watches on board the 33 metre catamaran. Now divided into two groups of four, the men on Gitana 13 alternate between a permanent watch and a rest watch; the stand-by watches no longer existing. This slightly more demanding rhythm for the men is possible given the duration of the record.

Watch 1: Lionel Lemonchois, Olivier Wroczynski, Antoine Mermod, David Boileau
Watch 2: Ludovic Aglaor, Jean-Baptiste Levaillant, Léopold Lucet, Nicolas Raynaud

It’s in progressively freshening NE’ly winds of 25 knots building to 30-35 knots that the maxi-catamaran will be making headway over the next 24 hours. In addition the average speed will increase despite the wind being virtually on their tail, forcing several gybes to be made before Cape Sata.

This considerable wind increase is caused by a disturbance which was created to the SW of Shanghai on Thursday, and which is located to the north of Taipei on Friday morning. This growing system will run along the south of Japan on Saturday.

Once the SW tip of Japan is rounded (over the course of tonight, Friday), the NE'ly wind will remain steady as far as the entrance to the Yellow Sea, where a zone of high pressure not far off South Korea awaits Lionel Lemonchois and his crew.

Sylvain Mondon (Météo France)

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Onboard: Business as usual

30 knots on the anemometer! The results of our first day may be deemed as satisfactory despite the overly numerous periods of calm overnight. Other than that, there's nothing to say; it’s all been positive. The skies are a grey blue, there is a gentle breeze, we have downwind conditions, and it's been so good that there hasn't really been any serious spray on deck. Foulies are still optional but naturally that won't last…

This introduction enabled us to review the gybing, the reef taking, and we've even reviewed our favourite sequence of moves, namely the change of gennaker, the little one replacing the large one, with a gybe to follow if you please, culminating with a little session of ballast shifting. With a crew of eight, we have a fair bit of work to do and so we sleep when we can. With our new organisation, that is two watches of four, it is compulsory to go and wake our ‘little friends’ at the slightest manœuvre. Unless we’re in very light conditions, nothing is possible aboard Gitana 13 unless there are six or seven of us on deck. So with 30 knots of wind…

Tomorrow, we're going to revise the hoisting of the ORC which is our little headsail. Of course we're going to have the right to a storm. Between Japan and South Korea, the NE’ly wind is set to gust to up to 50 knots. The foulies will then be more than compulsory…

Until tomorrow

Nicolas Raynaud

http://www.gitana-team.com/