In the steps of Peter Blake... sail Steinlager 2 in a Virtual Round The World Race

[RainbowChaser]

larger image here

In 1989, a group of widely differing boats set off from Southampton, England, on the first leg of the Whitbread Round the World Race. The race was to prove to be a resounding success for Peter Blake and yacht Steinlager 2, an 84ft ketch, although one of the smallest boats in the fleet, Tracy Edwards' Maiden, a 58ft sloop, crewed by the first ever all-female round-the-world crew, did pretty well too!

Thanks to SOLer WetWing, Sailonline’s database includes the polar of Steinlager 2 so as part of the Sailonline Ocean Championship 2014, the Sailonline Race Committee has decided to include all six legs of the 1989/1990 Whitbread Round the World Race.

The legs are:

1. Southampton, England – Punta del Este, Uruguay
2. Punta del Este, Uruguay – Fremantle, Australia
3. Fremantle, Australia – Auckland, New Zealand
4. Auckland, New Zealand – Punta del Este, Uruguay
5. Punta del Este, Uruguay – Fort Lauderdale, USA
6. Fort Lauderdale, USA – Southampton, England

To make starts DC-able, Sailonline’s Race Committee has made minor adjustments to the real start and finish points – the idea is to provide a clean ocean-racing competition (after all, there are no onshore spectators to appease!).

This will be a magnificent opportunity for SOLers of all ages, not only to recreate a little bit of yachting’s history, but, perhaps, to try and beat the amazing records set by Peter Blake and Steinlager in the original race! Tell everyone to come and recapture yachting history on Sailonline!

Leg 1 starts on 2 January 2014 at 1900utc.

 

[Pye_End]

Could do with a bit of sailing over the winter. Will need something to stop me sleeping after England get defeated again over the next few days.

Might be worth putting this on Scuttlebutt as it starts tomorrow, and not all will see this in time.

 

[sarabande]

can someone remind me please about how to avoid the failure to load weather message. Isn't there a classic format or something ?

Or any way of downloading weather without it being blocked ?

 

[sarabande]

OK now got the weather up and running together with background mapping.



Anyone care to share some strategies and/or form a team ?

FWIW I am heading off on port, max VMG for about 6 hours then tacking on the veering /strengthening wind.

Then after Ushant, it's head for Finisterre. Or is it ? Previous races seem to have been successful heading eastish after the Canaries and crossing the pond to avoid the dead areas off Africa.

 

[Pye_End]

I like the P flag.

Havn't thought about strategy, apart from sailing out of the Western Approaches as quick as possible! Will look when we all get back to the start line.

It is a good question about after Ushant. Went close to Africa last time as it looked obvious, but in the end it wasn't. However, given the downwind speeds of these boats aren't as quick, am tempted again by the more easterly route.

 

[pendlecats]

Well, late again to the party. For the first leg.

I'll cover the rear just in case there's a slight wind shift in my favour,,,,

 

[RainbowChaser]

:encouragement:Great to see folks returning to Sailonline and to welcome newbies!

This race, as you probably have seen from the Quarterly calendar, is not being run as a consistent non-stop affair, but is being spread out by the Sailonline Race Committee over the course of several months - so, do spread the word. Its not often that one gets a chance to sail the performance polar of a legendary yacht over a course it has actually sailed in reality

I've asked out in SOL if anyone can find a log for Steinlager on this trip... would be fun to not only compare courses but also read a few of the comments written there! :encouragement: