Use it Again ! logbook – Episode 2
2021-12-01
November 2021 - preparing for departure:
D-day is fast approaching for Romain Pilliard and Alex Pella. The two sailors are in the midst of preparations to tackle their round-the-world voyage in the best possible conditions. But how do you prepare for a 3-month sailing trip to try to beat a world record? Nothing is less simple!
For our two skippers of the trimaran Use It Again! all scenarios must be considered, risks have to be minimised and plan Bs need to be multiplied. Over the next few days, technical checks, physical preparation and strategic reflections will be the main concerns.
What's on their agenda?
Dismasting and choosing the sails to ensure optimal functioning of the trimaran. The stakes are high: they have to find the sails that will be best suited for the entire duration of the round the world trip according to the specific conditions expected. Indeed, not all sails have the same level of performance depending on the type of sailing or the weather conditions. The goal is to find the sail that will maximise performance over time.
Anticipating all kinds of repairs. A shock on one of the rudders? A damaged daggerboard? A line about to break? All eventualities are considered and each of them can jeopardize the achievement of the world record coveted by our two sailors. It is therefore necessary to know how to respond to all these problems by using the appropriate equipment and thanks to the increased preparation of Alex and Romain.
Preparation of food supplies to take on the boat : Have you ever anticipated all your meals for the next three months? We haven't either. But doing a round-the-world trip is a tough challenge for which our athletes must not lack resources. Therefore, they will take long-life meals with them so that they have enough food to last until the end of their journey.
Training in first aid. Our two adventurers know that an accident on the open sea can easily happen and that they need to be able to react quickly. To do this, they undergo medical training to be able to help their teammate in case of need. Spoiler alert: they weren't so confident during their training to stitch an open wound 😉
Next step in this preparation: the big departure from La Trinité-Sur-Mer to Lorient, from where they will attempt to break the westabout round-the-world record.
See you soon for episode 3 of our logbook!