With just one year to go to the Globe40, here are the weekly reports on the preparations for the Gobe40. Today, Richard Palmer from the Jangada 40 team talks about his first season on the circuit and its preparation for the round-the-world race…
How are you feeling after this busy season with your first 2 races in Class40?
It’s been a frustrating season, both personally and for the boat itself. I missed out on the RORC Caribbean 600 due to an eye injury. However, Rupert managed to complete the race with a great team from which we learnt a huge amount about the Class 40. Unfortunately, the inside of the boat was flooded in Antigua and the mast damaged in transit with the subsequent repairs curtailing all our plans for training this year.
After many seasons in the IRC Class, you’ve discovered the Class40. How did you experience this change of boat and your arrival in the Class40?
I’m having to get used to quite a few technical differences – rope clutches, halyard locks, running backstays, water ballast and fully battened mainsails. The loads are far greater, so we still have to think carefully about our manoeuvres. But the boat is a joy to sail especially off the wind and even upwind the cockpit provides good shelter. The Class itself has been very welcoming and I enjoyed my first experience of lining up with the other 40’s in Caen.
Last September, you took part in the CIC Normandy Channel Race, one of the circuit’s flagship races. What lessons did you draw from that first race?
The importance of preparation and reliability, along with the need for fast sails in light winds. We were off the pace from the start with a sub-optimal sail plan. That put us on the back foot with the wind direction veering against us, leaving us tacking along the shoreline off the Isle of Wight whilst the fleet stretched out ahead. Then later we had a problem with one of the rudders in 30kt winds and rough seas off The Lizard, and 12 hours later lost it completely, leaving us limping safely into Plymouth.
This winter is likely to be marked by a refit of the boat and some training. Can you tell us more about your programme?
Most of the winter the boat will be out of the water and in the shed for its refit. Keel off for thorough investigation and testing. New rudders, sails, running rigging & standing rigging. That will then leave a short window for sea trials prior to the next CIC Normandy Channel Race. After that we return to Lorient where we hope to train with other Globe 40 boats based there.
What modifications and adaptations would you like to make to your boat in preparation for the Globe40?
The boat will need preparing for the long ocean passages with solar panels and a water maker. Sleep will be an important factor for our performance so decent bunks to absorb some of the vibrations through the hull. The configuration of the steering system needs to be reviewed to ensure we don’t have a repeat of the NCR.
The start of the 2nd edition of the round the world race is fast approaching. What is your race programme for 2025 before the big start?
We will return for the next Normandy Channel Race in May which will be the ideal opportunity to test all the changes made during the winter refit, without venturing too far from land. Followed by Les Sables – Horta & back which acts as practice for the start of the Globe 40 as far as Cap Finisterre but also tests our endurance over 1,270nm each way.
In a year’s time you’ll be with Rupert at sea on the first major leg to La Réunion. What’s your state of mind ahead of this big challenge?
A mixture of apprehension and excitement in equal measure. Apprehension – will we have done enough preparation, is the sail choice right, will the systems be reliable and most importantly, what will Mother Nature throw at us! But excited to be taking on such a great challenge, the camaraderie that will come from meeting the other teams, and thrill of racing the Class 40 across many oceans and around many Capes.