Kito de Pavant, the skipper of Groupe Bel, spoke to his communications team not long after this morning's accident in which Groupe Bel was struck by a fishing boat off the Portuguese coast. He finishes....."To leave the Vendee Globe again after just two days of racing is not even possible'
Kito de Pavant, Groupe Bel, contacted by his team shortly after Groupe Bel was hit by a trawler off the Portuguese coast:
"The probability of colliding with a boat is very low. All night I saw many boats, mostly cargo ships. Our AIS works well with the alarm system set at ten miles, it sounds and allows me to manage things and alter course. The problem is with those which are not equipped with AIS are not detected. And that becomes a trap because there is no way of seeing them. I went to sleep at the wrong time.Even if I'd been up looking at the weather, I wouldn't have seen the boat either. It takes just 5 minutes.
There were no calls on the VHF. I think on the trawler they were not keeping watch either. They were either sleeping or working. When there was a crash I woke up with a start. I heard guys shouting but it was too late. I jumped on deck trying to save the rig. At least we managed that much. It is important the rig does not come down, so we saved that at least, but – hey – it is not much good.
I am not angry at the fisherman but at me because it should not have happened.
You can’t anticipate this happening, but I went down at just the wrong time. Of course there is always the risk of a collision when you are solo, with cargos, with fishermen. It can happen off Portugal, Senegal, Cape Verde or off Brazil. Everywhere. The boat is very damaged. All of that energy spent over months and years to prepare, all this is terrible. There is no bowsprit, there is a hole in the front of the hull but the boat itself is safe. There are no problems. I have secured the rig. There are between 17 and 18 kts of wind. I’m on a direct course for Cascais. I expect to be in by night. After that we’ll think what to do. To leave the Vendée Globe again, after just two days of racing, is not even possible, not even possible."
“I am cursed. The Vendée Globe is not for me.” That was the conclusion of the bitterly disappointed Kito de Pavant this Monday afternoon, despairing at the harsh reality that his challenge to complete the Vendée Globe is, again, very prematurely over.
From : Vendee Globe
Credit : Groupe Bel
Kito de Pavant, Groupe Bel, contacted by his team shortly after Groupe Bel was hit by a trawler off the Portuguese coast:
"The probability of colliding with a boat is very low. All night I saw many boats, mostly cargo ships. Our AIS works well with the alarm system set at ten miles, it sounds and allows me to manage things and alter course. The problem is with those which are not equipped with AIS are not detected. And that becomes a trap because there is no way of seeing them. I went to sleep at the wrong time.Even if I'd been up looking at the weather, I wouldn't have seen the boat either. It takes just 5 minutes.
There were no calls on the VHF. I think on the trawler they were not keeping watch either. They were either sleeping or working. When there was a crash I woke up with a start. I heard guys shouting but it was too late. I jumped on deck trying to save the rig. At least we managed that much. It is important the rig does not come down, so we saved that at least, but – hey – it is not much good.
I am not angry at the fisherman but at me because it should not have happened.
You can’t anticipate this happening, but I went down at just the wrong time. Of course there is always the risk of a collision when you are solo, with cargos, with fishermen. It can happen off Portugal, Senegal, Cape Verde or off Brazil. Everywhere. The boat is very damaged. All of that energy spent over months and years to prepare, all this is terrible. There is no bowsprit, there is a hole in the front of the hull but the boat itself is safe. There are no problems. I have secured the rig. There are between 17 and 18 kts of wind. I’m on a direct course for Cascais. I expect to be in by night. After that we’ll think what to do. To leave the Vendée Globe again, after just two days of racing, is not even possible, not even possible."
“I am cursed. The Vendée Globe is not for me.” That was the conclusion of the bitterly disappointed Kito de Pavant this Monday afternoon, despairing at the harsh reality that his challenge to complete the Vendée Globe is, again, very prematurely over.
From : Vendee Globe
