Record breaking pace

Banque Populaire still doing 30 knots down the North Atlantic

Image above courtesy of Expedition Navigation Systems and PredictWind.

The speed of this machine is incredible. 48 hours since setting out on her Jules Verne Trophy record attempt, so Banque Populaire is already past Madeira, regularly averaging 28-31 knots. Yesterday at 2000 her spate of ever increasing 24 hour runs peaked at 745 (ie averaging 31 knots for the previous 24 hours) at which point her lead over Groupama 3's pace was 271 miles. It has since dropped back to 155 miles. 

Due to the conditions, Banque Populaire's route south is an unorthadox one. Last night, just past the Azores, she put in a gybe to the west for eight hours and as a result she is currently passing Madeira, albeit some 400 miles to the west. Typically on record attempts boats stay close to Madeira and the Canary Islands.

At present Banque Populaire is rounding the westerly corner of the depression straddling Gibraltar down to the Canaries and over the next few hours she will have to gybe as they see the wind backing from the northeast to the northwest. This will be shortlived with the wind veering back into the northeast once again, conditions that should get her all the way to the Doldrums. Even at this stage it seems very likely that she will be setting a new record for the shortest  time to this first milestone in their non-stop round the world lap.

Yesterday skipper Pascal Bidegorry reported that they had seen 47 knots when they passed Cape Finisterre (NW corner of Spain) on the opening day. At the time they had been making 40 knots with the back of the boat fully stacked. Yesterday midday Bidegorry said they still had 30 knots and were making 35 knots. 

"This morning we are focussing on the weather to come, because even if we have a small lead over the reference time it is important to look at the evolutions in the weather ahead to be able to manage them as well as possible. Skirting the depression over the Canaries will be the first interesting period, but we are also looking at what will occur afterwards. For the moment, in terms of the weather, there is nothing miraculous, but nothing catastrophic either. The crossing of the Doldurms can be a little delicate, but we remain optimistic!"

Bidegorry continued: "Outside the cold is intense, resembling the limit of conditions in the Southern Ocean! But the crew are doing well and everyone is driving the boat as well as possible. The watch system is in place and we have already carried out many manoeuvres with three changes of gennaker. From experience one knows that it always takes 48 hours to get into the rhythm, but until then it is simple: one eats, one steers and one rests."