Arkema and Lalou off to conquer North Atlantic in the Transat Bakerly

by Arkema on 2 May 2016 At 3.30 pm (French time) Lalou Roucayrol sailed from Plymouth to head for New York on board his 50-foot trimaran Arkema. Racing for the third time in the English Transat, a much dreaded event for sailors, the skipper knows that the next two weeks will be very tough, for both man and boat.

Covering 3,200 nautical miles (6,000 km) with a headwind and leapfrogging over the waves is hardly a gentle cruise, and the Aquitaine-born skipper is ready to take up the challenge!

Interview with the skipper before the start of the race:

How are you feeling just a few hours before the start?

“I am quietly confident. I have faith in my boat, and the small glitch we had last year has enabled us to perform comprehensive checks of the structure. This remains a mechanical sport, but over the last three years the machine has been tried and tested thoroughly. Mentally speaking, I know what to expect from this race, and I have settled a few issues I had with myself. Finally, I have prepared well physically to be able to cope with this race against the elements, with being damp all the time, with being tired, and with handling the boat solo.”

What conditions are expected for the first few days of the race?

“We are leaving just after a front. There will be wind as we sail off, even though the bay provides some shelter. The wind is expected to pick up again late afternoon with westerly winds of 17-20 knots for the first night. So we will be sailing upwind from the start of the race… And probably right to the finish. This means that it is very uncomfortable. The boat slams into the waves, the structure is severely tested, and we will be very cold throughout the crossing. With a headwind, the windchill temperature is always very low… And we will also have to cope with the arrival of an anticyclone.”

What will be the key moments of the race?

“The start is always an important moment. Then, we will have to cope with the arrival of an anticyclone in the night of Tuesday to Wednesday. This will be a decisive moment for sailing across this system and handling the transition afterwards. We might encounter other low pressure systems currently forming, so each transition will matter, and handling the pace of living on board properly will be key.”

Finally, what is your goal in this Transat bakerly?

“Making it to the other side of the Atlantic is one of them, but above all making it in winning position! Sailing into New York in particular is so magical! Our outings on the water at the start of the season with Erwan Le Roux (Fenêtré-A Cardinal) were interesting last winter, and we saw some real progress with our boat Arkema on certain points of sailing. We are in a position to chase victory!”