JeronimoII
Anarchist
crazy
Vendee Arctique
- Thread starter wildbirdtoo
- Start date
JeronimoII
Anarchist
it could be that the fleet stays put until Thursday, where the bad weather seems to recede
JeronimoII
Anarchist
forget my comment... Monday-Tuesday looks quite OK to re-start.
Sailbydate
Super Anarchist
'Non-stop and unassisted' just flew out the window. I hope it's not contagious.
spennig
Member
From the race director "We will log everyone's time at the gate before they can get to safety. We have started discussions with ports that might be able to accommodate them."
Doesn't look to be a lot of options for ports capable of accommodating multiple IMOCAs.
Doesn't look to be a lot of options for ports capable of accommodating multiple IMOCAs.
Schakel
Dayboat sailor
Safety first, the back of the fleet is now being hit by 60 km/hr, 35 knots and increasing.
Kojiro Shiraishi and Denis van Weynberg in gale force 8.
Waiting for live pictures, and videos from the storm. Hope they are in time in their safe haven.
On the other hand, How safe is the place where the top of the fleet stopped?
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Schakel
Dayboat sailor
Strange situation.
Djúpivogur, Iceland is what I found.
On the other hand they will be somewhat safe leeward of Iceland. Top of the storm is tonight 12 o'clock.
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AnIdiot
Sock
There may not be safe havens for the whole fleet but there's surely a world of difference between focussing on weathering a storm with minimal damage and racing into gale force headwinds in a boat designed for downwind speed?
Pete Goss' description of what it was like trying to get back upwind to attempt a rescue of Rafael Dinelli in the south Atlantic is terrifying. I understand many of the current fleet are more extreme than his boat (and it's a qualifying race).
Pete Goss' description of what it was like trying to get back upwind to attempt a rescue of Rafael Dinelli in the south Atlantic is terrifying. I understand many of the current fleet are more extreme than his boat (and it's a qualifying race).
spennig
Member
Further explanation from the RC https://www.vendeearctique.org/en/actualites/explanation-decision-put-racing-hold
bucc5062
Super Anarchist
That was my thought as well. I mean, if these boats are just off point Nemo with a massive gale bearing down they would have to make the hard decisions on how to handle it. I jumped on Windy to take a look forward and it seems one option would have been to stay close to Iceland going west till the main pressure moved east then turn south.
I get safety, but the fact that right now a good portion of the fleet is getting pasted while the top section will sail into protected waters without much trouble, seems safety is an option if you in the back of the fleet and you will still need to stop.
wildbirdtoo
Member
- Thread starter
- #92
I love this video (& FB post) from Thomas Ruyant... reminds me more of my cruising liveaboard life than an IMOCA race.. (FB post autotranslated)
"Thomas in the land of Odin, Thor, Freyr, Heimdall and Loki!
Surrealistic vision today of an Imoca sailboat drenching in the heart of an Icelandic fjord, a direct consequence of the Ragnarök of the Arctic Vendée Les Sables. Faeskruos fun ! long sea tongue trapped in the eastern flank of the frozen island. Thomas Ruyant dreamed about it, to see the mountains of the very great North plunge into the sea, with their crowns of heavy anthracite clouds, bathing in unreal, fantastic light. Sailing in the land where the night doesn't exist. He didn't imagine that the whims of the race would lead him to anchor there, from 80 meters deep, sheltered from the dreaded North-West blow ahead.
A little groggy, crippled by the fatigue of 4 and a half days of rough sailing, restless, all in movements and changes of course, Thomas is living in the moment. "I should go to sleep, but I can't, fascinated by the scenery and atmosphere that surrounds me." "He imagines the questions, the ""why?"" ", the "what ifs?" ". His single response echoes about Race Director Francis Legoff and sends back to the elementary reflexes of sailors; "There was no escape!" "Unlike a Deck or the South Seas, the road to Iceland offers no exit from the great Western weather systems." "I don't see myself running towards the Irish pebbles." "
Remains the 1,500 mile run, these twists and turns, these unexpected scenarios, these surprises; "Benjamin Ferré and Guirec Soudée were the smartest." I am glad I ended up moving past them. Charlie was nice and fast. I did not think that the front would unravel so brutally and in such proportions. I got set up. But the race wasn't over and we could legitimately expect more twists and turns. I'm now under the orders of Racing Directorate. I'll be adaptable. I am consoling myself by enjoying Iceland, which takes us back to the adventurers who sleep within us. "
Thomas crossed the virtual line at 9:33am today, in 3rd place and after 4 days, 16 hours and 33 minutes of racing
"Thomas in the land of Odin, Thor, Freyr, Heimdall and Loki!
