Vendee Globe 2020

[Corryvreckan]

I think that was our last position update for the day.  It doesn't matter which time zone you're in, this is a rather dramatic juncture in the race for the updates to 'go dark' for seven hours.

 

[splat]

Flat for the wind isn't fastest course.
Steering 45 degrees or even more gives better VMG,
Velocity Made good, Vector mathematics.

depends on how fast the storm(as forecasted)  moves eastwards... now port gybe soaking/bending towards storm-centre - timing of next gybe will be interesting with wind moving forward on starboard gybe as storm approaches...prudent sea-personship or speed?

 

[Rainbow Spirit]

I suppose it all depends on how fast Theta moves east as to who has taken the right route atm.

 

[oioi]

Looks like linkedout is sailing consistently hotter angles than apivia. I guess that's a mixture of foil and sail design. 

 

[Miffy]

Faster boats also buy themselves the benefit of time and distance before they have to commit - the leaders can literally sail towards the eye of the storm 200nm+ away; wait for the wind to veer then gybe 80 degrees and be free and clear of it. 

 

[Haji]

I'll bet that the Three Musketeers (Apivia, Linked Out and PRB) have already jibed since the 1630 positions...to miss the island if nothing else...;-)  But more seriously because of the lift and to get more wind. Perhaps a bit later than them (however by now is likely) HB will take a hitch to port as well, also due to the lift and to get into more wind.  Obviously not too far though, only far enough to get enough wind to put the pedals down.  

But only guessing.

Told you so.

 

[stief]

Looks like they're setting up for that narrow band in the NW quadrant tomorrow, as expected. They'll be timing their jibes back according to their best info of the speed Theta is travelling.

 

 

[OPAL]

Theta is travelling East at 10kts.

 

[F18 Sailor]

Theta, from the VG English News: "Those who come in too close could be severely punished. Because this subtropical depression contains winds of 50 to 60 knots and waves of 6 meters".

That is not a place to be on an ultra light displacement foiling boat, or even an older generation IMOCA. The skippers are considering their approach and entry targets very carefully, and I suspect may be in near full survival mode surfing downwind in the NW quadrant. Crossing my fingers that no one breaks!!

 

[Virgulino Ferreira]

In case anyone  asked  what islands they are passing: it's the Azores.
View attachment 405319
 

My hometown in the south of Brazil have a very strong historical and cultural connection with the Azores. We speak with a unique accent thanks to them. Older people, from traditional families, especially fisherman, can be incomprehensible even to me.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florianópolis#History

They have a significant relation with the US too.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azores#Emigration

 

[Rafael]

APIVIA, LINKED, PRB live on Marinetraffic Azores

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:5996641

APIVIA, LINKED Smoking between 26 and 14 Knts (!!)

PRB looks like more problems, loosing miles drasticaly... 





What a bullShit VG tracker w/ poor number in updates and reports...

at least we have the BOSS's hub big brother porn... go ALEX! (60 days in front of you and job done!!)

 

[TheDragon]

Told you so.

So Corum is waiting too long to gybe south?

 

[Schakel]

Faster boats also buy themselves the benefit of time and distance before they have to commit - the leaders can literally sail towards the eye of the storm 200nm+ away; wait for the wind to veer then gybe 80 degrees and be free and clear of it. 

That's the case with Ultimes. This field with or without foils is equally close.
Jean le Cam (No foils)was leading in the fore last report.
In a 40 + knots wind situation a foiler is a nightmare.
Or to say the least a very dedicated job to sail right.

Theta, from the VG English News: "Those who come in too close could be severely punished. Because this subtropical depression contains winds of 50 to 60 knots and waves of 6 meters".

That is not a place to be on an ultra light displacement foiling boat, or even an older generation IMOCA. The skippers are considering their approach and entry targets very carefully, and I suspect may be in near full survival mode surfing downwind in the NW quadrant. Crossing my fingers that no one breaks!!

Might be world record situations as well. We know more tomorrow.
Waves 6 metres is hard to handle with foils to my point of view but I never exprienced that.
Aren't you send into the sky like a rocket with harsh landings. I did beach cat racing and we'd let go 3 meters plus waves and humped over it.
This is twice as high.

 

[Roleur]

Might be world record situations as well. We know more tomorrow.

No way.  They won't get even close with this sea state.  

 

[Hitchhiker]

So another seven hours of darkness.  Pity as things are getting interesting.  Couple of observations here.  HB's track between 1700 and 2100 updates very close to armchair routing track as can be seen in the middle image, from the lower end point of blue dividers line and the updated position (mark0). Which kind of indicates that HB and others nearby will choose to skirt pretty close to the center of Theta maybe 39NM give or take change in Thetas speed.

 

[Miffy]

I doubt it - once it blows past 20-25 the new foilers stop benefiting from apparent wind gains and they’re gonna looking to sea state and minimize distance - you aim for the eye from distance, wait for the wind veer then gybe away then line up for the highway to get you thru to the equator. 

 

[trimfast]

APIVIA, LINKED, PRB live on Marinetraffic Azores

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:5996641

APIVIA, LINKED Smoking between 26 and 14 Knts (!!)

PRB looks like more problems, loosing miles drasticaly... 

View attachment 405331 View attachment 405332

View attachment 405333

What a bullShit VG tracker w/ poor number in updates and reports...

at least we have the BOSS's hub big brother porn... go ALEX! (60 days in front of you and job done!!)

I just wish BOSS's hub had windspeed.

 

[r.finn]

I just wish BOSS's hub had windspeed.

That would definitely give away detailed polar info, so probably keeping it private.

 

[Rafael]

So Corum is waiting too long to gybe south?

LIVE also on MarineTraffic (for a few more hours tonight)

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:6263237

Already gibed S, course 170...

 

[F18 Sailor]

That's the case with Ultimes. This field with or without foils is equally close.
Jean le Cam (No foils)was leading in the fore last report.
In a 40 + knots wind situation a foiler is a nightmare.
Or to say the least a very dedicated job to sail right.

Might be world record situations as well. We know more tomorrow.
Waves 6 metres is hard to handle with foils to my point of view but I never exprienced that.
Aren't you send into the sky like a rocket with harsh landings. I did beach cat racing and we'd let go 3 meters plus waves and humped over it.
This is twice as high.

Definitely not world record conditions with seas above 2 meters. I was at the leading edge of the front that Comanche used to set the current world record, we had 30-35kts of breeze and 2 foot waves initially, building over at 48hr period to 6m + seas. Unlike Comanche, a Swan 46 can't keep pace with the front, so we were in less than pleasant conditions for quite some time (7 days or so).