Spin Drift is the latest Jules Verne challenger. Equipped with a revamped Banque Populaire racing machine that set the world record with Loïck Peyron back in 2012, they set out to beat that challenge. This time they have had it rebuilt to be harder, faster and stronger than ever before.
The crew, using the latest MaxSea TIMEZERO technology onboard, are on the way to hopefully smash the record! They passed Cape Leeuwin (115º, 08’E) after 18 days, 11 hours and 17 seonds, meaning they have covered 12,295 miles at an average rate of 27.73 knots.
Yann Guichard and co. are trying to beat the time set by Loïck Peyron. It is difficult to say whether they are ahead or behind time wise because they have not taken the same route and chose to head down south to visit the penguins and play asteroids with the icebergs. In this scenario you could be ahead even if you are behind, which you may want to mull over with some mulled wine this festive season. The way in which this spherical conundrum can be explained is that a boat sailing at 40º of latitude travels 459 miles for every 10º of longitude, whereas at 50º of latitude means cutting out a whopping 74 miles.
The team led by Yann Guichard and partner Dona Bertarelli have to beat the insanely quick time of 45 days, 13 hours and 42 minutes and speaking about the challenge they remained down to Earth noting that it was just as much about the adventure as anything else,
“Apart from the competition itself, for Dona and me it is as much about the human adventure. The record attempt brings together sailors who competed in Olympic series before turning to offshore competition and sailors with previous experience of oceanic record attempts and the Southern Ocean. Spindrift 2 is a prototype, so we have to take good care of her. Multihull specialists are aware of the fundamental balance we must strike between speed and safety. I’m surrounded by sailors who I know are talented and who feel good at sea. I can rely on them and trust them. In training I see us gel as a team, which gives me such a strong desire to experience this unique challenge together.”
You can find out how they are getting along by visiting their website