Many of us sat glued to the tracker wondering why Rich was going back to shore…It was a pretty frustrating few hours, for me, here by the fire- checking weather, AIS and the mini transat tracker. Bret (Richards sponser from RG 650 Europe, the toughest mini’s out there) just called, Rich had to swap his rudders as it broke in some pretty crazy weather in the wintery mid Atlantic (note to self, always have spare rudder!) . Rich made one quick call to Bret to let us know of his plans, he is hammering it to Lanzarote now, where he will regroup. Bret’s blog follows. Keep an eye on http://www.rg650europe for Brets Blog
For Weather

http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/marine/weather?

For AIS/another tracker (he is RG650)

LEVEL=5&LANG=en&MENU=0&TIME=24&MN=gfs&MODELLTYP=wave&WIND=g056http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/224011840

Here

Here is Bret’s Blog

I cant even put a picture onto this blog……..
Two nights ago Richard launched off of a wake of a fishing boat and made a seamanship decision to check the boat after some airtime in the RG 650……….
We know he restarted and we were stoked to see him cruising with a great VMG and with 10+ knots of boat speed.
This is where the story gets interesting…….
I – was asleep but I wasn’t comfortable so I got up and anxiety got the best of me. I turned my computer on at 0555 in the morning. The French tracker was as we know asleep so I checked the AIS……. RG 650 solo sailor (FYI) and there he was heading : 175º speed: 9 kts
I was happy…….
Next update said 300 seconds which took me a few drowsy moments to work out that meant 5 minutes…….. so I watched the seconds.
Next thing I see is 3-2-1 ……….
The update screened itself and the bow was pointing 290º and the speed was 1kts
WTF – I said quietly as my family was sleeping…….
By now I was in a frenzy of anxiety and was watching for the next update…….. it came and it said the same…….
A few deep breathes later and a quick `why the f__k´
I knew deep down that I had just witnessed a virtual wipeout ………..
As I sit here writing this I still don’t know why I woke and literally watched it happen on my computer………
Anyway, obviously we cant contact Richard so we had to wait………I knew this morning at 0600 that he was heading to a port but that doesn’t help the anxiety……….
The day was difficult – I wouldn’t have liked to be around me at all……..
Anyway, saw that Richard was sailing ok and was indeed heading for a port…….
THEN…… I receive a +351 phone call and I know this is Portugal , it is 2130 at night……..
It was a message from Richard via and English speaking Portugese touching base ……..
Mate ………….
How are you?
He said all ok………
Straight into it – no time……….
WIPED OUT ON A MAST HIGH BREAKER , BROKE RUDDER, WENT HEAD TO WIND, NOT FUN……..SOLVED PROBLEM , CHANGED RUDDER TO OTHER SIDE, GYBED BOAT HEADED TO PORT, AIMED FOR CALM WATERS, FITTED SPARE RUDDDER ( to hard to do in swell, needed shelter) PHONED YOU, LOST WIND GEAR, SUFFERED SOME OTHER DAMAGE, GOT TO GO WIND DROPPING……..SPEAK IN LANZAROTE……..AM LEAVING NOW………….
brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr phone dead.
I sat there for a second and thought about what had just happened and tried to relate to his situation……….
This story is not about winning a yacht race , this is about the story itself………….
I have nothing more to say other than to all the people following this unfold hang in there because there is more to come……….
The outcome of all of this is that Richard found calm waters to replace the rudder which we carried a spare for and he is off again……….
Still no `F´ word……….
Go the RG !!!!!!!!!!!!
and………
Go the Hewson !!!!!!!!!!! Shuck yeeeeaaaaahhhhhhhhh.

It appears Rich is sheltering in a Portugese harbour tonight, he is tacking back and forth doing 8 knots. It must be a foul night in the wintery north Atlantic Ocean. It appears many of the fleet are seeking shelter in Portugal tonight.

The following is the latest news from www.minitransat.fr

Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian) was determined that his position as leader of the fleet when the Douarnenez to Sada leg was cancelled would not be usurped. In conditions that are not particularly favorable to the hull shape of his prototype, the Italian navigator is keeping the competition at bay. In the series boats, Aymeric Belloir (Tout le Monde Chante contre le Cancer), has been highly motivated initially and must now contain the onslaught of a furious chasing trio.

