Dropping like flies in the Golden Globe.

Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Five out by the time they hit the Canaries. One didn't start, 3 already broke steering gear, and one got disillusioned with solo sailing. Really!!! One's hand steering but staying on only because of sponsors. Shades of Donald Crowhurst!! My buddy Nabil's is out... jury rig seems beyond his capability.

http://goldengloberace.com/peche-and-slats-slug-it-out-at-the-front/

I'm betting only FIVE will be in to cross the next gate at Hobart.
 
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JRT

JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,048
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
I like the one, His boat is for sale!
 
plenny7

plenny7

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Oct 3, 2014
261
Marlow-Hunter MH37 Lake City, MN
I think the mental aspect of this race might be the toughest part, at least as once they get further along.

I've been cheering on Susie Goodall because she's the youngest and only female in the race, and Mark Slats because he's a bad-a** who has rowed across the Atlantic. I wish them all well though.
 
LakeShark

LakeShark

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Sep 15, 2016
799
Catalina 22 Minnesota
Is it just me or are a number of these who have dropped out disillusioned with what it is to sail around the world to begin with let alone solo? Failures in auto steering gear, a fear of going below to sleep, and an inability to rig up some sort of block and tackle tiller control are out of the reach of these men; really? What happened to old world sailing skills?

I realise that it is easy to armchair quarterback these men from the comfort of my office but having been on the sea many times and alone for many miles; the ocean is not for the amatures. The excuses they give for dropping out in only 16 days seem to show a complete lack of respect for the voyage they were undertaking. I wonder if any of those left will complete the race.
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
LakeShark said:
Is it just me or are a number of these who have dropped out disillusioned with what it is to sail around the world to begin with let alone solo? Failures in auto steering gear, a fear of going below to sleep, and an inability to rig up some sort of block and tackle tiller control are out of the reach of these men; really? What happened to old world sailing skills?

I realise that it is easy to armchair quarterback these men from the comfort of my office but having been on the sea many times and alone for many miles; the ocean is not for the amatures. The excuses they give for dropping out in only 16 days seem to show a complete lack of respect for the voyage they were undertaking. I wonder if any of those left will complete the race.
Click to expand
The guy who gave up after 10 days is an embarrassment for the race. No doubt.

Failures in steering gear is a huge deal in a long distance solo race, but the lack of preparedness is telling. No way I'd start this race without a full backup self-steerer, plus spares. Nabil broke a weld on his... maybe bad luck.. but in the benign conditions maybe it got abused. But the lack of backup and spares ruined his race 10 days in.
 
FDL S2

FDL S2

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Jun 29, 2014
470
S2 7.3 Fond du Lac
Jackdaw said:
No way I'd start this race without a full backup self-steerer, plus spares.
Click to expand
I always thought having a spare self steering system was pretty standard for anyone solo sailing on the ocean.
 
garymalmgren

garymalmgren

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May 29, 2018
460
Canel 25 foot Shiogama, japan
This is quite strange as all of the participants had to rack up a descent distance of single handed off shore sea miles just to enter. That should have given them a taste of what to expect.
These boats would have been checked again and again but the skippers, boatyard crews and race organizers and self steering gear would be on the top of the list of gear to be checked.
Robin Knox-Johnson lost his self steering gear early in the original race and it didn't stop him.
Have these guys never heard of sheet to tiller steering or jury rigging.?
On top of all that, the weather conditions have not been bad at all.
I am scratching my head on this one.
 
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shemandr

shemandr

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Jan 1, 2006
7,074
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
Maybe it's best that they had failures early. At least they live to play again.
I know the VOR isn't that popular here and the GG is but I'd like to propose a theory about the different challenge. GG boats get passed by waves which is very hard on the steering gear. VOR boats pass waves which, while scary as hell, is easier on the steering gear. It's only a theory but I'd like to hear other opinions about that.
 
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FDL S2

FDL S2

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Jun 29, 2014
470
S2 7.3 Fond du Lac
I like the VOR and the Vendee Globe and I keep an eye on both. But as a guy who sails with a compass, depth finder, knot meter and handheld anemometer as my only aids (albeit on an large inland lake, but other sailors on my lake have TONS of sailing instruments) the Golden Globe Race appeals to me.
Because he lives in my neighbor state Minnesota I was rooting for @Jackdaw's friend Nabil to A. finish and B. be in contention and I'm sorry to see him having troubles, but if dropping out saves his life, sanity and the possibility of doing it again in all for it.
In the first Golden Globe nine racers started and one finished, this time 18 started and I bet more than two finish.
 
