Vendee Globe 2020

[Priscilla 2,064]

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/how-we-met-pete-goss-and-raphael-dinelli-1262298.html

[Schakel 124]

Mean time did anyone followed this:

10 years ago this crash was not survived.
It is about the Halo. The strange t shaped bar above the drivers head.

I like safety and environmental engineering.
Requires a lot experience.

[F18 Sailor 284]

1 hour ago, samc99us said:

No rescue service operates a helicopter that can make an out and back rescue of 600nm (1200nm round trip). The U.S Coast Guard Dauphin can do about 300nm out and back (600nm round trip), with 20min on station and 45min mandatory IFR fuel reserves. These rescues pretty much always happen in IFR conditions and the coasties will cut it close in life threatening situations, I have heard of landings with 5min of fuel onboard but I also know they are really careful about that as losing a helicopter in the drink makes a difficult situation impossible.

I was off on the Dauphin range, its 350nm:  https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Acquisitions-CG-9/Programs/Air-Programs/SRR-MH-65/

[troll99 437]

53 minutes ago, Bebmoumoute said:

I am hopeful the reason they didn't ask Bestaven or Simon to divert is that Kevin is safe in the raft and the wind angle is better/easier for Boris to get there?

 

Also I suspect they will wait for daylight to attempt a rescue in these conditions with a foiler.

Bestaven is on way, not only Hermann. 

[sidmon 73]

5 minutes ago, troll99 said:

Bestaven is on way, not only Hermann. 

They can hand him off to Alex who seems to be pointed that way as well in a couple days...

[minca3 191]

1 hour ago, bucc5062 said:

Google translate:

 

In the roaring 40ths, the Malouin Kevin Escoffier, 40, who triggered his distress beacon on Monday due to a water leak aboard his PRB monohull,

a water leak. well done google. A leak like that?:

 

[eastern motors 95]

Race Direction have requested that Boris Herrmann and Yannick Bestaven alter course to head to the zone to help. 

[Varan 1,638]

Unusual to have a pack of fellow racers nearby that can assist in a rescue. Let's all hope it goes well.

[420 15]

PRB's position on the tracker is from 14:00 UTC while Le Cam's position is from 16:30 UTC. Maybe he's had issues for longer than we thought?

[Miffy 2,118]

1 minute ago, Varan said:

Unusual to have a pack of fellow racers nearby that can assist in a rescue. Let's all hope it goes well.

Might not be a bad idea going forward for a "pacer" - someone given a VG spot with a specific boat fitted out to sail along/behind the fleet with the extra margin of safety precisely to aid the faster boats should they require assistance.

[Bebmoumoute 738]

1 minute ago, 420 said:

PRB's position on the tracker is from 14:00 UTC while Le Cam's position is from 16:30 UTC. Maybe he's had issues for longer than we thought?

Maybe the boat has sunk... Kevin is reported to be in his liferaft

[troll99 437]

Just now, Miffy said:

Might not be a bad idea going forward for a "pacer" - someone given a VG spot with a specific boat fitted out to sail along/behind the fleet with the extra margin of safety precisely to aid the faster boats should they require assistance.

It is what is usually done in a Mini Transat race.

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

15 minutes ago, Schakel said:

10 years ago this crash was not survived.
It is about the Halo. The strange t shaped bar obove the drivers head.

I like safety and environmental engineering.
Requires a lot experience.

Typical F1 marketing bullshit.

Call a "roll bar" something that has been around since the wheel was invented the "Halo"

[sidmon 73]

30 minutes ago, Miffy said:

Not really. You don’t magically have qualified rescue swimmers able to jump off and get the casualties on the rescue winch (which the US Army doesn’t routinely work with) to bring both back onboard. 
 

 

 

The USAF and ANG Combat Rescue Squadrons (descendants of the Vietnam era "Jolly Greens) are fully capable. And stay pretty busy with civil rescues...

 

[Cwinsor 130]

current conditions from the VG twitter thread:

[ctutmark 233]

21 minutes ago, Schakel said:

Mean time Did anyone followed this:

10 years ago this crash was not survived.
It is about the Halo. The strange t shaped bar obove the drivers head.