As expected, the Portuguese trade winds continue to push hard. The wind consistently exceeds thirty knots as one moves away from the coast and the combination of a cross breeze over a residual northwesterly swell gives the senstion of being in a pinball machine. Several competitors have had bitter experiences and for some, the punishment has resulted in retirement, either becuase the vessel has suffered too much damage, or simply because, there comes a point when enough is enough and you simply want it to stop. This Mini Transat, with its long days of waiting, has helped to blunt craving for adventure amongst some shrinking violets. The test has not spare anyone from prolonged waiting, crossing the Gulf of Biscay was brutal, then a pit stop in Spain and for the vast majority of the fleet there was a difficult delivery passage along the Asturian coast . Finally, they have been accompanied on their passage down the Portuguese coats by a particularly vicious north easterly system. One thing is certain: the winner of the 2013 edition wont just be a good sailor, they will by necessarity be a truly accomplished seaman.

Breakages and lessons
The Portuguese trade winds have already pulled the rug from under a number of competitors, include two podium contenders in both the series boats and the protos. Ian Lipinski (Pas de Futur sans Numérique) paid the price for coming off a big wave. Bad luck struck when Ian, just out of a nap, was about to go on deck, he was caught by a wave that filled the interior of the Pogo in no time. At the same time, the boat turned turtle sitting with its keel in the air for a long time before coming upright dismasted. Ian was collected by a cargo ship that was en route to Sfax in Tunisia. Later that night, it was Gwénolé Gahinet (Watever / Logways) requesting assistance from the race organisation, when one of his keel bearings broke. The navigator, who could have lost his keel at any time, was finally able to board a Portuguese fishing boat. Other soloists who have thrown in the towel are: Joel Garcia Miro (Argo 650) who will not leave Camarillas where he had taken refuge. Yann Le Pautremat and Sébastien Picault have confirmed their retirement, alongside Bert Bossyns (Netwerk) who took refuge in the port of Peniche. Finally, Gilles Avril (Evolution Marine) hit a log in a surf. The bow of the boat did not survive the crash. He is now safe aboard one of the support boats.

Meanwhile, Giancarlo Pedote, Benoît Marie (benoitmarie.com), Nicolas Boidevezi (Nature Addicts) and Bertrand Delesne (TeamWork) are leading the dance masterfully, which speaks to their extensive offshore experience. Other competitors have chosen to temper their approach, for example Stan Maslard (Sefico Group) has clearly opted to stay closer to the Portuguese coast to to take advantage of the calmer sea and a less strong wind. Renaud Mary (www.runo.fr) is taking the same strategy. It’s a choice that may pay off, since Renaud is credited with the biggest gain over 24 hours from noon to noon. And the fight between Aymeric Belloir, Justine Mettraux (TeamWork) and Simon Koster (Go4It) remains spectacular ….

Pit stop

For still others, the race has been put on hold for the duration of a technical stop. In Porto, Clement Bouyssou (No War) and François Guiffant (Scidiam) are due to leave tomorrow morning. This is also the case for Pip Hare (The Potting Shade), François Lamy (Guadeloupe Espace Océan) and Diane Reid (One’s Girl Ocean Challenge) who have all called in near Lisbon. Others, like Carlos Lizancos (Reyno de Navarra) or Pilar Pasanau (Peter Punk) have not yet confirmed their intention to continue the race. They will sleep on it …

Note- the picture of the boat at the bottom is not Rich, but gives us an idea of how it is out there!!!

On Thu, Nov 14, 2013 at 3:57 PM, amanda hewson <amanda.hewson> wrote:

As I woke this morning after what I saw as a very tough start for the fleet and a tough day for Richard. As the night went on the conditions didn’t improve……. there has been quite a few retirements and forced pitstops. One of the first was the ARGO of Joel Miro who had rudder damage after an impressive start. We hope that he can get restarted ASAP………..Next was Ian Lapinsky who was involved in the battle to win the abandoned first leg. Ian and Richard fought it out for two days – we all know what happened there. Ian was dis-masted and his race is over……..
Then at about midnight last night Richard was trying to control the conditions as best he could – reaching speeds in excess of 16-17 knots on big unsettled waves when he crossed paths with an ocean fishing boat which was heading to port…….. This was fine but the huge wake that followed took Richard by complete surprise and he hit it at nearly full speed, the boat launched completely out of the water…….. In Richards words " the boat was completely airborne "……..
On impact which was huge Richard heard a strange noise and decided then and there to head in for a look……..
Richard arrived in Port De Baiona on the Spanish – Portugal border.
Richard has done a close inspection of the boat and cant see any major damage but to be sure he will lift the boat this morning to check everything.
In short it is a precautionary measure that I believe shows pure seamanship and intelligence in a race that has over 3500 miles to go…………..
All going well Richard will resume at his 12 hour time slot this afternoon…………..
Its not over…..!!!!

