At the heart of the Transat Jacques Vabre

Experience the Transat Jacques Vabre at the heart of the adventure with the Qwanza crew, Goulven and Nicolas, in a logbook version.

29 October 2023

Here we go! Early in the afternoon, Qwanza finally cast off towards Lorient, where the Class 40 fleet will stop to wait for the storm forecasted in the coming days to pass. Upon arriving at the Breton port, Goulven and Nicolas will have covered about 300 nautical miles (almost 600 km). And it won’t be easy. In the next hours of the race, they will have to deal with a southwest wind, with gusts that could reach 40 knots, nearly 80 km/h. As for the sea, it will be quite choppy with waves of 2 to 3 meters. Already, Aeolus was in great form on Saturday, October 29, early afternoon, when the 44 Class 40s set off from Le Havre. The start was given with winds between 20 and 38 knots. Enough to set the tone for this first leg. While some competitors, who encountered problems, were even forced to turn back, aboard Qwanza, the choice was initially to avoid unnecessary risks and keep an eye on direct rivals. Knowing that the route to Martinique island is still very long. Moreover, the particularly rough sea did not spare the boat: a wave damaged the porthole located at the front on the deck. A possible and dangerous water ingress. Although they lost a lot of time, the crew reacted immediately and managed to repair the leak. The night will be long but the dynamic duo keeps a steel morale. At the 7:45 pm check-in, while the boats were sailing within sight of each other at an average of 10 knots, Qwanza, gradually regaining speed after its damage, was ranked 39th.

30 October 2023

The first night at sea after the start on Sunday in Le Havre was far from restful aboard Qwanza. Goulven and Nicolas experienced a "washing machine" atmosphere with headwinds around 20 to 35 knots (38 to 65 km/h) and a particularly choppy sea with waves of 2 to 3 meters… They had to endure the bad weather without complaint. But not without gritting their teeth: the impacts caused by these weather conditions cost them their radar antenna, the porthole at the front of their deck was seriously damaged, and they tore their foresail… A minor setback compared to the five competitors who have already had to drop out due to damage to their boats, one of whom even lost their mast. Among the Class 40 pack, Qwanza, which initially took a more northern route than most competitors to seek the favor of Aeolus, remains in contact with the main fleet, about thirty miles ahead of them. The first of the 44 Class 40s entered is expected to reach the port of Lorient during the night. At the 4 p.m. check-in, Qwanza, still sailing in very rough seas, was ranked 35th. This ranking could improve in their favor, as the boats ahead are forced to tack, while Qwanza is now taking a more direct route toward the island of Ouessant. They should reach land tomorrow morning.

October 31, 2023

Goulven and Nicolas arrived safely this Tuesday, October 31. They reached Lorient early in the afternoon. Qwanza crossed the finish line after exactly 1 day, 22 hours, 47 minutes, and 54 seconds of racing and a journey of over 300 nautical miles. They placed 38th: "We didn’t want to risk sailing close to the rocks at night in the Four channel, near the island of Ouessant, nor in the Raz de Sein, where it was dangerous to play with fire with a tide coefficient of 115 causing a strong current," explained Goulven upon arrival, tired but already ready to head back out. "This Tuesday morning, we logically saw most of the fleet behind us again. Not really a problem since there are still 4000 miles to cover to Martinique." Indeed, this puts things back in perspective. But for now, it’s rest for the two sailors who will be able to get Qwanza back in shape and tend to its minor damages after these two tough days at sea. They will also need to find shelter as storm Ciaran is quickly approaching the Atlantic coast.

November 1, 2023

Arriving at the port of Lorient on Tuesday, October 31, where they were moored in a basin near the city, Goulven and Nicolas did not allow themselves much rest. Wednesday, November 1, was a public holiday and the marine supply stores were closed, so they quickly had to search for the materials needed to fix Qwanza’s minor damages. Knowing they would need to be ready to cast off once the bad weather passed. Although the organization announced that "it will not be before Monday, November 6," the sooner the boat is ready, the sooner the crew can focus on the second stage, which will take them to Martinique after covering 4,000 miles.

