capnsensible
Well-known member
Starts on Sunday 3rd September.
Get your moans in now!
For me, good luck all and have a good time!
Get your moans in now!
For me, good luck all and have a good time!
Clipper Race.
- Thread starter capnsensible
- Start date
capnsensible
Well-known member
Just a few hours to go, must be some excited and probably nervous people.
Clipper 2023-24 Race Viewer
Clipper 2023-24 Race Viewer
capnsensible
Well-known member
And they're off. Or more like o. f. f.
Light winds, strong tides, frustrating way to begin one of life's great adventures......
Light winds, strong tides, frustrating way to begin one of life's great adventures......
B27
Well-known member
Was it one of the clipper races, there was so little wind at the start, Southsea I think?, half the fleet drifted into one another, they spent the whole first leg arguing about penalties?
If there's not enough wind to fly the AP, you need the AP....
If there's not enough wind to fly the AP, you need the AP....
dunedin
Well-known member
When I looked the leader was appropriately named Perseverance - in 4 hours one boat had covered just 6nm, and the leader less than 12nm. 50% gap after 4 hours, but might have been better kedging and getting a few beers out.
capnsensible
Well-known member
Passing Ushant and into Biscay now. Wind predictions still not very helpful but its the challenge that counts.
ridgy
Well-known member
Having observed those boats during various events in the Solent they look painful in light winds.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
Of course, but I would rather circumnavigate the globe in one of those heavy boats than I would, say,a lightweight Pogo
flaming
Well-known member
Having overtaken them on various RTIs over the years I don't think it's limited to the light.
This year, we started 40 minutes after the clipper fleet. Looking at the tracker we were ahead of all but 2 by the needles, who we were alongside. Upwind in 20 knots.
And we were miles clear of them before St Cats. The fastest clipper boat took 10:45 for the lap. We took 8:02. And we were somewhat disappointed with our lap, the leaders in our class finished 20 minutes ahead of us.
Those clipper boats are over twice our size.
They may look "racy" but they simply aren't.
Wansworth
Well-known member
Bit like Hillyards……family boats that are safe and undercanvased
dunedin
Well-known member
Yes, as one of the perhaps 0.0001% of boats that will race across the southern ocean, they are understandably designed to withstand that. And as a one design fleet, unlike other southern ocean racers, no need to be super fast.
flaming
Well-known member
Bit like Hillyards……family boats that are safe and undercanvased
Right now the leaders should be sailing on a close reach in about 20 knots of breeze. And over the last 4 hours the top 3 have averaged about 8 knots. That's extremely pedestrian for a 70 foot boat, it's not even close to hull speed in fresh reaching conditions.
But then these hippos weigh 31 tonnes. Even the steel challenge 72s only weighed 38 tonnes.
However, as has been said, this boat is used for OD ocean racing with amateurs. And good luck to them.
As an event to watch though... It does not exactly excite.
capnsensible
Well-known member
Yeah weight is the trade off for southern ocean safety. They are pretty bomb proof. But identical so it's still down to the skipper, mate and rather large crew. Will be interesting in the light airs forecast for the Bay of Cadiz. At least irritating orcas are in for a surprise......
flaming
Well-known member
They are a weird combo of heavy weight and hull shape like a VO70. We had a recent crew on board for Cowes this year. She said they'd assumed that the boats would be able to get up and go in the Southern ocean, from the looks of them, but they just kinda wallowed. Whilst they had some nice surfs, the average runs were very disappointing for experienced sailors who had deliberately chosen to do the SO legs for the experience.
I think someone on SA once put it "as if a VO70 and a Winnebago had a baby".
I'd add "and it got the VO70s looks but the Winnebago's appetite..."
I can entirely see why the Clipper team chose that design route, but as I said, it makes it very much a "participant" event rather than a spectator event.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
You are right. It is the participants who are paying. 99% of them will never have experienced a high speed surf in the Southern Ocean so to them getting drenched in a clipper in a somewhat "safer" environment makes sense. I doubt that they will feel that they are missing anything.
One should also accept that this is intended to be a one design class. People all over the world race one design, whether slow or fast. Many sailing boats, like my Squib, will not be doing it for speed, but the sheer enjoyment of close racing in (almost) identical boats. Boats (like my Squib) can be tweaked, whilst under way. I expect that a Clipper is not so different. So to beat one's opponent by, say, a few miles, after 3000 miles, does give the crews a terrific buzz.
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flaming
Well-known member
I would entirely agree, except deltas in Clipper are never that close... Already there is well over 100 miles from 1st to last.
Daydream believer
Well-known member
But have they finished the first leg?
How close are the closest two?
I raced my Stella in a fleet that regularly fielded 25-30 for 10 years. I soon found out who my equals were. Just beating them made me feel great. I expect that every clipper has a boat to beat.
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flaming
Well-known member
Some of them are fairly close, but the overall fleet spread is not.
We'll see I guess, but historically the races have not been all that close.
Birdseye
Well-known member
Have a pal sailing in our isles and oceans. Looks as if they have a lot of crew taking it in shifts and legs. From the comments he has made its very much a profit making commercial venture compared to the original British Steel Challenge that spawned the idea.
capnsensible
Well-known member
Good on him for giving it a go. I'm sure 'commercialism' drives all sport these days. But at least this is one where it will mean jack to the crews facing big seas, howling winds or sat inching along under the heat of tropical days and nights. I'm not sure people really appreciate the discomfort that crew put themselves through to even be there, let alone win....
