It has started! Who's following? The run through the spectator boats during the start was a little..... tight. Anyone planning on attending in Newport next May?
2017/2018 Volvo Ocean Race
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It's a possibility ... my friend Ward may be living on his boat on Narragansett Bay next May.
Newport is worth the trip. I suppose there might also be an opportunity to sail a 12 m - if it's not too early in their season.http://12metercharters.com/ or http://www.americascupcharters.com/
It could be a fun outing for SBO folks!
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I might be in Newport next may, there are some museums and other things I want to go see in that area (Mystic); sounds like I should coordinate my vacation plans for this window.
Whoops......
http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/video/10168_Watch-as-Scallywag-suffer-sail-setback-on-Leg-1.html
Didn't lose a spot though.
http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/video/10168_Watch-as-Scallywag-suffer-sail-setback-on-Leg-1.html
Didn't lose a spot though.
In a pure bull$hit move, the race director ADDED 200NM to the current course, the sole reason to push back the arrival/finish of the leaders until late Saturday AM.
Seems the sponsors were complaining they were going to finish in the early morning dark.
Seems the sponsors were complaining they were going to finish in the early morning dark.
In many other forms of racing we are used to seeing this... adjusting schedules, venues, even rules to satisfy sponsors, event attendance, but especially for TV broadcasting. This is why there is no longer a MotoGP race at Laguna Seca (the best track in the world built before computers). The venue just isn't big enough to support the equipment, crowds, vendors, teams etc... but Circuit of the Americas in TX is, so of course that brand new track gets the race while Indy keeps their spot as well.
I'm getting tuned into the race. The start was fun but it was necessary to cut out the first 26 minutes of hype. The broken clevis pin - at least that's what the early report was - was fun to watch. It's great to see a bleary eyed crew come up on deck and get themselves oriented. I saw some bare feet and probably skivvies.
I couldn't see why they were sailing east after Gibraltar until I saw that they are rounding an island. Which one I haven't been able to learn. I looked at the course page and it didn't say.
As for the course lengthening, I'd be pissed in our racing if I were ahead and the course was lengthened. And the wind shifts favoring the back of the fleet. But at their level the show must go on and they get to sail in an incredible event.
Still for all the money and effort involved 10 knots in a sixty foot boat seems a little pokey.
Where are others watching or getting updates from?
I couldn't see why they were sailing east after Gibraltar until I saw that they are rounding an island. Which one I haven't been able to learn. I looked at the course page and it didn't say.
As for the course lengthening, I'd be pissed in our racing if I were ahead and the course was lengthened. And the wind shifts favoring the back of the fleet. But at their level the show must go on and they get to sail in an incredible event.
Still for all the money and effort involved 10 knots in a sixty foot boat seems a little pokey.
Where are others watching or getting updates from?
One of the great things about one design sailboat racing (such as these 12s in this great pic) is that it can be a Snipe or a 12 meter, the racing is every bit as exciting and the skills required are the same and scalable. You can take a 16 year old accomplished Snipe sailor and they will know the tactics required in a race of 12s. One design racing is wonderful!!!View attachment 142156
It's a possibility ... my friend Ward may be living on his boat on Narragansett Bay next May.
http://12metercharters.com/ or http://www.americascupcharters.com/
It could be a fun outing for SBO folks!
How true. On the First 36.7 we would often take members of local (9 Minneapolis area) High School varsity sailing teams up to Bayfield to sail. Now most of these dinghy kids had never seen a winch before, but MAN did they know how to sail! Some new mechanical skills (plus some safety) and they were badass. We twice won a big series where 1/2 the boat's crew could not drink.
I took these photos with my phone as Sue and I were on a tour boat cruise around Narragansett Bay on a trip we took to Newport a few years ago. As we got closer to Newport, I was totally unprepared to see these beautiful yachts just sailing along on a course during a random Thursday afternoon. As we approached, I was thinking to myself "am I really seeing what I think I'm seeing?" We motored fairly close to them at a couple of different locations.
As it turns out, these historic yachts can be chartered for a variety of events. If we had a significant group of SBO members interested in an activity, we could possibly make reservations to divide ourselves into teams and do a chartered race event. I don't know if it would be possible to do this during the Volvo activity in May, but it could be fun event to put together. By the descriptions from these charter companies, not all crew has to be interested in manning a station on the boat. Some of us could simply go along for the ride. The charter company provides captain and enough crew to provide instruction. Prices are reasonable. I would be in for this.
The 10/26 update wasn't posted yet but Vestus holds around a 9 mile lead heading to the added fake mark. They have 570 or so miles to finish so it looks like they had about a 300 mile day yesterday. So I retract my comment about pokey speed. I didn't understand that they were sailing on the wind then. Now that they've headed downwind everyone is at 20 kts. or close. On the website they had a good discussion about the wind going into Porto Santo but nothing yet today. I think it was in the Daily Live video.
I looked at the link Jackdaw posted for the blog. I'm not a Facebook user so I could only taste it. This may get me finally to join but I loath the idea.
I looked at the link Jackdaw posted for the blog. I'm not a Facebook user so I could only taste it. This may get me finally to join but I loath the idea.
The FB page has a weekly video blog, but his normal website is a pure sailing 'news' site. Great stuff.
https://www.sailingillustrated.com/
Love it when the VOR comes back around and wish they would make another stop in the Chesapeake. The in port race to start the series was pretty good to, watching the strategy of one boat going on a separate tack off shore and watching it pan out.
Also have been checking the website of the Clipper Round the World Race and it is very interesting to track the boats and conditions.
https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/
Also have been checking the website of the Clipper Round the World Race and it is very interesting to track the boats and conditions.
https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/
For this Clipper race, I love how they glamourize their stop in New York when they are actually going to stay in New Jersey!
I wonder why they don't admit they are staying in Jersey City, not NYC?!?! Oh well, the crews can always take the ferry over if they need to visit the big apple.
I wonder why they don't admit they are staying in Jersey City, not NYC?!?! Oh well, the crews can always take the ferry over if they need to visit the big apple.
That race is a hokey pay-to-play adventure. The only crew qualification is your check cashes. I know a guy who did the last one; he was not good enough to sail with us on Kestrel.
Hey, why not? Sort of like those baseball camps for middle-aged warriors held during spring training with ex-major league players. I would have been tickled pink to go to the Cubs fantasy camp when they had most of the 1969 players joining the campers. I'd be interested if I had the time and cash. I wonder if I could sign-on when they go thru NJ ... er NYC on the way to Ireland.
As a fan of the New York Giants, who practice and play in East Rutherford New Jersey, I don’t think I can throw stones at that one.