In short, Goulven and Nicolas had to bring out the toolbox: "The porthole shifted and no longer closed at the front," recounts Goulven, referring to the damage they encountered. "With the waves we had, we were taking on water. We made a makeshift repair. And in 3-meter waves, it wasn’t easy! The jib also tore along its leech. The boat was pounding as if it was being shot at. It was incredible. The support holding the radar on the mast also broke, and the radar fell onto the deck. With the noise, we didn’t hear anything. We were lucky because it rolled backward and we found it near the porthole. The engine’s charge regulator also broke down." On Tuesday evening, the two sailors estimated they should be able to repair everything in time.

On the navigation side, Goulven and Nicolas, who say they did not "eat too much" during the first stage, say they are satisfied: "The assessment is very positive," assures Goulven. "We could perhaps have been better ranked, but we chose not to take any risks, unlike others who had a lot of damage. This stage will allow us to make the boat even more reliable. We have also found our bearings compared to the rest of the fleet. In terms of speed, apart from two boats that are really fast, we saw that we can keep up with those who have the same hull as Qwanza. I sincerely think that if we sail properly, we can aim for a place in the top 20-30." A completely achievable goal for a crew that is starting to know each other very well, working hand in hand, and above all on the same wavelength.

November 2, 2023

Goulven and Nicolas are already starting to find the wait long. Arriving in Lorient on Tuesday, October 31, they immediately began repairing the minor damage that the harsh sailing conditions caused to Qwanza. But they are already thinking about leaving again: "The hardest part is the waiting," Goulven admits. "We hope to have a departure date very soon." Knowing that the organizers told them it probably won't be before Tuesday. Of course, if the weather forecast doesn't worsen... That Thursday, the two friends traveled from Lorient to Carnac to take their sails to a master sailmaker who will restore everything that was damaged. By the afternoon, they returned to the port where they resumed work on the boat, which was securely moored, with the mooring doubled in case storm Ciaran hits Lorient.

November 3, 2023

While the weather remains gloomy around Lorient, Goulven and Nicolas keep smiling. The boat repair work is progressing according to the schedule they set, and they are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. On Friday, November 3, they picked up the two close-hauled sails (J1 and J2) that they had taken to the sailmaker for repairs. At the same time, like most of their fellow Class 40 fleet members, they resumed tinkering on board, with the day's priority being the repair of the porthole located on the deck at the front of Qwanza, which had suffered greatly during the first leg: "We also repaired one of the ballast tanks, the port side one, which had cracked," Goulven explains. The engine load distributor was also replaced. Tomorrow, we will put the sails back in place." That Friday evening, like all the "transatlantic castaways who arrived in Lorient," they were invited by the organizers to a cocktail. It was an opportunity to meet new people and, of course, to talk about... boats and sailing!

November 4, 2023

Goulven and Nicolas are now in the starting blocks! This Saturday, November 4, race management announced to them that the start for the second leg of the Transat, which will take them to Fort-de-France, Martinique, should be given Monday at 10:45 AM. They will then set off on a 3,500 nautical mile journey, with the obligation to leave the Azores to starboard. This is not really to the liking of all the sailors, who would rather leave the island of Madeira, located further south, to starboard. That would make the race more equitable in terms of options relative to the weather. While waiting to cast off, aboard Qwanza, where the two friends (who received help from friends for tinkering) are keeping busy. This Saturday aboard was a "sewing and sailmaking workshop" atmosphere! Goulven and Nicolas busied themselves changing the swivel of one of their jibs and especially did a lot of splicing and whipping work on their halyards: "The boat is ready," assures Goulven, who is eager to get back offshore. This Sunday, only a few small things will remain to be done and it will be perfect." On the good news side, Qwanza’s rise in the rankings: some crews having been penalized, Qwanza moved from 38th to 35th place! This Sunday at 3 PM, all skippers have a general briefing appointment. PS: In the photos: Nico, called "Marseille," Kim, and Charline hard at work.

