2017/2018 Volvo Ocean Race

[Ron20324]

...Sorry, my first Volvo race.

In that case, the 4-door sedans are whipping the station wagons by quite a bit.

 

[cb32863]

If anyone is still following this Mapfre has passed Dong Feng with around 1600 nm to go. They've sailed 5,000 miles in ten days, which makes an average of nearly 500 miles a day! The leaders are expected to finish on or near Christmas day. So, like 6500 miles in 17 days. Looks like the leaders will enjoy good breeze heading to the finish whereas the back of the fleet may run out of gas. Another example of why it's best to be in front. Bad things happen back there.

Well a mast track tearing free had nothing to do with where AkzoNobel was in relation to the other boats. Bad things just happen, especially in the southern ocean. They did get things mounted and the main back up and are catching TTOP, only 60nm back. Video of three crew up on the mast in various spots in that breeze was quite impressive. Sanding and affixing the track in those conditions would be quite the challenge. Though, that is obvious and a bit of an understatement.

 

[Jackdaw]

The Ice Exclusion Zone is a real thorn in the side of the boats at the moment. There is better breeze to the south, so the boats are gybing like crazy to stay as close to the line as that can. Some are pulling of the hair raising stunt once an hour. This is difficult, all-hands maneuver that takes 30-40 minutes to do start to end. So it really messes up the off watch.

 

[shemandr]

Today's report on the VOR website by Mark Chisnell is a very good and detailed explanation of the tactics and weather as the leading boats game for the final approach to Melbourne. And the trailing boats have a choice between a flyer or a gamble on the progress of the high to get to the finish. I can't muster the concentration after work to compare each image but the narrative is pretty easy to follow. You can view it here:
http://www.volvooceanrace.com/en/news/10640_Leg-3-Strategic-Review-Part-3-Final-approach.html
Or read Jackdaw's post #43 to bumper stick it.

 

[Jackdaw]

All the lead boats have turned north, Brunel and vestas behind but in better pressure. Vestas in stealth mode, will be interesting when they come out!

 

[shemandr]

I like that stealth mode. It adds a psych component to the tactics. OK it didn't help Dong Feng but I think they may have mis-used it. There's more going on now with Vestus and Brunel. It's allegedly making Brunel look behind and adjust their game.

 

[Michael Davis]

2nd, 3rd and 4th up for grabs now. Pretty intense afternoon today. Photos and video from the 2 knock-downs make me glad I stayed home!

 

[shemandr]

I'll have to check that out. I thought the rough stuff was over.

 

[shemandr]

Leg 4 underway from Melbourne to Hong Kong. Mapfre was ahead and Dong Fong had to do a penalty turn. I haven't seen the video yet. I kinda wish they had just got on with it in the Southern Ocean.

 

[cb32863]

I will be watching the video later this evening. Stop overs are important from a crew, boat, and sponsor perspective.

 

[shemandr]

Oops. I didn't mean I didn't think they should stop. I just wish the next leg was around Cape Horn not up to Hong Kong.

 

[Michael Davis]

wish the next leg was around Cape Horn not up to Hong Kong.

I think this leg will be technically more difficult, maybe not as exciting but there are a lot of islands and reefs on the way. The lead has already changed several times and I think we can look for a lot more of that. We can look forward to the horn in a couple of months.

 

[shemandr]

Yeah but, yeah but, ... the leg from Hong Kong to the Horn is completely different than from Melbourne. Besides the two doldrums, again, they can approach the horn without sailing in the Southern Ocean until much later in the race than if they sailed to the Horn from Melbourne. Maybe they'll choose to sail south and get in the weather patterns in the Southern Ocean earlier, or not.
Yeah, there's going to be plenty of tactics to and from Hong Kong but the attraction of Whitbread/Volvo is Southern Ocean sailing. Not avoiding shipping traffic and coral atolls.
Put me down for they took a wrong turn.

 

[Michael Davis]

Put me down for they took a wrong turn.

You're a glutton for punishment! (theirs of coarse)

 

[shemandr]

Oh, and a correction. Dong Fong didn't take a penalty turn. They were OCS at the start and had to go back. From the video I watched I didn't really see that, especially if Vestus wasn't over. (I think it was Vestus that was sitting in the middle of the line as if they were doing a one design start)

 

[shemandr]

You're a glutton for punishment! (theirs of coarse)

Fair enough. They are in show business. I'm just commenting on what I think a better show is.

 

[Michael Davis]

When they come back down to New Zealand there will be lots more Southern Ocean before they get to the Horn. I'm pretty interested in how they will go about getting to Hong Kong. Lots of fun following anyway.

 

[shemandr]

All right. I'll send up the white flag, sort of. I didn't know they would sail to New Zealand before heading East to the Horn. Still a major departure from the legacy of the race. Or am I just digging a deeper hole?

 

[Michael Davis]

It is a big change. None of the skippers have been in this area before. All new stuff for them. Should be some interesting calls.

 

[Hayden Watson]

If you like the southern ocean sailing then you should like this year better. The last round, they went from Cape Town to Abu Dhabi then across the northern Indian Ocean and up to China.