Wind Santa is not giving very nice presents to Spindrift 2…

Friday, December 25th, 2015

Wind Santa is not giving very nice presents to Spindrift 2 (brown triangle). The Ghost of BPV Past (blue triangle) is back in the lead, while IDEC (red triangles) has better wind than SP2 (at least for now) in the offshore lane. It looks like the best chance for SP2 is that by taking their lumps early they’ll get a faster route up the Brazilian coast later on.

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It’s nervous time for the Jules Verne Trophy attempt. Spindrift…

Thursday, December 17th, 2015

It’s nervous time for the Jules Verne Trophy attempt. Spindrift 2 (tan triangle) and IDEC (red triangle) are stuck in a zone of high pressure/light winds (the blue areas on the map), fighting their way south to where they hope to hook into stronger wind (yellow and orange).

Their courses over the last day have been zigzaggy as they gybe back and forth for VMG. Meanwhile, the ghost of Banque Populaire V’s 2011/2012 record circumnavigation (blue triangle) is heading straight for Cape Horn, and has pulled ahead. But BPV has some light going of their own coming up later, as you can see from their projected course going all wonky a few days from now. If S2 and IDEC can get through this light stuff without losing too much distance, they might regain the lead (and their chance at the record) then.

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tfw the wind fills in from behind.Two of these triangles are…

Friday, December 11th, 2015

tfw the wind fills in from behind.

Two of these triangles are imaginary, but they all sure seem to be coming together.

Additional explanation for the less-obsessive after a cut.

The dark blue triangle to the north is Maxi Banque Populaire V at 2300 UTC on 11 Dec 2011, en route to setting the current record for fastest sailed circumnavigation four years ago.

The tan triangle south of there is the same boat (with modifications), now called Spindrift 2, from 1830 UTC today (11 Dec 2015). The start time for the two boats has been synchronized, making BP the “ghost” that S2 must beat to take the record.

The red triangles closing rapidly from astern are IDEC Sport. The leading triangle is their position today at 1830. The trailing triangle is their position two hours previously, reflecting the fact that they crossed the starting line between Ushant and the Lizard two hours earlier than S2 did. That is, it’s the trailing red triangle that has to beat the other two boats in order to take the record.

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Spindrift 2 enters the Southern Ocean – Jules Verne…

Friday, December 4th, 2015

Spindrift 2 enters the Southern Ocean – Jules Verne Trophy, Day 11

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Spindrift 2 heading south in the Atlantic on November 25, 2015….

Friday, December 4th, 2015

Spindrift 2 heading south in the Atlantic on November 25, 2015. Drone footage by on-board media crewman Yann Riou. Source.

As of December 4 at 1600 UTC, Spindrift 2 is in the Southern Ocean heading east, 233 miles ahead of the pace set in 2012 by the previous record-holder for the fastest sailing circumnavigation in history.

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