jack_sparrow
Super Anarchist
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Vendee Globe 2020
- Thread starter bigrpowr
- Start date
jack_sparrow
Super Anarchist
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jack_sparrow
Super Anarchist
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blunderfull
Super Anarchist
For perspective on JLC’s seamanship on the KE rescue we were yakking about Rich Wilson & Steve Pettingill’s 1990 rescue off the Horn which was a nighttime event too.
JLC’s solo effort all the more remarkable.
”We do this now.” Legend.
“He and one shipmate would tackle the clipper ship record set by Northern Light in 1853 during the Gold Rush from San Francisco to Boston by way of treacherous Cape Horn. They would be linked by newsletter and radiotelephone to schools during the 15,000-mile non-stop voyage. Their voyage around Cape Horn would become part of maritime lore. Four hundred miles short of Cape Horn, driving under bare poles for three days in seas that built to 65 feet (official estimate), the 60′ trimaran Great American capsized on Thanksgiving Day. In a first in recorded maritime history, the massive trimaran was then thrown upright by the sea an hour later. Seventeen hours later, in a dramatic midnight rescue, the giant containership New Zealand Pacific rescued Rich and shipmate Steve Pettengill.”
Miracles happen.
JLC’s solo effort all the more remarkable.
”We do this now.” Legend.
“He and one shipmate would tackle the clipper ship record set by Northern Light in 1853 during the Gold Rush from San Francisco to Boston by way of treacherous Cape Horn. They would be linked by newsletter and radiotelephone to schools during the 15,000-mile non-stop voyage. Their voyage around Cape Horn would become part of maritime lore. Four hundred miles short of Cape Horn, driving under bare poles for three days in seas that built to 65 feet (official estimate), the 60′ trimaran Great American capsized on Thanksgiving Day. In a first in recorded maritime history, the massive trimaran was then thrown upright by the sea an hour later. Seventeen hours later, in a dramatic midnight rescue, the giant containership New Zealand Pacific rescued Rich and shipmate Steve Pettengill.”
Miracles happen.
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jack_sparrow
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Very cool.
I had a look at Brit PM Johnson's Twitter feed to see if Alex had received something similar.
No such luck....so the Brits have disowned him and regard him as German....but there is nothing from Merkel either? Alex it seems is now a national orphan.
Maybe AT is not the first VG orphan in the eyes of their national leader???
The question is did the 1st American to finish the VG in the 2004 edition in a boat called 'Ocean Planet' recieve a Presidential telegram from George Jnr?? All the more notable because of Mike Plants tragic 'no start' in the edition before.
Now maybe a GOP President from the fossil fuel energy rich state of Texas thought to himself, 'fuck this bloke', when he saw the environmental energy 'strap lines' attached to this Americans choice of boat name??
I might have to research that.
I might be wrong but I think 'Ocean Planet' was the first VG boat christened with the environment in mind? Next edition in 2008 there was a handfull and it has consolidated ever since as a source of sponsor funding to get more boats to the VG start line.
Ironically the 2008 race started on the first weekend in November after US election day. That was when the GOP's candidate and his loopy running mate from Alaska were kicked to the kerb by voters in favour of a more earthly party and more earthly coloured leader.
You can never seperate politics and the VG.
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PIL66 - XL2
Super Anarchist
"We" don't joke about it..... but these days many abandon well before it's necessary
As @Jack Sparrowpointed out in this case it was a just in time deal....
Very impressed with Isabelle at this point....
shanghaisailor
Super Anarchist
shanghaisailor
Super Anarchist
Sorry about that. I must admit I am a bit of an anorak and have all the Whitbread/VOR official videos on disk. I use bits of them when i am called on to do presentations here in China to help grow our sport here but it is incredible how the quality of the footage has improved over the years.Ha - now I've gone and wasted an hour goofing off watching old VOR videos!
You're right that the VOR footage was awesome, and the tech to make yacht racing a spectator sport has increased dramatically. I remember an old America's cup that was just helicopter footage of two sailboats going in a straight line. So when the 2000(or thereabouts) AC put cameras on the boats, it was much more engaging.
But (and forgive me if this might seem like I'm moving the goalposts), even the best sailing footage is hard for a general audience to understand just by watching it. It's not that people couldn't understand sailing - Cricket and the NFL draw huge audiences, and they're nigh-incomprehensible. It's probably just a matter of critical mass - cricket and NFL fans learned it at the knee of Dads who were fans. Sailing is way behind that curve, outside of places like France. Even with the new video tech, it's likely going to be a long slow process to engage more non-sailing spectators.
Like Rafael said upthread, everyone has a car, and can understand an F1 crashing into a wall and exploding into flame. I rewatched the Vestas grounding and I suspect that most non-sailors would just see a bunch of guys stumbling around in the dark and swearing. The boat accident that did make the news this week was Florida Man here. Not a story of great seamanship, but the picture is dramatic.
View attachment 410999
PS. I haven't been to the W coast of Scotland (yet). I chose the name after a very nice single malt that I can only afford to drink on special occasions.
