New Around the World Solo Record

[Bruce Hooke]

Frenchman Francis Joyon shattered the previous record for a solo circumnavigation, with a time of 57 days 13 hours 34 minutes and 6 seconds. He came quite close to beating the record for a crewed sailboat...

http://www.bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=21392

[John Meachen]

You must have have posted this while I was typing Bruce!A tremendous achievement for one man versus a crewed boat.

[Concordia...41]

With an average speed of greater than 19 knots! :eek:

[Bob Triggs]

Give me Harbo and Samuelson any day.

[Ian McColgin]

Brilliant.

[David Tabor (sailordave)]

From the SCUTTLEBUTT website...

A major dose of CLASS!


QUOTE / UNQUOTE
Commenting on Francis Joyon breaking her record, a visibly moved Ellen
MacArthur said, “I really had to give everything I had to beat his 2004
record; now he betters mine by 14 days. Amazing seamanship, ideal weather,
and a faster boat are the key factors, but above all I cannot express how
much respect I have for the man.”



How many of the "major" sports stars do you think you'd hear something like this from???

[TimH]

http://www.bymnews.com/june/images/idec-4.jpg (http://www.bymnews.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=98)After an exceptional career and just a few hours after shattering the solo trans-Atlantic and 24 hour records, the trimaran IDEC was wrecked on rocks.
After crossing the line at the Lizard, Francis had headed down the Four channel, passed the Raz de Sein in the evening and then, because he had a morning rendezvous at La Trinité, decided to slow the boat down by reducing canvas and sailing before the wind. His heading was to leave Penmac'h about 30° to the right, but, because he hadn't slept for a long time, he fell into a deep sleep. He was on autopilot and thinks it must have gone wrong - like it had a couple of times during the record - but, because he wasn't going fast, there was no change of speed to alert him.
Francis Joyon was woken, suddenly, by a great crash and found himself between two 6 metre rocks.

[Kim Whitmyre]

http://www.bymnews.com/june/images/idec-4.jpg (http://www.bymnews.com/photos/thumbnails.php?album=98)After an exceptional career and just a few hours after shattering the solo trans-Atlantic and 24 hour records, the trimaran IDEC was wrecked on rocks.


It's not April Fool's Day yet, Tim.:eek:

[TimH]

http://www.bymnews.com/june/idec.html
That was the old boat I guess. Sorry for the scare

[JimConlin]

Bump

[Woxbox]

Now that's sailing. Averaging 19 knots for 57 days? Anyone want to venture what it takes to keep up that pace, solo? I'm ready for a long nap after a half-day.

http://www.jmliot.com/media/event/news/photo/large/idec07_11.jpg

[Bruce Hooke]

Now that's sailing. Averaging 19 knots for 57 days? Anyone want to venture what it takes to keep up that pace, solo? I'm ready for a long nap after a half-day.



Pretty staggering, isn't it? Staying in racing mode 24 hours a day for two months!

[JimConlin]

Pretty staggering, isn't it? Staying in racing mode 24 hours a day for two months!

The toughest part has got to be sailing at 30+ kts. in the Southern ocean, hoping you don't hit some ice in the dark.

[Michael Beckman]

I can't imagine why anyone would want to make the trip so quickly. I'd be more impressed with 5 years around the world. >_>

[Woxbox]

I admire those guys, too. I posted a note about this fellow a while back:
Around the world twice, over a period of I think about 11 years, and he completed the trip at age 89!
Harry Heckel - and never looked for publicity.
Now what would his average speed have been?

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f92/Woxbox/HarryHeckel.jpg

[paladin]

I played that game with my tri.....4 days, reduced sail, central hull barely touching water, just the bare bottom of the centerboard case, centerboard vibrating like mad.......starboard ama buried and was afraid of a boat crash/pitchpole reduced main there were three of us and we alternated, 30 minutes on the wheel, 1 hour off. Just hanging on to the rim of the wheel was like holding on to one of those big vibrating machines at the health club....be kept it for 4 days, finally hauled in the rags and still made good time on bare poles, 400 plus mile days.....from Monterey down the coast of mexico.

[Concordia...41]

If someone can ascertain who on Joyon's team did the weather forcasting - now that's the person or service to use. ;)

[The Bigfella]

Fabulous. I love the description in the story "thirty foot trimaran"..... hmmm, very big feet. Thirty metres perhaps.

[Noah]

The cool thing is that he did it without an engine or generator on the boat. Just wind and solar for power (though he did have a backup fuel cell just in case).

The implications of no motor are huge - he choose not to carry any diesel which meant that he didn't have heat. Can you imagine - 30 degree air temp, water that's in the 30's and sailing at 25 knots with no heat for 30 days....