JULES VERNE

 
 

1993/94 – Enza New Zealand - The Jules Verne Enza Force 10 Cape Horn In 1992 RKJ and Peter Blake teamed up to attempt to sail around the world in less than 80 days. The catamaran Tag was purchased for the attempt, refitted and lengthened and the team set out against Bruno Peyron in “Commodore Explorer”. The Frenchman had a half day lead halfway between Africa and Australia when “Enza” struck an object in the sea which tore a hole in the starboard float. The boat was forced to return to South Africa and Bruno Peyron managed to finish his voyage in just under the magic 80 days, the first person to do so. Re-fitted and lengthened to 92 feet she started again from Ushant in 1994 against Olivier de Kersuason in “”Lyonnaise des Eaux-Dumez” With Bob Rice providing meteorological support, a very fast run down the Atlantic was made, the equator being reached in 7 days, 4 hours, 24 minutes, and Australia was to the north in 30 days. 70 days looked possible, but an unusual weather pattern meant the second leg of the Southern Ocean to Cape Horn lost time, and when crossing the equator in the Atlantic the Doldrums jumped the boat so it had to sail through them twice. Nevertheless the boat returned to Brest in a new world record time of 74 days, 22 hours, 18 minutes and 22 seconds, an average speed of 14.8 knots. Book “Beyond Jules Verne” 1995 Hodders.