View online version Mini Transat 2013 Press Release Douarnenez, 15 Novembre 2013 Mini Transat – Douarnenez to Pointe-a-Pitre Strong winds and steep waves Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian) was determined that his position as leader of the fleet when the Douarnenez to Sada leg was cancelled would not be usurped. In conditions that are not particularly favorable to the hull shape of his prototype, the Italian navigator is keeping the competition at bay. In the series boats, Aymeric Belloir (Tout le Monde Chante contre le Cancer), has been highly motivated initially and must now contain the onslaught of a furious chasing trio. As expected, the Portuguese trade winds continue to push hard. The wind consistently exceeds thirty knots as one moves away from the coast and the combination of a cross breeze over a residual northwesterly swell gives the senstion of being in a pinball machine. Several competitors have had bitter experiences and for some, the punishment has resulted in retirement, either becuase the vessel has suffered too much damage, or simply because, there comes a point when enough is enough and you simply want it to stop. This Mini Transat, with its long days of waiting, has helped to blunt craving for adventure amongst some shrinking violets. The test has not spare anyone from prolonged waiting, crossing the Gulf of Biscay was brutal, then a pit stop in Spain and for the vast majority of the fleet there was a difficult delivery passage along the Asturian coast . Finally, they have been accompanied on their passage down the Portuguese coats by a particularly vicious north easterly system. One thing is certain: the winner of the 2013 edition wont just be a good sailor, they will by necessarity be a truly accomplished seaman. Breakages and lessons The Portuguese trade winds have already pulled the rug from under a number of competitors, include two podium contenders in both the series boats and the protos. Ian Lipinski (Pas de Futur sans Numérique) paid the price for coming off a big wave. Bad luck struck when Ian, just out of a nap, was about to go on deck, he was caught by a wave that filled the interior of the Pogo in no time. At the same time, the boat turned turtle sitting with its keel in the air for a long time before coming upright dismasted. Ian was collected by a cargo ship that was en route to Sfax in Tunisia. Later that night, it was Gwénolé Gahinet (Watever / Logways) requesting assistance from the race organisation, when one of his keel bearings broke. The navigator, who could have lost his keel at any time, was finally able to board a Portuguese fishing boat. Other soloists who have thrown in the towel are: Joel Garcia Miro (Argo 650) who will not leave Camarillas where he had taken refuge. Yann Le Pautremat and Sébastien Picault have confirmed their retirement, alongside Bert Bossyns (Netwerk) who took refuge in the port of Peniche. Finally, Gilles Avril (Evolution Marine) hit a log in a surf. The bow of the boat did not survive the crash. He is now safe aboard one of the support boats. Meanwhile, Giancarlo Pedote, Benoît Marie (benoitmarie.com), Nicolas Boidevezi (Nature Addicts) and Bertrand Delesne (TeamWork) are leading the dance masterfully, which speaks to their extensive offshore experience. Other competitors have chosen to temper their approach, for example Stan Maslard (Sefico Group) has clearly opted to stay closer to the Portuguese coast to to take advantage of the calmer sea and a less strong wind. Renaud Mary (www.runo.fr) is taking the same strategy. It’s a choice that may pay off, since Renaud is credited with the biggest gain over 24 hours from noon to noon. And the fight between Aymeric Belloir, Justine Mettraux (TeamWork) and Simon Koster (Go4It) remains spectacular …. Pit stop For still others, the race has been put on hold for the duration of a technical stop. In Porto, Clement Bouyssou (No War) and François Guiffant (Scidiam) are due to leave tomorrow morning. This is also the case for Pip Hare (The Potting Shade), François Lamy (Guadeloupe Espace Océan) and Diane Reid (One’s Girl Ocean Challenge) who have all called in near Lisbon. Others, like Carlos Lizancos (Reyno de Navarra) or Pilar Pasanau (Peter Punk) have not yet confirmed their intention to continue the race. They will sleep on it … PHB Cegelec / Eurovia Ranking (prototype) at 16.00 (fr) 1. Giancarlo Pedote (747) with 3099.7 nm to finish 2. Nicolas Boidevezi (719) + 43.4 nm 3. Benoit Marie (667) + 53.8 nm 4. Bertrand Delesne (754) + 60.7 nm 5. Julien Pulve (802) + 65.4 nm Yslab Ranking (series boats) at 16.00 (fr) 1. Aymeric Belloir (810) with 3171.4 nm to finish 2. Justine Mettraux (824) + 7.8 nm 3. Simon Koster (819) + 11.5 nm 4. Renaud Mary (535) + 18.3 nm 5. Jean-Baptiste Lemaire (607) +39.1 nm The full ranking lists are available here.

