Caffaris training "Aviva"
The 33-year-old has a new Open 60 built for the Vendée Globe. Until he sees the light of day, she trains on the old "Hellomoto" which Conrad Humphreys sailed in the last edition of the Vendée.
The "Hellomoto", which will of course bear the name of its sponsor "Aviva" under Dee Caffari, achieved some fame with Humphreys during the Vendée Globe 2004/2005. Because the Briton had exchanged an oar blade in a South African bay without outside help. There had never been anything like it before.
In addition, he sailed behind the field in 17th place, but reached the finish in Les Sables d’Olonne in seventh place. A masterpiece.
Dee Caffari wants to accomplish this with a new ship in 2008. If she reaches the destination at the Vendée, she would be the first woman to have circumnavigated the world one-handed and non-stop in both directions. Last year she had done the supposedly harder part, the circumnavigation against wind and current with her "Aviva". At that time, however, the ship was not a filigree Open 60 but a 72-foot steel yacht. She had needed 178 days for the first service.
Well, compared to the Vendée, it only needs to slide around the globe with the wind. However, the fact that it is part of a race poses other problems. First, the Open 60, especially if it's a new build, are reasonably prone to breakage. Second, she will want to do well in the race.
So it will be a real challenge for Caffari. On the one hand to get ahead as quickly as possible, but on the other hand to sail in such a controlled manner that she reaches her destination in France. An exciting matter. But that's what it should be. Otherwise she might not be happy about the record herself if she made it.