GGR 22

[jlavery]

Simon also mentioned weather forecasts. He's just about picking up forecasts from the NZ chap (name escapes me) on the radio, but competitors closer to NZ are relaying them to others.

Also the Brazilian forecasts are not much good (as he commented on the way down), as all they seem to be doing is reading from the routing/weather books!

 

[garymalmgren]

whether Simon had managed to fix his broken "Hitchkers Guide To The Galaxy" cassette tape!

What no back up book?
Don't Panic!

 

[Goldie]

… abit more info on steering failure. His and Hydrovane's expectation was that the vane would/should have failed sacrificially, rather than the casting.

Please can anyone point me in the direction of info as to what actually failed? Was it the big, main casting? I have a Hydrovane on my current boat hence the interest. Incidentally, my previous boat (for 40k nm) was a Biscay 36 but had a Monitor vane gear.

 

[jlavery]

Please can anyone point me in the direction of info as to what actually failed? Was it the big, main casting? I have a Hydrovane on my current boat hence the interest. Incidentally, my previous boat (for 40k nm) was a Biscay 36 but had a Monitor vane gear.

My understanding is that yes, it was the main casting. Simon had taken lots of spare stuff, but there's a limit to what you take (i.e. a spare mast at the extreme). If I remember correctly, his conversations with Hydrovane went along the lines of "haven't seen that before."

As previously mentioned, the expectation is/was that the vane itself would break off/fail before the casting.

 

[Goldie]

My understanding is that yes, it was the main casting. Simon had taken lots of spare stuff, but there's a limit to what you take (i.e. a spare mast at the extreme). If I remember correctly, his conversations with Hydrovane went along the lines of "haven't seen that before."

As previously mentioned, the expectation is/was that the vane itself would break off/fail before the casting.

Thanks. At least there are two mitigations for me: 1, I have no plans to be in the S. Ocean and 2, at least I have an autopilot as back-up!

 

[Blueboatman]

Thanks. At least there are two mitigations for me: 1, I have no plans to be in the S. Ocean and 2, at least I have an autopilot as back-up!

The early Monitors were no strangers to failure either btw..
Using lower grade stainless steel and subject to cracks and weld failures through crevice corrosion. One or two owners just junked the whole frame for a new frame.

I look forward to seeing the really clear photos of the ‘deconstructed ‘Hydrovane casting ..

 

[Kola]

Simon Curwen Hydrovane failure 27-1-2023

 

[dunedin]

Simon Curwen Hydrovane failure 27-1-2023

Bizarre - why are Watt & Sea hydro generators allowed, as they are hardly original 60s tech? And indeed, why are they needed with so few electronics permitted.
The “rules” seem more and more illogical.

 

[zoidberg]

Simon Curwen Hydrovane failure 27-1-2023

Having looked at the above photo-pics, I don't think that's quite the job for Loctite Threadlocker.
Perhaps JB Weld for Steel might have managed.

What does the hive-mind think?

 

[zoidberg]

The “rules” seem more and more illogical.

I suspect most of us have long ago concluded that 'The Rules' are essentially whatever whims or notions that the Ancient Ozzie dreams up and falls out of bed with.

That takes nothing away from the monumental efforts of the participants.

 

[Slowboat35]

Bizarre - why are Watt & Sea hydro generators allowed, as they are hardly original 60s tech? And indeed, why are they needed with so few electronics permitted.
The “rules” seem more and more illogical.

I see nothing illogical in that. It's the device type that's frozen in time, not the individual model or else they'd all be condemned to using RT144 radios, rotating 'echo sounders', BMC engines and rubber-cased Exide batteries. Towed/demountable generators were evidently around at the time and so are permitted now.

 

[zoidberg]

Ian Herbert-Jones has survived the night to the SW of Cape Horn - and an especially wild one, with gusts to 90 knots, drogue entangled, hand steering, bare poles..... and sea state beyond description.

He made a call to GGR Ops at about 0400hrs as a 'SitRep' and to let the world know he was having a hard time.

At 1000UTC he was trundling along at just over 2 knots, probably with his drogue still out and trying to get some rest.

 

[zoidberg]

Here's another screengrab pic from the same source. Just read the numbers....

Prayer mat time!

 

[capnsensible]

Officially dropped to Chichester class now as he needs repairs in harbour. Seems like drogue caught around hydrovane rudder and snapped it....

Awful conditions. Brave man.

 

[zoidberg]

In conversation with Angus Coleman a couple of months back, who is the 'guru' behind 'Ocean Brake' of Portland who supplies the Jordan Series Drogue, he mentioned he'd heard a couple of tales of JSD bridles snagging on windvane paddles - or 'rudders' if Hydrovane.

We discussed contributory factors and possible solutions, and agreed it is not desirable to complicate the system. However, this latest 'happening' has caused me to think again about the idea of using one - or two - lines from the boat back to the 'Triple Point' where the bridles connect to the leader-part of the main rode. One of these is thought desirable to facilitate hauling the rode in for recovery by winch.

I mused about having TWO of these, each wound a couple of times spirally around its bridle-leg and each having its 'inboard end' fed through a couple of fishing pole ferrules whipped onto a 5-6' length of 5mm, say, grp rod and tied off. Such 'rods' could be secured to the corner-legs of the pushpit such that they acted to lift the bridle-legs clear of the sea - like a fishing rod with a fish on the line - when the big loads relaxed and there was some danger of a loose loop of bridle-leg snagging an auxiliary rudder or paddle.

That's NOT keeping the system simple, I agree, but we are in the seamanlike business of spotting problems and trying solutions until we have something that works for us.

Comment is welcome.

 

[zoidberg]

"Don't forget to put the tin tacks out on deck!"