Past Recife

Sodebo set to take a very westerly track through the Doldrums

Friday March 18th 2011, Author: James Boyd, Location: none selected

Image above courtesy of Expedition Navigation Systems and PredictWind.

Date Lat Long Spd Crs Spd Spd Dist DTF v IDEC
      Inst   4hr 24 hours      
18/03/2011 08:00 06°55.94'S 034°31.12'W 11 354° 14.3 10.2 244.2 3 766 -322.8
18/03/2011 06:00 07°20.06'S 034°31.19'W 14.3 355° 16.4 10.4 250.4 3 789 -302.9
18/03/2011 04:00 07°49.80'S 034°29.48'W 16.4 354° 17.9 10.6 254.2 3 819 -287.4
18/03/2011 02:15 08°16.69'S 034°29.98'W 17.4 4° 17.8 10.8 258.9 3 845 -274.6
18/03/2011 00:00 08°58.25'S 034°32.52'W 20.8 5° 15.1 10.5 252.8 3 887 -264.7
17/03/2011 22:15 09°32.37'S 034°33.17'W 18.3 356° 11.3 10.1 241.8 3 921 -256.8
17/03/2011 20:00 10°05.98'S 034°30.55'W 12.4 354° 6.6 9.6 229.7 3 954 -239.9
17/03/2011 18:00 10°28.62'S 034°28.39'W 10.6 347° 8 9 216.8 3 976 -218.8
17/03/2011 16:00 10°39.59'S 034°31.19'W 11.3 94° 13 9.3 224.3 3 987 -184.5
17/03/2011 14:00 10°38.62'S 034°53.65'W 10.4 88° 11.5 10.4 248.7 3 989 -142.3
17/03/2011 12:15 10°37.91'S 035°11.99'W 13 94° 9.1 11.6 277.8 3 992 -107
17/03/2011 10:00 10°35.15'S 035°50.34'W 16.6 99° 13 13.8 331.4 4 003 -72.6
17/03/2011 08:00 10°42.23'S 036°03.94'W 18.6 341° 17.7 15.2 365.5 4 016 -46.6

Oh dear. As expected Thomas Coville and Sodebo have once again dropped significantly behind Francis Joyon's pace over the last 24 hours as they have been struggling to get past Recife. In addition Coville yesterday had to effect a repair to Sodebo's outhaul.

After diving right into the Brazilian coast, just 17 miles off, Sodebo tacked offshore at around 0900GMT yesterday, finally turning north again at 1700 GMT when she was offshore adequately to pass Recife on starboard tack. Unfortunately in addition to being upwind, the breeze went soft yesterday, although Sodebo is getting back up to speed this morning.

As result, inevitably Sodebo has fallen behind IDEC's pace and at the moment they have a 322 mile deficit. This looks set to continue for most of today - on his record-setting lap Joyon roared up to the Equator and was constantly making 20+ knots until he hit the brick wall of the Doldrums at around 1°N, the equivalent of this evening in Sodebo time. There followed two slow days for IDEC where she was typically averaging no more than 10 knots so here there is in theory an opportunity for Coville and Sodebo to regain some ground.

It is hard to tell from the satellite wind radar images just what sort of passage Sodebo will have through the Doldrums. The worst of the Doldrums is located around the equator and Sodebo should be through at around 1°N (ie around 480 miles away). In Sodebo's favour is that she is a long way west which conventional wisdom holds usually makes for an easier passage through the Doldrums. Our best guess is that Sodebo may once again pull ahead of IDEC at some point over the weekend.

 

 

Latest Comments

  • David Bains 19/03/2011 - 11:34

    This am Sodebo is doing 9kts in a F2, and the Doldrums look pretty wide atm! What I meant was mission impossible in this boat. The question is does Coville want to try again in Sodebo's current configuration. What mods could make it faster? Or would only a longer boat with a larger rig and it's singlehanded problems do.

  • Blackburn 18/03/2011 - 18:26

    Maybe not mission impossible yet, but it also threatens to become the 2010 Route de Rhum in reverse...

  • David Bains 18/03/2011 - 16:44

    It is a large round number now, isn't it! Coville made very good time up the south Atlantic but that low producing northerlies cost him dearly. And Joyon really raced home after crossing the Doldrums too. I'm afraid Thomas' boat is only a refinement of IDEC and not significantly faster, and since Joyon was also fairly lucky with the weather, it's beginning to look like mission impossible.

  • Blackburn 18/03/2011 - 15:35

    Idec's now approaching a 400 mile lead. I wonder if Joyon isn't finding this the perfect race format, surrounded with all the comforts of home?

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