Clipper round the world

[hairbox]

Anyone here doing the Clipper round the world yacht race ?
cicumnavigators?
Leggers?

 

[Sandy]

No, not my thing, but know people who have done it and enjoyed it.

 

[laika]

Pretty sure at least one of our forumites (comrade red?) has done a leg. We also had contributions from a circumnavigator filling in some of the missing pieces on the employment lawyer who was taking clipper ventures to court. However I suspect you may get a better response in scuttlebutt as the clipper "race" isn't really the type of racing this sub-forum usually deals with

 

[Gitane]

Race departed from Southend at 10:00 this morning. It’s now nine hours later and these slick racing machines haven’t passed North Foreland. Even my boat could have done that distance within that time.

Anyone know why progress seems to be so slow?

 

[ridgy]

Because they aren't actually slick racing machines, they've just been made to look that way. They might shift downwind in the southern ocean but they are absolute dogs in lighter stuff. They looked miserable in RTIR. Even now in F4/5 on the nose only doing 6 or 7 knots

 

[flaming]

Because they aren't actually slick racing machines, they've just been made to look that way. They might shift downwind in the southern ocean but they are absolute dogs in lighter stuff. They looked miserable in RTIR. Even now in F4/5 on the nose only doing 6 or 7 knots

Yep... Right now they are in 15-20 knots, with about a knot and a half of tide under them. The leader's SOG is 9 knots, so about 7.5 STW. That's barely over my target upwind speeds in a 32 footer... But at some point tonight they will get into 25ish on a reach. That could be more interesting.
I think Clipper absolutely has a place. What they are doing to bring sailing to a broader set of participants is awesome. But as a spectator event... Nope. They are strict OD, but after 24 hours there is a 14 mile delta from 1st to last. That's an average of over half a knot slower, which is just massive in an OD.
By chance I was wandering around St Kats on Saturday, and they had lots of info about the training they are given. Almost no mention at all about race training in terms of trimming and helming etc. So not overly surprising.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I know one of the amateur crew members on Qingdao. He's doing a fair chunk of it, first leg is to Uruguay, then goes across to South Africa and on to Western Australia. He then misses out the Pacific legs before picking up the race again for the final leg from New York back to London.

 

[Gitane]

Yep... Right now they are in 15-20 knots, with about a knot and a half of tide under them. The leader's SOG is 9 knots, so about 7.5 STW. That's barely over my target upwind speeds in a 32 footer... But at some point tonight they will get into 25ish on a reach. That could be more interesting.
I think Clipper absolutely has a place. What they are doing to bring sailing to a broader set of participants is awesome. But as a spectator event... Nope. They are strict OD, but after 24 hours there is a 14 mile delta from 1st to last. That's an average of over half a knot slower, which is just massive in an OD.
By chance I was wandering around St Kats on Saturday, and they had lots of info about the training they are given. Almost no mention at all about race training in terms of trimming and helming etc. So not overly surprising.

Sorry, not familiar with racing I am afraid. What does OD stand for?

 

[lw395]

Sorry, not familiar with racing I am afraid. What does OD stand for?

One Design. Identical boats

 

[dunedin]

Couldn’t quite see amongst all the pennants flying, but I trust they had their Maltese ensigns and Courtesy flag flying correctly when heading down the Thames

 

[flaming]

Couldn’t quite see amongst all the pennants flying, but I trust they had their Maltese ensigns and Courtesy flag flying correctly when heading down the Thames

They did...

 

[Gitane]

One Design. Identical boats

Thank you.

 

[Tintin]

Pretty sure at least one of our forumites (comrade red?) has done a leg. We also had contributions from a circumnavigator filling in some of the missing pieces on the employment lawyer who was taking clipper ventures to court. However I suspect you may get a better response in scuttlebutt as the clipper "race" isn't really the type of racing this sub-forum usually deals with

You called....

 

[capnsensible]

Been watching the first leg unfold on their website. Interesting race but the website is not their finest hour......

 

[Skylark]

Been watching the first leg unfold on their website. Interesting race but the website is not their finest hour......

Genuine question, what’s wrong with it?

I followed, on the website, most of the last event. One of my pals joined mid-race as a Mate. A few of us took my boat to Londonderry to welcome the fleet crossing from New York. We had a really good look around one of the boats at that time.

I wouldn’t want to take part in any circumstances but I have great respect for those that do/have done.

Of course, sail setting is important and there are big differences in capability, but it’s much more than a “race”. Participation is a once in a lifetime experience for the vast majority.

I’ve sailed with one of the skippers on the 19/20 event so I guess I’ll keep checking-in with the race viewer quite regularly.

 

[capnsensible]

Hiya. This is the tracker page Ive been looking at:

https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/race/standings

Just a bit poor, I reckon compared to other races Ive dipped into. Im not one of those who knock the race itself, I reckon its great!

 

[capnsensible]

I see they got a great blast going round Finnisterre. Last two time I got that same weather too..... except I was going the other way.