ARC start delayed.

[capnsensible]

Well they sent them off today in squally winds of 25 knots and rain showers.....

 

[NDG]

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.

Hmm I've done racing and cruising. Which pigeon hole should I put myself in?

------------------

 

[TimBennet]

Hmm I've done racing and cruising. Which pigeon hole should I put myself in?

You choose! But no one can claim that starters in the more cruiser classes at the RTIR, George Town Regatta or even Cowes week are as 'up to speed' as at the Finn Gold Cup.

 

[matelot]

Isn't it actually a rally, rather than a race? -

Really dont see the point in that. A race starts all at the same time and the object is to win. Whats the purpose in a rally? They wont see each other after the first day or so so there's no real safety benefit. It just seems like and expensive comfort blanket.

 

[Three kings]

Whats the purpose in a rally?

I suspect you already know the answer to your own question but you don't like rallies. That's allowed, but others get a lot of value from them.

 

[estarzinger]

Looks like there is essentially one weather feature which will determine the ARC routing - there is a low forecast to develop right in the middle of the course (12/03) and then move north. This is right on the end of the forecast accuracy window, but needs to be planned for early because if it does form and you get too close you get trapped.

If you have a 'fast' boat you will want to keep a northern route and be in favorable winds along the top of the low; (shown here with the 12/03 weather)
View attachment 22307

While if you have a 'slow' boat you will want to track far enough south to stay out of the headwinds (and dead patches) under the low. A middle route will have a very slow spell as a high pressure cell is then forecast to develop right under the low - headwinds and calms. (shown here with the 12/05 weather - you can see the low has moved up and a high pressure cell has filled in behind it and the track is under the high)

View attachment 22308

Most 'cruising' boats would want to take a much more downwind track at the start than shown here - polars/routers don't like downwind sailing because the polars never say its fastest, but in strongish winds it is 'fast enough' and way more comfortable for cruisers.

 

[rotrax]

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.

/QUOTE]

I suspect in the " Chance of physical injury" stakes not quite as dangerous as the first corner in a novice Speedway Race. That can be really desperate if someone dashes up the inside a bit quick!

 

[wazza]

Looks like there is essentially one weather feature which will determine the ARC routing - there is a low forecast to develop right in the middle of the course (12/03) and then move north. This is right on the end of the forecast accuracy window, but needs to be planned for early because if it does form and you get too close you get trapped.

If you have a 'fast' boat you will want to keep a northern route and be in favorable winds along the top of the low; (shown here with the 12/03 weather)
View attachment 22307

While if you have a 'slow' boat you will want to track far enough south to stay out of the headwinds (and dead patches) under the low. A middle route will have a very slow spell as a high pressure cell is then forecast to develop right under the low - headwinds and calms. (shown here with the 12/05 weather - you can see the low has moved up and a high pressure cell has filled in behind it and the track is under the high)

View attachment 22308

Most 'cruising' boats would want to take a much more downwind track at the start than shown here - polars/routers don't like downwind sailing because the polars never say its fastest, but in strongish winds it is 'fast enough' and way more comfortable for cruisers.

What site are these chart/maps from or have you interlayed & downloaded??

 

[BobnLesley]

Good luck to them all...

they may need it.

We're moored up in La Gomera, so it's probably windier on the east side of Gran Canaria than here; looking over the breakwater, it's as rough as a badgers' backside out at sea and the forecasts we've been looking at today suggest it's not likely to get much better (here or points south & west) for the next week!

Today will be fine, it's behind them which makes it sailable weather, but any ARC boats without a big crew are likely to be feeling very tired in a few days from now; that's when your problems start.

 

[binch]

Ex Racer

I used to race once. Started in 12 ft nationals, then 14ft internationals. Then starboats. then ocean racing (as navigator; I had only a bog standard cheque-book.
Then I grew up. My only concern with racing is when I find myself in an 87 ft schooner on starboard tack going through a fleet of optimists with their screaming parents.
Crossing??
Depart Tenerife about 10 November. Watch out for south equatorial counter current. Arrive Carlisle Bay about 10 Dec
Lounge about a bit as crew like cajan chicken.
Then to Bequia for Christmas. The essence of cruising is independence.
I miss it all. God! how I miss it.

 

[estarzinger]

What site are these chart/maps from or have you interlayed & downloaded??

Getting gfs gribs from saildocs, and then those screen shots are from the freeware virtual winds routing program.

 

[estarzinger]

I just took the position from a mid-fleet vessel (Puddle jumper), and looked and weather and routing from there.

Excellent sailing, stongish winds behind the beam, all the way until 12/07.

The prior forecast low, is still expected to materialize, but now centered further north and not causing quite as much disruption to the winds across the route. You can see the low here (middle upper edge)

View attachment 22320

But the fleet will probably see an area of light and mixed direction winds starting 12/07.

View attachment 22321

That will continue thru 12/09, when a high pressure system pushes across, way north of the track, but pushing nice NE winds down along the track.

View attachment 22322

 

[estarzinger]

Good sailing in the ARC for the next few days. Hope they enjoy it because . . .

