Anybody else following the Route du Rhum?

[John Meachen]

The postponed start of the Route du Rhum took place early this afternoon and was shown live on youtube.Is anybody else following the progress?It has a close to real time tracking map,which you can access from https://www.routedurhum.com .I continue to be impressed by the technology that allows such close engagement and more impressed by the determination and drive of the sailors involved.

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

It’s sailing, Jim, but not as we know it.

[Mark0]

My wife follows it religiously, so I'm sucked in also. I guess it has something to do with the fact she learned how to sail at Port La Foret. Maybe something in the water over there
Cheers,
Mark

[CK 17]

I can’t make heads or tails from the website.

[gypsie]

Whats the history of the name?

Prohibition? (Rum)
Rhumb line? (Shortest route)

[gypsie]

Whats the history of the name?

Prohibition? (Rum)
Rhumb line? (Shortest route)

Never mind

Created in 1978 by Michel Etevenon, La Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe is the queen of solo transatlantic races. For 44 years, it has linked Saint-Malo in Brittany to Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe, and brings together on the same starting line the largest plateau of ocean sailing. This transatlantic voyage, with a total distance of 3,542 miles (6,562 kilometers) has become mythical and its magic operates in the diversity of classes and the mixing of genres. Great figures of sailing, professionals and amateurs meet every 4 years to taste "the magic of Rum"

[Andrew2]

Just seen that Sam Goodchild was injured by his winch handles and was taken off by helio.
I know his father from years ago, so was taking an interest.

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Just seen that Sam Goodchild was injured by his winch handles and was taken off by helio.
I know his father from years ago, so was taking an interest.

Would like to know how that one happened. Poor Sam, but an example of how grand prix racing can teach lessons for ordinary people.

[wizbang 13]

raceboats....pffft
I knew Bob and Judy as well. Long ago 5 year old Sam would come over and play on our boat with my kid in Grenada.
I hope he is okay...but raceboats.....ugh.
not like sailing as we know it indeed.it's not rum like we know it either...it's that French Agricole stuff.
I think the first Route de Rhums ended in St Barts?
bruce

[John Meachen]

I can’t make heads or tails from the website.

I don't like the website and the Android app is only slightly less bad.I do have enormous admiration for the people who sail these high performance boats at such a high level.It isn't something most of us would be capable of doing and it is a long time since I saw merit in spending long stretches of time at sea.I prefer getting home to a comfortable bed after a fun day afloat which doesn't mean that I consider the participants odd,they are driven and they are given huge acclaim for their efforts.I also admire the rate at which the boats are evolving;700 miles in 29 hours is a tremendous achievement to do it while managing a 120 ft trimaran and has to be respected.

Mere mortals might enjoy the benefits of furlers that have been tested in a demanding environment and radar systems that can live with the conditions.The boats all seem to leave their headsails hoisted and furl those which aren't ideal for the particular conditions and the steady stream of hi-res videos speaks volumes about the comms and the camera technology.Which feeds back by way of public recognition and fwiw,the only place I have seen a graffiti artist leave a portrait of a sailor is Lorient.

hero.jpg

A few weeks before the race started I looked briefly at another website that described the GGR as "Clunker Worlds" and couldn't suppress a grin.That might be a harsh description of a long and tough feat in slow boats,but as all race instructions state these days "the decision to enter or continue is at the discretion of the helmsman".The rest of us can take an interest or not on the same terms.

I am a little puzzled by the description of the Sam Goodchild incident as I was watching the youtube livestream of the start and saw his onboard helper leap off the stern shortly before the start.I sincerely hope it wasn't a broken or jammed pawl in the winch that led to the handle hitting him.I've known two men who had this sort of thing happen with trailer winches and one was severely concussed while the other lost eight teeth in a separate incident.

[wizbang 13]

this race is takin a lotta licks
2 dead when a boat watching a finish flipped

[John Meachen]

Sad and puzzling that it should happen.I would expect every individual to be wearing some kind of buoyancy.I expect we will learn more in due course.

I have to be impressed by Charles Caudrillier finishing the race in a few hours less than a week.

[Andrew2]

Bob sent a pic of Sam, looking somewhat bruised, but OK. Winch is being looked at by experts.

[wizbang 13]

Sad and puzzling that it should happen.I would expect every individual to be wearing some kind of buoyancy.I expect we will learn more in due course.

I have to be impressed by Charles Caudrillier finishing the race in a few hours less than a week.

The FWI is a notch above the BWI, but it's still 3rd worldish.PFD's...hahahaha.
I 'd bet they were all lit to boot.....and the boat was overloaded, and going too fast.
yes i heard Sam was just beat up, not broken to bits.grateful for that

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

Sad and puzzling that it should happen.I would expect every individual to be wearing some kind of buoyancy.I expect we will learn more in due course.

I have to be impressed by Charles Caudrillier finishing the race in a few hours less than a week.

… at an average speed on the rhumb line of 22 knots…

[John Meachen]

Bob sent a pic of Sam, looking somewhat bruised, but OK. Winch is being looked at by experts.

That is relatively good news,I hope the next few weeks are as pain free as possible.There are probably several others with similar winches who will be watching the news with interest.

I'm guessing the IMOCA s will be another 2-3 days at least and it is again the proven designs of a couple of years ago that are doing well.