November 5, 2023

This Sunday, November 5, the race management briefing given to all skippers confirmed it: the start of the second leg (3,500 miles) of the Transat Jacques Vabre, which will take the Class 40s from Lorient to Fort-de-France, will indeed be launched on Monday, November 6. Like his fellow competitors, Qwanza will have to cross the line exactly at 10:45 AM. That will mark the beginning of a new navigation episode with, in prospect, a race start that promises to be quite intense: "Right from the start, we should have 20 to 25 knots of wind and especially quite a bit of sea," explains Goulven. "Then, from Wednesday, we will face an anticyclone and will have to calculate which side to pass on. The routes are very different. Each will choose based on their boat’s speed, depending on their angle to the wind. This is exactly what we expected because there will be several options. It will therefore become very interesting tactically." While waiting to unleash the horses, this Sunday, Goulven and Nicolas finished preparing Qwanza with, on the agenda, a few more splices. Supplies done, tanks full, spirits high, and extreme motivation... All that’s left is to go! Qwanza even has ants in her keel! PS: In the photo, the splicing work aboard Qwanza: a magnificent spliced eye!

November 6, 2023

Qwanza is back on track. On Monday, November 6, at 10:45 AM, under particularly rainy weather and a west wind of 12 to 25 knots, the start of the second leg of the Transat Jacques Vabre was given to the 41 Class 40 boats still in the race. Three duos had to drop out after the first leg between Le Havre and Lorient. It was particularly tough, with many boats suffering more or less serious damage. This is the first time the Transat Jacques Vabre has had such a break. The organizers were forced to do so to spare the competitors from Storm Ciaran, which hit Brittany and especially Normandy, where winds exceeded 100 knots and waves over 15 meters were recorded. Blocked for six days in the Breton port, the Class 40s finally headed towards Fort-de-France, Martinique, where the finish line will be judged after 3,750 miles (6,900 km). The sailors will have to battle, over the next 24 hours, with a fairly rough sea (4 to 5 meters swell), before, in about 48 hours, encountering bad weather near Cape Finisterre, at the exit of the Bay of Biscay. Before this new start, Goulven and Nicolas were ranked 35th overall: "We now want to head a bit south," Goulven said with determination. "We are especially motivated!" Right from the start, barely crossing the line, the two companions chose to pass downwind of Groix Island (see below). The battle is on! Regarding the route, the race direction decided to have the Class 40 fleet pass north of the Madeira archipelago. They will have to leave Porto Santo Island to starboard, then glide into the trade winds towards the Caribbean.

November 7, 2023

The weather gods are definitely not kind to Qwanza! This Tuesday morning, as they were moving through a bad weather zone just outside the Bay of Biscay, Goulven and Nicolas experienced a power outage on board: "We passed through a storm and since then, we've had some electrical issues," Goulven briefly explained in a short audio message. "We are trying to fix everything." Without electricity, no electronics. Consequently, no autopilot, no GPS, no charts, no way to determine their position... In short, let's hope the two companions can repair it quickly. This should be the case, as both Goulven and Nicolas have the skills and know-how to fix it. In any case, they remain positive and are still in contact with the pack, determined. At 12:50, Qwanza was ranked 36th, about a hundred miles from the leaders' group and very close to the main fleet.

November 8, 2023

Over the past 24 hours, Goulven and Nicolas haven’t slept much. With their autopilot broken, they have had to take turns constantly at the helm of Quanza. All this in tough conditions with strong winds, rough seas, and biting cold... On the morning of Wednesday, November 8, after a particularly grueling night, they decided to stop at the port of A Coruña, Spain, to repair their autopilot. After many hours playing apprentice electricians, they managed to get their autopilot partially working. Enough to regain morale and, above all, to set course again for Martinique! Now at the back of the Class 40 fleet, Goulven and Nicolas are fighting hard to make up for lost time spent fixing their electronic problems. Knowing that four other crews had to stop in ports to repair damage. On Wednesday, November 8, in the mid-afternoon, they were in 38th place in the rankings.

