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 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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Both boats are east of the South Island of New Zealand, and appear to be taking the northern option across the Pacific. They’re within radar/AIS site of each other (less than 11 NM in the latest tracker update), though that’s with IDEC (still trailing by a skosh) having an additional 2 hours to make up from their earlier start.
IDEC mentions coming within 2 miles of Spindrift 2 at one point (maybe when their tracks crossed back when both boats gybed toward the north?), but apparently they never actually saw each other due to the misty conditions.
The low southeast of them that they’re shooting for at the moment is reportedly moving pretty fast; it’s not clear they’re going to be able to hook into it.
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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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