Thomas crossed the virtual line at 9:33am today, in 3rd place and after 4 days, 16 hours and 33 minutes of racing
JeronimoII
Anarchist
well, in the southern ocean they mainly face gales downwind. This time it was on the nose for the leading boats. Boat breaking conditions. But yes, a pity. It would have been very interesting to watch which options they take when facing the storm.
johnstarks
Member
I get why they changed the course instead of making them go around iceland. That would be brutal with 40kts lee shore. But i don't get stopping the race at the top mark. They are still sailing upwind in boat breaking conditions. If they let the race continue wouldn't they all be sailing downwind when they round the mark?
williaty
New member
Just saw that there's no suspension/restart now. The mark they passed near Iceland has been declared the finish line. From the race director:
Sailbydate
Super Anarchist
For fuck's sake. Is a storm centred on Iceland any more dangerous than in the South Atlantic, Southern or Indian Ocean?
What a joke.
What a joke.
bucc5062
Super Anarchist
Well,
what's done is done, but this decision really did not make sense based on the spirit of what IMOCA and RTW racing as about.
I say this as a sailor who came grudgingly into this fold, but as I read, watched the evolution of the sport I did come to understand the what and why.
As I remember, two boats broke in the Southern areas, one barely a week out (in the last RTW race) and they had mainly downwind/reaching conditions so saying "beating up wind could break them" seems a reach. Anything can "break" a boat. it is the decision of the skipper that then matters.
Weather is ... well ... weather and it changes and now as you look, going around the top may not have been so bad, but at the end of the day, these are professionals. they first chose to perform in whatever natures presents and they should have the tools and skills to mitigate risks. Hove too, hug a shore line, bite the bullet and brave the storm or ... go home.
this was a bad call by the RC, but as I said, it is done.
Schakel
Dayboat sailor
This picture of Charlie Dalin says it all:
When will the second part of the race take place or was that it?
Will they restart at the new startline?
When will the second part of the race take place or was that it?
Will they restart at the new startline?
AnIdiot
Sock
The decision was made not to restart (Pip says so in her recent update): it seems the depression will take longer to blow through than initially expected and the implications of having all the boats milling around, presumably in a relatively small area of very rough seas and with insufficient safe havens, for an extended period sunk in.
For those criticising the shortening, I think it's worth bearing in mind that this is a preparatory event to build qualifying miles for the Globe itself, breaking boats (let alone losing them or even skippers) would be counterproductive. The skippers are racing for fun in a class that's run by the sailors. Yes, they have to meet sponsors demands but those sponsors will have to foot the bill for any repairs or rebuilds.
I think pretty much everyone involved will be disappointed but that doesn't mean it was the wrong call. ISTM a very different situation from a following storm in the south during the Main Event.
For those criticising the shortening, I think it's worth bearing in mind that this is a preparatory event to build qualifying miles for the Globe itself, breaking boats (let alone losing them or even skippers) would be counterproductive. The skippers are racing for fun in a class that's run by the sailors. Yes, they have to meet sponsors demands but those sponsors will have to foot the bill for any repairs or rebuilds.
I think pretty much everyone involved will be disappointed but that doesn't mean it was the wrong call. ISTM a very different situation from a following storm in the south during the Main Event.
wildbirdtoo
Member
- Thread starter
- #100
Well said!
Surely the point of this race and others is to give skippers experience and miles sailing IMOCAs, and for them to prove they have what it takes to do a Vendee Globe. Some already know how to sail and win (and don't really need to prove anything); others are rookies or taking on foilers for the first time in a long race, and this might have been just the experience they needed to ascertain whether they really want to do the VG. Not much point taking huge risks just for the sake of completing the race as planned. Much better to play safe.. there's two years to go to the main event.
Having said all that, the fact that several boats have made the decision to head straight back without taking much shelter is interesting!
