Final preparations ahead of Leg 2 of the Mini Transat îles de Guadeloupe

Final preparations in Lanzarote ahead of Mini Transat Îles de Guadeloupe Leg 2 © Jacques Vapillon / Mini Transat Îles de Guadeloupe

A few hours before the start of the second leg, the pressure is mounting on the pontoons of Lanzarote. Each in their own way, the sailors are looking to dispel the inevitable stress that arises when it comes to crossing the Atlantic. Even if the weather conditions are optimal, they all know that no one is safe from a technical problem, that the crossing is long and that they will have to avoid both hard and soft blows.

It is frenzy around the Race PC of the Mini Transat îles de Guadeloupe. Hunched over the weather files, the racers are tired of running routing simulations, building castles in the air with the advice from the "guru routers", or to attempt to glean more or less confidential information. Trying to introduce some rationality is a great way to exorcise their fears and doubts. Sometimes some of them let go, not accustomed to the waiting. It is the perfect time to refocus on very basic tasks and doing physical exercise to forget about obsessive thinking. Obviously, not everyone is in the same boat: for some zen is an art that has to be worked at, for others it is a more or less acquired predisposition.

Before the start from Douarnenez, the pressure was inevitably considerable for many racers: at the start of the race, almost all the racers were surrounded by their friends, relatives, partners for the luckiest ones. For all the rookies of the Atlantic, the first leg was a real leap into the unknown. The situation has changed slightly for the start from Lanzarote: they have all now experienced the first leg, the break of a few weeks allowed a number of racers to take a step back and enquiries from relatives and friends are less absorbing. Still, crossing the Atlantic is never trivial: without excessive pressure, staying focused is key.

There will be only 63 racers at the start of the second leg: the Estonian Jaanus Tame has had to renounce being at the start for personal reasons.

Trade winds for the first week

25-30 knots, sometimes more by Venturi effect between the islands, the beginning of the race promises to be exciting. Downwind, conditions are perfectly manageable, but should favour the most audacious racers, who are able find the right balance between how far their boats can be pushed and the no-go area. The exercise will be even more delicate as the Minis will leave with a slight overweight: an average of 25-30 kg of food, plus some 80 to 120 litres of water depending on the skipper. Water management is a kind of hymn to good sense: some parameters must be taken into account, such as the expected crossing time, daily requirements and the necessary reserve in case of breakage. At the start from Lanzarote, the Minis will have seen an average weight increase of 15%: with stresses on the rigging, rudders are especially significant and there is a real risk of breakage if the boat is overloaded at the start.

Given the weather situation, some are talking about a record time for the great crossing. But it is always difficult to make assumptions when the weather reports are for up to ten days. One near certainty, the high from the Azores should collapse in a few days and the trade wind should drop, at least along the great circle. The competitors will have to head south - but how far south? They will have to be clever, and interpret the wind changes and cloud cover, monitor the barometer. The racer best able to interpret all these signs stands a big chance of being the first to arrive in Pointe-à-Pitre.

The skippers of the Mini Transat îles de Guadeloupe will gain an hour of sleep tomorrow morning. Indeed, the start of the second leg, originally planned at 1pm is deferred by one hour. The weather conditions and port movements justify this decision.

A ferry movement at 11am (local time) at the time the Minis were going out to join the start zone has forced the event organisers to change the start time. On this occasion, the race director has preferred to delay the crews getting moving, allowing a cold front expected at the end of the morning to dispel in the area.

Furthermore, the fleet will have to leave the island of Fuerteventura to starboard when leaving Lanzarote. Sustained weather conditions for the first night after the start have led the race direction to propose this change of course that limits passage between the islands and the potential venturi effects that can be particularly brutal, especially at night.

Quotes:

Renaud Mary, President of the Mini Class: "We remain in the usual quotas: almost 80% of participants in the race are amateurs for almost 20% of semi-professionals. What struck me is that many racers exchanged information amongst themselves. I think for many it was necessary to dispel the apprehension born of the last edition. Given the perfect conditions that the competitors have had so far and that they may find in the second leg also, I have no doubt that we will have high good numbers again in 2017".

