Before setting off on her Vend\u00e9e Globe, Pip Hare gave Yachting World this guide to the final stretch of the Vend\u00e9e, the the Atlantic north-boundThe Vend\u00e9e Globe is the world\u2019s ultimate race course: one non-stop lap of the globe. The race started in Les Sables d\u2019Olonne, France, on 10 November. There are three marks of the course \u2013 the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin and Cape Horn \u2013 all of which must be rounded to port, before finishing back in Les Sables d\u2019Olonne.
\nBeyond these marks, skippers must choose our own way around the world and that navigation will be primarily defined by weather, rather than geography.
\nPip Hare wrote these guides for Yachting World ahead of setting off as one of 40 skippers \u2013 and the only British-based entry \u2013 in the Vend\u00e9e Globe. Sadly Pip was dismasted at the tail end of 2024 ending her race and leaving her Vend\u00e9e dream in tatters.
\nThe leading skippers in the 2024-25 edition of the Vend\u00e9e Globe are locked in a close battle and already closing in on the finish, with the top three expected into Sables d\u2019Olonne some time next week, but the bulk of the fleet still has much of the trick north-bound Atlantic to navigate.
\nPip\u2019s Atlantic Northbound guide
\nPassing Cape Horn feels monumental; a release from the stress of big Southern Ocean conditions and like the final 6,500 miles of the course should be downhill. But it\u2019s a mistake for any skipper to believe they are home and free on re-entry to the Atlantic.
\nThe tactical demands of this leg, combined with tired boats and tired brains, will keep the competition keen all the way home. The Atlantic Ocean may not carry the reputational might of Southern Ocean conditions, but the complexity of weather systems make this return leg complicated and painful at times.
\nPicking their moments to head north will depend hugely on the weather systems both ahead and behind each skipper after they round the Horn
\nExit from the South
\nOnce Cape Horn has been rounded, sailors must head north, but it\u2019ll be critical not to step off the Southern Ocean train too early. Making early miles to the east will avoid getting trapped along the Brazilian coast later when entering the north-east tradewinds.
\nIf there are depressions to factor in \u2013 either coming through the Drake Passage behind you or forming to the east of Cape Horn \u2013 then it will be worth riding one more front, Southern Ocean-style, to make miles east, and then north.
\nIf no depression is on offer the route will turn north earlier, even passing between Islas Estados and the mainland, but skippers must be watchful for any small high pressure systems developing at the latitude of Uruguay which could then migrate towards the Falkland Islands and block a path north.
\nArticle continues below\u2026<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Atlantic southbound: Pip Hare\u2019s guide to the first stage of the Vend\u00e9e Globe<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Vend\u00e9e Globe is the world\u2019s ultimate race course: one non-stop lap of the globe. The course starts in Les\u2026<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPip Hare\u2019s guide to racing in the Southern Ocean as the Vend\u00e9e Globe fleet continue south<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Vend\u00e9e Globe is the world\u2019s ultimate race course: one non-stop lap of the globe. The course starts in Les\u2026<\/p>\n
Semi-permanent cold front
\nOnce heading north, the next feature to cross will be the semi-permanent front, which extends south-east from the Brazilian coast, close to Rio de Janeiro. Once again skippers must be on the lookout for developing low pressure areas, which form along the semi-permanent front and can appear quickly and in rapid succession.
\nGetting stuck to the east of a developing depression will result in northerly headwinds: passing west of a system would be quicker but could force a competitor closer in to the coast where there is a south-going current.
\nIf there are no active depressions the semi-permanent front will create a barrier with light, fickle airs, through which boats must battle. The light air zone is another place where the fleet can compress, holding up those ahead while others ride the last stop of the Southern Ocean train, potentially eroding leads of hundreds of miles. This happened to me in my 2020 race and it was heart-breaking.
\nRounding Cape Horn is a seminal moment for any Vend\u00e9e Globe skipper, but the Atlantic return is still challenging and can see many place changes. Photo: Amory Ross\/11th Hour Racing\/The Ocean Race
\nSouth Atlantic tradewinds
\nThe temperature increases rapidly once the fleet is back in the tradewinds, with fast reaching conditions and squall activity. These conditions once again will favour foiling boats and particularly those capable of early flight. The balance needs to be made between holding ground to the east and sailing a fast angle.
\nDecisions will need to be made at this stage about where to cross the doldrums. In Part 1 of this series, I described how the windless area of the doldrums forms a wedge shape, with the fat end of the wedge close to the African coast.
\nThis means on a typical ascent of the Atlantic there is less risk of being trapped in large windless areas, as this route on ascent will be up the western side of the Atlantic.
\nInstead, sailors must take note of the position and size of the North Atlantic high pressure which ultimately will dictate how much easting is required and where it is feasible to cross the doldrums. They\u2019ll need to have their eyes some 3,500 miles up the track, and their brains fast forward another two weeks.
