Virtual regatta

i’m going south, slightly east at 30kms, flying!

Well over two days I’ve made up 10,000 places so very happy 🙂

I even managed a successful course change on my Desire whilst at work, though it did take 10 minutes of prodding at the screen as it doesn’t seem to register button presses very well.

Bit silly that the leading group down in the southeast appear to have bought all the upgrades and set their course to stay at the same angle to the wind, and then forgotten to log in to make manual adjustments. At least they are stuck with no proper winds now 🙂 Reckon some of the auto options should only be able to be used for say two days max so there is a bit of skill involved.

Reaped the rewards of heading due South since last night, 6000 places gained over night!

Reckon some of the auto options should only be able to be used for say two days max so there is a bit of skill involved.

You kind of wonder what the point in playing like that is. You’ve paid to have the computer play the game for you? ❓

Decision time tomorrow… east or west of Cape Verde?

Hopefully I might get my boat back in the mix again after tonight. Will be a long way back but I have a cunning plan…

Does it involve an outboard motor? 😉

Uphill – Ive managed to escape from your grasp… slowly catching up I hope.

i’ve paid to have the computer keep a watch so i can go to casualty after cycling over a dog, is that in the “rules”?

east of cape verde looks best currently, another 24hours before i need to make the final decision..

stevomcd – Member

Does it involve an outboard motor?

I am hoping to swap boats for THIS

Stand by for me overtaking!!!!

I’m going to head straight for Cape Verde to leave my options open until the last minute then see what the winds look like.

:Waves to stevemcd:

Heading due south and catching up slowly, need to make some decisions in 24 hours or so. for now I’m cracking open the pink gin and olives, everyone’s welcome on the poop deck

:Goes to check fridge:

Olives – Check
Gin – Check
Angostura bitters – Hmmm. Might have to get a bit creative.

Chin chin.

[Waves! – to Doug. Obscene gestures to the XTR sails crowd 😉 ]

Just had a nice barbecue and a few beers.

Spoiled by a fly in a bottle of Heineken. You shouldn’t ever drink Heineken. I am slightly drunk and in no state to make this up!

So how to the rankings actually work!?

Warton and Bawbag appear to be virtually on top of each other, yet there’s nearly 600 places between them!

Rankings are taken as the nearest in a straight line to the stage finish in Capetown. Even if you were a mile behind someone, due to the numbers playing there will be hundreds if not thousands along the band that is equidistant. I’m out to the West, the new leaders are about 12hrs ahead of me but in the rankings I am still behind a boats as far back as the Canaries because they are nearer to Capetown as the crow flies.

Have a look at this map. It shows the first 10000 on the leaderboard. The sharp edge along the northern side of the boat plots is where it gets to 10000th place. Everyone along that edge is in a similar place on the leaderboard so by moving a little closer or further away from Capetown you will make/lose loads of places.

Think I’m going west of Cape Verde, there seems to be a bit of a lull to the east for a few days just as we get there plus any wind there is is blowing directly due south rather than at an angle.

Doug, can you hear me creeping up behind you, ninja style? i’ll be following you to the west of cape verde i think. looks like steve is going to join us over there..

ps what tyres for changing my XTR sails?

Doh. Getting hammered last night really did not help me. Although I do think I mostly got away with it!

bigG, better pass out of arms reach or I’ll strap a huge magnet to your keel to fox all those automatic gizmo’s your utilizing and spray WD40 all over your posh XTR running gear so the squeaking keeps you awake all night. 😉

Shonen Knife and I (series1) look like we’re on collision course!

Never mind XTR. Looks like mine must be Altus from the way I have been going. Have a cunning plan that might get me back to mid table.

772th at the moment, great weekend! have been really busy so just checking and changing course once every 12 hours or so. kept a steady 28ish km all weekend.

making steady progress now, not sure if I should go east, west or through cape verde,, lets see how the winds feel when I get a little closer. I’m guessing that rusty floater & tortoise have done a robert maxwell..

Apparently I’m going to be hugging the coast as I forgot to change my heading yesterday!

Decided on east of Cape Verde (or maybe through the eastern end). Doesn’t seem to be much advantage to be gained by taking the longer route west.

I am currently leading the STW Armada. That is all. (until the game realizes the guys in front of me are closer to the finish than me)

Warton, I held that position for a short while till I was skunked by the lack of wind of Gibralter.

I think it highly unlikely that lady luck has finished with her fickle ways. At least I hope not cause some good luck would be a change for!

I am currently leading the STW Armada. That is all.

By 37 slightly imaginary miles! 😈

Actually, I think in real terms you actually are there or thereabouts. You’re far enough west to get round, just a bit short of options if the wind isn’t quite right!

I fully expect to finish way off my current standing. its pure fluke I am where I am.

jeezo – just logged in after the weekend – dropped 7000 places! That’s me knackered then!

I think MTBSTAN needs to change course 😯

****, it’s wind-change time and I can’t get on!

IS that MTBStan and Shonen with their EPPIRBs going off? Will they have to survive in their upturned hull for days? 😆

22,000 places dropped from best standing, just before the Gibraltar saga and tonight at bed time. Bugger!

Picking up places slowly but surely and making good progress past Verde, now the run into the south atlantic is on. Same question though, just how far west is enough?

Looks interesting ahead though with a beat coming to mix it up a bit. More chances for position juggling.

I cracked. I’m sorry. 😳

Broke into the top 1000 and with the outright leader tantalisingly within reach, that extra knot was too tempting. 😳 😳

No automation though. 😯

As expected, lost 1300 places overnight as the ‘real’ leaders take up their rightful position at the front of the race.

I’ve been making good steady progress (series 1) over the past two or three days. I must confess I don’t really know what I’m doing. My present course is to to come close to Cape Verde on its eastern side, but the wind looks like it will be much lighter if I’m too far east.

I think I’m hooked…