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

[JonRowe]

Seems to be a more general problem than just the wind instruments and they mention losing "the computer" whatever that encompases. They must have some electronics online because you don't sail an IMOCA in a blackout.
In the past there have been poles with a wand at the top put up from the windward side like Alex Thomson did in the Vendée 2020 so that's an "easy" system to implement.

They usually have two wands at the mast head and at least one spare wand they can then mount as you describe, as well as a full backup autopilot, but if they are referring to the processor it may be they don't have a spare processor, or they are still debugging whats broken with the processor.

In the video you can hear the autopilot and see B&G displays showing boat speed, so they're not in a black out, just no wind data at the time they were reporting.

 

[noaano]

They usually have two wands at the mast head and at least one spare wand they can then mount as you describe,

Do they use conventional spinny thingies or ultrasonic ones?

Ultrasonics are very reliable, never had one fail. Few times its been filled with snow / slush though, wish there was a heating element like in the commercial weather station ones from Vaisala

as well as a full backup autopilot, but if they are referring to the processor it may be they don't have a spare processor, or they are still debugging whats broken with the processor.

I would guess they have a backup / spare. Why would you not? Even many cruising boats have two permanently installed...

 

[dg_sailingfan]

Holcim has the conditions for now right in their "Wheelhouse". Difficult for Boris to win on Boatspeed alone.
Lead now down to 5.2 Nautical Miles.

 

[Forestdawg]

Random question: there is a carbon V-shaped object suspended from the cockpit ceiling of Malizia. Can anyone tell me what the purpose of this thing is? I'm guessing it is some kind of antenna. Definitely not a handhold, nobody ever seems to grab it. You can see it here, looker's left of Nico's head.

 

[minca3]

Random question: there is a carbon V-shaped object suspended from the cockpit ceiling of Malizia. Can anyone tell me what the purpose of this thing is? I'm guessing it is some kind of antenna. Definitely not a handhold, nobody ever seems to grab it. You can see it here, looker's left of Nico's head.

tiller; I think the axle goes through the roof and a tiller can be mounted outside on top the roof.

 

[huey 2]

RACE REPORT - Leg 3 - 30 March

RACE REPORT - Leg 3 - 30 March

www.theoceanrace.com

 

[glexpress]

Random question: there is a carbon V-shaped object suspended from the cockpit ceiling of Malizia. Can anyone tell me what the purpose of this thing is? I'm guessing it is some kind of antenna. Definitely not a handhold, nobody ever seems to grab it. You can see it here, looker's left of Nico's head.

That is the tiller. I saw a video on one of the first legs where they explain it. I cannot locate the video now..

 

[noaano]

That is the tiller. I saw a video on one of the first legs where they explain it. I cannot locate the video now..

In one of Will's boat tours he explained it.

 

[huey 2]

Posted a long article from Dr Adele Morrison on the Southern Currents

Here are some short ones

Landmark study projects 'dramatic' changes to Southern Ocean by 2050

Oceanographer Adele Morrison says the slowing of a conveyer-belt-like system of underwater currents in the Antarctic would have "huge" impacts on marine life.

www.abc.net.au

 

[ET1]

I would go full Speckpfannkuchen.

Stayed a week in BnB where they served that every day, with "fitting" music to go. Home sweet home after that trip.

Germans and their "food"

so where are you from

 

[Qtrfoil]

Yep, tiller, mounts inside or out. In here somewhere.

 

[noaano]

"The slow sailboat in front of us, please yield, we have a race underway."

 

[JonRowe]

Do they use conventional spinny thingies or ultrasonic ones?

Ultrasonics are very reliable, never had one fail. Few times its been filled with snow / slush though, wish there was a heating element like in the commercial weather station ones from Vaisala

As far as I know spinny things are still more accurate and tend to be what the top end systems use, certainly haven't noticed any not using them but thats just my mk1 eyeball anncedotal evidence.

I would guess they have a backup / spare. Why would you not? Even many cruising boats have two permanently installed...

Pass, everything is a trade off for weight / cost / reliability, often the backup system isn't as fully featured as the main system or is a different brand or independent, so it could be a series of failures, configuration or lack of parts, or who knows, I guess we may find out or we may not 😂

 

[dg_sailingfan]

3.6 Miles now between Malizia and Holcim.

 

[noaano]

As far as I know spinny things are still more accurate and tend to be what the top end systems use, certainly haven't noticed any not using them but thats just my mk1 eyeball anncedotal evidence.

On the weather stations, airports and like, they've chanced to ultrasonics mostly, same I have noticed in tunnel ventilation monitoring etc.

I would think modern ultrasonics to be more accurate especially with very low flow speeds and react faster, and they can sense the 3D direction of the flow, but the accurate models need a longer baseline and are thus quite large. Maybe that is the reason.

this one claims sub 50g:

 

[ct800]

So TM has lost/ripped the MH0 after Cape Town, but they do have another masthead sail as seen on pics/videos. Is that something of a J0?
I'd assume the lack of the big masthead sail is hurting them in comparison to HPRB in the sub-15 knot wind range, hence the bleeding of miles.

Boris being optimistic of a strong downwind finish after some upwind conditions on Fri-Sat in the latest video.

 

[JonRowe]

On the weather stations, airports and like, they've chanced to ultrasonics mostly, same I have noticed in tunnel ventilation monitoring etc.

I would think modern ultrasonics to be more accurate especially with very low flow speeds and react faster, and they can sense the 3D direction of the flow, but the accurate models need a longer baseline and are thus quite large. Maybe that is the reason.

I'm sure they're getting better and are most likely the future, I expect at the moment its the decades of experience we have with building and calibrating the mechanical ones, a stationary datapoint is a lot easier than one moving around in airflow too

 

[noaano]

a stationary datapoint is a lot easier than one moving around in airflow too

This is where the 3D capability would help most, though? Would get accurate reading whatever the heel angle?

 

[Forestdawg]

Tiller it is! Thanks for all the answers. I had even watched that boat tour video but apparently missed the tiller explanation.

 

[Qtrfoil]

Tiller it is! Thanks for all the answers. I had even watched that boat tour video but apparently missed the tiller explanation.

It's one of so MANY design choices that make the boat so much more sailor-friendly. You can reach that tiller from almost the entire cabin, especially up near the pedestal and lines and to the sides by the seats for the AP controls with the good canopies, instead of a stick back aft with a tennis ball on it. Boris really thought through how he wanted her laid out, especially for single-handed sailing. I think all of that must really make a difference in human performance under really trying conditions.