The main goals of this summer refit that has just
finished involved a detailed verification of each element and the
completion of what was done in the winter refit, during which SMA was
repaired after the damage done, as she drifted for 20 days between the
Azores and Ireland last December.
Before
competing in the two transatlantic races in the spring, The Transat
Bakerly and the New York/Vendée (les Sables d’Olonne), the team at Mer
Agitée and SMA’s technical team added some lamination, changed the
standing and running rigging, the cables and electronics, as well as the
rudders and outriggers.
They still needed to do what they referred to
as the Vendée Globe refit. “Everything was taken apart, the keel was
examined and we worked on the rudder bearings, the water intake system;
the lads modified the wiring, painted the daggerboards and cleaned the
hull, which they didn’t have time to do in the winter due a lack of
time,” explained Paul Meilhat. Painted this summer, the brand new set of
nine Incidence DFi sails now displays the colours for the Vendée Globe.
All of the sails were tested during the month following Paul Meilhat’s
fourth place in the Transat New York/Vendée (Les Sables d’Olonne), with
the exception of one, which will be delivered on 4th September.
More pressure
On Monday, Paul Meilhat is carrying out a sail to get used to his
boat again. Then, he will be meeting up with the members of the
Finistère offshore training centre in Port-la-Forêt for the first
training session with its usual programme: sailing on Tuesday during the
day with a few specific exercises, then 24 hours at sea from Wednesday
with the boat expected to return to port on Thursday lunchtime. Finally,
a debriefing will take place at the centre on Friday morning (2nd
September).
“I won’t be tackling these training sessions with the idea
of making progress, because it’s too late for that and I have already
learnt a lot in 18 months,” stressed Paul. “I am relying on these trips
to settle into my habits, ensuring things come naturally and sailing in
the simplest way possible. Everything I have learnt this year needs to
slot into place. If I add other elements, there is the risk of mixing
things up. I am attached to the idea of keeping things simple and
feeling relaxed when sailing.”
Paul Meilhat is fully aware that the coming weeks will fly by until
13th October, when SMA is due to arrive in Port-Olona, just before the
Vendée Globe Village opens. “I am in the right state of mind. I’m on the
final stretch having acquired a lot after what happened over the past
year, the two transatlantic races, the training courses last year, the
trips with Michel (Desjoyeaux), the huge amount of work done with the
teams in the yard,” he said. “To keep a positive outlook, I think about
the two transatlantic races in the spring, when I finished fourth on
both occasions, and I remember how good I felt, when I was on my boat.
But it is hard to avoid thinking that something different is now
underway, with an additional pressure. There are so many things I’m
going to have to deal with. Everything is more complicated than we are
used to. People around me are expecting a lot. The supplies aren’t the
same. The preparation takes more time. I have to find a way of not using
up too much energy too.”
Source: SMA Course Au Large
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