AlastairLC

AlastairLC

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Jan 2, 2017
765
O'Day & Islander 322 & 37 Scottsdale, AZ & Owls Head, ME
What surprised me was the last minute scrambling some of them were doing to get their boats ready on time (and even get to the start). Not a good sign.
 
plenny7

plenny7

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Oct 3, 2014
261
Marlow-Hunter MH37 Lake City, MN
Anyone need a boat? Already outfitted for 9 months of sailing

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https://www.facebook.com/don.mcintyre.777/posts/10155877915612476​
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
shemandr said:
Maybe it's best that they had failures early. At least they live to play again.
I know the VOR isn't that popular here and the GG is but I'd like to propose a theory about the different challenge. GG boats get passed by waves which is very hard on the steering gear. VOR boats pass waves which, while scary as hell, is easier on the steering gear. It's only a theory but I'd like to hear other opinions about that.
Click to expand
I just got disenchanted with the VOR. Stupid stops in stupid places to please sponsors. Finishes miles up rivers that screw up finish orders set by thousands of miles of ocean racing just so crowds can watch. Anyway.

The VOR boats have highly engineered systems installed by pros with no experience spared. But the big point is the balanced spade rudders really help reduce helm effort.

The unbalanced rudders on the boats (they all have them by design) requires careful balance of sail trim to not overload them. That takes thousands of miles to get good at on any given boat. Most of these people, the race so far is the longest they've sailing in their boats. No wonder they are breaking.
 
Will Gilmore

Will Gilmore

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Oct 19, 2017
7,746
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
My father entered and started the BOC 26 years ago. He dropped out the first day because his first grand daughter had just been born and he got to thinking about the fact he was going to be sailing around the World for the first few months of her life. My wife was also pregnant with my son at the time. Give a man a few long hours to think about what's really important and directions can change. My father sailed his circumnavigation years later, just not as part of a race.

- Will (Dragonfly)
 
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Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Will Gilmore said:
My father entered and started the BOC 26 years ago. He dropped out the first day because his first grand daughter had just been born and he got to thinking about the fact he was going to be sailing around the World for the first few months of her life. My wife was also pregnant with my son at the time. Give a man a few long hours to think about what's really important and directions can change. My father sailed his circumnavigation years later, just not as part of a race.

- Will (Dragonfly)
Click to expand
That's cool. Back when Corinthian classes still existed, and if you were up for it, you could sign up an have a go. Respect.
 
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FDL S2

FDL S2

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Jun 29, 2014
470
S2 7.3 Fond du Lac
Will Gilmore said:
Give a man a few long hours to think about what's really important and directions can change.
Click to expand
I think he made the right choice -no way I would be able to be alone on a boat for a year knowing I was missing out on my first grandchild. And then he went and did it later, good for him!
 
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Will Gilmore

Will Gilmore

.
Oct 19, 2017
7,746
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Jackdaw said:
That's cool. Back when Corinthian classes still existed, and if you were up for it, you could sign up an have a go. Respect.
Click to expand
You still had to qualify by completing another official ocean crossing race. In his case, it was the 2STAR, having his rudder bearings fail halfway through the OSTAR.
To correct my earlier post after just talking with the Old Man, he was 3 days out, just off Bermuda, when he resigned the race.
Now, he's my son's best friend. :)

He did make the right choice.

I still have the 'Team Zafu' BOC T-shirt, I designed, kicking around here somewhere. I'll have to post it, if I come across it.

- Will (Dragonfly)
 
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Will Gilmore

Will Gilmore

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Oct 19, 2017
7,746
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
FDL S2 said:
@Will Gilmore what boat did your father sail the BOC and what boat did he do his circumnavigation in?
Thanks
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I'm not sure about the BOC. I believe it was a J boat, he had a series of those. He started with a small boat setup to single hand (J 24, he claims that was his favorite) and ended up trading up and up and up, maybe a J 38, is that a model? His circumnavigation was finally done in a J 44. I think all his J boats were named Zafu (he planned to meditate his way around the world, I think). I have the 140-150 Genoa from his 44, that was his last boat. Trying to decide if I'm going to recut it for Dragonfly ;) or build something around it like an ice boat.:laugh:
He also had an Amel 50 (can't remember the name), a Shannon 50 (Absolute) and a Freedom 44 (Windwalker).

- Will (Dragonfly)
 
FDL S2

FDL S2

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Jun 29, 2014
470
S2 7.3 Fond du Lac
Will Gilmore said:
I have the 140-150 Genoa from his 44, that was his last boat. Trying to decide if I'm going to recut it for Dragonfly ;) or build something around it like an ice boat.:laugh:
Click to expand
I think this means you a required to buy a J 44 to put the genoa on.
 
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