Rich fixed was able to successfully inspect his keel in the port De Baiona on the Spanish/Portugal border yesterday. He got underway last night. At this stage he is is 250nm from the leading boat, however he is only 80nm from the fleet. There are light winds close to the Pourtugese coast, however as Rich heads West he will have more breeze, with 20-25 knots from the NE and building. See the map below, supplied by our good friends at Passage weather (www.passageweather.com).

It must be freezing out there. I woke up in Palma de Mallorca this morning, freezing! I went out for a walk in the pouring rain and decided to put on my new Zhik jacket, I was most impressed that I stayed incredibly dry and it made me feel happy that Rich was out there in such wintery conditions in the North Atlantic, but presumably dry inside his Zhik wet weather gear. Thanks Zhik!

So, if you have not used the tracker before, go to the mini transat site (www.minitransat.fr) and go to "The Race" in the menu, and then click on "Cartography". This will bring up the race tracker. Click on "Series" at the top right hand corner of the map (There are two types of boats competing, "proto’s: and "series"). Then scroll down until you see Rich’s name. Under his name you can see his speed in nauticle miles, the direction he is heading, how many miles he is from the first yacht, and how many miles he has to go.At the top left corner of the map you will see different symbols. The arrows give you the weather and next to it is a time line you can move to see the weather predictions in the next 24 hours. There is even an online mini transat game you can play if you wish to race from the comfort of your own home!

Todays News from Mini Transat (www.minitransat.fr)

While Gwénolé Gahinet is en route to Portugal aboard a fishing boat having been picked up overnight night, other skippers continue to move towards Cascais, at the entrance to Lisbon.

Carlos Lizancos (431 Reyno de Navarra ) is only a few miles from the Lusitanian port, where François Lamy ( 566 Guadeloupe Espace Océan) decided to seek refuge to fix his steering problems. Diane Reid (655, One Girl ‘s Ocean Challenge) and Pip Hare (743, The Potting Shed ) are also headed for Cascais while Yann Le Clech (692, Diaoulic) is now less than sixty miles always under jury rig.

On the Baiona coast in Spain, Richard Hewson (816 RG65.org) has meanwhile left again following his keel inspection. After a heavy landing after being airborn on the first day of racing, the Tazmanian feared for the structure of the appendage and preferred to divert to check things more closely. The result seems conclusive because RF650.org has already resumed his journey. Clement Bouyssou (514, No War) and François Guiffant (159 Scidiam) are meanwhile still undertaking technical stops in the Galician port. Its the same struggle for Joel Miro Garcia (835 Lady Argo) who is in Camariñas after breaking his two rudders

On Thu, Nov 14, 2013 at 3:57 PM, amanda hewson <amanda.hewson> wrote:

As I woke this morning after what I saw as a very tough start for the fleet and a tough day for Richard. As the night went on the conditions didn’t improve……. there has been quite a few retirements and forced pitstops. One of the first was the ARGO of Joel Miro who had rudder damage after an impressive start. We hope that he can get restarted ASAP………..Next was Ian Lapinsky who was involved in the battle to win the abandoned first leg. Ian and Richard fought it out for two days – we all know what happened there. Ian was dis-masted and his race is over……..
Then at about midnight last night Richard was trying to control the conditions as best he could – reaching speeds in excess of 16-17 knots on big unsettled waves when he crossed paths with an ocean fishing boat which was heading to port…….. This was fine but the huge wake that followed took Richard by complete surprise and he hit it at nearly full speed, the boat launched completely out of the water…….. In Richards words " the boat was completely airborne "……..
On impact which was huge Richard heard a strange noise and decided then and there to head in for a look……..
Richard arrived in Port De Baiona on the Spanish – Portugal border.
Richard has done a close inspection of the boat and cant see any major damage but to be sure he will lift the boat this morning to check everything.
In short it is a precautionary measure that I believe shows pure seamanship and intelligence in a race that has over 3500 miles to go…………..
All going well Richard will resume at his 12 hour time slot this afternoon…………..
Its not over…..!!!!

