Nigel Irens – Unsung Hero
January 13, 2009 by admin
Filed under Business, United Kingdom
A great article in the Times (UK) about UK designer Nigel Irens. Irens is behind the boats that break round the world records including those of Francis Joyon, Ellen Macarthur and the current challenger Thomas Coville.
Irens, 62, is one of Britain’s unsung heroes of design and innovation, modestly going about his business from his home in Devon. “We didn’t even go out to tender; we went straight to Nigel,” Mark Turner, MacArthur’s business partner, said. “Ellen knew him and he’d taken her under his wing. He’s a legend really, it’s going to be hard to break these records.
“He’s a lovely guy and genuinely passionate about it. He is also a rare Englishman who is supremely respected in France – there are not many British sailing related people who are loved by the French, but Nigel is.”
But even within the world of inshore sailing Irens’s status is such that when Alinghi, the America’s Cup holders, were preparing to race BMW Oracle in a trimaran, they called on Irens and Cabaret to be part of the team.
“Nigel is at home designing a cruising catamaran or a 100ft trimaran to break records,” Turner said.
As if to confirm that, Irens reels off his list of recent commissions; from Alinghi to a modified Sodeb’O for a round-the-world attempt by Oman, the Arab nation, to a 50ft race trimaran from a giant co-operative of Brittany vegetable farmers.
Irens wants to build a 50-metre long multihull for a crewed record attempt. But in his crystal ball he sees boats with no need for huge beams or keels, because the forces are going through the boat, rather than trying to capsize it. “There were people with the first kites out there from 1974,” Irens said. “They were crazy things, but it was a sail whose centre of effort passed through the same axis as the centre of mass and the centre of lateral resistance, so it was a zero heeling device. You can’t help but think that is the future.”
Coville Beats 24 hour record on Sodeb’O
December 8, 2008 by admin
Filed under France, Other, Record Attempts
Thomas Coville has beaten the single-handed 24 hour distance record on a multihull this Sunday evening at 1815 UT with a total distance of 620.80 miles covered at the average speed of 25.87 knots.
The maxi trimaran Sodeb’O is making headway beam onto the wind in a 22 to 26 knot NNW’ly air flow with waves of 4 metres. Coville has just broken his previous record set in the same zone on 6th January 2008. At that time he covered 619 miles in 25.80 knots.The wind is filling in so the record is set to continue to increase over the coming hours. Naturally, this new record has yet to be approved by the WSSRC.
Coville and Sodeb’O wait 24 Hours
Thomas Coville has postponed his planned departure in search of the solo round the world record by 24 hours.
For the past few days Coville, the skipper of the Maxi Trimaran Sodeb’O, has been observing the evolution of a highly favourable weather window.
The weather conditions enabling a descent from Brest to the equator in less than 7 days looks possible, but there is still some doubt as regards the strength of the wind between the Canaries and Cape Verde. The team is still allowing itself the day to refine the precise hour of departure, which could take place from Tuesday morning at dawn. The decision will be made this evening, at around 2200 hours, after analysing the final grib files.
The situation at the start of the course is proving to be ideal. After setting out from Brest in a NW’ly air flow, Sodeb’O will go in search of a point to gybe in the Azores High, which is positioned a long way north and will then generate a steady E’ly tradewind enabling Thomas to adopt a direct course towards Cape Verde and the Doldrums.
A first team is currently heading towards Brest where the boat has been on standby since 29th October. Their missions? A final careening session, sail preparation and victualling with fresh products…
In order to beat the solo round the world record held since 20th January 2008 by Francis Joyon, Thomas Coville will have to return to Brest in less than 57 days, 13 hours, 34 minutes and 6 seconds.
Whenever Thomas sets off, he has all the latest multimedia toys to help you follow him at http://www.sodebo-voile.com/actu/news-eng.html
The site has widgets, podcasts, audio and video, photos all allowing a global fan-base to keep in touch while at sea. It’s a growing trend and one that delivers return on investment for sponsors as well as fans.
