Nandor Fa eager to complete his qualification for the Vendée Globe

by Vendée Globe on 8 Jul 2016 Nandor Fa arrived in Newport (Rhode Island) yesterday with his crew after a delivery trip across the Atlantic, which took 19 days. The skipper of Spirit of Hungary does not intend to get any rest, and is due to set sail at the weekend after spending just three days ashore. He is eager now to complete his qualification for the Vendée Globe by sailing back alone to Les Sables d’Olonne.

Nandor Fa is pleased with the performance of his 60-foot IMOCA, Spirit of Hungary, which is now fitted with a new mast and has a new set of sails. The Hungarian skipper took advantage of this delivery trip to Newport to test his boat and carry out some adjustments with his shore team. They were able to do this, in spite of some very variable and unpredictable weather conditions.

Over the past few days, Spirit of Hungary had to sail upwind in extremely variable conditions, while struggling against the Gulf Stream current. Last weekend, the skipper seemed particularly frutrated due to a lack of wind, but several hours later faced severe gusts, requiring frequent sail changes and complicating the voyage.

Nandor Fa said, 'Today was not easy for the boat or for the people either. It’s been an exhausting period of uncomfortable waves, that are coming non stop. It’s not an easy ride, as the winds that keep coming are what I wouldn’t wish on my enemies either. They are changing so constantly it’s impossible to choose sails correctly. If I set everything for the base wind, it’s too much for the gusts…if I chose my set to be just right for the gusts, it’s too light for the base wind.”

Fa is due to spend three days in Newport working on a few minor repair jobs and adjustments aboard his Spirit of Hungary. He is due to set sail again at the weekend, and this time he will be alone.