View online version Mini Transat 2013 Press Release Douarnenez, 14 Novembre 2013 Mini Transat – Douarnenez to Pointe-a-Pitre Hot shots in a fleet caught off guard They say that the “Portuguese trade winds” rarely herald a walk in the park, and the passage round Cape Finisterre and the descent along the coast of Galicia have done nothing to disprove this rule. Instead of the expected winds of 25 knots, the fleet has been confronted by a gale. With varying degrees of success … The aim was to find the balance, to maintain good pace without pushing the boat too hard. Pushed down the track by a strengthening breeze, some Ministes have struggled to put the brakes on overnight. The accompanying support boat La Pampero, reported that their boat speed we peaking at in excess of 15 knots and they were being overtaken by some competitors on the attack. In these conditions its difficult to avoid broaching, sometimes with disasterous consequences. In such beam seas at high speed the rudder is under a disproportionate load. It’s therefore unsurprising that overnight several competitors announced they have experienced rudder problems, thanks to failure of their fittings. This is particularly the case for Clement Bouyssou, who is uncertain as to whether he wishes to rejoin the race. The navigator of No War came to win and has no desire to spend the rest of his race to watching from afar as the favorites fight for victory. Ian Lipinski (Pas de Futur sans Numérique) is another of the more serious outsiders who sees his hopes of victory dashed having been dismasted. Yannick Le Clech (Diaoulic 692) had high hopes, especially since his race start was perfect. However, having been dismasted too he has not made a final decision. After specifying that did not require assistance, he is sailing to Cascais under jury rig, where he hopes to rerig quickly and put to sea again as soon as possible . For now, the conditions have improved in the area. For the competitors closest to land, the sea has subsided considerably and the wind has dropped to around fifteen knots. Almost a holiday, especially as the sun made ​​an appearance in the area. The headliners at the rendezvous In prototypes, Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian) has clearly been able to demonstrate that the special bow shape of his Reason design is equally competitive in these downwind conditions. The Italian navigator has regained the lead in the standings as of 12 noon, and has an 18 nautical mile (nm) lead over Benoit Marie (benoitmarie.com) and more than 20 nm on Bertrand Delesne (TeamWork Proto). This gap may sound significant, but, based on the current average speed of the boats, is only just over an hour. In theSeries boats, Aymeric Belloir (Tout le Monde chante contre le Cancer) and Simon Koster ( Go 4 It) have built a small gap on the rest of the fleet, which is led by Justine Mettraux (TeamWork) who, after a cautious start, has been working her way gradually to the forefront . In fourth, the amazing Robert Rosen Jacobson (Postillion Hotels) confirms once again that the doyen of the race is at ease in the breeze. But with physical age can come mental strength. And in this field, Robert could remonstrate with many. PFB Technical stops and retirements Yannick Le Clech (692 Diaoulic) dismasted. A support boat is 12 nm away and heading to him. Under jury rig, he is en route to Cascais at a speed of 2.2 knots. François Lamy (566 Guadeloupe Espace Océan) is heading to Cascais with a damaged rudder to try to fix it. Carlos Lizancos (431 Reyno de Navarra) is heading for Cascais with a technical problem. Maxime Salle (348 Bongo) has restarted from Baiona after solving his steering problem. Pilar Pasanau (519 Peter Punk) and Richard Hewson (816 RG650.org) are also due to leave the Spanish port following technical stops. Yann Le Pautremat (483 Prep Nautic Sea Echo 1% for the Planet) and Sébastien Picault (198 Kickers) have confirmed their retirement. Rankings on 14 novembre at 16.00 (TU+1) Eurovia Cegelec Ranking (Prototypes) 1 Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian)3364.2 miles to finish 2 Benoît Marie (benoitmarie.com) + 18 milles from leader 3 Bertrand Delesne (TeamWork Proto) +24.3 miles 4 Gwénolé Gahinet (Watever – Logways) +31.9 miles 5 Rémi Fermin (Boréal) +33,3 miles Yslab Ranking (Series Boats) 1 Aymeric Belloir (Tout le Monde Chante Contre le Cancer) 3401.5 miles to finish 2 Simon Koster (Go 4 it) +5,1 miles from leader 3 Justine Mettraux (Teamwork) +10 miles 4 Robert Rosen Jacobson (Postillion Hotels) +15 miles 5 Renaud Mary (http://www.runo.fr) +20,7 miles

(Source www.minitransat.fr)

Rich has had a productive day and 12 hours later is ready to head out and hit it again. He is currently 160nm behind the fleet, we have no doubt he will use all his determination and strategy to catch up to the fleet during the next few days. Thank you for all the interest and support backing Rich today!

