Volvo Ocean Race

[shemandr]

Is any one following this race?
I've been checking in at the web site and finding it hard grasp how to best follow the racing. I can only watch a certain amount of exciting video with hyper-exciting music overlay. Those don't really tell me what's going on anyway. The "Dashboard" feature shows the boat position and if you click on a particular boat you get the windspeed, wind direction, boat speed, distance to lead and biographical info about the sailors. That's OK but isn't really what I want. I can't get the Virtual Tracker feature for some reason. Nor the Inside Tracker.
How are others tuning in to the race?

 

[kloudie1]

I downloaded their app to iPhone 5s .. works pretty well. I also have their web site as a fave on the house computer.. Everything works fine but the coverage, despite having more communication capability, is not as good as it was last go around.. Had to download a "Unity Player" plug in and it asks to run every time I run the virtual eye tracker on the home computer. Not much good info on the site or on their Facebook page. Ya might try that to see if the info is more to your liking.. I would like to know about the power plants and recharging systems, as well as water systems.. none of that kind of good info is on anything that I've foundI have watched both starts on live streaming video.. again, no problem.

 

[shemandr]

I just read Mark Chisnell's routing analysis which was pretty good. His next report is a week away? That's a lot. Helped me tune in to strategy. Otherwise, I'll hunt around each boat's reports and see what I can find. So far it seems like a drag race. Not too much strategy.

 

[cb32863]

They do two updates a day, in addition to the blog posts, From the Boats, and then there is the evening 5 minute highlight show. I have the app for android. The tracking is about 2 hours old or so as well. Its about the best they can do all things considered. I think there is a weekly longer video as well. "Life at the extreme". There are twitter feeds for each boat too.

 

[Jackdaw]

The tracking is about 2 hours old or so as well. Its about the best they can do all things considered.

They can (and do) real-time tracking. They just delay it two hours so other boats cannot use boatspeed and weather details for their advantage.

They had a 'problem' with this last go-round.

 

[shemandr]

They can (and do) real-time tracking. They just delay it two hours so other boats cannot use boatspeed and weather details for their advantage. They had a 'problem' with this last go-round.

That may explain the lack of specific information from the individual boats. Nevertheless, they need viewers.
Anyway, is there a way to create a forum for the race? To continue discussion of the race, without relying on a post to keep the topic current, a dedicated forum might work. It will go on until next summer.

 

[Gunni]

The iPad app is pretty good. Tracking, wind and isobar info helpful. Lot of onboard HD video.

 

[DHaranSailor]

I am using the Android app as well. Read a lot of the stories and post they put up. Use the rankings tab a lot. Do the tracker for fun once every couple of days.

I started a white board at work and update it a few times a day from ranking's so that I can spread the joy of sailing around.

 

[shemandr]

Looks like the boats sailed southeast to nearly the ice limit and are now turning northeast. This is in line with Chisnell's routing prediction. I haven't been able to integrate weather with the course. They were predicted to continue east/southeast until being able to catch the west side of a low pressure to head north(?) Maybe outside the Aguilhas Current? Has that happened? A northerly wind against the current could be a bit uncomfortable!
There was a weather plug in but so far I haven't been able to run it.
I guess they had a 500 nm+ day! Not shabby.
Apologies for my sketchy report.

 

[Gunni]

Sailed south to stay on a run, now working north to the limits of the westerlies while avoiding the current AND the easterlies.

 

[shemandr]

I've been reading the Watch Log under the Racing section on the Volvo site, a couple of times a day keeps me in touch with the general gestalt of the fleet.
It looks like they've tried a few forays north but didn't stick with it. I guess the wind is too light. There's high pressure to the northwest and no one wants to tangle with that. Now they're mostly headed east which is downwind and averaging around 20 knots, looking for an opportunity to make some distance north. How far will they go?

 

[RECESS]

I have been watching. Absolutely hate their website. It is a massive navigating turd. The mobile site for my phone is even worse.

To get around the massive website failure I subscribe to the YouTube channel Life At The Extreme. It has all the videos organized in subgroups. Whoever put together the YouTube channel did it right.

 

[Gunni]

"virtual eye" in the i-app has wind overlay and isobars. Light winds 10kts on the quarter and yet making 11 knots or so ...the Americans have dropped back 11 miles. They look like they are hunting for an opportunity to switch tacks and avoid a nasty beat against easterlies.

 

[down_shift]

Lots of good info to comb though on "virtual eye". Even the graphics are top notch.

 

[shemandr]

It's good to have some others interested.
I didn't post this AM but the fleet had turned north and was sailing into lighter wind. I haven't yet checked this evening's info. I am now enjoying following this race as I become more familiar with the website, and where to find what I want to know. After I get the gist of the race, reading updates boat by boat, and the video updates add color.
I'll try to tune into the tube thing but I don't want to follow this on hyper produced videos. But before Utube I need to watch some.
I hope this will be a help getting through winter.

 

[shemandr]

Report for tonight: It looks like all boats are sailing nearly due north with NE wind filling in. The lead boats have 18 Knots true and the trailing only 11. So.... it's good to be ahead. There was a bunch up with 4 of the seven teams in visual range. But the guys in front may be able to extend.
I haven't been able to get the vital tracker going. I've downloaded the plug in, installed and my last attempt produced a "Fatal Error" message. I hate when that happens!

 

[down_shift]

Where they stand...

 

[shemandr]

Abu Dhabi seems to have made out on an earlier jibe. But it seems to me the fleet needs to make more east to pass Madagastar. I wonder when they'll get the opportunity.

 

[down_shift]

16 hours later.
Looking at the last few tacks, I thought these boats could point higher into the wind. Obviously I am wrong here. Could someone explain why their tacks remain at 90 degrees like my lowly wing keeled C36?

 

[shemandr]

Vestas ran aground...in ocean racing. The crew is reported to have deployed life rafts and Alvimedica is rendering assistance.
I didn't see this coming.