Route du Rhum - Solo sailors navigate shifty tradewind system

by Leslie Greenhalgh on 13 Nov 2014 With the finish in Guadeloupe beginning to take shape, those solo sailors still out on the racetrack have been negotiating a particularly shifty tradewind system for several days. Stormy squalls, violent variations in the strength and direction of the wind and chaotic seas, it’s not exactly party-time for the IMOCA fleet in these final days of racing.

After ten days of racing at an intense rhythm, the bodies are beginning to tire. And even though life in the tradewinds is rarely a bed of roses, as we like to imagine, it certainly seems as if the menu over the past few days of this 2014 edition has been particularly hearty.

In this type of situation there is no doubt: it’s the boat, which controls things. Those who hoped to be able to settle into a ‘routine’ have done so at their own expense. In such a scenario, you have to be opportunistic and make the most of those moments where you are able to find the right trim to bag a few minutes’ shut-eye…. Good resolutions equating to a rhythm of life that is more or less ordered will vanish in the lines of Atlantic squalls.

Their rhythm of life: quotes from the boats prior to the start

Louis Burton (Bureau Vallée): 'I try to keep to a constant rhythm whereby I need to eat four or five meals. Once you begin to hit the tradewinds and you can crack off, things are a bit different. Ultimately though, it’s always the sea which controls how things pan out.'

Jérémie Beyou: (Maître CoQ): 'I don’t have a set rhythm. It’s a bit like a Figaro; I just try to listen to what my body’s telling me. On the other hand, I’ve really worked on my diet and I force myself to eat a set amount. One of my faults is not eating enough. Now I have several very accessible places for food and I’ve reinstalled my galley furniture: eating aids performance.'

Bertrand de Broc (Votre Nom autour du Monde): 'I try to stick to fairly strict meal times. I also have a bag with extra foodstuffs for the nights. I take care not to overdo it. I know that I need four or five hours sleep a day, albeit staggered of course.'

Tanguy de Lamotte (Initiatives Cœur): 'I know that I live according to the boat’s rhythm and what’s happening ashore. I try to sleep at night, because I’ve noticed that I recuperate better at night. Ideally I get between four and six hours’ sleep in little chunks of 30 to 90 minutes.'

Alessandro Di Benedetto (Team Plastique): 'There’s a basic rhythm you try to adhere to. The most important thing is to have at least one hot meal during the day. Other than that, I love dividing the meals up. Sometimes I can eat up to three or four breakfasts.'

François Gabart (MACIF): 'I don’t really have a set rhythm that I stick to. I check that I feel good. I think I know myself well so I react according to how I feel. So far that seems to have worked pretty well for me.'

Marc Guillemot (Safran): 'You mustn’t let circumstances get on top of you, but I really try to work things around what the wind is doing. When it’s stable, it’s easy, but as soon as the wind becomes random, you have to be on top of things, you don’t have the choice. That can become problematic when the fatigue builds up.'

Vincent Riou (PRB): 'I just try to ensure that I get a good amount of sleep. You can fit meals around what you’re doing a bit, though it’s quite a good idea to stick to a rhythm that is reminiscent of what you’re used to. The only thing that is a given in terms of timing is the receipt of the grib files and rankings.'

Armel Tripon (For Humble Heroes): 'Generally I have a fairly set rhythm. I try to stick to it as much as possible, because you rest better if you do that. There are times though when you don’t have the option. That’s why, when you can stick to a set rhythm, you have to do so.'

Race round-up: little change in prospect

Of course, until the finish line is crossed, you can’t swear to anything. Only the deficits between the different protagonists in the IMOCA class suggest that the ranking is unlikely to evolve before the finish. Now boasting a lead of over 80 miles in relation to Jérémie Beyou, François Gabart is striding towards a victory, which is ripe for the picking. Logically, Marc Guillemot is set to finish third.

In these conditions, the sailor’s primary aim is to try to stay clear of material damage, which is the only thing that might upset the established order. The level of performance of every one of the sailors is unlikely to be as intense as it was at the start of the race, given the stakes involved. Indeed, to be in with a chance of winning a race, you first have to finish Ocean IMOCA