30 knots on the anemometer! The results of our first day may be deemed as satisfactory despite the overly numerous periods of calm overnight. Other than that, there's nothing to say; it's all been positive. The skies are a grey blue, there is a gentle breeze, we have downwind conditions, and it's been so good that there hasn't really been any serious spray on deck. Foulies are still optional but naturally that won't last…

This introduction enabled us to review the gybing, the reef taking, and we've even reviewed our favourite sequence of moves, namely the change of gennaker, the little one replacing the large one, with a gybe to follow if you please, culminating with a little session of ballast shifting. With a crew of eight, we have a fair bit of work to do and so we sleep when we can. With our new organisation, that is two watches of four, it is compulsory to go and wake our ‘little friends' at the slightest manœuvre. Unless we're in very light conditions, nothing is possible aboard Gitana 13 unless there are six or seven of us on deck. So with 30 knots of wind…

Tomorrow, we're going to revise the hoisting of the ORC which is our little headsail. Of course we're going to have the right to a storm. Between Japan and South Korea, the NE'ly wind is set to gust to up to 50 knots. The foulies will then be more than compulsory…

Until tomorrow

Nicolas Raynaud