The Ocean Race 2023 leg 3: Capetown to Itajaí, Brazil

[Roleur]

It seems foolish to think this race will be decided by the designs. Seems pretty clear it will be decided by breakages, the sailors, and their navigation choices. Thinking that every moment one boat is faster than another is due to design choices... Nope. I don't by it.

 

[Qtrfoil]

I can attest that my sense of direction whilst driving has greatly diminished since the introduction of live GPS maps in my hand or in the dash...


I missed the crack in the bow...

The rudder is the scariest one. I'd call that more of a patch than a repair.

How long does it take to make rudders and can you check them as baggage to Itajai or Ushuaia?

If I didn't know your telephone number 20 years ago, then I don't know it now.

 

[noaano]

can you check them as baggage to Itajai or Ushuaia?

Global air cargo
R. João Baptista
Salseiros, Itajaí
SC 88311-495
Brazil

 

[NotSoFast]

I'm not a skipper on one of those boats. And I don't like risky sailing. So if a team feels up to it, blast away. With the various repairs of masts, main sails, rudders and cracks on boats the amount of wind and wave power they can endure could be diminished imho. Would you risk loosing all just to be the first past Cape Horn? As it stands now it is a bit of "va banque" with the current projections imho. I would wait around the roaring 40s until the sh*t is gone in the 50s.

We will see when the fleet gets closer around the 23rd and projections are more short term and hopefully more reliable, what it looks like and if waiting could be necessary or not.

I think there is more risk going north and then trying to go south after low center has passed in southwesterly winds, than hugging AIEZ all the way, and slowing down a lot when conditions get tough. The latter approach does not require going windward on the backside of the deep low reducing slamming very significantly, if boatspeed is not too high.

 

[Herman]

We saw at the beginning of the last Vendee that boats sailed straight into 50+ kts and confused seas rather than give up any miles.

I remember tropical storm Theta. From the VG fleet only two went into that storm to catch that ride. Alex Thomson and Le roi Jean. Only the best dare to do that. AT clocked 27 kts alone.

Some notes though why there are also differences. According to my wx post Hugo Boss expected possibly better weather conditions that is now predicted for CH. And due to the different colder air temperature, the air density will be higher around CH and thus more wind force. Also the boats are now heavier and crewed. And finally those 2 VG boats did not have damage yet in the beginning of their circumnavigation, but all boats do have now repairs.

We will see in a couple of days how things turn out.

The primary swell is against the wind and his course, and the second swell is at a 90 degrees angle to his course and the primary swell. A rough sea state, as expected. See the second picture with EMWCF overlay and the detailed forecast for his position @ 11:30. According to EMWCF, Thompson should have steady winds up in the 30s, gusts up to begin 40s and waves up to 4 meters. I think that these numbers, especially for wind, could be a lot higher out there. But without any actual winddata provided by anyone atm, it is guessing.

See my post with Theta sat storm pics in thread 'Vendee Globe 2020' =>
https://forums.sailinganarchy.com/threads/vendee-globe-2020.211295/post-7272440

 

[Steve Clark]

The wahine is back in touch. Watch her go!
SHC

 

[terrafirma]

The wahine is back in touch. Watch her go!
SHC

Who is the wahine..? LOL

 

[dg_sailingfan]

If there is one Team who might take a more cautious approach to Cape Horn it is HOLCIM-PRB. Kevin Escoffier ain't going to risk a possible historic Overall Win for Switzerland by going all in full throttle down. No way he does that.

AND the good thing for him: He can afford it. The others have to score Points while he can just sit back and be content finishing the Leg in Itajai.

I could see HOLCIM diverting to the Chilenean Coastline until the worst passes.

 

[Swanno]

If there is one Team who might take a more cautious approach to Cape Horn it is HOLCIM-PRB. Kevin Escoffier ain't going to risk a possible historic Overall Win for Switzerland by going all in full throttle down. No way he does that.

AND the good thing for him: He can afford it. The others have to score Points while he can just sit back and be content finishing the Leg in Itajai.

I could see HOLCIM diverting to the Chilenean Coastline until the worst passes.

I would suggest the boat with the slightly lighter touch would be 11th hour. With a repaired rudder and no spare, they will be first to take the foot off the pedal if on port.
First real wind for a while is in 48 hours.

The 6 days after that will be very interesting to watch as i believe it will be rather hectic.

Go TM!

 

[Lowgroove]

Crazy to all be that close after so many miles!

 

[nroose]

Seems like the closeness has to be due to the weather patterns. But still amazing that they are in sight of each other as they race around the planet.

 

[Liquid]

Is the ice limit higher than previous additions?

 

[TheDragon]

Okay, I believe we only need Biotherm to take the lead for a bit to complete the musical chairs, so if everyone else would please just slow down a little, pretty please!

 

[Varan]

^ Holcim-PRB are milking it south to allow the others a chance at the "leaderboard".

 

[terrafirma]

It seems foolish to think this race will be decided by the designs. Seems pretty clear it will be decided by breakages, the sailors, and their navigation choices. Thinking that every moment one boat is faster than another is due to design choices... Nope. I don't by it.

This is true but having said that I still think it's relevant to talk about the designs and their traits in certain conditions. Being such a long race and subject to all sorts of sea states it's refreshing to have no boats damaged by UFO's at this stage. All the damage to date has been caused by a range of things rather than the elements themselves. Great to see Malizia in front I wonder for how long..?

 

[terrafirma]

^ Holcim-PRB are milking it south to allow the others a chance at the "leaderboard".

That's very nice of Holcim to allow the other competitors a chance of leading LOL..! So when will they get sick of this and press the Turbo button again..?

 

[Swanno]

Who is going to be the first to take a dig south? I know it will be an initial loss but there looks to be slightly more and consistant wind near the fence.

 

[huey 2]

From GGR 2022

Just before the Horn

 

[huey 2]

Could they ride the Ferris Wheel all the way to the Horn... or part of the remnant system
The next Low building up .... and Malizia and Holcim jockeying for the inside position . ..maybe a tactical gybe.......
11th Hour and Biotherm staying out further .. Will 11th hour swap over their rudders..?

 

[terrafirma]

Could they ride the Ferris Wheel all the way to the Horn... or part of the remnant system
The next Low building up .... and Malizia and Holcim jockeying for the inside position . ..maybe a tactical gybe.......
11th Hour and Biotherm staying out further .. Will 11th hour swap over their rudders..?

Still can't get my head around their rudders failing from an engineering or construction point of view.? Hitting a UFO is one thing but failing due to wear and tear is inexcusable..!