Book Review: Close to the Wind

Do you ever wonder about doing something amazing, something like the Vendee Globe?

For most of us it's a dream, an imaginary voyage which would mostly involve the good bits - like Sam Davies here describing the magic of dawn at sea, dolphins playing around the bow, surfing down monster waves at edge of disaster speeds.

But the reality must be that it is a tough, draining, battle against a hostile universe, and that is just to get to the start line. To finish the race when things are going right is an achievement, to do it when the world seems against all the way, and to save a man's life as well, is nothing but heroic.

And that is the story of Pete Goss's Vendee Globe which he described in Close to the wind and a cracking read it is.

It takes a lot of dedication to put together an entry - and a lot of money, which he didn't have. When travelling the UK fund raising his wallet couldn't stretch to a B&B so Pete had to sleep on railway station platforms. For two days all he ate were a few biscuits.

Then there's the Vendee itself, when in the midst of the sort of storm where knock-downs happen couple of times an hour he got the distress call from fellow competitor Raphael Dinelli. Pete had to battle upwind through the maelstrom to find the life raft and its occupant, the close to death Raphael.

Pete Goss is ex Royal Marines and so his style is straight forward with clean and to the point writing. So when he describes the rescue as "a very bad experience" you know that's not just a few easy words.

For me the worst bit was later on when he had to operate on his own elbow. I find that hard to imagine as my response would have been ok, that's it, enough of this, I'm going to the nearest doc. But Pete even managed to take a couple of photos of the procedure (er, thanks I guess).

A truly gripping sailing yarn, definitely worth getting and reading.

Sam and Dee sailing again

Our favourite sailor, Sam Davies, is off again, and this time she has company.

Together with fellow Vendee Globe competitor Dee Caffari she will be sailing around Britain, trying to beat the current record of 7 day and 4 hours. Sam has done the round Britain before back in June 2007 when she helped set the record for an all female crew.

There was some debate during the Vendee Globe as to which was getting or should get the most attention. Letters were sent to Yachting Monthly on the subject - ok, well there was this one that they published, which said that Dee got too much and Sam too little.

In reply the editor of that journal pointed out that Dee had the large PR publicity machine while Sam had just the single person. And that was my impression too: for example the Vendee Globe program on TV here had lots on all the British competitors except Sam, who always seemed an after thought. Sam got all her publicity through her own writing on her web site.

Anyhow now that's all history and they can share the story together - when the weather forecast suggests a record breaking voyage is on the cards.

What TV program is the Vendee Globe?

I posted previously how the Volvo TV show reminded me a bit of Top Gear as its rather un-PC but with high entertainment value. And I still do - can't you just picture the scene:

INT: Studio, big sign says "Top Yacht". Three presenters are doing the cool wall.

Clarkson (for it is he): So what do we think, Volvo 70s, cold or super cold?

Audience, misc: cold! Super cold! Freezing! etc etc

Clarkson: You know the old Volvo 60, good yachts, but these new ones. God they're fast!!

Hamster: That's right, that extra 10 feet make all the difference - and there's a canting keel too!

Clarkson: The power is just awesome, I just can't say no to it

HamsterHammond: The Stig took one out for a spin - think I saw him hitting 40 knots on the Top Yacht course.

May: Of course they'll need ice gates now.

Clarkson and Hammond look at him in disgust, shake heads, raise eyebrows etc

May: If they're going 40 knots and hit an iceberg its all over, all this fancy carbon fibre, give me solid steel any day.

Clarkson: Well, thank you Mr Health and Safety, but who cares, I want one.

He slaps picture of V070 at the ice-cold end of the board and the audience cheers.


You see what I mean? It would so work.

But what TV show would the Vendee Globe be? I haven't had chance to see for myself what its actual TV coverage is like but it surely would be more character based. Maybe a TV drama series - or even dare I say it a soap.

The skippers would be the focus, not the just the power of the boats, and interactions between them drive the story forward, with a cliff hanger at the end of each episode:
- when will the curse of Mike Golding strike?
- can anyone get to poor Jean le Cam before his yacht sinks?
- who will get in first, Roxy or Safram?

and of course:
- When will Elies be rescued, broken leg and all?