I like safety and environmental engineering.
Requires a lot experience.

Watched that live yesterday morning, very sobering and happy things turned out well. Kudos to the FIA

[420 15]

3 minutes ago, Bebmoumoute said:

Maybe the boat has sunk... Kevin is reported to be in his liferaft

Nevermind my comment. Just saw that it's all stated in the statement on the VG website. He notified his shore team at 13:46 so he had about three hours until he had to activate his beacon.

https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/20681/kevin-escoffier-prb-activates-distress-beacon-jean-le-cam-alters-course-to-assist

[Bebmoumoute 738]

8 minutes ago, Miffy said:

Might not be a bad idea going forward for a "pacer" - someone given a VG spot with a specific boat fitted out to sail along/behind the fleet with the extra margin of safety precisely to aid the faster boats should they require assistance.

The spread of the fleet is so huge that it is better to rely on nearby sailors really.

[Miffy 2,118]

4 minutes ago, sidmon said:

 

The USAF and ANG Combat Rescue Squadrons (descendants of the Vietnam era "Jolly Greens) are fully capable. And stay pretty busy with civil rescues...

 

Again neither here or there and not us army. The United States is not some global civil rescue service. 

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

6 minutes ago, sidmon said:

40 minutes ago, Miffy said:

Not really. You don’t magically have qualified rescue swimmers able to jump off and get the casualties on the rescue winch (which the US Army doesn’t routinely work with) to bring both back onboard. 

 

The USAF and ANG Combat Rescue Squadrons...

Not a lot of experience with that around there.

The are off a postcode where not that long ago state regiemes were throwing their consituents OUT of helicopters not winching them up. 

[Fiji Bitter 1,432]

Would think JLC can do it, he knows the drill. Riou got him at the 4th attempt. Without an engine it will make it a lot more exhaustive for the old man though.

And there is Good Hope, this time !

Unsurprisingly Jean looks a bit shattered, but is still talkative...

 

[Rafael 246]

1 hour ago, jack_sparrow said:

Good news is SA have frigates so good for 30kts

Bad news is they usually tied up at Durban 1,000nm further east or on fishing oversight duties somewhere.

So looks like a looong night for both (Kevin and Jean) and Hermann + Bestaven and the fleet..., no much cargo traffic around... tomorrow in daylight things will be clearer

At least they dont have very heavy seas (4mts) and are out of the main Agujas Current influence, they have little but w/positive direction NE to the swell and to dry land

Does anybody have a Mtraff account to follow if PRB has allready sunk ??

[loneshark64 375]

2 hours ago, TPG said:

We're apparently going to have an army of stupid people crying about how fragile the boats are though.

Why are you picking a fight over every post? Have you contributed anything other than saying everyone else is stupid and pointing out that posts that are one man’s opinion or obviously jokes are not technically accurate? Are you having a particularly bad day? Maybe you need to go get laid or something.

[DVV 33]

JLC seem to be heading N. Do you think this is reliable?

[littlechay 687]

10 hours ago, huey 2 said:

littlechay possibly need to re read post...I was involving the sea state into his trip to cape town and the need to sit on one tack into  port  ... to minimise potential problems with quite rough conditions that eventuate when two systems meet

You know where Cape Town is? Right? You know where the Boss is? He will approach CPT from the West... No big deal on the currents there. 

[Hitchhiker 748]

5 minutes ago, Fiji Bitter said:

Would think JLC can do it, he knows the drill. Riou got him at the 4th attempt. Without an engine it will make it a lot more exhaustive for the old man though.

And there is Good Hope !

Unsurprisingly Jean looks a bit shattered, but is still talkative...

 

So, PRB was the boat that Riou was sailing when he rescued JLC!

[Bebmoumoute 738]

1 minute ago, Hitchhiker said:

So, PRB was the boat that Riou was sailing when he rescued JLC!

Not the same boat, it was an older PRB.

[steinbrenner 19]

1 minute ago, Hitchhiker said:

So, PRB was the boat that Riou was sailing when he rescued JLC!

the old one if i recall correctly

current prb was launched 2010 for 2012 VG, again if i recall correctly(:

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

Maybe there is a connection between getting past the Cape of Good Hope and your sponsors products are things that don't float?

