THE IMOCA thread, single/double handed & TOR
- Thread starter Fiji Bitter
- Start date
So in this shot it is still helmed & crewed down below - but come the race, absolute trust in your AP is paramount....... Not ever a 5 min job by any means. Balls of Titanium only need apply. And Sam is not lacking in that respect.
There is someone onboard, but Sam may well be practising doing this while the autopilot is driving, it would be better training.
I'd expect the person we can see to be driving the drone thats taking the photo... although equally it could be someone else higher up the mast with a camera
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11th Hour Racing have published some (admittedly scant) details of their new boat under build for TOR. First time they've publicly confirmed the build?
https://11thhourracingteam.org/imoca-60-boat-build-details-finally-revealed/
https://11thhourracingteam.org/imoca-60-boat-build-details-finally-revealed/
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Funny how much they're parading sustainability/green when they're gonna own two imoca 60s and none of which will be raced for any event for nearly 2 years. What's the PR pitch? Full speed ahead on personal ambitions with rich ppl money = sustainable.
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It seems like they're going for a similar approach to Boss with the encapsulated cockpit and all the steering/controls towards the centre of the boat. Plus they've gone for twin wheels due to the 'heading only' autopilot rule which will have them hand steering the majority of the time (even though there is still a tiller visible in the screen shot above, maybe that's part of the cross-over into single-handed mode?).
I think the 11th hour racing team are tending to overplay their hand with the sustainability aspect of their own campaign to date but as a whole the 11th Hour foundation is doing some good work (officially they're 2 separate entities). It'll be interesting to see how much of the sustainability concepts they actually end up incorporating into this new boat and the build process - if they can prove that better (more environmental) manufacturing techniques and materials can be achieved without sacrificing performance or inflating budgets then it could be the catalyst for a change in practices across the industry. Or it could be a lot of talk with nothing more than a few strands of flax bonded into the cockpit roof for a good photo opportunity - guess we'll have to wait and see....
re sustainability, I think they meant that one uses a boat for both IMOCA and Crowd race aka Volvo. It means one could sell a boat with twin wheel to a singlehanded sailor and vice versa. More access to the global market outside France.
In general, I've been critical of having too many classes. Suddenly Volvo machines lose value as there are no races anymore. So I welcome the step for merging two classes. Especially for 60 ft boats.
In general, I've been critical of having too many classes. Suddenly Volvo machines lose value as there are no races anymore. So I welcome the step for merging two classes. Especially for 60 ft boats.
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Yah - it just cracks me up that a sailing program that bought the fastest 2016 imoca, doesn't use it for any events and if there's an ocean race to be had, is gonna line up with the newest foils and modifications needed - is going to build a SECOND boat that likely won't race in any events - while talking about sustainability.
Sailbydate
Super Anarchist
And one can only imagine the $$$ spent on her refit, new foils - getting her across the Atlantic, crew, building another boat for an event that'll have probably fewer imocas than you can count on one hand.
The most irritating thing about 11th hour racing is if you go look at the staff and grants they're handing out - it is like... how about billionaires just pay their bloody taxes. Instead of this ocean health virtue signaling about sustainability while burning millions for a racing program that doesn't race.
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Haji
Super Anarchist
Yes, it does seem a bit silly. OTOH, think of what this level of $ does for a great number of folks in the boating biz. And, getting a billionaire's $ into the IMOCA game gets us one step closer to someday actually have a seriously funded US Vendee Globe program. It's too late for me of course (too old and on to other things), however it sure would be nice to see it happen someday.
The 'Alex Thomson' who will depart Les Sables is actually a droid replica and the real AT will be sat on his Lazyboy in GosVegas (in his pink Boss sweatpants) steering via VR headsets....
Ahstom
Member
https://www.theoceanrace.com/en/news/12627_The-Ocean-Race-Europe-will-promote-international-sport-the-Green-Deal-and-European-spirit.html
The ocean race Europe, scheduled to start late spring 2021. Imoca minimum crew limit reduced to 4 (including at least one female) or 5 (with at least 4 females).
The ocean race Europe, scheduled to start late spring 2021. Imoca minimum crew limit reduced to 4 (including at least one female) or 5 (with at least 4 females).
For what course? VG would be different to The Ocean Race, anything shorter (RdR, TJV, Transat) would be different again.
Sailbydate
Super Anarchist
Hmmm, I wonder. Let's suppose for a moment, Alex gets his win this go-around. What does he do next? Another VG? In which case there would be another 2.5 years of IMOCA 60 'secrets" But the question is, would he go again?as the line goes "you may think that, but i cannot possibly comment"
there is one hell of a lot about HB that probably will stay undisclosed
He might, if there wasn't a bigger mountain in front of him to climb, I guess.
Could an Ultime solo RTW record be in the offing?
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https://www.sail-world.com/news/232360/Autopilots-quietly-revolutionising-solo-racing
Very good article about progress around steering systems on IMOCA, and more (like impact of steering on sail design and such). Definitely worth a read.
Very good article about progress around steering systems on IMOCA, and more (like impact of steering on sail design and such). Definitely worth a read.
Not sure he has ever shown an inclination for that. I know he wanted to do the Ocean Race, but doubt HB would put the money into that.