\nThe Atlantic low pressure systems can be much more complex than those in the south, with multiple fronts. The leg to the finish is far from a breeze for tired boats and sailors \u2013 sea states can be brutal and boat breaking in the final 1,000 miles
\nDoldrums
\nThe majority of the fleet will choose to cross the doldrums between 27\u00b0 and 32\u00b0W \u2013 the further east, the better the angle in the North Atlantic tradewinds.
\nUsing radar, satellite imagery to avoid large areas of cloud, and confirming GRIB file forecasts with real time scatterometry the tactic is to pick your spot and then make best ground due north. It should be less painful than on the descent but can provide another opportunity for compression.
\nThe North Atlantic
\nAnother curveball for these final few weeks is that some boats may not have a full sail inventory, having damaged sails beyond repair over the previous 10 weeks. Some sailors have lost reefing points in the mainsail, as well as headsails, which can severely impair performance.
\nBut the race will still very much be on \u2013 positioning relative to other competitors will be crucial \u2013 and we may see boats choosing routes that work for their own changed circumstances to avoid underperforming in certain conditions.
\nThe north Atlantic can be volatile in January. Systems develop quickly and different forecast models don\u2019t always align weeks ahead. The position, size and stability of the Azores High is critical to the final two-week strategy of the Vend\u00e9e Globe race. In a classic scenario, where the Azores high is stable and centred over the Azores, the fastest route would be a reach through the tradewinds, arrival to the west of the high pressure, then round the top. However, in the last two years I\u2019ve made two Atlantic returns in December and neither one of them showed this classic scenario.
\nMixed conditions for the Vend\u00e9e fleet in January 2021 as they sailed north up the Atlantic and through the doldrums. Photo: Romain Attanasio\/PURE \u2013 Best Western Hotels and Resorts
\nA high pressure system centred to the east will allow a more direct route through the mid latitudes from the tradewinds. An elongated shape or a centre further west will provide light airs across the course and headwinds along the European coast \u2013 yet another chance for compression of the fleet.
\nIn the case of a huge high pressure blocking the rhumb line we may also see a marked difference between foiling and non-foiling strategies. The speed differentials between the two types of boats allow big foilers to sail many more miles than the direct route. This could take boats a long way north of their final intended latitudes, to ensure good breeze all the way in.
\nThis phenomenon was well demonstrated in the New York-Vend\u00e9e Race in June 2024, where a high pressure blocked the rhumb line and the foiling boats chose routes around the high pressure, which added nearly a thousand miles, while non-foilers went through the middle.
\nRide the final Front
\nOnce the Azores High has been cleared, we hand over to the North Atlantic\u2019s depression train, looking for a final front to push east and home. The trajectory of North Atlantic depressions normally allows their trailing cold fronts to pass into the Bay of Biscay, grazing Cape Finisterre. The wind ahead of the front is from a south-westerly direction.
\nNearing Les Sables d\u2019Olonne after 24,000 miles: a huge relief but skippers must remain vigilant\u2013 Boris Herrmann suffered a collision approaching the finish in 2021 (see damage to bowsprit). Photo: Yvan Zedda\/Alea
\nNorth Atlantic fronts travel slower than their southern hemisphere counterparts, at a speed of around 25 knots so \u2013 for a not-too-tired foiling IMOCA skipper \u2013 it would be possible to place themselves ahead of a cold front and ride it all the way to the finish.
\nCape Finisterre
\nIf there is no depression to take advantage of then the direct route will be the fastest one to the finish. Entering the Bay of Biscay there are challenges and advantages that can be offered by Cape Finisterre. At this stage the fleet will start to encounter regular traffic. There is an exclusion zone around the Traffic Separation Scheme off Cape Finisterre, but on either side of this zone there\u2019ll be a steady stream of traffic heading across Biscay to Ushant or up and down the European Atlantic coast. Inshore at Finisterre a wind acceleration zone can be used to advantage and the effects of wind shadows or accelerations caused by the Cantabrian Mountain Range in northern Spain will also be of note.
\nApivia skipper, Charlie Dalin at the finish of the 2021 Vendee Globe. Photo: Jean-Marie Liot\/Alea.
\nThe Vend\u00e9e Globe Finish
\nThe final approach to the finish line at Les Sables D\u2019Olonne will be bringing skippers back to the extra complexities of navigating to a destination port. Up to now we\u2019ve focussed almost solely on the weather, sailing in areas where there is little to no traffic and thousands of miles from the land.
\nApproaching the Vend\u00e9e shores, AIS and radar alarms will light up with collision warnings and in prevailing conditions the finish line will be ahead of a lee shore. There\u2019ll be no moment to sit back and think, \u2018This is in the bag\u2019. There can be no relaxing until our feet are on the dock.<\/p>\n
If you enjoyed this\u2026.<\/p>\n
Yachting World is the world\u2019s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.<\/p>\n
Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.<\/p>\n
The post Vend\u00e9e Globe: Guide to the Atlantic race home appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Before setting off on her Vend\u00e9e Globe, Pip Hare gave Yachting World this guide to the final stretch of the Vend\u00e9e, the the Atlantic north-boundThe Vend\u00e9e Globe is the world\u2019s ultimate race course: one non-stop lap of the globe. The … <\/p>\n