Picture-perfect: the Guadeloupe islands

Bathed by the trade winds, the Guadeloupe Islands are a paradise for sailing, when one has to endure the harshness of winter in the city. Besides Gosier Marina, the starting point for many charter bases, the islands offer an unexpected change of scenery with the still unspoilt islands of Marie-Galante, Désirade or the Les Saintes archipelago. Guadeloupe also has an active maritime tradition that continues during the regattas of the Saintoises, the traditional boats that regularly compete in fierce racing. Several Guadeloupean skippers have taken part in the Mini Transat, from Victor Jean-Noël to François Lamy, the Thélier brothers and Luc Coquelin. The participation of Carl Chipotel continues this tradition. No doubt his arrival will be celebrated in style on the other side of the Atlantic.

Catching up with Australian Mini sailor Katrina Ham

Barnaby Smith speaks to Katrina Ham, Australian Mini sailor, who is currently in Lanzarote preparing her boat "Katrinahamracing.com" for the start of leg 2 of the 2015 Mini Transat race.

The Mini Transat fleet left Douarnenez, France on 19th September 2015 and is racing solo across the Atlantic to Guadaloupe in the Caribbean via Lanzarote in the Canaries. Katrina reached Lanzarote on 1st October. The race is held in 21-foot (6.5m) pocket rockets that have no comforts: no bed, no toilet, no computers and most importantly no communication to land.

Barnaby Smith: So Katrina, now you've had some time to reflect, what are your memories of leg 1 from Dournanez to Lanzarote?

Katrina Ham: The first leg for me was tough. I still haven't looked at the tracker as when I think too much about the race I just get frustrated. I had some major power problems, spent a lot of time hand steering, and hooked a fishing net! Looking back at all the video footage reminds me how I actually really liked the sailing and generally loved being alone on the water but when I try and write about it the feeling of disappointment I had at the finish takes over. I will keep trying. Given I have dedicated all my effort to this for such a long time given it didn't go to plan so to say (does anything I do ever really go to plan... you'd think I'd learn by now?) it is hard not be disappointed. But now it is time to look to the second leg.

BS: Clearly there were some low points, but what about the good stuff?

KH: The start was great. I did not have any blood family come to the start but it was great to have friends some which came all the way from the UK as well as some of my rugby team to come see me off. My life in France has been full of ups and downs and I there is no way I would have lasted so long without all the support. Also, in between the tiredness and the power issues there were some fantastic sailing moments - brilliant sunshine, downwind, big spi and one reef in the main, surfing easily while hand steering!

BS: Have you had any issues to fix on the boat?

KH: On the first leg I heard next to nothing on the SSB/BLU which is the only way to get meteo info. So I was sailing blind.....just me and the barometer. So now I am working on trying to idiot proof my SSB system even more as I want to make sure I am not in the same position. That and any more potential power issues are my biggest concerns. There's been a big job list!

BS: What have you filled your time with during the Lanzarote stopover?

KH: Apart from trying to solve the power issue and the other things on my job list there have been a few activities for the skippers. It is really embarrassing given that I lived on the Gold Coast for three years but I had never been surfing until last week. Technically I would still say I have never been as to me that requires standing not just falling off! And off course watching the rugby.....fingers crossed the Wallabies return to the form they had against Wales!! The other activity I have been doing is swimming (the stuff in a pool as well as the boat). We are allowed to go to the sailing club here which has a pool, gym and a lot of other things/activities inside.

BS: And finally, what are you up to in the last few days before the leg 2 start?

KH: We are now in the count down to the second leg. More skippers are returning and everyone who stayed including me suddenly has a new found energy for boat work. New batteries are in and the fuel cell is being reinstalled. The prologue/display sail was held last Saturday and this week we've had more security inspections before we leave on the 31st... so I will have to wait till Guadeloupe to find out the rugby result!

Support for Katrina's adventure has come from Barz Optics, an Australian sunglass company, Infinity Nautique yacht services, and, Wichard Profurl who have again provided Katrina with deck gear. She is also very grateful for long term support in France from Centre de Formation Amanda Grey and Sandrine de Courcy / Made in Mariniere. Many of those who supported Katrina via a crowdfunding campaign before the start which raised 9290 euros from an amazing 66 supporters have had their name plastered on the side of her mini, "katrinahamracing.com".

www.minitransat-ilesdeguadeloupe.fr