Please select your home edition
Edition
RS Sailing 2021 - LEADERBOARD

GryphonSolo2: Leg 8 begins - Final Leg of the Globe40!

by Joe Harris, GryphonSolo2 25 Feb 20:19 PST
GryphonSolo2 © Martin Gunter / Instituto Fueguino De Tourismo

I am writing to declare that Team GS2 has launched on Leg 8, the final leg, of the Globe 40 from the Caribbean island of Grenada back to where we began in Lorient, France, 9 months ago. What a journey. I think we are all weary. But it has been a good stopover in Grenada.

I hauled GS2 at the Clarks Court Boatyard to check the condition of the bottom and also to do a bit of maintenance to the winches and mast cars and all is well with the boat... except that the B G chart plotter that we use for its GPS and basic navigation has decided to not work so we are wholly reliant on our computer-based navigation system using the Adrena software for weather, routing and now basic navigation. So we have lost our redundancy in navigation systems which kinda sucks. In the event of total meltdown we have a hand-held GPS and paper charts, but really hoping it doesn't come to that.

Anyhow, this stopover was great because my family and friends joined me and we did party like it was 1999. We rented a swanky Airbnb pad and lived it up for a few days. The crew are there for another couple of days and I'm sure will continue to rock.

Now GS2 is pounding upwind and North in familiar Caribbean waters past St. Lucia and St. Vincent, as I and many of us have chartered sailboats for vacations or racing down here many times. It is the same NNE 15-20k wind as always which is a beat into a pretty good swell.

It is about 3500 miles to Lorient, sailing back into the cold of the North Atlantic- yuk. 18 days my machine tells me. Hope all is well with everyone as we exit winter and February and turn towards Spring and March. Longer days, the proliferation of flora and fauna.... ???

Related Articles

GS2 Globe40 Epilogue
GryphonSolo2 sold in France after finishing the Globe40 I am writing this note from the comfort of my home office, with the heel angle at zero, the temperature at 70-degrees, no waves crashing over the house, and a kitchen and bathroom close by. Posted on 20 May
Second Globe40 scheduled for 2025-26
Pre-Notice of Race published today The first round the world race with stopovers created by a French organiser, the GLOBE40 proved to be an extremely demanding competition and an extraordinary human adventure. Posted on 2 May
The Globe40 Film
Nine months of competition, 35,000 nautical miles sailed around the planet Nine months of competition, 8 unprecedented stopovers, 25 competing skippers, 35,000 nautical miles sailed around the planet... the Globe40 film is online! Posted on 6 Apr
GryphonSolo2 finishes the Globe40
Joe Harris reflecting on the past ten months As we approach the finish line in the cold rain and pitch-black night of the Bay of Biscay off the coast of France, moving rapidly toward the conclusion of the Globe40 around-the-world race, I am reflecting on the past ten months. Posted on 18 Mar
Gryphon Solo2 finishes the Globe40
The end of the great adventure around the planet The American competitor Gryphon Solo 2 crossed the Globe40 finish line today in front of Lorient at 07:53 UTC. In 3rd position on this leg Joe Harris and Roger Junet finished this first edition of the Globe40 in 4th place. Posted on 17 Mar
GryphonSolo2: Globe40 Leg 8 update
Update from Roger Junet! Roger Junet shares an update on how he is feeling and his reflections on the Globe40 & GS2 Posted on 16 Mar
SEC HAYAI takes outright victory in the GLOBE40
The Dutch crew of Frans Budel and Ysbrand Endt finish off Lorient, Brittany Off Lorient, Brittany, the Dutch crew on SEC HAYAI made up of Frans Budel and Ysbrand Endt, crossed the finish line of the 8th and final leg of the GLOBE40 at 19:41 UTC this Wednesday. Posted on 16 Mar
GryphonSolo2: Globe40 Leg 8 update
Less than a 1,000 miles to go of the 40,000 mile epic journey I have some down time as I am trapped in the cabin as we ride out this third blast of heavy weather as the North Atlantic delivers its final blows to Team GS2. Posted on 13 Mar
Globe40 Leg 8 update: Until the last day
Competitors face a new low-pressure system today The GLOBE40 competitors will have to face a new low-pressure system today and on Monday on arrival in the Bay of Biscay with winds of up to 50 knots and seas of up to 10 m in the northern part of the Bay. Posted on 12 Mar
GryphonSolo2 Leg 8: From hairy times to becalmed
This leg has been a bit of everything I am coming to you live from a very active North Atlantic Ocean as we make our way from Grenada to Lorient, France in the 8th and final leg of the Globe40 RTW race. Posted on 10 Mar
Selden 2020 - FOOTERMarine Resources 2022 Salary Survey FOOTERZhik 2023 May SW FOOTER