Careful, people go to to the West Coast of Scotland in their boat for a fortnight and stay for years. Even Princess Anne had Blue Doublet 4 or 5 moorings down the trot from us at Ardfern. If you were drinking a malt as 'special' as Corryvrekan it was surely a very fine malt indeed. Islay is my favourite. I remember once sailing down there, headed towards the shore using Lagavulin as a navigation point (I kid you not), anchored 400m beyond Ardbeg on golden sand in 4m of water (no tidal height to worry about there) then a friend drove us past Laphroig (Prince Charles favourite apparently) and spent the afternoon at Bowmore drinking 18 year old (in bond) with the distillery manager who was a friend of a friend - heaven!
Back on thread, i completely agree with you. What is needed alongside the coverage is a good commentary which explains what is happening in a non-condescending manner. Those who stand out n my memory are the likes of Bob Fisher, obviously the likes of Peter Montgomery who has been called the voice of the America's Cup, the chap who commentates the start of the Sydney Hobart (he will curse me for forgetting his name. I was also impressed by the calm way Ken Read described the action during the San Francisco AC.
Having said all that, there are experienced racers who don't seem to understand all the nuances of the racing rules so perhaps a long journey ahead to bring it to the masses.
I think Nixon is correct - AIS Personal Beacon doesn't actually communicate with the satellite, it is a VHF system. It therefore has a range limited by the usual VHF parameters. Moot point perhaps, as long as it works.
SS
jack_sparrow
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Shang I guarantee it is not a lead story in your China Daily let alone the People's Daily or Enlightenment Daily :lol:
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jack_sparrow
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Mate not moot...a AIS PLB won't work unless it works out WHERE on planet earth it is floating courtesy of talking with a GPS sat, then send that position out on the AIS VHF band. It can't do that by magic.
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shanghaisailor
Super Anarchist
Evening Jack. Sailing seldom is. The Round Hainan Regatta might get a mention though with only 5 of the 33 strong (better call that weak) fleet surviving a night of 40 gusting 45 with shredded sails and blown halyards apparently the main cause of retirements. From what i have heard so far a combination of (cheap) non-UV resistant thread in the sails and insufficient checking and maintenance on the cordage - Hainan is tropical and the UV is a bitch down there.
Back to the thread, just relieved Kevin is OK - such a nice guy.
SS
shanghaisailor
Super Anarchist
Still - as i said, as long as it works. Difference being that it send a position based on GPS rather than a course speed and distance from the AIS receiver. It is a moot point because the reception by the rescuing craft is entirely ultimately dependant on the propagation of a (weak) VHF signal and the reception of that VHF signal by rescue craft and a big wave will reduce that effectiveness whether it is an AIS PLB or an AIS Personal Beacon. Not disagreeing about the position fixing ability of the AIS PLB.
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You get that impression from the interview with Vincent Riou (posted up thread). Has to have been something completely outside any modelling. Did wonder if PRB had any data from sensors which might help, but given the speed of the sinking and Kevin describing the electrics getting fried this seems unlikely.
littlechay
Super Anarchist
This is the page and device that you mention SA 16+ 121,5/AIS (seaangel.at) It makes no mention of 406MHz EPIRB functionality.. Because it doesn't have it.!!!!! Jack is right the only thing monitoring 121.5MHz these days are SAR choppers and if you are lucky and sinking in the North Atlantic an old commercial jet with a 121.5MHz beacon receiver might fly overhead; but I don't know if any of those dinsoars are still in service.
jack_sparrow
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Mate that isn't how a AIS transmitter works. It won't work without GPS.
A AIS Transmitters course, speed, and it's distance from a AIS Reciever (the Reciever then derives for display) is derived SOLELY from the Transmitters GPS chip. It's ALL based on Transmitter position changes.
AIS VHF signal does NOTHING except act as the carrier of the data packet.
What you are describing is how a Radio Direction Finder (RDF) operates.
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littlechay
Super Anarchist
Not in PLB format though.. Unless it is a new to market. Got a link. They are have PLB/SART but not EPIRB/AIS in PLB format .
jack_sparrow
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Only combined AIS 406 beacons are those designed for ship life rafts. Not suitable for personal use unless you want to put it in a backpack. :lol:
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jack_sparrow
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Sailbydate
Super Anarchist
Pretty damn impressive. Louis will be on the podium on current form. I note his partner is Servane Escoffier. Likely related to Kevin, no? About the same age, so maybe cousins?
SpartacusF
New member
Boris (J) has quite a lot on his plate at the moment, with Brexit at a decisive moment and a Covid revolt in Parliament yesterday. But I bet if AT had been doing the saving then BJ would magically have found time! Sadly sailing is not a national past-time in the UK and rarely makes headline news, but AT has had quite a lot of coverage in the two articles in The Times since his rudder problem and PRB made the Monday morning Radio 4 news programme, and Pip made it onto Women's Hour live (an institution in itself), which was something.
(Did Macron make much of a fuss about Beyou or Troussel's difficulties I wonder?)
