Like everyone everywhere, we had great plans for 2020. Like everyone everywhere, we were not able to follow through with those plans as even the limitless ocean was off limits during the pandemic.
We are looking forward to a full, challenging schedule of preparation, training and racing in 2021 and beyond. We have already begun – we competed in the Bermuda 1-2 in June as a test of the boat and she came through with flying colors.
WHAT’S NEXT IN 2021
AUGUST – We will dig into the second phase of our refit, which refit that will see us replacing the standing rigging (the wire and rope that holds up the mast), removing and checking the keel attachment (Tim has some history with dodgy keel integrity) and making upgrades to the interior to make the boat simpler to move gear about. This class allows us to “stack” gear on the boat, which means that we can move sails and heavy gear to the areas of the boat where it will do the most good in different wind and wave conditions. The current configuration of the interior makes this tough to do…we will clear the way to making that difficult job a bit easier.
SEPTEMBER – DELIVERY TO FRANCE We will have a crew of four to deliver the boat from the East Coast to Le Havre, France. If anyone is interested in making the trip in return for a contribution to Kent Racing, please get in touch. We have two spots left!
Now for the reason behind all of this preparation:
The Transat Jacques Vabre is the premier doublehanded race in all of sailing. There are four classes of boats:
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- Ultimes – 100 foot long trimarans being sailed by two people – sailors who are among the finest in the world
- Multi 50s – 50 foot foiling trimarans that will fly to Martinique
- IMOCA 60s – These are the Open 60s that contest the Vendee Globe solo – here sailed even harder with two crew. For some of these boats this is a tune-up for the Ocean Race in 2022, in which IMOCA 60s will race with crew around the world.
- Class 40s – By far the largest class, this is where Whitney and Tim will compete. Our course is the shortest at 4,600 nautical miles which will take us approximately three weeks. We will leave the gale-swept winter coast of Normandy for the sunny Caribbean…with heavy weather, sleep deprivation, uncertain weather and constant attention to strategy and tactics standing between the start and the finish.
October 28 – the Race Village in Le Havre opens. Over 520,000 fans come to meet the skippers and see the boats that race in this, one of the three key races on the international shorthanded calendar.
November 7 – the start of the TJV. After a short leg for the benefit of the crowds on shore, we leave the English Channel – which is jammed with marine traffic, then head south across the notorious Bay Of Biscay. We proceed south to the Cape Verde Islands where we turn west and power our way to Martinique.
