His departure was scheduled for Saturday, November 12, but he finally left on Sunday, November 13 at 3:02 pm. These two minutes were a nod to the start time of the Vendée Globe, which was 13:02. Jeff Pellet sailed down the channel in Les Sables-d'Olonne accompanied by thousands of people, massed along the dikes in the channel. It was an emotional start for the sailor, who is setting off on his solo round the world voyage "out of the picture". Rejected by the race organisation, he hasn't wanted to give up his dream for 20 years!
Thanks to 350 companies that financed his project, Jeff Pellet has set off on his IMOCA Come In Vendée, which he bought from Robin Knox-Johnston a year ago and intends to complete the loop in less than 100 days. This is the bunkering he has planned for his round the world voyage.
No "official" Vendée Globe for Jeff Pellet
Whilst everyone was busy on the pontoons of the Vende Globe on Sunday 6th November 2016, to cheer on the 29 candidates for the solo round the world race one last time, one unfortunate candidate preferred a good family dinner at home. Because for Jeff Pellet, the start of the Vendée Globe will not take place during the race. However, he has been dreaming of this race for 20 years - the age of his daughter, the godmother of his boat - for the past twenty years!
However, on 7th August last, he completed his 4700 mile qualification and returned to Port Olonna on 3rd September after 28 days at sea. However, at the beginning of September, he received a letter from the race directors informing him that he did not meet the conditions set out in the notice of race.
Indeed, to participate, he would have had to complete an official race, such as the New York-Vendée or the Québec-Saint-Malo. Various reasons prevent him from taking part: personal problems, timing problems, gauge problems, etc. He therefore decided to organise his own race, but was stopped in his tracks by the French Sailing Federation.
But the skipper of Come In Vendée decided not to stop there! "I've been thinking about this race for 20 years, and so close to the finish, to be denied entry to the start like this will inevitably leave a lasting impression on me." explains Jeff.
Come In Vendée aims to support sportsmen and women through a network of companies dedicated to sports. 350 companies have joined the adventure so that the skipper can take the start of the Vendée Globe. And not taking part would be a loss for those who believed in Jeff's project.
Jeff Pellet has therefore decided to set sail in the Vendée Globe "off the beaten track" on 12th November at 16:00 hours from the Port Olona pontoon for a non-stop, unassisted round the world voyage. His boat Come In Vendée has been in the commercial port of Les Sables since 3rd October, stripped of her keel and dismasted. She was relaunched on 7 November for technical tests and trials.