November 9, 2023

On board Quanza, Goulven and Nicolas are struggling to keep their spirits up. The failure of their autopilot has set them back significantly compared to the rest of the fleet. At the height of their electronic troubles, in the middle of the night, they were completely unable to navigate and lost a lot of time: "We were even going in circles," regrets Goulven. "We didn’t even know where we were. We even had to heave to to stop the boat." When they were able to partially repair it (their wind vane no longer works and their autopilot only functions in compass mode), the weather played tricks on them. While the boats ahead had favorable winds to pass Cape Finisterre, the crew of Quanza found themselves facing the wind and have been tacking for many hours: "The autopilot really broke down at the worst possible time," explained a disheartened Goulven at midday on Thursday, November 11. "Now, the boat is pounding the waves and we’re driving stakes like never before. The worst part is that when we see a cape, we think it’s the last one, but no, there’s another one behind it." These tough conditions are putting both their bodies and morale to the test: "We’re under J2 with two reefs in the mainsail," notes the navigator. "Last night, I didn’t sleep... We had winds up to 25 knots. It’s endless when you sail in these conditions." In a few hours, Quanza should finally clear Cape Finisterre and find a more favorable wind that should allow them to pick up speed. The race is far from decided.

November 10, 2023

After a long struggle and endless hours tacking, Qwanza finally passed the Finistère cape. Now it’s time to head straight for Madeira before letting the trade winds carry them towards Martinique. The night from Thursday, November 9 to Friday, November 10 was somewhat more restful for Goulven and Nicolas, who regained their strength: "Nico let me sleep at the end of the night," Goulven said laughing at midday, clearly rested. "We finally passed the Finistère cape." According to the routings they established, the two friends sailing close-hauled should take four days to reach Madeira: "We’re going to make up some time on the fleet," explains Goulven. "The problem remains the wind vane. As soon as it rains, it stops working and we lose all data." Goulven and Nicolas, who tried to troubleshoot by playing electricians again, think a wire must be bare at the top of the mast. A repair is therefore possible. But to do that, someone has to climb the masthead. That won’t happen immediately. With the sea state being quite rough, it would be too risky. Late afternoon, Qwanza was sailing at over 8 knots.

November 11, 2023

Fifteen knots of wind, a calm sea, a speed of 9 knots close-hauled, and above all, bright sunshine. That was all it took for Goulven and Nicolas aboard Qwanza on Saturday, November 11, to smile again and show great spirits: "With this sun, we come back to life," Goulven, a true southerner, admits. "It’s a change from the warm front we encountered the day before, with 25-30 knots of headwind and 5-meter waves." At midday, Qwanza was sailing under a high mainsail and J2, 80 miles behind the boats ahead. They are gradually making up their delay but are not resting for that. That Saturday morning on board, it was sewing workshop time: "One of the battens of the mainsail had pierced its pocket," explains Goulven. "Luckily, we didn’t lose it. We were able to sew it back." Supported by weather files, the crew’s question of the day is how they will navigate the high-pressure system they are about to encounter. Because aboard Qwanza, the brainwork never stops either.

November 12, 2023

Qwanza has stepped up a gear. Sail changes, constant adjustments, weather file analysis... Goulven and Nicolas are tirelessly working to move the boat forward. A glance at the ranking confirms that their work is not in vain. They are covering the miles with an insatiable appetite and catching up to the boats ahead of them. At the midday checkpoint, Qwanza was only 30 miles behind Le bleuet de France and 40 miles behind Mussulo 40.

Something to enjoy: "The night was peaceful and since this morning, we have been working hard to move the boat as fast as possible," confirmed Goulven on Sunday morning. As they say in the jargon, "we're pushing the sails." Sometimes we send up the spinnaker, the J1, the code zero... We don’t stop!" The challenge of the day is to negotiate the high pressure system blocking their way as best as possible. By midday, like the vast majority of their fellow sailors, they were fighting hard not to get stuck in the calm, that dreaded lack of wind that causes anxiety for all sailors.

And when Qwanza allows it, between two tacks, the two sailors indulge in reading or relaxing. Always in high spirits!

 
November 13, 2023

On board Qwanza, the battle is fierce. Goulven and Nicolas are more determined than ever. Adjustments, sail changes, constant study of weather files, setting up virtual routing... The two sailors don’t have a minute to themselves. They are giving their all to move Qwanza forward as fast as possible. Sometimes with bad surprises. Although they had gained ground on the other competitors, Goulven and Nicolas were disappointed on Monday, November 13, mid-morning. Because the weather played tricks on them: "We had negotiated the high pressure system blocking our way well, but during the night, it moved back over us," explained a disappointed Goulven on Monday, November 13. "We lost 60 miles (110 km) in a few hours."

