The 40m maxi-trimaran Spindrift 2 is still heading upwind, on a difficult trajectory, in a South Atlantic complicated by lots of transitions. The speedometer is witness to this difficult phase of weather for the sailors on board, who are now registering a 357mile deficit on the record time in their quest for the Jules Verne Trophy.
Here the message from the boat:
A day amidst grey skies, upwind against the sea and punctuated by squalls for Spindrift 2, that continues its progress along the Brazilian coast. The night was very uncomfortable again, with short and choppy seas harrying both the men and the boat, and slowing their progress.
A day amidst grey skies, upwind against the sea and punctuated by squalls for Spindrift 2, that continues its progress along the Brazilian coast. The night was very uncomfortable again, with short and choppy seas harrying both the men and the boat, and slowing their progress.
Since then, a small shift to the east is allowing them to benefit from slightly more passable seas, and to get closer to the anticyclone in order to seek the right rotation from which to head northwards on a starboard tack.
On board, morale is good. This enforced passage along South America will definitely not remain among their best memories of this round-the-world voyage, but the whole crew knows it is important to negotiate it as well as possible, in order to preserve their chances of breaking the record set by Loïck Peyron and his men.