They say that the "Portuguese trade winds" rarely herald a walk in the park, and the passage round Cape Finisterre and the descent along the coast of Galicia have done nothing to disprove this rule. Instead of the expected winds of 25 knots, the fleet has been confronted by a gale. With varying degrees of success …

The aim was to find the balance, to maintain good pace without pushing the boat too hard. Pushed down the track by a strengthening breeze, some Ministes have struggled to put the brakes on overnight. The accompanying support boat La Pampero, reported that their boat speed we peaking at in excess of 15 knots and they were being overtaken by some competitors on the attack. In these conditions its difficult to avoid broaching, sometimes with disasterous consequences.

In such beam seas at high speed the rudder is under a disproportionate load. It’s therefore unsurprising that overnight several competitors announced they have experienced rudder problems, thanks to failure of their fittings. This is particularly the case for Clement Bouyssou, who is uncertain as to whether he wishes to rejoin the race. The navigator of No War came to win and has no desire to spend the rest of his race to watching from afar as the favorites fight for victory. Ian Lipinski (Pas de Futur sans Numérique) is another of the more serious outsiders who sees his hopes of victory dashed having been dismasted. Yannick Le Clech (Diaoulic 692) had high hopes, especially since his race start was perfect. However, having been dismasted too he has not made a final decision. After specifying that did not require assistance, he is sailing to Cascais under jury rig, where he hopes to rerig quickly and put to sea again as soon as possible .

For now, the conditions have improved in the area. For the competitors closest to land, the sea has subsided considerably and the wind has dropped to around fifteen knots. Almost a holiday, especially as the sun made an appearance in the area.

The headliners at the rendezvous

In prototypes, Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian) has clearly been able to demonstrate that the special bow shape of his Reason design is equally competitive in these downwind conditions. The Italian navigator has regained the lead in the standings as of 12 noon, and has an 18 nautical mile (nm) lead over Benoit Marie (benoitmarie.com) and more than 20 nm on Bertrand Delesne (TeamWork Proto). This gap may sound significant, but, based on the current average speed of the boats, is only just over an hour. In theSeries boats, Aymeric Belloir (Tout le Monde chante contre le Cancer) and Simon Koster ( Go 4 It) have built a small gap on the rest of the fleet, which is led by Justine Mettraux (TeamWork) who, after a cautious start, has been working her way gradually to the forefront . In fourth, the amazing Robert Rosen Jacobson (Postillion Hotels) confirms once again that the doyen of the race is at ease in the breeze. But with physical age can come mental strength. And in this field, Robert could remonstrate with many.

PFB

Technical stops and retirements

Yannick Le Clech (692 Diaoulic) dismasted. A support boat is 12 nm away and heading to him. Under jury rig, he is en route to Cascais at a speed of 2.2 knots.

François Lamy (566 Guadeloupe Espace Océan) is heading to Cascais with a damaged rudder to try to fix it.

Carlos Lizancos (431 Reyno de Navarra) is heading for Cascais with a technical problem.

Maxime Salle (348 Bongo) has restarted from Baiona after solving his steering problem. Pilar Pasanau (519 Peter Punk) and Richard Hewson (816 RG650.org) are also due to leave the Spanish port following technical stops.

Yann Le Pautremat (483 Prep Nautic Sea Echo 1% for the Planet) and Sébastien Picault (198 Kickers) have confirmed their retirement.

On Thu, Nov 14, 2013 at 3:57 PM, amanda hewson <amanda.hewson> wrote:

As I woke this morning after what I saw as a very tough start for the fleet and a tough day for Richard. As the night went on the conditions didn’t improve……. there has been quite a few retirements and forced pitstops. One of the first was the ARGO of Joel Miro who had rudder damage after an impressive start. We hope that he can get restarted ASAP………..Next was Ian Lapinsky who was involved in the battle to win the abandoned first leg. Ian and Richard fought it out for two days – we all know what happened there. Ian was dis-masted and his race is over……..
Then at about midnight last night Richard was trying to control the conditions as best he could – reaching speeds in excess of 16-17 knots on big unsettled waves when he crossed paths with an ocean fishing boat which was heading to port…….. This was fine but the huge wake that followed took Richard by complete surprise and he hit it at nearly full speed, the boat launched completely out of the water…….. In Richards words " the boat was completely airborne "……..
On impact which was huge Richard heard a strange noise and decided then and there to head in for a look……..
Richard arrived in Port De Baiona on the Spanish – Portugal border.
Richard has done a close inspection of the boat and cant see any major damage but to be sure he will lift the boat this morning to check everything.
In short it is a precautionary measure that I believe shows pure seamanship and intelligence in a race that has over 3500 miles to go…………..
All going well Richard will resume at his 12 hour time slot this afternoon…………..
Its not over…..!!!!