A little later, the duo was smiling again: "We are under spinnaker and it's starting to fly!" Goulven was delighted in the afternoon. On the good news side, the two sailors were happy to have repaired their inflatable mattress: "We realized it's actually quite nice to sleep stretched out rather than curled up!" Goulven also joked. Plus, we no longer had music on our phones but thanks to the tablet, we have it again. This morning, it was a disco atmosphere on the boat."

Martinique is still far away. Qwanza is more than 2,900 nautical miles (5370 km) from the finish. There is plenty of time to catch up with the main group. Not very strong yet, the trade wind should actually pick up a bit in the coming hours: "We are moving at 8-9 knots," explained Goulven on Monday evening. "We should catch up a little with those ahead at the start of the night."

On land, fingers are crossed.

Today’s radio check-in (Goulven live) on the transat website: https://www.

transatjacquesvabre.org/

images-sounds 

November 14, 2023

This is the real ongoing challenge on board Qwanza. Goulven and Nicolas have to deal with extremely unpredictable weather. The trade winds are particularly unstable and weak. They don’t exceed 10 knots and force the sailors to constantly tinker on the water, searching for the slightest breath of wind. Which is far from easy: “We had another windless night,” Goulven lamented while reviewing the last 24 hours of the race on Tuesday, November 14. “We even dropped the spinnaker because it was useless. We have Mediterranean conditions with sun, light wind, and flat seas. Sometimes there’s a swell that reminds us, though, that we won’t be having focaccia for dinner!”

On the bright side, Nicolas climbed to the top of the mast and repaired the wind vane. As a result, everything is working again electronically on board Qwanza, where spirits remain high and, of course, the sense of humor is intact. That’s what matters most.

November 15, 2023

On board Qwanza, which is always battling the weather conditions to catch up with the leading boats, energy management is also a daily puzzle. The boat is equipped with only two batteries. These supply electricity to all the electronic devices: navigation center, autopilot, AIS, lights, satellite antenna (in the photo, the large mushroom-shaped device at the back), computer… These are particularly power-hungry devices.
So regularly, they have to make sure the batteries are well charged. To do this, Goulven and Nicolas have several options.
First of all, they have the engine connected to a charger. It’s a very effective way to recharge the batteries. But to work, it needs diesel fuel, and on board Qwanza, like all other Class 40 boats, the sailors have taken on a limited amount of fuel.
There is also a hydro-generator. Attached to the back of the boat, like a kind of underwater wind turbine, it generates electricity from the force of the water when the boat is moving. But for that, the boat needs to be moving at a fairly brisk pace.
Finally, there are the solar panels. There are two of them on the deck of Qwanza. They are perfect when Râ is in good shape. But they produce much less when the weather is gray. 

However, during the first days of the race, the weather wasn’t great: "During the first week, we got a bit carried away with the engine, admits Goulven, who saw the diesel level drop significantly. We started using the fuel reserves. Fortunately, we have the hydrogenerator and solar panels. Actually, the satellite antenna consumes a lot. We only turn it on when the batteries are fully charged. In compass mode, the autopilot also consumed a lot."
On board Qwanza, to move the boat forward, Goulven and Nicolas don’t just manage the wind’s energy.

November 16, 2023

Despite the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean, it is not uncommon to encounter other boats. This happened to Qwanza on the evening of Wednesday, November 15: "We crossed paths with a cruising catamaran," explains Goulven. "We talked with its crew on the VHF, the onboard radio. They left Toulon and are crossing the Atlantic towards the Grenadine Islands in the Caribbean. We took the opportunity to share our updated weather files. The crew told us they also met a Swiss who, like them, was crossing the Atlantic. They invited him aboard for a beer!" A nice encounter, forgotten a few hours later... Because on Thursday around midnight, it was the spinnaker that decided to cause trouble: "This is no longer a race but an initiation journey," Goulven philosophizes. "We untangled a mess in the spinnaker that no one could have imagined! Actually, the spinnaker deflated on a wave and rolled up very low, creating a big pocket above. I had to climb the mast. I stayed there for two hours trying to untangle it. In the end, I cut the strap at the top of its headboard." Then, the sock used to hoist and lower the spinnaker gave the two sailors some anxiety: "There were knots too," grumbles Goulven. "It took another two hours in the mast to undo everything."

