ARC start delayed.

Just sent a weather report to one of the two yachts for which I am supplying weather routing. :(

It looks bad Thursday night Friday morning to the south of the Canaries with North Easterly gusting squalls at 30 knots (mean wind speeds) with gusts in excess of 40 knots.

The swell will be 4 metres and both wind and swell will be from dead astern! :ekk:

I hope they all rig preventers? :(

One of my yachts departed Sunday afternoon and will outrun the very worst of the weather and the other leaves with the rest of the pack on Tuesday right into the teeth of the gale.
 
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meh i would go. in fact er i did go once with that loon stingo and the agreement was that we’d have no sunset pix and no weather forecasts. I lost count of the number of times we ran on deck in 40kts to reef.
 
Since each boat and crew are different,why can't they go when it suits them? Why would sailors enjoy being herded like farm animals,can't they get their own forecasts? Where's the feeling of achievement being ushered across like a class of kids crossing the road? Hope the herd arrives safely, of course,just bewildered by the concept really,Jerry.
 
jerrytug said:
Since each boat and crew are different,why can't they go when it suits them? Why would sailors enjoy being herded like farm animals,can't they get their own forecasts? Where's the feeling of achievement being ushered across like a class of kids crossing the road? Hope the herd arrives safely, of course,just bewildered by the concept really,Jerry.
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An interesting description of a race. Next time I compete I'll remember that.
 
jerrytug said:
Since each boat and crew are different,why can't they go when it suits them? Why would sailors enjoy being herded like farm animals,can't they get their own forecasts? Where's the feeling of achievement being ushered across like a class of kids crossing the road? Hope the herd arrives safely, of course,just bewildered by the concept really,Jerry.
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12 to 18 hours into the arc you rarely see another yacht!:D
 
jerrytug said:
Don't they adjust their speed to sail in convoy? I can imagine that being fun, and an interesting challenge!
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If one wanted to just sail in convoy one could simply hang around and sail in company with other NARCs. I've only done it the once and that was in the cruising division. For us the attraction of the event was the hadicapped 'racing' against similar yachts - not sailing in company.
John
 
snowleopard said:
All boats are racing, some more seriously than others. It's a fun way to add interest to the passage.
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What would be interesting would be to set a pursuit race, all start at different times and all finish at the same time for a big party. Did this in 79, Plymouth to Perth. I think three boats made the finish within an hour of the prescribed time. (one fully crewed hit the island 12 miles off Perth, navigators home waters :o)
 
it doesn’t get earlier - it’s always the second last sunday of November isn’t it? It’s a pretty safe time, and most want to go so they aren’t at sea over xmas. January would cut short the carib season.

It is supposedly a rally for non-racing divisioj, tho the way they take timings anyway means its quite racey, really. Any two boats going in the same direction etc etc.
 
tcm said:
Any two boats going in the same direction etc etc.
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Not only that, but any start line that involves cruising yachtsmen is generally recognised as being one of the more dangerous places on earth, only eclipsed by Mogadishu high street at chucking out time.

A combination of big boats, poor close quarter handling skills under sail, a scant knowledge of any rules and the red mist that grips some when the 10 minute gun goes, means the organisers are right not to try and get this division away in any sort of wind.
 
TimBennet said:
Not only that, but any start line that involves cruising yachtsmen is generally recognised as being one of the more dangerous places on earth, only eclipsed by Mogadishu high street at chucking out time.

A combination of big boats, poor close quarter handling skills under sail, a scant knowledge of any rules and the red mist that grips some when the 10 minute gun goes, means the organisers are right not to try and get this division away in any sort of wind.
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So racing yachtsmen, by default, are skilled at close quarter handling under sail, are well versed in all rules and supremely cool under pressure?.

I love it!
 
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