As I woke this morning after what I saw as a very tough start for the fleet and a tough day for Richard. As the night went on the conditions didn’t improve……. there has been quite a few retirements and forced pitstops. One of the first was the ARGO of Joel Miro who had rudder damage after an impressive start. We hope that he can get restarted ASAP………..Next was Ian Lapinsky who was involved in the battle to win the abandoned first leg. Ian and Richard fought it out for two days – we all know what happened there. Ian was dis-masted and his race is over……..
Then at about midnight last night Richard was trying to control the conditions as best he could – reaching speeds in excess of 16-17 knots on big unsettled waves when he crossed paths with an ocean fishing boat which was heading to port…….. This was fine but the huge wake that followed took Richard by complete surprise and he hit it at nearly full speed, the boat launched completely out of the water…….. In Richards words " the boat was completely airborne "……..
On impact which was huge Richard heard a strange noise and decided then and there to head in for a look……..
Richard arrived in Port De Baiona on the Spanish – Portugal border.
Richard has done a close inspection of the boat and cant see any major damage but to be sure he will lift the boat this morning to check everything.
In short it is a precautionary measure that I believe shows pure seamanship and intelligence in a race that has over 3500 miles to go…………..
All going well Richard will resume at his 12 hour time slot this afternoon…………..
Its not over…..!!!!