[b3nharris 77]

 

I'm sure it's just trying to make sure there are as many options as possible, but this doesn't leave a good feeling about all this does it?
Rooting for Kevin and everyone sent to assist him.

[TPG 158]

4 minutes ago, jack_sparrow said:

Maybe there is a connection between getting past the Cape of Good Hope and your sponsors products are things that don't float?

I wonder if PRB makes flexseal? They could have shipped him off with a few cans. Bam. Boat fixed.

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

12 minutes ago, loneshark64 said:

Why are you picking a fight over every post? Have you contributed anything other than saying everyone else is stupid and pointing out that posts that are one man’s opinion or obviously jokes are not technically accurate? Are you having a particularly bad day? Maybe you need to go get laid or something.

Even a humble blowjob might work.

[minca3 191]

8 minutes ago, jack_sparrow said:

Maybe there is a connection between getting past the Cape of Good Hope and your sponsors products are things that don't float?

 

Isn't that a corner where a lot of dreams got shredded in the last 2 VGs?

2016: Riou (PRB) - keel damage
2016: Kito de Pavant (Bastide Otio) - keel damage

2016: Thomson (HB) - broken foil

2020: Thomson (HB) - broken rudder

2020: Escoffier (PRB) - ???

[Schakel 124]

25 minutes ago, jack_sparrow said:

Typical F1 marketing bullshit.

Call a "roll bar" something that has been around since the wheel was invented the "Halo"

A roll bar is behind the drivers head,

Grosjean head would have been pulverised at 125 Km/hr.
 

[Rafael 246]

18 minutes ago, b3nharris said:

I'm sure it's just trying to make sure there are as many options as possible, but this doesn't leave a good feeling about all this does it?
Rooting for Kevin and everyone sent to assist him.

So it seems like probably PRB allready owns to Neptune... clusterfuck

[wick 20]

3 minutes ago, b3nharris said:

 

I'm sure it's just trying to make sure there are as many options as possible, but this doesn't leave a good feeling about all this does it?
Rooting for Kevin and everyone sent to assist him.

Rescue Co-ordination Centers will stack up as many standby vessels as available for backup. 

[mad 3,693]

3 hours ago, TPG said:

We're apparently going to have an army of stupid people crying about how fragile the boats are though.

This thread seems to have been invaded by a load of new posters all of sudden, or is it just me noticing a lot more new stupid?

[TPG 158]

3 minutes ago, jack_sparrow said:

Even a humble blowjob might work.

You do have a purty mouth.

[littlechay 687]

1 hour ago, Pearl Necklace said:

As stated above,  JLC is super capable to pull off a rescue of this nature, proven man in a proven boat.  And with southern hemisphere summer, they should still have a few hours daylight right now too I believe.  Fingers crossed all is going well!

It's still Spring but here are the times... 

[Geff 182]

JLC is on station and has made contact with KE.  This may be a far out there concept and flame away, but with AT heading that way and on to Cape Town, transfer KE onto HB and let JLC continue the race.  HB is the transport vehicle.

[minca3 191]

1 minute ago, Geff said:

JLC is on station and has made contact with KE.  This may be a far out there concept and flame away, but with AT heading that way and on to Cape Town, transfer KE onto HB and let JLC continue the race.  HB is the transport vehicle.

the fact that they diverted 3 more boats to PRBs last position tells me transport to Cape Town is currently the least of their problems

[bucc5062 148]

As of last update Bestaven was closest after Cam so that does make some sense.  Hermann also makes sense since he's behind and just needs to make a slight course change.  Simon seems the odd one because he'd have to sail dead down wind on a direct path.  Three boats seems overkill unless something happened with Cam's effort (cannot easily maneuver, don't want to make things worse), but having JLC doing donuts hanging around is not easy to do...

 

Hope everyone keeps safe and all ends well.

[Schakel 124]

3 minutes ago, mad said:

This thread seems to have been invaded by a load of new posters all of sudden, or is it just me noticing a lot more new stupid?

Stupid enough to be fucked?? Here we go again.
One of the sail mates that I invited to this sailing forum turms out to be the biggest trolls.

