Suhaili and IDEC

There is so much that is amazing about Francis Joyon's accomplishment. It's hard not agree with Magnus at Rule69's assertion that it's the most incredible feat in sailing in 20 years. 54 days round the world. Christ, he made it from Brittany to the Azores in two days.

It started me thinking about the  Golden Globe, the first solo round-the-world race in 1968-69. Robin Knox-Johnson accomplished the same 28,000 miles in 313 days.  The contrast could not be sharper. In 40 years, the same course is accomplished in 4-5 times faster. What does it say about the evolution of boat design?

OK, RKJ's Suhaili was probably the slowest boat to compete. Moitessier's steel machine Joshua would have overtaken RKJ if he'd stayed in the race. The trimarans could have won if the boats or their skippers hadn't fallen apart (more on that at Captain JPs' blog).

Suhaili  was (is actually as it's at the National Maritime Museum-Cornwall) a 14 ton teak-hulled Bermuda ketch built in Bombay. Technically her dimensions are 32 ft long and 11.5 ft abeam, but she is really 44ft long as she has a large bowsprit.  She was built in 1923 based on the lines of a Norwegian sailing ketch.

IDEC is a 97 feet long, 54 feet wide, 11 ton foiling trimaran carrying 5,597 sq feet of sail. She has a 104 ft carbon mast and a composite hull. She was built in Lorient and designed by Nigel Irens and Benoit Caberet based on, well - based on something someone saw in Star Wars. OK I am being facetious but the difference philosophy is pretty clear. According to Joyon, IDEC is  :

"the best compromise between the search for power and my capacity to manage what I will have under my hand... and I am certain, right now, that this IDEC will require more vigilance and anticipation that its predecessor! As a balance though, the fact that we have been able to lengthen the stem of central hull and add more volume means that I will be able to face the long Southern Ocean surfings – the main black spot - with relative serenity!”

Robin Knox-Johnson bought the best boat he could afford that he felt would make it round the world safely.

During the Golden Globe, RKJ lived off mostly corned beef, baked beans. He took a small library and a correspondence course with him. He slept soundly for long parts of the trip, when he was out of the shipping lanes and the weather was fair. For some bizarre reason, his father handed him a gun and ammo before he departed. From what I can tell, the only modern technology he carried was a radio.

I am not sure what Joyon eat but I doubt it weighed much. From the reports I read, he rested for minutes but seldom slept for most of the 54 days. His bubble of a cabin was utilitarian and stripped down to bare essentials. I am sure that he carried advanced weather instruments, radio and GPS but nothing but what was needed for the way he would be racing. 

In storm conditions, RKJ, trawled drogues, chains, well just about anything he could to slow the boat in the big waves. His theory was that the boat was so heavy that it was unlikely to be capsized so he let th e waves wash past him. It clearly worked for him.

On IDEC, I am sure Joyon, surfed. I can only imagine how fast he must have been traveling in the really big stuff. You can just picture him planing on his foils at speeds that would scare the proverbial out of mere mortals like me.

In this latest circumnavigation, Joyon's hit speeds of 25.6 kts and bested his average speed in 2004 on 15.5 kts by averaging 19.1 kts on the water. RKJ average speed was 3.39 kts.

There is a fascinating paradox. Sailing is one of the oldest forms of transport but has evolved so much in 40 years that boats can travel long distance distance 400-500% faster. Is there any other form of transportation that has evolved as much?

There were fast cars, jet planes, space rockets, motor bikes in 1968. No doubt they perform better now than they did in 1968, but 5 times better? No way!

God I love sailing!

Comments

[tillerman]

In 1969 a man sailed around the world non-stop single-handed in 313 days and another man set foot on the moon.

In 2008 a man sailed around the world non-stop single-handed in 54 days and space travel has advanced to the point where... oh, never mind.

[JP]

Yup, Joyon's voyage and boat were amazing and you can only wonder what next - hydrofoiling like a moth maybe?

Pretty scary picture of those waves breaking over Suhaili

[Peter McGrath]

RKJ's book is one of my all-time faves. I like his way of dealing with storms once the conditions got beyong sailing: all sails off, washboards in, get snug below and 'consult the level' of his whisky or brandy.

On his return he was looking at by a head doctor and pronounced 'distressingly normal' (or words to that effect).

[[email protected]]

Another view since I don't see the comparison - RKJ's boat was bought for a very small sum and is the type of boat which can be built by a person with traditional boatbuilding skills using natural products - wood. RKJ navigated the ocean using a sextant and chronometer. His motives were not for financial gain (he gave away the prize money to Crowhurst's family) and it was truly a solo effort.
The other, is a major corporate undertaking costing millions, reliant on teams of people working around the clock (weather routers, advisors blah blah blah), using artificial products, electronics and all types of whiz bang unreliable gadgetry. Have we really achieved much? I know which adventure I'd rather read about.

[Eric Webster]

I am sorry, but I find your article factually misleading....

1. "OK, RKJ's Suhaili was probably the slowest boat to compete. Moitessier's steel machine Joshua would have overtaken RKJ if he'd stayed in the race."

It has been shown MANY times, that Moitessier had almost NO chance of catching RKJ and Suhaili on the homeward voyage. Moitessier admitted as much to RKJ serveral times. It was reported publicly.

2. "Suhaili was (is actually as it's at the National Maritime Museum-Cornwall) a 14 ton teak-hulled Bermuda ketch built in Bombay. Technically her dimensions are 32 ft long and 11.5 ft abeam, but she is really 44ft long as she has a large bowsprit. She was built in 1923 based on the lines of a Norwegian sailing ketch."

I think I know what you are TRYING to say here. Yes, "Eric", the boat that Suhaili was based on was built in 1923. But your statement leads people to think that Suhaili was built in 1923. Incorrect. Suhaili was built in Bombay, India in 1964/1965.

3. " Robin Knox-Johnson bought the best boat he could afford that he felt would make it round the world safely."

Again, Incorrect. RKJ and two other young merchant seamen had Suhaili BUILT for them. The idea was to sail the boat back to the UK (from India) and sell it at a profit, as it was cheap to build a wooden yacht in India in the early 1960's. The idea to sail around the world did not even occur to RKJ until after he had sailed Suhaili back to the UK (and long after he had bought the other two out of the project).

4. "In storm conditions, RKJ, trawled drogues, chains, well just about anything he could to slow the boat in the big waves."

Again, very misleading. RKJ did tow a full 600', 2" rope behind him as his heavy ketch ran before the wind. I have NEVER heard that he towed drogues, chains, or anything else. RKJ has certainly never stated that. Please, can you cite a source for this inside information?

5. From the comments....

"Another view since I don't see the comparison - RKJ's boat was bought for a very small sum and is the type of boat which can be built by a person with traditional boatbuilding skills using natural products - wood. RKJ navigated the ocean using a sextant and chronometer. His motives were not for financial gain (he gave away the prize money to Crowhurst's family) and it was truly a solo effort.
The other, is a major corporate undertaking costing millions, reliant on teams of people working around the clock (weather routers, advisors blah blah blah), using artificial products, electronics and all types of whiz bang unreliable gadgetry. Have we really achieved much? I know which adventure I'd rather read about."

EXACTLY!!!!

[Mike]

I remember one day my dad took me sailing. He hadn't sailed in years. We want into the water and he was yelling and screaming at me. It turned out that he didn't set up the sail boat properly. We ended up crashing and had to get help from other people. It was quite embarrassing for my dad. Needless to say we never want sail boating again.