View online version Mini Transat 2013 Press Release Sada, 13 Novembre 2013 Mini Transat – Douarnenez to Pointe-a-Pitre Sleigh ride for the pocket rockets The Mini Transate got underway at 09.45 Finisterre rounded in the late afternoon Winds strong but manageable It was a beautiful start … It was as if the elements had finally come together to reward the tenacity of the players in this Mini Transat 2013. A light north wind and welcome rays of sunshine accompanied the fleet out of the Sada estuary before spinnakers could be hoisted, as the singlehanders swept past the the Tower of Hercules and then La Coruna. Good start. At 9:45, Patrick Maurin, the President of the Race Committee liberated the fleet of 73 singlhanders who had come to the starting line. Missing were Jaanus Tamme (Ropeye) and Elise Bakhoum (Qéramix), who felt that they had already exhausted their emotional reserves and could do no more. The Belgian Sophie de Clercq (Ville de Marseillan) had been undecided about whether she will be able to start the second stage. For the past two days she has been subject to sudden spells of dizziness and has been consulting with medical advisors at Sada Hospital who have not yet been able to identify a specific cause for her discomfort. In the end, knowing that she could be putting others into dange if she went ahead, Sophie decided, in agreement with the race organisers, to throw in the towel. Knowing how to identify and assess the risks that we take for oneself and for others is all part of being a good sailor. In Sophie the Mini Transat loses one of the competitors who truly represent the essence of the race. The favourites are peaking Out of the start line, it was Ludovic Méchin (Paris Texas) that got this tip of his bow over the line first, while in series boats Alberto Bona (Onelinesim.it) also got an advantage over the rest of the fleet. As the northerly wind quickly increased by a few knots, the situation was changing rapidly and it wasn’t long before the big guns were making their presence known at the front of the fleets. By the entrance to the bay, it was Gwénolé Gahinet (Watever / Logways) who led the fleet, followed by Nicolas Boidevezi (Nature Addicts) and Louis Segre (Roll My Chicken). In the series boats, Yannick Le Clech (Diaoulic 692) got the better of Ian Lipinski (Pas de futur sans Numérique). For Yannick it was a nice nod to his friend Damien Cloarec, who was forced to abandon the race due to a persistent tendinitis. These guys from the Bay of Morlaix truly know what brotherhood means. Little by little the wind rose and Nicolas Boidevezi rounded Cape Finisterre at 16.00 with a comfortable lead over his rivals having already gained a buffer of eight miles bonus on a pack led by Benoît Marie (benoitmarie.com) and Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian), the speeds of the leading group regularly hitting 17 to 18 knots . Jonas Gerkens (Netwerk 2) on his Pogo was mising it up with the prototype fleet at an average speed of more than 12 knots. The other leaders, in descending order, obviously opted for caution with Bertrand Delesne (TeamWork Proto) heading Gwénolé Gahinet . Finally, at the back of the fleet, several competitors have made it clear they will be taking their own route. For example, Yoann Tricault (Schulter Systems) clearly has no intention of being dictated to by the leaders and had been gradually picking up pace as he finds his feet. The key is to arrive first. Bearing in mind that anyone needing to make a stopover for repairs is required to layover for a minimum of twelve hour stopover its easy to see how quickly places can be gained by those who manage their boats best. First damage Obviously, putting the boats through such tough conditions has an impact on equipment. Some competitors have already reported damage. Annabelle Boudinot (Agro 650) broke her bowsprit but has a spare sprit on board and should be able to fix it quickly. Axel Tréhin (Ty Startigenn) has suffered the same punishment and will try to jury rig with equipment he has at hand to avoid a forced stop. However, Joel Miro Garcia (Dame Argo) has headed into the port of Camarinas after informing a support boat that he has broken one of his two rudders. Between the Sisargas Islands, west of La Coruna, and the southern tip of Cape Finisterre, the coast has earned the nickname of “The Coast Of Death”. It is understandable that some have chosen to push their machines hard to get this rugged landscape, that can give those of a nervous disposition an unpleasant frisson, well and truly behind their transoms. Nevertheless, there are still a lot of miles ahead of them and, as the fleet was wisely reminded by the routing information and the good advice that accompanied it for the Ministes, “The important thing is not to go fast for four hours, but to keep up a good steady pace for four days or more … ” Especially since it seems that the fleet is on track to maintain these strong conditions all the way to the islands of Lanzarote and La Palma. Others reply that you have to make hay while the sun shines. To each his own truth … one thing is certain, only the winner will be right. PFB Rankings on 13 novembre at 16.00 (TU+1) Eurovia Cegelec Ranking (Prototypes) 1 Nicolas Boidevezi (Nature Addicts) 3615.8 miles to finish 2 Benoît Marie (benoitmarie.com) + 8.5 milles from leader 3 Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian) +10.5 miles 4 Bertrand Delesne (TeamWork Proto) +11.8 miles 5 Ludovic Méchin (Paris Texas) +12.6 miles Yslab Ranking (Series Boats) 1 Jonas Gerkens (Netwerk 2) 3628.6 miles to finish 2 Joël Miro Garcia (Dame Argo) +1.2 miles from leader 3 Simon Koster (Go 4 it) +1.5 miles 4 Jean-Loup Chenard (jlchenard.com) +1.8 miles 5 Alberto Bona (Onelinesim.it) +2.5 miles

View online version Mini Transat 2013 Press Release Sada, 13 Novembre 2013 Mini Transat – Sada to Pointe-a-Pitre FLASH UPDATE : The Mini Transat is underway At precisely 9:37 the first signal of the starting procedure for this single leg of the Mini Transat between Sada (Galicia) and Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe) was made. Eight minutes later, the fleet swept across the line, out of the estuary and finally left Sada behind and headed for the open sea. They initially crossed the line in a north westerly of around 9 knots. Off the line it was Ludovic Méchin (5) prototype and Alberto Bona (507) series boat who headed their fleets. Competitors then took a look starboard tack out of the estuary and set sail to round the Sisargas Islands, the first mark of course mark before they head for Cape Finisterre. Jaanus Tamme (787), the Estonian competitor and Elise Bakhoum (548) have decided not to start.

0600, and I’m at the marina, its dark, cold, a strong wind blowing from the NE and nobody else is here. One last chance to download weather for the race, look at my strategy, then get on the RG650 and Go Go Go! 3800nm across the Atlantic in one go.. Start is at 0900, its going to be Massive!

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Richard Hewson
Mini Transat AUS 816
hewsonracing
www.hewsonracing.com
AUS +61459467558
FRA +33603697200

Check out www.hewsonracing.com and click on the RSS feed to receive my blogs and pleas or check and become a friend of my hewsonracing Facebook page

Thankyou to: http://www.profurl.com, http://www.harken.com, http://www.yachtmoving.es, http://www.equipyacht.com, http://www.zhik.com, http://www.rg650europe.com, http://www.boatbooks-aust.com.au All donations and sponsorship greeatly appreciated.