Sorry Jos, "let's Trump them" doesn't appear to be the winning strategy...

[TPG 158]

6 minutes ago, Geff said:

JLC is on station and has made contact with KE.  This may be a far out there concept and flame away, but with AT heading that way and on to Cape Town, transfer KE onto HB and let JLC continue the race.  HB is the transport vehicle.

He'll launch him onboard HB via trebuchet? 

[Snowden 270]

Risk of transferring again in the raft to Boss just to save someone’s race seems a bit much

[Miffy 2,118]

7 minutes ago, Geff said:

JLC is on station and has made contact with KE.  This may be a far out there concept and flame away, but with AT heading that way and on to Cape Town, transfer KE onto HB and let JLC continue the race.  HB is the transport vehicle.

Bit optimistic. Like the early assumed posts that Kevin has been picked up by JLC.  It is a big ocean out there and someone being on a liferaft can quickly not be in the liferaft during an attempted pickup/transfer and suddenly you have a MOB situation. The more boats they divert and longer time on station JLC has been the more exhausted everyone is and the more serious the situation becomes. it is pretty silly how optimistic some people are about this. 

[TPG 158]

3 minutes ago, Snowden said:

Risk of transferring again in the raft to Boss just to save someone’s race seems a bit much

10-15ft @ 10 seconds is no joke. Don't forget the wind waves on top of that.

[Nauti Buoy 47]

Just now, TPG said:

10-15ft @ 10 seconds is no joke

Navy/CG would come pick him up from JLC...

[Bebmoumoute 738]

This article : https://www.ouest-france.fr/vendee-globe/vendee-globe-ce-que-l-on-sait-du-naufrage-de-kevin-escoffier-7067749 reminds us of the two previous damages PRB recently suffered:

• During a night training session at Port la Forêt back in September , PRB hit a floating object at 30 knots boat speed. The 2 crew were slightly hurt and a full assessment of the structure was performed;
• 3 days after the race started, during the first front, there was an important water ingress at the foilf box valve. Hundreds of litres of water had to be pumped out of the boat.

 

[b3nharris 77]

9 minutes ago, minca3 said:

the fact that they diverted 3 more boats to PRBs last position tells me transport to Cape Town is currently the least of their problems

 

Quite - a night in a liferaft in the Southern Ocean must be horrific, with serious risk of exposure despite everything. Whoever picks up Kevin is going to hightail it to Cape Town as fast as they can - and he'll possibly be  airlifted off once within helicopter range. Hanging around for a broken boat isn't going to be an option.

[Geff 182]

2 minutes ago, Miffy said:

Bit optimistic. Like the early assumed posts that Kevin has been picked up by JLC.  It is a big ocean out there and someone being on a liferaft can quickly not be in the liferaft during an attempted pickup/transfer and suddenly you have a MOB situation. The more boats they divert and longer time on station JLC has been the more exhausted everyone is and the more serious the situation becomes. it is pretty silly how optimistic some people are about this. 

That makes sense and logical.  Last statement regarding "pretty silly how optimistic some people..." really isn't necessary or called for, but I guess I invited it with stating flame away.  

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

22 minutes ago, Schakel said:

47 minutes ago, jack_sparrow said:

Typical F1 marketing bullshit.

Call a "roll bar" something that has been around since the wheel was invented the "Halo"

A roll bar is behind the drivers head,

Grosjean head would have been pulverised at 125 Km/hr.

 

A 'roll bar' in front of a racing drivers head, predates F1 and even the birth of Christ. 

[sidmon 73]

40 minutes ago, Miffy said:

Again neither here or there and not us army. The United States is not some global civil rescue service. 

Said that earlier.

Point is there are in fact dedicated units that can make extreme range water rescues...which you were apparently unaware of.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Chasm 596]

28 minutes ago, b3nharris said:

I'm sure it's just trying to make sure there are as many options as possible, but this doesn't leave a good feeling about all this does it?
Rooting for Kevin and everyone sent to assist him.