There'd also be the light humorous story line to keep spirits up and Sam would do her bit with stories of lost chocolate, karaoke, iPod dancing etc.

Of course a soap never ends so it can't be that. I'd suggest a drama like Lost but that series is just too irritating. So maybe something classical, like Dicken's Bleak House, printed in 20 instalments.

What do you think?

Volvo & Vendee on TV

As suffering from Vendee withdrawl symptoms was pleased to learn from Yachting World that it was going to be on TV over the weekend - though at the rather weekend lie-in hostile hour of 7.30 am. So muttering something about Channel 4 executives bad scheduling when it comes to sailing, decided it was one for the PVR to record ready for when fully awake coffee mug in hand.

Alas the PVR decided to die: gracefully it must be admitted, but when there is 39V on the line that should have just 13V it was brave but most definitely beaten.

No matter thinks I, there is always C4 + 1, the TV channel to catch the first half of programs where enjoyed the last half - or in this case, for those getting up just after 8.

Alas, again, it was not good news as the TV reported "no signal" on not just C4+1, but C4, and indeed every single channel. Apparently the antenna on the roof of the block of appartments was in morning for the PVR or something and refusing to work on even numbered floors (no, don't understand that at all either).

So thinks I, this is the 21st Century, we have 4OD - standing for 4 "on-demand", a web site for those with broadband and a Channel 4 program missed.

Alas, a word that is becoming over used but still - er - alas - is appropriate, there were many programs to download from Desperate Housewives to Dispatches: Unseen Gaza, but no, the Vendee Globe is "currently not available".

But as a consolation prize there was a catch-up of the Volvo Ocean race programs. Now if you think the Vendee Globe slot was bad at 7.30 am on a Saturday morning have a feeling for the Volvo which has got the graveyard 01:45 - 02:40 am slot, even earlier than the Vendee.

Nope, even the C4+1 times of 02:45 - 03:40 that don't sound that good. What is it about TV schedulers and their dislike of sailing?

But the Volvo program was available on download so spent an hour with some VO70s racing from the doldrums to Cape Town and then up into the Indian Ocean. And rather a fun 48 minutes it was too.

Ok, I've been a bit disappointed by following the Volvo, but as a TV show it has certain wow! factor. Those boats are pretty impressive when fully loaded going pedal to the metal and maybe thats what they are all about.

They can give some perzang! to any corporate video, showing leading edge sailing, teamwork, high tech, healthy outdoor competition, and a nice warm buzz of seeing your company's logo on a spinnaker on a boat surfing at 30+ knots across sun lit waves. Followed by some spectacular wipe-outs, shredded sails, broken booms etc.

Woh! Yea-ha! (or something)

And of course the port on starboard miss by millimetres near collision shot:

Having enjoyed that and started the download of the next episode, went over to the VOR web site, and... nope, didn't feel the same.

Five boats, in a clump, just going along, it was like..... slow. Those long offshore legs you really need to have strong characters to keep the interest up, as the Vendee does (or rather did).

So maybe the Volvo has got some strong points, and TV is a good way of getting across the power and exhilaration of the VO70 class. Its a bit like the Top Gear of sailing, you know its not PC, but actually its very watchable.

Of course I have yet to see the Vendee Globe on TV. Now the PVR has been returned from repair and the TV is reporting signal again just have to wait till Saturday morning to compare the two.

I'll be there, coffee mug in hand - unless something else goes wrong......

Volvo vs Vende Globe (again)

The Vendee Globe is winding down and those with Sam Davies withdrawal symptoms have been checking out the other circumnavigating yacht race, the Volvo. But to me at least it's not the same.

I remember back in November posting a 10 point list of why the Vendee is better (ok, it was only 9 but surely there must be another there somewhere) and a similar comparison has been bubbling through the mind of Yachting World's Elaine Bunting in her blog here.

The post raises a number of topics, including the degree to which the greater loads in VOR70 gives a bias towards male sailors and how that could put off some members of the public. She even raises the Mike vs Michelle Golding debate on whether female sailors get greater coverage and if so is that right?