Fortunately, there were only 10 to 15 knots of wind." Once everything was back in order, Goulven and Nicolas hoisted a new spinnaker (the A5) and resumed their course towards the Canary Islands and the island of La Palma, where they plan to stop at Santa Cruz de La Palma to refuel with diesel: "If the race is going to last, it's better to have reserves," explains Goulven. "We will only stop if possible to refuel."

November 17, 2023
So there won’t be a stopover for Qwanza. After some thought and considering the boat is moving well, Goulven and Nicolas decided not to stop at La Palma Island in the Canaries. They had initially planned to do so to refuel diesel: "We’re sailing with our A2 spinnaker and it’s not bad at all," explains Goulven. "It’s more stable. I’d even say it’s magical. Last night, we slalomed between the islands looking for wind. I took the opportunity to run lots of routing calculations on the computer. As for the diesel, we’ll make do with what we have." Still under spinnaker early Friday morning, November 17, Qwanza was sailing in 20 knots of wind, hitting peaks of 17 knots.

Enough to catch up with the group ahead, before losing ground again: "It annoys us quite a bit not to have gotten closer, even though we worked all night, nonstop, to move the boat forward," regrets Goulven. "I really hope the weather changes and turns in our favor." In fact, every time they make up some of their delay, the two sailors, who continue heading down toward the Cape Verde Islands, find themselves again in light wind while those ahead speed up...
A real constant puzzle to solve aboard Qwanza where Goulven and Nicolas nevertheless keep up their efforts. In the photos: on the boat’s computer screen, the windless zones near the Canary Islands and the two sailors working hard to keep Qwanza moving forward.

November 18, 2023

Qwanza is coming back strong! For several hours, taking advantage of Eole’s favors and the operators wisely, Goulven and Nicolas are making a strong comeback on the boats ahead of them. Early evening, compared to each boat’s distance to the finish, they were only about thirty miles behind Mussulo 40, the 36th. Knowing that in the last twenty-four hours, they hit the turbo, covering 225 miles: "On Monday, we won’t have much wind," Goulven explained on the morning of Saturday, November 18. "But in the meantime, we have two days to enjoy the trade winds. It’s fantastic! That’s exactly what I came for in this transatlantic: bright sun, a lengthening swell, and the speedometer oscillating between 11 and 16 knots. We really realize these boats are made for ocean sailing." This fast sailing also brings its share of surprises. While they see fewer and fewer birds, which is normal as they move away from land, besides sailing with dolphins, they cross paths with flying fish. They even spotted a large white insect, half dragonfly, half grasshopper!

In the photos: Captain Goulven just off his watch and Qwanza at full speed, on the verge of broaching!

November 19, 2023
Racing requires constant commitment. Since their departure, Goulven and Nicolas haven’t really had time to rest. They work tirelessly to push Qwanza forward as fast as possible: frequent sail adjustments, constant study of weather files and the best route to follow, managing onboard energy, filling and emptying ballast tanks... All this work doesn’t stop them from enjoying themselves to the fullest: "We’ve been under spinnaker for a week now," Goulven rejoices. "At night, the wind calms down a bit but above all, the sea flattens. We keep almost the same speed. The feeling of gliding is incredible. Yesterday (Saturday, November 18) was the best day since we left. It was just perfect sailing. Today, Sunday, we had Mediterranean-like conditions with lighter wind."

Pure joy doesn’t stop Goulven from working his brain to plan the arrival: "I regularly run routing simulations to try to see when the others and we will arrive," he explains. "But it keeps changing. In any case, I can confirm today that the autopilot failure cost us dearly... For the next transatlantic race, I will make sure everything on board is doubled: the wind vane, the pilot’s actuators, the various computers... Even if that means finding an independent energy production solution."

