GGR 2022

[GWB]

It sounds like race control is going to start warning competitors about a potential developing hurricane. The weather models don't agree on whether this will actually happen.....is race control consulting a meteorologist? It would be really lame if racers change course based on a model, rather than a trained meteorologists input, if the hurricane doesn't eventuate.

 

[loneshark64]

Good afternoon,
I have a very good friend sailing the race and I'm also his team manager.
I therefor have a reasonably good understanding of the rules.
If you find things confusing, wait until you've studied the rules. That will really confuse you!
The rules run over about 60 pages.
I also attended all the race and safety briefings before the start. And the race director just added to the confusion.


But in response to your two questions.
1. The rule is Non Stop.
They may anchor, but they may not anchor inside a harbour or breakwater. If they want to anchor it must be done in an open anchorage or whatever spot they feel suitable. They also cannot sail into a harbour and just go around in circles to seek shelter.
Any shelter they might want, must be in bays or behind headlands.
So young Elliot is all above board and still in the race. He anchored in a sheltered open bay. Nobody assisted him. He can catch a bit of sleep, dive to check the boat out, all legal.

2. The unassisted question.
They cannot receive any physical assistance. So Pat cannot receive medication from outside while in the race. He can receive medical advice though by calling the appointed race doctor on sat phone.
He cannot phone his own doctor with the sat phone for advice, only the race doctor.

That's why Pat chose to keep on sailing. He is doing well and receiving medication from outside what he has onboard would have knocked him out of the race. So he is gonna take his chances with his knee and hope for the best

As for the film drops and gates.
That is a debate all in itself. A pretty stupid thing in this day and age not to allow sat communication.

But, as for the boat running aground, that was just plain negligence and, or careless navigation.
He sailed onto an island 10 miles away from the film drop, in perfect conditions.
If he had drawn a course on his chart from his last known position, the bouy at Lanzarote, he would have realized his course is taking him onto the rocks.
Look at his tracker. It tells you the story.
His initial course does not clear the next island. After 5 miles, his course changes for the worst. Another 5 miles later he is on the rocks.
All this, and there is a lighthouse right in front of him, on his starboard bow. But on the wrong side of him.
That was just bad navigation. He should have plotted and steered a course which would have given him a degree of safety. But the same person also had difficulty in providing proof of his celestial navigation skills before the start. Read about it under NEWS on the GGR website. It's date is a few days prior to the start.

That's enough from me for now.
Regards.

Very helpful. I think I understand better. Glad Elliot is still in it. And yes I understand that Guy running aground was navigation error. But it seems to me like the South Africa gate could be a real bad idea. We will see.

 

[trisail]

But it seems to me like the South Africa gate could be a real bad idea. We will see.

Yes, a very bad idea.

 

[Sailbydate]

At least your wallabies are doing something useful, the Rugby Wallabies on the other hand ...

They need to take their time and carefully assess - to be absolutely sure they're on the right pitch, before mowing.

 

[littlechay]

I don't think that's true. Most (all?) of the competitors in '69 had a radio on board, although I think Suhaili's broke down early on. Wasn't one of the reasons Tetley's boat broke up that he was pushing hard to beat Crowhurst's false position reports?

Correct on all counts; but they didn't have to make film drops! Most of considered that pretty stupid last time, and so it proved to be. Bugger all of the film from last time seems to have seen the light of day. I guess the Don is keeping it for his retirement project. The film drops are really daft; however, you look at it. On the personal interaction thing talking to (or listening) to somebody on a radio is one thing; but it is not the same as a face-to-face chat.

 

[littlechay]

But, as for the boat running aground, that was just plain negligence and, or careless navigation.
He sailed onto an island 10 miles away from the film drop, in perfect conditions.
If he had drawn a course on his chart from his last known position, the bouy at Lanzarote, he would have realized his course is taking him onto the rocks.
Look at his tracker. It tells you the story.
His initial course does not clear the next island. After 5 miles, his course changes for the worst. Another 5 miles later he is on the rocks.
All this, and there is a lighthouse right in front of him, on his starboard bow. But on the wrong side of him.
That was just bad navigation. He should have plotted and steered a course which would have given him a degree of safety. But the same person also had difficulty in providing proof of his celestial navigation skills before the start. Read about it under NEWS on the GGR website. It's date is a few days prior to the start.

I also noted that he was one having difficultly providing proof of his navigation skills. I also noted that according to the Race Director he had become the unofficial weather expert for the fleet giving his interpretation of the Wx FAX etc.. Very mixed messages there!

As for judging his course from the tracker. That is a bit harsh. Remember that he does not have GPS so does not have a COG readout. His heading may well have been correct, but he may have been set to the south by current and certainly there was leeway to factor in (compass errors to factor too). Therefore, he may well have set a correct course (at least one not as dumb as you suggest) on the chart, but then not had the knowledge or seat of the pants skills to account for all the factors.

 

[littlechay]

It sounds like race control is going to start warning competitors about a potential developing hurricane. The weather models don't agree on whether this will actually happen.....is race control consulting a meteorologist? It would be really lame if racers change course based on a model, rather than a trained meteorologists input, if the hurricane doesn't eventuate.

I believe they do have a meteo man but whether the Don consults them or not is another matter. He certainly made a few stupid calls in the South Pacific last time on a few occasions definitely pushing those that took his advice into worse conditions.