Not particularly good.
With more information coming out it seems clear that Kevin had some time before stepping into the life raft. Even a few minutes help a lot to put some gear on and think what to grab.
10°C air, 14° water temp (according to the ECMWF model), inside the life raft, likely in a survival suit, competitor on stand by and likely in communication. 
The bad news is that it is now night, the good news is that by sunrise the weather models have a lot less wind and wave and are improving as time goes on.

At 1346UTC for the first message from Kevin to the team JLC was ~20nm behind Kevin traveling at ~17kts
The time of the beacon activation is currently not public.
JLC arrived ~1600UTC and saw Kevin in the life raft.

Current forecast: 25kts wind gusting 36, 4.6m waves 3.2m swell
Forecast at 0400UTC, local sunrise: 20kts wind gusting 31, 4.1m waves 3.4m swell
Forecast at 1200UTC: 13kts wind gusting 20, 3.3m waves 3.4m swell

Wave period is always 10-11 seconds in the forecast, that does not help.

[shanghaisailor 1,138]

0345 here in China. No chance of sleep. I remember reading Pete Goss's account when he picked up Raphael Dianelli and it was a SA Air Force Orion overflying Raphael's boat and flashing their landing lights that pin pointed his position to Pete. It is not that easy in a boat that it underpowered under engine to come close to someone in a liferaft which is what gives me most concern. 

Regarding Kevin having to spend a night in a liferaft? He's as real nice guy but on top of that he is strong, fit and never struck me as someone who would be beat easily but ong hours in a liferaft are energy sapping. Remember it was him that went up Dongfeng's wobbly mast to cut away the dangerous top section just west of the Horn. 

Fingers crossed and praying for him 

[stief 3,374]

Sea state, and how much Herrmann (grey boat) has to deviate from his projected route.

Thanks Kevin Saliou and Great Circle and others for the chance to quickly update a rough pic of the situation

https://www.windy.com/plugins/windy-plugin-regadata

[daan62 270]

44 minutes ago, ctutmark said:

Watched that live yesterday morning, very sobering and happy things turned out well. Kudos to the FIA

minor burns and two broken toes (and probably a concussion)... after a crash with +/- 245 kph... 

[Roleur 281]

At that latitude, this time of the year, true darkness at night would only be 5 hours or so.

[Schakel 124]

7 minutes ago, jack_sparrow said:

 

A 'roll bar' in front of a racing drivers head, predates F1 and even the birth of Christ. 

This forum gives thought to al kind of strange ideas Jack.
A place where the there is room for all kind of ideas.
Did you like the pub "Oude Jan"? It's for store keepers and all other inhabitants.
It's a bit posh, not intellectual. But ok They respect each other.

[DVV 33]

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

21 minutes ago, sidmon said:

1 hour ago, Miffy said:

Again neither here or there and not us army. The United States is not some global civil rescue service. 

Said that earlier.

The US SAR area measured by country or population is actually pretty small.

Between the two Capes Australia, NZ and Chile are your saviour with France/SA sharing the early bit.  

[stief 3,374]

Now paste the damn link there too, Jack! 

[troll99 437]

2 minutes ago, stief said:

Now paste the damn link there too, Jack! 

https://www.google.com/search?q=global+maritime+search+and+rescue+areas&rlz=1C1CHBD_en-GBSE777SE777&oq=global+maritime+resc&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0i22i30i457j0i22i30.5071j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Google is your friend.

[Roleur 281]

7 minutes ago, DVV said:

Does the old AIS data for PRB imply the boat has sunk?

Makes me wonder though, if several hours have gone by and the boat did sink, wouldn't think the liferaft would still be close to that location anymore.

[stief 3,374]

3 minutes ago, troll99 said:

Google is your friend.

[Aside] Yes. Thanks anyway. It's an old joke between Jack and I. 

[Snowden 270]

3 minutes ago, Roleur said:

Does the old AIS data for PRB imply the boat has sunk?

Or lost xmit power as flooded with water

[minca3 191]

3 minutes ago, Roleur said:

Does the old AIS data for PRB imply the boat has sunk?

Makes me wonder though, if several hours have gone by and the boat did sink, wouldn't think the liferaft would still be close to that location anymore.

probably; I don't think KE would have left a floating boat ...