November 20, 2023
An engineer joined the Qwanza crew on Monday, November 20. This morning was indeed spring cleaning time with the famous laundry. Taking advantage of ideal conditions, the boat was cruising smoothly and willingly under autopilot and still under spinnaker, Goulven and Nicolas took the opportunity to do a big wash. Of course, right after, the laundry was hung on the lifelines: "Gypsy once, gypsy always!" On the navigation side, Qwanza continues its course towards Martinique, covering miles with fierce appetite: "We have dropped below the 2,000 nautical miles mark to arrival," explains Goulven. "We cover 210 to 220 miles (400 km) per day. Tonight, we should change direction slightly to head towards the mouse hole we've been aiming at for four days. We lowered the mainsail and the spinnaker by about 5 cm so their halyards (the ropes used to hoist and lower the sails) don’t wear out from rubbing in the same spot." Qwanza should arrive in Fort-de-France in about ten days, knowing that the outcome is far from certain. Boats that took a northern route should slow down in the coming hours. This could play in Qwanza’s favor... Fingers crossed!

In the photos: laundry drying on board Qwanza and the captain in discussion with the engineer

November 21, 2023

When Aeolus runs out of breath, sailors say there is "calm." And when the wind is completely absent, it’s called "dead calm." Enough to get on your nerves when racing sailors are struggling to move the sailboat forward. For several hours, this has been the case aboard Qwanza, where Goulven and Nicolas are struggling to slide the boat through the… calm: "It caught up with us," Goulven regretted early Tuesday morning, November 21. "And of course, those ahead are a bit less affected than we are! We battled all night trying to exceed 3 knots." By late morning, the two sailors had regained a semblance of a smile: "Those ahead have no wind either," Goulven explained at midday. "Normally it should come from behind… We can’t wait to get back to the trade winds. Because on top of the calm, it’s gray…" Knowing the situation will last at least another 24 hours. In the photo, halyards and sheets at dawn show that the two sailors really didn’t slack off to keep Qwanza moving forward.

In the photo, halyards and sheets at dawn show that the two sailors really didn’t slack off to keep Qwanza moving forward.

 
November 22, 2023

A calm and steady voice, a touch of good humor, and an incredible desire to push Qwanza to its full potential: on Wednesday, November 22, the calm of the previous day forgotten, Goulven showed steel morale. With Nicolas, they resumed their forward march and, above all, they see their gap with the boats ahead shrinking again: "We have 13 to 14 knots of wind," Goulven rejoiced around 1 p.m. "We are moving at over 10 knots. It’s perfect. We did a virtual routing on the computer and we’re trying to stay ahead of it. We should arrive in Martinique within ten days." It seems that the options taken by some competitors, especially those who took a northern route, are less advantageous than those who chose a more southern course. This is the case for Qwanza: "I think we are better positioned than them," Goulven analyzes. "Especially since the wind will come from behind, so we will catch it before them. We are moving at an angle of 145° to the wind direction, without going further south. We never gave up. We really can’t do better. Knowing that ahead, everyone is fighting too, day and night. In any case, the boat is in perfect condition and moving as it should." In the morning, Goulven and Nicolas hoisted their largest spinnaker again after repairing it at the top. Enough to shift into a higher gear under a bright sun. Now all that’s left is to keep fingers crossed.

In the photos: the largest spinnaker under bright sunshine!

November 23, 2023

On board Qwanza, no one is giving up and it will certainly pay off in the end. In any case, Goulven and Nicolas are working hard to catch up with the competitors ahead of them. In the coming days, if they maintain their pace and especially if the weather forecasts hold true, they could overtake the crews who took a northern route. On land, some will get blisters from crossing their fingers... In short, on Qwanza, they are sailing with determination, constantly adjusting the sails and, above all, thinking hard: "The night from Wednesday to Thursday was perfect," says Goulven. "It was almost a full moon and we could see as clearly as in broad daylight. We didn’t even need to turn on our headlamps! We jibed to reposition ourselves and swapped the spinnaker for a smaller one, the A2, to better suit the sailing conditions..." At midday, Qwanza was sailing at 15-18 knots under bright sunshine, very good for the crew’s morale: "We are in the trade wind zone," savors Goulven. "The swell is lengthening and the boat is starting to catch some great surfs. According to the latest routing, arrival was expected in eight days, but we hope to arrive earlier, maybe in seven days. In fact, we are racing against the computer’s routing. We set it to 100% boat speed and we try to stay ahead of its projections." According to weather forecasts, Qwanza should keep the wind in the coming hours. Very good news.