I've been thinking over her arguments over the weekend and don't have any conclusion, just some further points to mull over.

If having men only in teams was a significant problem then Manchester United wouldn't have a global fan base and Formula 1 would be in even greater financial difficulties than it does at present. There does seem to be an appetite for sport viewers to see the highest level of competition - or, as the VOR marketing team would no doubt put it - at the extreme.

And it is certainly true that the VOR is getting support: see the crowds by the dock side for the races and most impressive armadas of virtual sailors following it in the Volvo game. There are some virtual racers that have over a month of log-in time -now that is real commitment and advertiser friendly eye-ball time.

But the VOR does have a problem that neither Man U nor Formula 1 has - lack of continuity and hence fan base. It is harder to feel connected to an international telecom vendor that has funded a campaign, and even less so when it is a one-off sponsorship. It is notable that Ericsson is unusual in that it funded a boat in a previous campaign, not the norm.

If you support a football team you have a good chance of following them not just year in year out, but decade after decade (though that can be a bad thing - one's sympathy must go to those Leeds United fans who have now only distant memories of life in the Premiership).

You can follow individual sailors in the Vendee, but for the VOR its usually a different crew and team name each time round. So Torben Grael is skipper of Ericsson 4 this time round, but in the last race it was Brazil.

It hasn't helped that the VOR didn't offer the great Virtual Spectator viewer which I really appreciated when it was available for the previous race.

Also as posted earlier, the single handed nature of the Vendee Globe makes it a more gripping story, and it is story that we humans like and brings engagement. And it is this engagement that brings media coverage with it, as Sam Davies showed.

Ultimately it will all be decided by sponsors and whether they happy with the return they get on the huge sums required to fund a VOR team. But it is notable how few there are: given the drop outs the fleet for the current leg is only 5 strong and given the two Ericssons that represents just 4 sponsors.

Probably this isn't a question that only Ericsson corporate PR can answer: given what they know now would they rather sponsor next time round a VOR or a Vendee Globe?

It might well be the answer has nothing to do with gender or sailing but something much more simple. If you are doing a corporate PR junket you can get more wanabee sailors in a day sail on a VO 70 than in an Open 60!

So what do you think? If you could modify the VOR what would you change?

Safran pips Sam

It was just by 79 minutes, but it was enough for Safran to get 3rd place, pushing Sam into forth. After ninety odd days that's a difference of just 0.06% over the entire race.

But kudos to Marc - sailing the last 1,000 miles with no keel. And kudos indeed to all the finishers, including Dee and Brian for finishing what has been an amazing Vendee Globe.

Sam 3rd across the line!

Many congratulations to Sam Davies for sailing a brilliant Vendee Globe and to be third to cross the finish line this morning at Les Sables d'Olonne.

She has done it in style, sailing safe and fast while enjoying the good times and reporting on the bad. Her blog has been a big hit - indeed it is currently out of action due to "Too many client tasks".

Despite being back safely on dry land, the tension will not be fully released for another 50 hours or so as she discovers whether Safran can arrive in time to grab the final podium position. Current projections are it will go down to the wire.

And she even achieved her final goal - to be back by Valentines Day :)

Sam slows down

Oh dear. Again Roxy and Safran take alternate routes round a weather system and again alas Sam comes out worse off.

At least now she is heading in the right direction - a recent update had her VMG negative.

I guess she is being philosophical about it (above)

Why Sam could be third

Just as Elaine Bunting on the Yachting World web site says that Sam can't get third as Roland Jourdain will never give up, he promptly does.

So Sam is currently third and on track for a podium position.

However the 2nd obstacle Elaine mentions is unfortunately a more serious one as Marc Guilemont has a redress of 50 hours more than Sam and so she would have to arrive 2 days ahead of him to keep that position.

Currently she is about 2,400 miles to go with about 100 mile advantage over Marc. While he seems to be going faster, he is also going in the wrong direction: if you check her VMG she is doing 2 knots better.

If that were to keep up (and its a very big if) then the times to finish would be:
Sam: 2372 miles to go VMG 9.2 knots implies time to finish in 258 hours
Marc: 2486 miles to go VMG 7.5 knots implies time to finish in 331 hours

Hence he would be 73 hours behind her.

