Lining up for the gybe

Approaching landfall on the South American continent is always one of the trickiest phases to negotiate on a Jules Verne Trophy: Groupama 3 is no exception to this rule and she is having to deal with a train of very active lows. Meantime the gale is dictating a slower pace...

In W to NW'ly winds of over thirty knots, gusting to 37-40 knots, the giant trimaran has been in a difficult sector of a fast, deep and active disturbance since Monday morning, which is rolling along towards Drake's Passage. This Tuesday, the cold front is catching up with Franck Cammas and his nine crew, whilst this low is slowing up (25 knots rather than yesterday's 45 knots) as it bends its course around to the SE. As such Groupama 3 can bend her course round to the E as she waits for the wind to shift round to the W then the SW. At that point she'll be able to put in a gybe to directly line herself up with Cape Horn.