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Topic: MacArthur breaks round-the-world sail record

xrcrguy
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 1562

posted 07 February 2005 11:34 PM

quote:
FALMOUTH (Reuters) - Ellen MacArthur has become the fastest person to sail solo round the world, completing her gruelling journey in just over 71 days and 14 hours and smashing the record set last year.
"It has been an absolutely unbelievable voyage, both physically and mentally," an exhausted MacArthur said from her trimaran after crossing the finishing line off north-western France late on Monday. "It will take some time to recover."
Her time of 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds shaved more than 32 hours off the previous world record set by Frenchman Francis Joyon, who smashed the previous mark by 21 days in what had been described as the perfect sail.

reuters

From: Believe in ideas, not ideology | Registered: Oct 2001 | IP: Logged

skdadl
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 478

posted 08 February 2005 12:16 PM

And congratulations to her! What an amazing feat. I can't imagine having the strength or patience to endure non-stop work for 71 days, although I can imagine how immeasurable some of her rewards must have been, some of the sights, and the treasure of such an accomplishment.

Is it getting round Cape Horn that is the worst part?

And hey! An xrcrguy sighting!

From: gone | Registered: May 2001 | IP: Logged

faith
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4348

posted 08 February 2005 12:39 PM

I am so impressed.
A friend offered to take me out on her family's sailboat and sail to Pender Island (they have a small cottage) so we could paint. Sounds ideal right? I just couldn't get up the nerve to go out on the open ocean in such a small boat.
This woman's courage is unimaginable to me.

From: vancouver | Registered: Aug 2003 | IP: Logged

chester the prairie shark
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6993

posted 08 February 2005 01:51 PM

getting past cape horn is the last of the worst part. the route is down the atlantic from europe, turn left off brazil and sail down the the 50's latitudes and then sail around the bottom of the world (essentially circumnavigate antarctica) in the southern ocean where westerly winds and east bound low pressure systems provide maximum horsepower (wind!). they sail across the atlantic, indian and pacific oceans at these low lattitudes encountering big, big wind, waves and icebergs (!). after you navigate that, cape horn is where they turn left and sail up the atlantic to europe. cape horn is notorius as it represents a fairly narrow channel between south america and antartica but they are going with the prevailing wind and the passage from the southern ocean around the horn and into more sheltered (!) water takes racing boats only a few days. the cape's reputation comes in large part from when sailing ships had to go east to west around the horn against the prevailing wind and sea state.

From: Saskatoon | Registered: Sep 2004 | IP: Logged

Agent 204
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4668

posted 08 February 2005 02:30 PM

Amazing indeed. Around the world in under eighty days- by sailing and nothing else! I like sailing well enough, but I'd never have the nerve to do that.

Curious that the article didn't say anything about her boat- not even a name.

From: home of the Guess Who | Registered: Nov 2003 | IP: Logged

chester the prairie shark
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6993

posted 08 February 2005 04:41 PM

The boat is a 75 foot carbon fibre trimaran "named" B&Q (englands answer to home depot). try this link http://www.teamellen.com/ellen2.asp?artid=100#. ellen is a big time star in singlehanded sailing, able to raise the money to build 4 million dollar boats and go after speed and endurance records. she became a star during the 2000-2001 vendee globe race (http://www.vendeeglobe.fr/uk/)where she came in second, she was 23 i think. single handed sailing is gender neutral (?, right phrase for women and men competing together)this years vendee has two women sailors and produced stars like issabelle autissier, catherine chabaud, tracey edwards and, of course, ellen.

From: Saskatoon | Registered: Sep 2004 | IP: Logged

Willowdale Wizard
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3674

posted 08 February 2005 05:46 PM

she kept going after badly burning her arm halfway between new zealand and cape horn. she rocks.

From: england (hometown of toronto) | Registered: Jan 2003 | IP: Logged

arborman
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4372

posted 08 February 2005 05:56 PM

Very cool.

The hardest part is the South pacific - 2 or more months of 60 foot waves, hurricane force winds and icebergs.

If she did it in 71 days, she likely went pretty far south - it must have been utterly nervewracking with all the bergs out there. Difficult to sleep in a storm, even more so knowing that your boat could disintegrate at any moment.

I love sailing, and particularly deep water sailing, but in my wildest dreams I will never come close to what this woman has accomplished. Amazing.

From: I'm a solipsist - isn't everyone? | Registered: Aug 2003 | IP: Logged

aRoused
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 1962

posted 09 February 2005 09:19 AM

They got the British man who was the first to accomplish the solo round the world trip (1959, I think) on the TV news yesterday. The interviewer kept trying to get him to say that MacArthur's achievement was less valid because of all the technology supporting her, letting her call for help if she got into trouble, etc. The old guy wasn't having any of it.

Interestingly, he did it in a boat half the length and about twice the weight of 'B&Q'--much of that tin cans of food. After all, it took him 300+ days.

From: The King's Royal Burgh of Eoforwich | Registered: Dec 2001 | IP: Logged

chester the prairie shark
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6993

posted 09 February 2005 01:07 PM

anybody interested in talking sailing over in babble banter?

From: Saskatoon | Registered: Sep 2004 | IP: Logged

Michelle
Moderator
Babbler # 560

posted 09 February 2005 01:48 PM

Feel free to start a thread! But I think it would be better in "body and soul" since it's a physical/athletic pursuit.

From: I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. | Registered: May 2001 | IP: Logged

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