Alas if only offshore racing was simply linear as that! I wouldn't like to bet either way, but she can still do it.

No wonder she is working on her trim so much!

Sailing invitation

I got an invitation to go sailing yesterday. It was from Clipper Round the World races - must have signed up to their email list at some point.

Met them again at the London Boat Show and we discussed how you can do a full circumnavigation or just part, and we worked out friends of mine must have done the Perth to Qingdao leg. And the email was all about that particular leg - boasting that it was great as "If you choose leg 4 you will be facing exactly the same conditions that the Volvo sailors are battling now" (pictured above).

Hmmm.... is that really the best of sales techniques? Some phrases today from the VOR web site "E3 safe after terrifying ordeal" and "horrific night when [E3] suffered extensive hull damage and began taking on water". And the wasn't the wave height 14m or something?

What looks a lot more inviting sailing conditions is this video of Sam overtaking Safran to take fourth. To be honest her French is trop vite for me but words like chocolate need no translating!

Sam Davies & the Media

Something very odd happened on Monday. I was chatting on the phone to my sister and she said - unprompted in any way - "Isn't it great about that sailor, you know, what's her name? In that race?

"Sam Davies?" says I (ok, there was some prompting).

"Yes - she's amazing!" says said sister.

My sister doesn't visit sailing web sites and doesn't read sailing magazines - indeed she doesn't actually sail.

But Sam is getting noticed and that can only be a good thing. See this article in The Guardian (which my sister does read) and this on the Yachting World site.

Some good quotes - such as "while they like sailing boats, she loves being at sea" from her boyfriend (sorry chaps).

Of course its a shame about Safran sneaking though along the Brazilian coast, but even so Sam is having a great race.

Though mustn't start counting chickens as its still a long way to home.

Update Saturday: and there's more! Sam Davies PR must be working overdrive. This from The Independent under the title "Bloggin' all over the world", though I'd have replaced the word "over" with "around".

The Vendee Globe Story

Most big ocean races have a story to them. You usually don't find out what it is till after the race is finished. It might be the super duper next generation yacht flattens opposition (ABN 1 in last Volvo). It might be saga of masts breaking (last Clipper around the World).

But there is always a story as sailing involve us humans, and we love stories. We tell stories, we make them up, we love to listen, and given a drama such as a sailing across the wide seas, hunt for it until we find it.

So what is the story of this Vendee Globe? Well it can be useful to look at the exception, which is what is happening now. Sam Davies is fighting for 4th place against Marc Guillemot and they are using all their routing skills - or luck - to battle though some lows that are sitting just in their way (as in chart above).

And that's been rare in the last few weeks. It's pretty much been a precession of yachts across the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

So what has this Vendee Globe been about? Well for me the main stories so far are:

1) The high drop out rate: many more boats than expected seem to be hit by serious failures, from keel's dropping off to masts tumbling down.

2) The emergencies - Vincent Riou's demasting in rescuing LeCam and Elies's ghastly broken leg

3) The characters: this is a solo round the world race, where each of the skippers are individuals competing against each other, the weather, and the odds.

And that is where Sam shines: dancing around the deck, growing bean shoots, sending emails and photos, and telling us her thoughts and feelings.

Magnifique!

It's time for Change!

Yes, its the day of change!

Not just in Washington DC, but also in the Vendee Globe where Sam (above, in a change of clothing from her roaring forties all weather gear) is surely hoping for a change in the weather off South America which is currently trapping her.

Go, Sam, go!

Mike Golding Happy Now

Poor old Mike Golding has had a bad couple of months. Having worked hard to be ready for the Vendee Globe, battle thousands of miles keeping in the leading pack, finally grabbing the lead, only to have his mast break, that must be tough.

But here he is at the boat show standing next to the model and presenter Kelly Brook, and now he's smiling - for some reason.....

Sam at Cape Horn

This Sam sailing rounds Cape Horn. Hurruh for Sam

But, erm, can anyone actually see the Cape in the photo above. Not that I doubt our Sam for a moment. It just would be nice to see the historic rock somewhere on the horizon.

