Sydney to Hobart 2019

[Schakel]

There is going to be very minimal wave action. No bashing into anything unpleasant.

Smooth sailing,
Bring your grandma and simple Yoej with you.
Actually I like that.
Merry Christmas.

 

[The Dark Knight]

Read above and learn.

Merry Xmas Jack..

I've seen enough discussions on the topic here and on CruiserForum by experienced sailors and my opinion is based on those discussions. There's a time for HF and a time when it is unnecessary. S2H is the latter..

Your activity in the Brexit shows that you don't have to be an expert to have a valuable opinion, or should we just ignore everything you wrote there?

 

[Rainbow Spirit]

OK who will be the first five out of the harbour? In order predictions, at mark zulu, the outer mark.

Here are mine: Black Jack, WOXI, Comanche, Infotrack, Alive.

 

[jack_sparrow]

 I've seen enough discussions on the topic here and on Cruiser Forum by experienced  sailors and my opinion is based on those discussions . There's a time for HF and a time when it is unnecessary. S2H is the latter..

I too have seen those discussions and most opinions are based on ignorance. Also nearly with out exception those discussions are for a single vessel not a flotilla of race boats, so pretty irelevant.

For HF voice I agree it is well past its use by date however for Digital Selective Calling (DSC) enabled HF your view and others is contrary to that of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) being it a compliant Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and which countries have to comply with for designated vessels.

The RO is obviously still perservering with HF voice that is long redundant and no longer supported (race support only) simply to ensure vessels have communications redundancy and to keep costs of entry down using legacy equipment. My guess is they also probably thought that IMO would have abandoned DSC HF by now thus saving an equipment upgrade step for the race. However indications are DSC HF is going to be still around for decades yet.

From my observation a lot vessels already have DSC enabled HF so the switch might be easier than many think. Having said that my bet is very few are set up with a second small DSC antenna to enable it and less still experienced in both it's use and functionality.

All the features of DSC put it on par with GMDSS satellite terminals incl location, vessel identification, nature of distress and all at the push of a button and also going to all designated commercial vessels as well as the race fleet. Polling feature also very useful for a race situation. It also goes a long way to solving the propagation issue of voice only. Apart from sat phone not being GMDSS compliant it has none of these safety features.

I'm a DSC user for over decade BTW.

Stick to what you know Hoppy is my suggestion.

 

[Recidivist]

Merry Christmas all.  Does anyone know where one can find a list of IRC handicaps for competitors?

 

[jack_sparrow]

Talking 100 footer sailmaking 

 

[duncan (the other one)]

Merry Christmas all.  Does anyone know where one can find a list of IRC handicaps for competitors?

https://static.cyca.com.au/media/3440507/provisional-div-list-23-dec.pdf

Linked from the race documents

 

[Recidivist]

https://static.cyca.com.au/media/3440507/provisional-div-list-23-dec.pdf

Linked from the race documents

Thanks Duncan.  Best of luck for the trip south.

 

[savoir]

1 hour ago, jack_sparrow said:

Talking 100 footer sailmaking 

That guy dared to ask intelligent questions.  Good grief !  He'll never get a job with the 7 network.

 

[TUBBY]

And he got intelligent answers!

A whole new style of interviewing!

 

[Philc]

Where can I find it?

Look at the end of the SI's http://media.prod.cyca.s3.amazonaws.com/media/3440461/rolex-sydney-hobart-yacht-race-2019-sailing-instructions-v2.pdf

 

[Zonker]

To be compliant with the digital age and international SAR  requirements any HF must be DSC compatible. The CYC don't make DSC HF a mandatory requirement for reasons above and so the Australian taxpayer pays to have HF voice only monitored just for this race.

- The alternative is the CYC accept Sat Phone which is not an SAR accepted platform OR insist all competitors switch over to recognised SAR satellite terminals. 

Yes, if you're talking about commercial vessels using GMDSS stations. But this is a yacht race and the boats should only have to comply with their national regulations for communications. It has nothing to do with IMO requirements for merchant ships.

The CYC could accept a sat phone OR HF as a means of checking in if they wanted to. 

 

[jack_sparrow]

But this is a yacht race and the boats should only have to comply with their national regulations for communications. It has nothing to do with IMO requirements for merchant ships.

Zonc didn't say it was a IMO requirement (which is >300t). The IMO reference was to underpin HF technology and it's status in safety communications. HF voice ceased being monitored by AMSA at Charleville and Wiluna years ago.

DSC HF as a mandatory requirement in World Sailing and Australian Sailings Offshore Regulations for Cat 1 Races is as follows.

WS.

3.29.10 an MF/HF marine SSB transceiver (GMDSS/DSC) with at least 125 W  transmitter power and frequency range from at least 1.6 to 29.9 MHz with  permanently installed antenna and earth.

AS

3.25.1 The following waterproof or marine standard communication equipment shall be provided:
(a) (i) Permanently installed HF transceiver.
(ii) All new HF transceivers shall be DSC capable.
(i) It is recommended that all HF transceivers be DSC.

(c) A satellite phone is recommended. The satellite phone should have coverage of the race area, and be connected to the main power or have a spare battery.

 

[duncan (the other one)]

Thanks Duncan.  Best of luck for the trip south.

Ta,

first half is looking pretty good for us small suckers.

 

[duncan (the other one)]

Zonc didn't say it was a IMO requirement (which is >300t). The IMO reference was to underpin HF technology and it's status in safety communications. HF voice ceased being monitored by AMSA at Charleville and Wiluna years ago.

DSC HF as a mandatory requirement in World Sailing and Australian Sailings Offshore Regulations for Cat 1 Races is as follows.

WS.

3.29.10 an MF/HF marine SSB transceiver (GMDSS/DSC) with at least 125 W  transmitter power and frequency range from at least 1.6 to 29.9 MHz with  permanently installed antenna and earth.

AS

3.25.1 The following waterproof or marine standard communication equipment shall be provided:
(a) (i) Permanently installed HF transceiver.
(ii) All new HF transceivers shall be DSC capable.
(i) It is recommended that all HF transceivers be DSC.

(c) A satellite phone is recommended. The satellite phone should have coverage of the race area, and be connected to the main power or have a spare battery.

yeh - well then we can have the argument as to whether this should be a cat1 race.

 

[jack_sparrow]

yeh - well then we can have the argument as to whether this should be a cat1 race.

Dunc the above Special Regs for DSC HF also apply to Cat 2. As you know RO's have the discretion to amend Special Regs as they see fit.

Good luck come Thursday.

 

[The Dark Knight]

yeh - well then we can have the argument as to whether this should be a cat1 race.

Thankfully the ocean and Bass Strait crossing races are organised by the most progressive club in Aus, as opposed to this race which is organised by the most regressive.

Hopefully in 2022, Sydney sailors will go for a breath of fresh air and join the 50th M2H and check out the Tassie west coast.

 

[forss]

Windy tracker is also working this year:

https://gis.ee/sh/

 

[TUBBY]

After years on race boats,  I finally got on to a biggish comfy boat 6 races ago,  AND I'm still waiting for the hard on the wind race to make it worthwhile!

Ahh but X Boats do have good fridges so at least there is a cold beverage each afternoon.

 

[Livia]

Ta,

first half is looking pretty good for us small suckers.

Dunc, have a fast safe trip

Cheers