Monday 9 November 2026 – Nursing the mainsail, course set for Guadeloupe!
After a tough weekend, the night was calmer aboard the Ultim IDEC SPORT-CIC. Alexia Barrier reports two carefully executed gybes and a mainsail tear that is not getting worse for now. The wind remains light and progress slow, but the skipper keeps closing in on Guadeloupe.
A little speed regained on Sunday evening:
On Sunday evening, the skipper hoisted the mainsail to the first reef to pick up some speed, although the tear had not been repaired. Another problem came on top: a winch had stopped turning, forcing her to re-route a sheet to keep sailing. Referring to other teams that reached their destination after similar damage, Alexia summed up her state of mind: “Even a 1% chance, I’ll take it.”
Two gybes to spare the sail:
The night required two gybes, carried out with particular care: during these manoeuvres, the sail can flog and the tear can spread. This morning, no worsening has been observed. Before daybreak, the skipper planned to hoist the full mainsail at first light, while limiting the load on the damaged area.
Guadeloupe in sight:
Light winds and reduced sail are slowing progress, a slowness accepted on board: what matters is to keep moving with the means available. Saint-Barth, Antigua… the names of familiar Caribbean islands are appearing on her route. This time, the goal is Guadeloupe. “There’s still a bit of a way to go, so I’m staying focused.”
Excerpt from The Famous Project logbook
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