Vendée Globe 2020

Won · 01-05-2021, 01:47 PM

Anyone following Vendée Globe? I've known about it, but it's the first time I'm actually paying attention as it happens. It's 59 days in, the leaders rounded Cape Horn a few days ago and are now heading north - just over 6000 nautical miles to go!

I know it doesn't make it any easier for the solo sailors, but having regular social media updates coming from the boats kind of takes the magic away. I'm enjoying it though. Alex Thomson's fancy boat couldn't survive the Atlantic, let alone the roaring forties. He did good composite repair work - it was amazing how much "building material" he had onboard but I suppose they have to anticipate some issues. Maybe not major structural failures though - one of my colleagues used to work at the shipyard that built his yacht, and the teasing never stopped

Après Vendée, America's Cup!

https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/tracking-map

OldSpool87 · 01-05-2021, 04:10 PM

Years ago when I lived in Nantes, France I was able to attend the launch of the Vendee Globe. Truly amazing vessels and sailors.

tevake · 01-05-2021, 06:28 PM

Thanks for the heads up Won.
I haven't been watching, but will be now.

Those foilbourn boats are amazing.
Looking at some of the videos of them sailing thru some heavy weather in the S atalintic is intense, they do tend to carry on with the boat speed regardless.

Will be fun to see how it plays out.

Cheers Richard

Rikao4 · 01-06-2021, 06:46 AM

thank you..
been watching the qual. for the America Cup..

Rika

OK-944 · 01-06-2021, 07:04 AM

They're doing the Globe on hydrofoils? Are they nuts? Down in the roaring 40's? What am I missing?

Yeah...I know - keeps you above the waves...until it doesn't!

Won · 01-06-2021, 08:00 AM

I was told they were predicting a new record this year with foiling boats. But they're not exactly in a league of their own, with 4 out of top 10 being non-foilers. I suppose they're not full foiling boats like the last few AC boats. It was painful to watch Ineos still on their first leg get lapped by ETNZ because they couldn't get up on the foils in light winds...

Informative video here (3 parts):

arcsine · 01-06-2021, 11:20 AM

I'm having a tough time relating to the foiling AC boats. Amazing tech and performance but no sail changes, no discernible difference of upwind vs downwind and a simple mistake leading to touching down means you are 300+ meters behind. Not the sailing that I know and love. I'd still like a ride though. Going 30+ in 10 knots of breeze must be a kick in the pants.

nota · 01-07-2021, 07:57 AM

huge thread 105 pages on a sailing site lots of video's on these boats

warning not safe for work totally uncensored

Vendee Globe 2020 - Page 105 - Ocean Racing Anarchy - Sailing Anarchy Forums

tevake · 01-08-2021, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcsine

I'm having a tough time relating to the foiling AC boats. Amazing tech and performance but no sail changes, no discernible difference of upwind vs downwind and a simple mistake leading to touching down means you are 300+ meters behind. Not the sailing that I know and love. I'd still like a ride though. Going 30+ in 10 knots of breeze must be a kick in the pants.

Im with you Gary, I was watching the America Cup Challenge races happening in New Zealand just before Christmas.

Amazing to watch, but very confusing. With the apparent wind Being brought so far forward it made it hard to determan what point of sail they were on. Close hauled the main is at or even above the centerline. Running the main is sheeted out to about 25/30 degrees off the centerline. Not easy to see from a distance.

Yes the foils do make for radical speed differences, especially in light airs. One boat on foils going 27 knots The other struggling to get up on foils going 7/8 knots.

Plus the noise on board while sailing is disturbing to listen to. They have hydrolics power to the winches. But the foils are operated by electric motors that I think may be makeing the noise. Just take some getting used to.

Otherwise very interesting to watch.

OK-944 · 01-09-2021, 06:25 AM

Would be great to go back to "human powered" racing...no electrics except radio, nav. gear, running lights.

I remember watching AC trials up close (when this was allowed back in the early 70's)...the crews working in pairs on the winches sweating and grunting. Upper body strength was key in those days...now its how fast you can run across the deck during a tack change.

Won · 01-09-2021, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OK-944

Would be great to go back to "human powered" racing...no electrics except radio, nav. gear, running lights.

I remember watching AC trials up close (when this was allowed back in the early 70's)...the crews working in pairs on the winches sweating and grunting. Upper body strength was key in those days...now its how fast you can run across the deck during a tack change.

I thought the AC boats are still human powered via grinders to run the electrics/hydraulic systems.

Absolute genius.