Sailing: As predicted by navigator Chris Tibbs, a 20-knot north-westerly breeze ensured a fast start to Jean-Phillipe Chomette's second attempt on the Round Ireland speed record yesterday evening on Dublin Bay.
The 60-footer Cityjet crossed the line at 6.33pm flying a giant white spinnaker that, if Tibbs is correct, Chomette hopes to carry for the majority of the 704-mile course.
Out of the Dublin Bay mist the 10-tonne yacht cruised across the Kish starting line at just over 13 knots (25kpm) in a full-on attempt to break the Cork Dry Gin Round Ireland monohull record that has stood since December 2002.
Chomette, on the wheel, urged his seven-man crew to get the most out of the boat in the first few minutes of what they hope will be a sub-70-hour circumnavigation. The crew, including renowned French yachtsman Patrick Tabarly (62), have waited some 11 months for this second attempt to finish the job they set out to do last June.
Tibbs had ordered up a 20-knot wind from the northwest for the tea-time start and although there are few that would cross meteorological swords with the Cowes wizard even he looked doubtful as he peered upwind towards the Baily lighthouse looking for any wind above a fickle 10-knot mean.
Only a 12 breeze prevailed as Cityjet sailed out at sedate speed under mainsail alone from her Dun Laoghaire berth.
Out in the bay however, Tibbs was proved right and indeed such was the strength of a squall at 6pm that skipper Chomette decided to wait a few minutes before hoisting the massive spinnaker.
If he has learnt one thing about Round Ireland challenges it is not to be too aggressive. He blew two spinnakers in two hours playing catch-up with rivals in the 48-boat fleet during last year's Round Ireland race.
This time round, however, there was no jostling for position on the line and no one to cheer them on except encouraging words from the time keepers on board the Dun Laoghaire lifeboat who monitored the start.
As dusk approached and Cityjet passed Wicklow head bound for the Tuskar, Tibbs was expecting to harden up for the rock and enjoy a reach along the entire south coast to the Fastnet rock.
This is the fastest of all angles for the canting keel yacht, that is valued at €1.75 million, and if she can reach her expected top speeds - that are in excess of 26 knots under gennaker - then a record may well be on the cards later today.
Elsewhere on the coast, heading northabout, David Parker, who is in search of the seven-day Round Ireland solo record, was reported in at the Maiden rocks at 11.38am yesterday having left the Kish lunch time on Sunday. He was trying to reach Rathlin island on the north coast before the tide turned.
CITYJET CREW: Jean-Phillipe Chomette (co-skipper) Cesar Dohy, (co-skipper) Patrick Tabarly (mainsail) Chris Tibbs, (navigator) Dona Carne (trimmer), Arnaud Boissier (Helmsman), Matthieu Vincent (systems) and HP Schipman (bowman).
