looks like the next 12-24hrs is going to be a bit bumpy. 30kts heading into a transition. Sea state i guess will be nasty.

Are we signing up for Pro sails and such?

Noooo!!

I am struggling to see the live tracking on my phone. Is there a mobile version.

So what powers the foils up and down on the VG boats? I think they’re battery powered on AC boats, but this isn’t going to work (or is it?) on VG.

On the America’s Cup boats they’re hydraulically powered from accumulators charged up by the crew grinding the ‘winches’

They are trimmable and the boat properly flies on one foil and the two rudders.

The IMOCA boats are a bit different, being single hull they cant over in each tack. That’s what puts the foils into position. Some are totally fixed, some can be adjusted slightly but rather slowly I believe.

As for ‘flying the boat’ it’s more a case of lifting the hull out a little, and providing a righting force from further outboard, so the drag is less. They’re most effective when the boats are reaching – they certainly don’t fly all the time.

The AC boats fly upwind now. It’s amazing looking back to the last one when they flew the whole course and comparing it the the edition before with similar boats where they weren’t flying upwind.

How the racing will be with current foiling monohull AC boats will be really interesting.

And this VG is going to be fascinating as the different generations of boats are all faster in different condition.

FX for Alex – was amazing following his effort last time, properly tense! Best of luck to him & all the others!

I’m signed up to the VG website and subscribed to the YouTube channel, but what site are other people using?

Arrgh this is getting fraught. I rolled the dice and the wind has not played ball. I am going to drop a lot of places in the next few hours.
Stapleford flier is pulling away and I suspect Kapow is going to pass me.

Damaged rudder on Charal

Kevin Escoffier dealing with damaged valve
“It is jacuzzi mode this morning on PRB.”

French skipper Armel Tripon has been forced to make the painful turn to the east on L’Occitaine and head for La Coruña, some 350 miles away, where he plans to anchor to effect a repair.

Boats starting to break! Interested to see how Charal is affected.

Ive just followed stapleford flier, who else is in? I was a bit late to the party currently in 200000+ position

“flatulence would be faster” is currently becoming a prophetic boat name.

@uphillcursing – Don’t worry, I am the fat lad at the back 😀

@Wors – Bentandbroken, KAPOW, flatulance would be faster

@Wors – Yetidave is also in

There is always a few early issues – between new boats & kit or pushing perhaps harder than advisable in the sprint away from the start.

Stapleford flier is pulling away and I suspect Kapow is going to pass me.

Don’t worry there’s plenty of time for me to mess it up!!

Charal returning to Les Sables dOlonne for repairs to the rudder. A few of the boats seem to have been having issues with the headsail ‘hook’. Presumably hook is another term for quick release swivel shackle?

Presumably hook is another term for quick release swivel shackle?

Probably not – they’ll likely use a masthead lock that engages when the sail is fully hoisted – this takes the strain off the halyard and reduces mast compression.
The problem is that either the lock isn’t engaging or isn’t releasing when required.

Edit: Or it could be the furling system playing up.

Makes sense, thanks. One boat (L’Occataine I think) the sail dropped and another boat could furl the sail but not drop it. Neither scenario ideal especially when surfing down the southern ocean.

I remember having a main and jib hook on my old Graduate – What. A. Pain.

I’m in. Somewhatbehind. No idea what I’m doing but we can give it a go

It’s a shame for the race that Charal is out. I hope Alex Thomson has better luck and manages to get around without hitting anything this time!

It will be interesting to see if Boss is really faster than Apivia once they get into decent wind…

Can someone explain what they’re referring to when they talk about “the stack” and arranging it etc?

Well it came to pass. I got dropped by Stapleford Flier, overtaken by Yetidave and Kapow. Still there are lots of chances to make good over the course of the race.
I am beggining to think that Stapleford may have played a blinder going to the East of that weather system. I was too scared to roll the dice again so soon and decided to play safe.

Winds changed direction for me overnight and I lost 80000 places!

I’m living up to my name, I had the wrong sails up for 7 hrs so also lost loads of places

For blobonastick

“the stack”

Sails and other movable items are often moved around the boat to change the righting moment and pitch of the boat. So upwind in light winds you may have it forward and to leeward, as the wind builds it will get put on the windward side and more midships. As the boat is more downwind it gets moved backwards to lift the bow until your fully blasting on a reach and everything is stacked onthe transom on the windward side. Although you may only be moving 1/2t of stuff in a 10t boat with a swing keel, every little helps.

oh, and this is getting rather addictive.

Agreed, i am completely hooked now. Even downloaded the phone app in case i have to pop out.

In case anyone was interested in joining in it seems late starters get dropped in the pack rather than the at the beginning. As we all seem to be a load of duffers, apart from Stapleford Flier, it won’t be a big handicap.

Confirm that I started late and got drop near the back of the pack.

Well I nearly cocked it up royally yesterday evening – went to my BIL for a couple of hours and came back to find myself in the wrong place/wrong time.
Luckily I spotted what a friend was doing and it showed me light at the end of the tunnel!

Feeling somewhat better about the situation now but my highest position of 6900th is a dim and distant memory!!

It’s a long long race and there’s loads of opportunity to catch up – so fret not!

I’ve just joined, username STWanchor (I’m very proud of that name)

Trying to figure out out how Yetidave streaked away from me I noticed he has prescribed a nice smooth arc. Seems the little padlock ties you to keeping the wind at a certain angle. That will prove to be useful. There does not seem to be a set of instructions on all the functionality that I can find.

Wish I’d have known that a couple of nights ago!

That padlock will come in handy over the next few weeks. Thanks

Not sure what happened over night – made up 75000 places, I’m sure that won’t last.

should probably re-name the thread to “Virtual Vendee Globe 2020” 🙂

Twodogs
Full Member
should probably re-name the thread to “Virtual Vendee Globe 2020” 🙂

Yeah, is there anyway we can separate the silly stuff from the real race please? Having to wade through endless ‘I’m in 100,000th place…’ stuff to get to the actual race nuggets is a bit wearing… Ta 👍

Yeah, was hoping for news and opinion on the actual race ;o)

Charal seems to be going all the way home to La Sable. I think that is him done 🙁

Good to see Alex now 35 miles ahead and increasing.

Oh, and geek out folks.

Boris’ boat is sending us all the data.

https://exocet.cloud/grafana/d/bsbc_5MGz/malizia-public-dasboard?orgId=15&from=now-24h&to=now&theme=dark&kiosk

Wow. Interesting numbers there.

Charal seems to be going all the way home to La Sable. I think that is him done

Pretty sure he’s making repairs and then setting off again.