Onwards an upwards, back to the warmth of the tropics again.

Another Sam picture just for fun:

Sam heads North

So Sam has passed Cape Horn and is now heading north into the Atlantic in forth place in the Vendee Globe. Surviving a knock down in the final few hours in the Pacific she can cross off one of her New Year Resolutions - to take a photo of Cape Horn.

At least I hope she took a photo as she went round at 09:30 UT and it must have been dawnish at the Cape then. It would be a bit of a shame if she has to go back and do it again when its daylight! She said she saw it so there must have been a bit of light.

For those following Sam you might be interested in this interview by satellite phone. And you must check out the video of her dancing to "Girls just want to have fun".

Go Sam Go!

Life and the Vendee Globe

Life is not like the movies: it is not fair. On the big screen a little act of kindness will be rewarded, right will overcome wrong, and the good guys beat the bad.

But that is not the way the world always works.

In the real world good people get lurgies they shouldn't.

In the real world when one reads in the news of a Gaza school being bombed and of staved children holding onto the dead body of their mothers, one also hears how the victims are blamed and the attackers get the unquestioned support of the world's most powerful nation and the world's most powerful man.

So the Vendee Globe too is unfair, as after Vincent Riou went out of his way to rescue Jean Le Cam, rather than being rewarded, his boat PRB broke its mast.

All we can do, and should do, is honour Vincent's brave, valiant, and successful rescue effort and give him all our support at the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune".

Sam bounds for the Horn

Lovely post over on Sam's blog today. As you might expect the thought of Jean Le Cam trapped underneath his boat in the chilly depths of the southern ocean had a huge impact on her, and she admitted being unable to sleep until she knew that Vincent had successfully rescued him.

Now Roxy is heading toward the Horn, bounding across the waves "like a kangaroo". Neat imagery - uncomfortable but fast.

Go Sam Go!

There was an interesting post on the Vendee Globe web site about the mythology around the Horn. But it starts with the line "If we're going to talk about Cape Horn, we must begin with "The Long Way" by Bernard Moitessier."

I don't think that's right at all. If we're to talk about Cape Horn lets start with those that first battled around it, explorers like Magellaan and Drake, and of course the buccaneers that came after them hungry for gold.

And let's talk about the big difference between them and the Vendee fleet today - they went the wrong way. All the old sailors tended to go round Cape Horn from East to West, and wasn't that making life hard. Watch "Master and Commander" again (ok its fiction but its jolly good) and get an idea of the struggle that was.

By the time of the First Fleet that went to Australia 1788 they knew better. The ships came out to Australia across the Indian Ocean but came back all the way across the wide Pacific. It might have been longer but the winds were with them.

So the "standard" way round Cape Horn became the other direction, from West to East.

One of the main reference books that described the prevailing winds was called a "Discourse on Trade Winds" written by another of those old sailors, William Dampier.

He went round the world three times, always heading West, always against the prevailing winds. Maybe that's why it took him so much longer - twelve years in one case!

Even though the Vendee Globe fleet is suffering a battering down there at least it can be comforted by two thoughts: they will be heading round Cape Horn the right way, and they will be back home much, much quicker than the early circumnavigators!

Vendee Globe Update^3

Golly, it does all seem to happening in the Vendee Globe fleet!

Drama after drama but, thank God, Vincent Riou was able to rescue Jean Le Cam after the keel bulb fell off his boat (above).

But Sam is still in the race and moving up to 5th :)

Sam's New Year Resolutions

Sam is now 6th (hurrah!) and is celebrating the New Year (above) and making a few resolutions.

However there seems to be something wrong with her satellite phone as there have been a few changes from what must be the correct list:
- Sail around the world
- Take a photo of Cape Horn
- Eat the Nutella out of the pot with my fingers
- Do not fall asleep with the motor on charging the batteries
- Sponge the bilges every day
- Brush hair more than once a week
- Eat more chocolate
- Eat better chocolate
- Catch up some miles on the leaders
- Be nice to Chuck, the autopilot
- Take no risks

Can you spot what the changes the Iridium phone has introduced?