Peyron's newest maxi catamaran "Orange" set the 24 hour record last night besting 700 miles in a 703 mile run averaging 29.29 knots. With 10 people on board, they're making a bid for the transatlantic record currently held by Steve Fossett's Playstation. Rumour has it that they removed 3 tons of weight from Orange since construction finished late last year. At this point, Orange has just passed half way and is in front of the record pace but they anticipate some tricky weather ahead. Playstation galloped the last half easily staying with a weather system the whole way. It could get interesting!
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![[Linked Image]](http://www.wetasschronicles.com/OrangeFlyHull.jpg)
From Tim Zimmerman (author of "The Race") at the www.wetasschronicles.com:
![[Linked Image]](http://www.wetasschronicles.com/OrangeCruising.jpg)
"Ok, Bruno. Enough singing of the Marseilles. We've got more than 700 miles of hard sailing ahead..."
Holy $hit! This thing is going to be close! American Fossett's Trans Atlantic record was assumed to be so strong that it would be years before it would be toppled. Remember that Bruno Peyron is the guy that manages the Jules Verne Trophy and is the guy that was instremental in deciding that newcomers (of which Steve Fossett was the only one) had to pay more in order to be eligible for the Trophy...Steve Fossett refused to pay the higher fee and after breaking the circumnavigation record separated the union between the record and the JV Trophy. Basically the trophy became a lot less worthy now that the person that held it did not have the record. Bruno aims to put them both back together with this new boat...can you imagine Steve Fossett right now? Not to take anything away from Peyron but with all that Fossett has accomplished in sailing, the competitor inside him has to be thinking about another go. Two of his records (their 24hr record was previously beaten and currently held by MaidenII) have been upped by Orange on one outing. She's fast and appears to be able to be pressed very hard.
Again from Tim Zimmerman at the WetAssChronicles:
Orange II Transatlantic Record Bid--Now, It's A Nailbiter!: I guess no one should ever count Bruno Peyron out. Since yesterday morning the French maestro has been sailing his monster cat flat out, through rough seas and building winds. He's piled up 634 miles in the last 24 hours, and at 0900GMT this morning he had just 148 miles to go, and 6.25 hours to get there. That requires an average of more than 23 knots, which puts it all down to the winds and wind angle. Peyron was forecasting a drop in wind pressure and they have to gybe south to get to the finish, so this thing is going to be a matter of minutes and miles. We'll know in a few hours, and I will post an update as soon as I get word. Damn, that boat is fast...
![[Linked Image]](http://www.wetasschronicles.com/OrangeBowOn.jpg)
"Keep it rolling, Bruno! I can smell the croissants and espresso already..."
I wonder what Bill has to say about this boat. No ellipical hulls, no ugly raised bow like playstation, no long spi pole protruding way past the bows, .. HELL, not even a bit of 70's technology ! And to top it off the thing is sailed by a bunch French people !
Don't take it too seriously Bill, just teasing you here a bit without really meaning it.
Wouter
Dave Calvert wrote in Multihulls Magazine that a similar cat catching a slightly faster weather system would improve their record. Peyron/Orange are proving that he is right.
Not bad.
thats one big big cat! 
>>Dave Calvert wrote in Multihulls Magazine that a similar cat catching a slightly faster weather system would improve
their record. Peyron/Orange are proving that he is right.
Hell, Peyron almost done it while catching a weather system that was worse. That proofs indeed that the record can be broken relatively soon.
Wouter
And sailed further...that's one bad butt catamaran.
![[Linked Image]](http://www.maxicatamaran-orange.com/parcours/image/carte.gif)
I wonder what 39 knots feels like.... 
s&%t!!!
39 only? One of those French maxicats once hit 44!
This is One of those French maxicats
Unbelievable. I just want to know if stockholders in these companies get free rides!
The big ones probably do - but not at 39 knots! 
In the past a sports/high adventure cameraman boarded one of the tris in a ORMA bouy race.
After the race he got off all white and anxious proclaiming that he would never set foot on one of those thigns again.
Later he explained that the things are massive and you feel very very small indeed. The thing sqeaks and mohns and flexes all the time and it is easily put on one ama by the huge forces. He said that he felt that he could get killed any second. Not to mention that 20 meter drop when the thing capsizes or pitchpoles. That is like jumping off a 8 story hotel into the pool at ground level.
Wouter
Not to mention being in the middle of the ocean in high seas... at night.
And i cant even get my boat in the water!
haha. they need a video of this stuff. isnt this what dvds are for?
E