 

[trisail]

Good afternoon,
The long awaited movie of the 2018 Golden Globe Race was premiered to an audience of entrants, support teams VIP's and competitors from the 2018 race amongst others just before the 2022 race start in Les Sables d'Olonne.
I saw it, it's very good. The version we were shown was about 1hour 45 minutes. Apparently it is to be shortened to 1hr 30 minutes for film festivals and to 1 hr for genl. television audiences.
I think the intro can be heavily edited. It's a bit too drawn out.

It would appeal to a wide spectrum of audiences. Plenty of good onboard action. Parts of it were pretty scary if you were going to set sail in a few days time! One bit that stands out is the footage taken in the race office where Don takes Suzie Goodall's call for assistance.
All in all, I'd rate it 9 or 9.5 out of 10.
Regards.

 

[Schakel]

Good afternoon,
The long awaited movie of the 2018 Golden Globe Race was premiered to an audience of entrants, support teams VIP's and competitors from the 2018 race amongst others just before the 2022 race start in Les Sables d'Olonne.
I saw it, it's very good. The version we were shown was about 1hour 45 minutes. Apparently it is to be shortened to 1hr 30 minutes for film festivals and to 1 hr for genl. television audiences.
I think the intro can be heavily edited. It's a bit too drawn out.

It would appeal to a wide spectrum of audiences. Plenty of good onboard action. Parts of it were pretty scary if you were going to set sail in a few days time! One bit that stands out is the footage taken in the race office where Don takes Suzie Goodall's call for assistance.
All in all, I'd rate it 9 or 9.5 out of 10.
Regards.

Another movie about this race was The Mercy, with Colin Firth and Rachel Wisz.
The tragedy of Donald Crowhurst with trimaran Teignmouth Electron.
Actualy he was sabotaged from the start, the naval architect he worked with, cut a wide hole in one ama, to prevent him to start.
He pushed on. A madman film.

​

​

 

[Reepicheep]

Guy's account of what happened.

 

[littlechay]

Good afternoon,
The long awaited movie of the 2018 Golden Globe Race was premiered to an audience of entrants, support teams VIP's and competitors from the 2018 race amongst others just before the 2022 race start in Les Sables d'Olonne.
I saw it, it's very good. The version we were shown was about 1hour 45 minutes. Apparently it is to be shortened to 1hr 30 minutes for film festivals and to 1 hr for genl. television audiences.
I think the intro can be heavily edited. It's a bit too drawn out.

It would appeal to a wide spectrum of audiences. Plenty of good onboard action. Parts of it were pretty scary if you were going to set sail in a few days time! One bit that stands out is the footage taken in the race office where Don takes Suzie Goodall's call for assistance.
All in all, I'd rate it 9 or 9.5 out of 10.
Regards.

Good to know something was finally done with the footage. However, it doesn't justify the need for the drops. If somebody disappears, the footage of that leg (the interesting part) is lost anyway. There will still be plenty of time to edit after the finish.

 

[harrygee]

If Don has any intention of warning the fleet about the intensifying low near the Canaries, he should be doing it.

I know there were problems with that idea in the last event, with poor information leading to poor decisions.

That may happen again but, on current information, the boats behind Kirsten are in for a pasting within 48 hours.

Pat Lawless and the boats to the east will also have trouble but they will run into headwinds and should take the hint and get out.

Thanks for the Guy interview. A clear explanation of a situation that many of us have experienced with an outcome that most of us have been lucky enough to avoid.

 

[harrygee]

Damien is 3 miles from land, heading inshore at 6 knots at 0630 zulu time, when there's nothing to be gained and the wind is free.

These blokes worry me.

Does Don let them know or is this part of the adventure?

 

[harrygee]

All is well, he's past the headland with half a mile of clearance.

I need to take my pill.

 

[Tunznath]

I also noted that he was one having difficultly providing proof of his navigation skills. I also noted that according to the Race Director he had become the unofficial weather expert for the fleet giving his interpretation of the Wx FAX etc.. Very mixed messages there!

As for judging his course from the tracker. That is a bit harsh. Remember that he does not have GPS so does not have a COG readout. His heading may well have been correct, but he may have been set to the south by current and certainly there was leeway to factor in (compass errors to factor too). Therefore, he may well have set a correct course (at least one not as dumb as you suggest) on the chart, but then not had the knowledge or seat of the pants skills to account for all the factors.

Imho it is the result of relying on gps too much in the past, getting lazy as a result, and forgetting the basics of navigation, fixes, log keeping, DR, running fixes etc etc, basic coastal navigation pre gps

 

[OPAL]

Guy deBoer's yacht Spirit.

A large swell expected Mon 26th, hope they get her off in time...

 

[Trocola]

Guy deBoer's yacht Spirit.

A large swell expected Mon 26th, hope they get her off in time...

View attachment 542399

Nothing happening any time soon, I am afraid.

 

[furler49]

This type of Facebook post from Don and GGR scares the shit out of me… I’d be seriously concerned if this was the case and likely starting to raise the alarm

 

[littlechay]

Imho it is the result of relying on gps too much in the past, getting lazy as a result, and forgetting the basics of navigation, fixes, log keeping, DR, running fixes etc etc, basic coastal navigation pre gps

If you listen to his explanation it has nothing to do with those and all to do with exhaustion

 

[littlechay]

This type of Facebook post from Don and GGR scares the shit out of me… I’d be seriously concerned if this was the case and likely starting to raise the alarm

Yes it says a lot about Don.. It's all about him and his plans for tomorrow and fuck the safety of the competitors.

I imagine that Captain Coconut has done the sensible thing. He is approaching a tricky bit of nav that is going to be in the dark, so realising that he won't make it he has hove-to to come in the next morning. Not a random move at all.

He would have approached the shore to get a really good fix then stood off again.