November 24, 2023

An ideal night with a boat moving at an average of 10 knots, a magnificent sunrise, a new spinnaker change, another jibe, and the encounter with… Polyphemus, the cyclops.

Friday, November 24 started under the best auspices aboard Qwanza. Goulven and Nicolas are covering miles with delight and show great spirits: "We had a great night," rejoices Goulven. "For once, the conditions were favorable. Jibing at dawn is going to become a tradition! In any case, these adjustments to the wind are nice, they energize the day." Qwanza is now less than 1500 miles from the finish in Martinique.

According to the routing calculated on the onboard computer, Qwanza could cross the line by November 1st. Until then, and this is confirmed for now, Goulven and Nicolas could catch up with the boats ahead of them. Especially since the weather seems to be in their favor.

November 25, 2023

For about 24 hours now, aboard Qwanza, Goulven and Nicolas have been dealing with a new factor: sargassum. These are brown algae that grow and live on the water’s surface. So far, nothing to complain about. Except that, carried by the current, they form large mats on the water’s surface and cross the paths of ships. Qwanza hasn’t escaped them: "They form kind of streaks," explains Goulven. "When we go over them, some get stuck between the hull and the top of the rudder. We tried to remove them but it’s hopeless. As soon as we clear them, we hit another patch! Actually, they end up unsticking themselves and disappear."

On the navigation side, Qwanza is sailing at about 10 knots, on a broad reach, in the trade wind blowing at 15 knots. Having found the autopilot manual on the computer, Goulven and Nicolas also fine-tuned the settings of the beast. It has become more efficient and Qwanza’s performance reflects it: "It feels like the boat is a blade," says Goulven. "It doesn’t move!"

In the ranking, if they continue on the same momentum, Goulven and Nicolas should move ahead of the boat from the Martinique crew that took a northern route. However, they are struggling to catch up with those just ahead who are on the same route as them. Qwanza should cross the finish line by next Friday. Until then, their ranking should evolve.

November 26, 2023

Aboard Qwanza, since leaving Lorient, beyond navigation, a whole daily life organization has been established. Knowing that nights are long in the tropics. It gets dark from 7 p.m. and the sun only returns around 9 a.m.: "Unless there’s a maneuver imperative, and even then, since we manage to do everything solo, we split the night into four shifts," explains Goulven. "We set a first watch until 2:30 a.m., a second until 5:30 a.m., and two shorter ones to finish the night. That suits us. It allows good recovery with, in addition, a nap in the afternoon."

Still, you have to think about eating too. There too, aboard Qwanza, a routine has been established: "Since we used up the 'breakfast' reserves during the passage of the fronts at the start of the race, in the morning now it’s just coffee and a cereal bar. At noon and in the evening, it’s a 'leaning over to eat' atmosphere (Qwanzalian translation: a pouch of freeze-dried food remains the best dish even when the boat heels), which we don’t get tired of as long as we vary the brands…" In the afternoon, around 4 p.m., for a snack, it’s applesauce: "It’s not much, but at the same time, it prevents gaining weight," laughs Goulven. "Nico is a big eater, he’s still a bit hungry but we’ll hold on because we’re thinking about the smoked chicken waiting for us." Regarding supplies, Goulven admits they are missing "sugar, pepper, oil…"

On the evening of Sunday, November 26, Qwanza continued its direct route towards Martinique with some surprises: "The trade wind is constant in its... irregularities," confides Goulven. "On Saturday evening, at one point, we even had a full north wind and we even thought the autopilot had disengaged." The same goes for the strength and direction of Aeolus: "One moment we have 10 knots, then 20 knots, coming from the northeast, then from the east... The trade wind is not really established." It makes you wonder if, after all, the tram wind isn’t better aboard Qwanza, which has just joined the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO)…