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

35 minutes ago, b3nharris said:

47 minutes ago, minca3 said:

the fact that they diverted 3 more boats to PRBs last position tells me transport to Cape Town is currently the least of their problems

 

Quite - a night in a liferaft in the Southern Ocean must be horrific, with serious risk of exposure despite everything.

An hour in a life raft in a swimming pool getting Safety and Sea Survival Certificate is only slightly less horrific and puts one off ever wanting to be in one in anger. 

[Snowden 270]

1 minute ago, jack_sparrow said:

An hour in a life raft in a swimming pool getting Safety and Sea Survival Certificate is only slightly less horrific and puts one off ever wanting to be in one. 

true dat. really quite surprising how unpleasant it is even in a swimming pool.

[eliboat 246]

3 minutes ago, jack_sparrow said:

An hour in a life raft in a swimming pool getting Safety and Sea Survival Certificate is only slightly less horrific and puts one off ever wanting to be in one. 

Yup

[TPG 158]

5 minutes ago, jack_sparrow said:

An hour in a life raft in a swimming pool getting Safety and Sea Survival Certificate is only slightly less horrific and puts one off ever wanting to be in one in anger. 

Climb in one inflated at LRSE or whatever your local safety shop is, you still want nothing to do with being in one.

[Varan 1,638]

24 minutes ago, DVV said:

Damn, that does not look good.

[Roleur 281]

2 minutes ago, TPG said:

Climb in one inflated at LRSE or whatever your local safety shop is, you still want nothing to do with being in one.

During our Safety at Sea course, I was pulled into a mostly full liferaft that was then quite full of water.  I actually thought about the risk of drowning INSIDE the liferaft.  With all my gear on and the lack of space, once I was pulled in facedown into the water, I couldn't move.  Certainly a beneficial experience to go through the process and use of safety gear.  

[Zonker 2,362]

S.African Navy has their biggest naval base  in Simonstown (very close to CT). But still about 500 miles from the present position of PRB.

 

[Notquitecapnron 38]

Looks like Bestaven should be to Le Cam's position soon based on MarineTraffic.  Hoping LeCam is still within sight of Escoffier life raft.  

[huey 2 484]

The famous Middle Harbour Yacht Club offshore 'liferaft test' with various boats and rafts turned into a bit of a fiasco , when the breeze picked up.....One raft just took off , didnt have the double bottoms and waterballast compartments, and the chaseboat couldnt keep up....some flipped multiple times and those had to have people exit then re-enter after righting......it became a real life test in the end and much longer than the tank at Mascot Airport

From.   A Likely story.    a tribute to Frank Likely

Many people owe their insight into survival to Frank’s commitment and organising ability. He and Horrie Godden started up the much awaited and respected bi-yearly life-raft exercises from MHYC. Horrie Godden, past Commodore and the ‘father of the Brisbane Race’ who was at one time both Commodore of Middle Harbour Yacht Club and President of Yachting Association of NSW had been active in arranging offshore safety demonstrations and had died on his yacht Kaleena one Friday night immediately before a demonstration.Frank took over Horrie’s role with his usual enthusiasm and determination, organising and taking part in practical life-raft exercises, when a number of life-rafts with volunteers wearing safety gear were cast adrift for twenty four hours off Sydney Heads. Many of the crew suffered seasickness as a result of their sojourn. All, including national as well as local yachting authorities gained valuable knowledge of survival at sea following abandonment of their craft. Since Frank’s death in 1990 Middle Harbour Yacht Club had not conducted any life-raft exercises until members of the Frank Likely Trust under Don Gillies revived the concept in 1995. Through Don’s keenness and with support from the Cruising Division, safety lectures started in February 1996, the first series being attended by twenty eight people, members and others who had read of the courses in the local press.

[Left Shift 2,643]

19 minutes ago, jack_sparrow said:

An hour in a life raft in a swimming pool getting Safety and Sea Survival Certificate is only slightly less horrific and puts one off ever wanting to be in one in anger. 

Dove underneath a capsized one to flip it upright with 4 friends - in a warm pool, with Safety at Sea life guards standing by - and had the one and only panic attack of my life.  

 

Knocking on wood for anyone in a life raft out there.

