Coville to Start on Christmas Eve

"Thomas Coville has announced that he and his 105-ft trimaran Sodebo will depart France on his solo around the world attempt on what appears will be very strong weather conditions on Christmas Eve," reports Javier de Muns, our man in Brittany. "Forecasters are predicting 40- to 50-knot winds and 18-ft seas. Readers will remember that Coville was to have started on the same day as Francis Joyon and IDEC, but scratched because of a hydraulic problem. He now faces the burden of trying to compete with Joyon’s spectacular pace."

"Meanwhile, Franck Cammas and his crew with the 105-ft trimaran Groupama III have still not announced a departure date. During a tune-up sail, the outer laminations on the curved daggerboards incurred some damage, and it’s expected to take a week to fix them. As such, I had the opportunity to tour the maxi trimaran and take photos."

FLASH!

Thanks to a change in the weather forecast, Coville, with a crew of four, has left La Trinite-sur-Mer for the starting line near Brest, and should be starting his singlehanded record attempt within 24 hours. 

Looking calm and relaxed, with his wife and two children near him wiping their eyes, Coville told our man in Brittany that he wasn’t too worried about the "virile" weather conditions — 40 to 50 knots — during the first two days of his record attempt. While the conditions to the equator weren’t going to be ideal, he still thinks he can make it in seven days, like Joyon.

de Muns reports that Coville’s 105-ft trimaran, the biggest ever to be singlehanded, is more complex than Joyon’s IDEC, as it has a rotating mast and a complex hydraulics system. Coville believes that Sodebo‘s longer waterline and rotating mast will give him additional speed, despite her being a ton heavier than IDEC. Sodebo is also more skipper-friendly and comfortable, as it has a protected and comfortable pilothouse, plus a generator that will provide heat.