Then an area of light winds to duck south of on 12/4
12/04 View attachment 22366


And a low pressure system to also duck on 12/5 - probably get about 12hrs of headwinds out of this unless you go a long way south.
12/05 View attachment 22367]


Then a big area of lightish winds in an unorganized low pressure area - not much way to duck this.
12/07 View attachment 22368

 

[snowleopard]

This topic comes along every year, sometimes more than once. I've posted this essay many times but I guess one more won't hurt.

Pros and Cons of rallying
Many sailors speak disparagingly of rally participants, assuming they are all beginners who wouldn’t leave the Solent without a nanny organisation to look after them and imply that real sailors travel independently. We have done both and would consider another rally in future. We met no-one on the rallies who couldn’t have gone across the ocean on their own, the supposed wet-behind-the-ears beginner is a complete myth.
Pro

• The biggest draw for many people is the social side, getting to meet other crews, not to mention the numerous parties. For us the party circuit started in Lagos when we invited everyone who was flying an ARC flag aboard for drinks; we regularly met up with that group over the next 6 months in many anchorages.
• The support provided by the rally organisers was useful, for example they found me an English-speaking dentist when I lost a tooth three days before departure from Las Palmas.
• The daily radio net and position reporting meant that our family knew where we were (at least some of the time) and when things went wrong there was help at hand. Our friends on Spirit of Clyde rescued a French singlehander whose boat sank and two other boats stood by to help. Most rescues involve ARC participants helping non-ARC boats
• Reserved berths at either end were useful, especially in Las Palmas and it was good to have someone to take our lines as we came into St Lucia with engine problems.
• The ARC rallies are run as races and the friendly competition added to the interest of the passage. For the keen racers there was also an all-out racing division.
• Because of the number of people taking part, some of the big names in ocean cruising came to give seminars, for example Jimmy Cornell on routes beyond the Caribbean and David Jones on Caribbean meteorology.

Con

• Rallies always have pre-set start times and there is pressure to stick to those because of the shore team’s hotel and flight bookings. If the weather turns bad, as it did when we left Bermuda for the Azores, you have to be strong-minded to stay in harbour when others are pressing on.
• In a very structured rally like the ARC there is no opportunity for unplanned stops so we missed out on the Cape Verdes and Barbados. For that reason alone we will probably avoid the ARC next time round.
• Some crews get a bit over-enthusiastic about completing the crossing and hit the party scene hard. That gets a bit wearing if you’re moored right in front of the marina bar and the music is still going strong at 5a.m.
• The downside of the racing element is the temptation to hang on to canvas a bit longer and risk damage to gear.
• On a multi-leg rally like ARC Europe, the fast boats spend a lot of time in port waiting for the others to catch up and the slow boats have a shorter time to rest and repair before moving on.
• The ARC isn't cheap. It is better value for money than others because the cost of staff flights is spread over 200+ boats but it still takes a big lump out of a cruising budget. The current cost for a 40 footer with 4 crew is over £900.

 

[Friendofaboatowner]

Boat speed

Why is it that with good sailing conditions and 20kn of wind some 43 ft boats are averaging just 4.2kn. I would have thought that they would be able to make at least 7 or 8kn.

 

[snowleopard]

Why is it that with good sailing conditions and 20kn of wind some 43 ft boats are averaging just 4.2kn. I would have thought that they would be able to make at least 7 or 8kn.

I don't know what the wind direction is but the seas will be big wherever it comes from and beating in those conditions is heavy going.

 

[estarzinger]

I don't know what the wind direction is but the seas will be big wherever it comes from and beating in those conditions is heavy going.

If you look at the weather maps posted above, you will see they are NOT beating. It's been a broad reach.

Why is it that with good sailing conditions and 20kn of wind some 43 ft boats are averaging just 4.2kn. I would have thought that they would be able to make at least 7 or 8kn.

Probably three reasons . . . One is that it's been a bit squally/gusty and some boats are probably reefed right down for the squalls and not unreefing in-between. Two is that the sea state is up and the crew on some boats probably don't have their sea legs and are seasick and fatigued and just don't want to push or do extra work. Three is that some of these boat designs are a bit unbalanced in this wind direction/strength (strongish broad reach) and the autopilots working very hard and reefing the main way down is a (cruising) solution to balance them up.

 

[Friendofaboatowner]

Seas

The ARC blogs talk of big seas knocking them about quite a bit, that explains the lower speed, not to mention one of the crew down with seasickness. Poor guy doesn't have the comfort of land soon.

 

[lenseman]

The ARC blogs talk of big seas knocking them about quite a bit, that explains the lower speed, . . . . .

Reports are of 4 metre following seas with NE'erly wind speeds of 30 knots (mean) increasing to 35 knots with 40 knot gusts from Saturday morning 0700Z.

I am doing weather forecasts and routing for two yachts via both SSB and satellite ("Peregrine" and "Værbitt").

.

 

[capnsensible]

One of the crossings Ive done was in those sort of conditions. We created a large number of coloured bits of sail material from the spinnaker....