[Varan 1,638]

6 minutes ago, TPG said:

Climb in one inflated at LRSE or whatever your local safety shop is, you still want nothing to do with being in one.

I hope he is in one, or better yet, a competitor's boat. Hard to focus on anything else at the moment. 

[Buck Turgidson 77]

so from the report earlier, JLC lost sight whilst sorting his engine, that tells you a little about the visibility. Let's hope the EPIRB is good and maybe hand held satcoms available. Disclaimer: I flew SAR for 6 years Nimrods RAF. Spotting a life raft from the air in bad vis is a shitshow so from the deck of an IMOCA not good.  As far as I remember SA only has C130 for search and rescue and they don't have FLIR just standard weather radar. 

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

VG 2024 a Tier 2 or below sponsor...mmmmm...do I put my money on an 'old head on dagger boards' OR a foiler??

[Varan 1,638]

Recap for those just tuning in...

Quote

Jean Le Cam, the nearest competitor to stricken Vendee Globe skipper Kevin Escoffier, has seen Escoffier in his life raft and, according to unconfirmed reports on social media, Le Cam is going to start his engine in order to rescue his rival.

Escoffier, 40, who is racing in third place in the Vendée Globe solo non-stop around the world race, positioned some 550 nautical miles SW of Cape Town, triggered his distress beacon this afternoon. He was racing in a strong SW’ly air stream on starboard tack behind a weather front.

At 1346hrs (UTC), Escoffier managed to send a message to his shore team, explaining that he had an ingress of water into his boat. The rescue authorities (MRCC Cape Town and CROSS Griz Nez) are preparing an action plan in collaboration with his PRB shore team, with Jacques Caraës and the Vendée Globe Race Direction team. Jean Le Cam, the nearest competitor, changed course to sail to the last position given by the boat when the beacon was triggered (40°55 S 9°18 E).

Source

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

23 minutes ago, Varan said:

49 minutes ago, DVV said:

Damn, that does not look good.

Foilers not exactly renoun for 'hoving to'. This is going to feel like shit all round if pickup delayed. Hope JLC gets him quickly.

[Miffy 2,118]

Just now, jack_sparrow said:

Foilers not exactly renoun for 'hoving to'. This is going to feel like shit all round. 

And even within visual range I’m not sure how comfortable one gets trying to come along side to a raft or someone swimming to a drogue line... 

[Thread Killer 24]

2 minutes ago, Miffy said:

And even within visual range I’m not sure how comfortable one gets trying to come along side to a raft or someone swimming to a drogue line... 

Certainly not very comfortable, but it's got to be done - so you get it done.

[jack_sparrow 7,448]

18 minutes ago, Buck Turgidson said:

JLC lost sight whilst sorting his engine, that tells you a little about the visibility. Let's hope the EPIRB is good and maybe hand held satcoms available.

He will be in AIS PLB range. 

[Left Shift 2,643]

9 minutes ago, jack_sparrow said:

Foilers not exactly renoun for 'hoving to'. This is going to feel like shit all round. 

No boat of this type, especially in 20 knots of breeze, is easy to manage for a rescue pick-up.  Hard to keep the boat slowed down even with sails down or furled just by windage alone, with the bow getting blown off to leeward and tons of sideways drift.  Picking up a baseball cap is hard enough with a full crew, let alone a person, single-handed.  

 

[Rafael 246]

35 minutes ago, jack_sparrow said:

An hour in a life raft in a swimming pool getting Safety and Sea Survival Certificate is only slightly less horrific and puts one off ever wanting to be in one in anger. 

Indeed... Preasuming w/ the little actual info... that JLC's uncapable of rescue w/engine problems and manieuverability... and Kevin is still drifting in the ocean... Wonder if anybody knows which kind of life raft PRB had on board? (minimal for one person or a bit more sturdy)

[crashtack 126]

Well the SAN have some experience with racing

...and Protea is still in service. With helicopters, they might be able to assist if this ends up taking some time. Their missile frigates are even faster, and have Super Lynxes on board too.

[Buck Turgidson 77]

20:30 positions expect PRB. 

JLC's track looks like a search pattern.