D + 7: Weather forecast with Christian Dumard
A week after the start of the West about Round the World Attempt, Romain Pilliard and Alex Pella are sailing at the latitude of Cape Verde. The crew of the trimaranUse It Again! team After a week on the “Westabout Round The World Record Attempt”, here is the first assessment of Christian Dumard, router and meteorologist of the Trimaran “Use It Again”!
Seven days to get into the rhythm without pressure
After the strong emotions of the start, Romain and Alex came to terms with strong and disorderly seas. Do not take risks, sail smoothly to preserve the trimaran, this is the leitmotif of the duo ofUse It Again! teamfor this start of the Round the World Upside Down. On this first week of record, no extraordinary speeds, we will remember especially the good communicative mood of Alex and Romain who realize after months of preparation, the happiness of being at sea and measure the extent of the challenge that stands before them.
After a week on the “West About Round the World Attempt”, here is the first assessment of Christian Dumard, router and meteorologist of the Trimaran Use It Again! team , the third man of this Record:
“Since leaving the Bay of Biscay, Romain and Alex are sailing in winds from north to north-east, between 8 and 25 knots. The descent is therefore quite in-line with pre-departure forecasts. The development of a large calm zone north of Cape Verde forced them to follow the African coast, between the Canaries and southern Mauritania.
The wind switched to the north late last night, allowing them to sail on starboard tack towards the entrance to the doldrums, which they expect to reach on Thursday. The latter presents itself in a fairly classic way with a little more wind in its western part, areas of squalls and areas of calm.
Since this morning, we have started to look at the weather systems in southern Brazil to anticipate the positioning at the level of the equator in order to pass more or less far from the Brazilian coast. Since leaving the Bay of Biscay, Romain and Alex are sailing in winds from north to north-east, between 8 and 25 knots. The descent is therefore quite in-line with pre-departure forecasts. The development of a large calm zone north of Cape Verde forced them to follow the African coast, between the Canaries and southern Mauritania.
The wind switched to the north late last night, allowing them to sail on starboard tack towards the entrance to the doldrums, which they expect to reach on Thursday. The latter presents itself in a fairly classic way with a little more wind in its western part, areas of squalls and areas of calm.
Since this morning, we have started to look at the weather systems in southern Brazil to anticipate the positioning at the level of the equator in order to pass more or less far from the Brazilian coast.»
* Christian Dumard is a major player in ocean racing. He notably routed and followed Francis Joyon on his victorious Route du Rhum in 2018, he was also the weather man for the Vendée Globe 2021 or the last Transat Jacques Vabre.
