B
bob_tyler
Guest
Tonight on Discovery Channel 19:00 - 20:30 for those lucky enough to have SKY
Oldhand
New member
Or Cable.
I watched the shorter "Postcard from Ellen" slot earlier on Sunday.
It was interesting to note that megastar sailors do not bother with the tedious bit of leaving harbour, Ellen was whisked out to the start line in a RIB a few minutes before the starting gun where she replaced the delivery crew.
It was interesting to note that megastar sailors do not bother with the tedious bit of leaving harbour, Ellen was whisked out to the start line in a RIB a few minutes before the starting gun where she replaced the delivery crew.
bedouin
Well-known member
Yes - I noticed that too.
But to be fair on Ellen, they were leaving before dawn for a start at about 2pm - and she isn't exactly going to get a lot of sleep over the next couple of days.
What was refreshing was that for once it showed that she is part of a team, rather than just an individual.
But to be fair on Ellen, they were leaving before dawn for a start at about 2pm - and she isn't exactly going to get a lot of sleep over the next couple of days.
What was refreshing was that for once it showed that she is part of a team, rather than just an individual.
Cornishman
New member
Without wishing to name drop, Claire Francis told me way back in 1981 that she doubted she could pass a Yachtmaster exam because her knowledge of pilotage and inshore navigation was practically nil. She was towed from a marina berth to the starting area and from the finish to a berth in a marina on her transatlantic races.
I don't believe they are all like that; Conrad Humphreys sailed his Open 40 to France from Plymouth for the start of the Route du Rhum through a weather window between the series of gales we have been experiencing.
I don't believe they are all like that; Conrad Humphreys sailed his Open 40 to France from Plymouth for the start of the Route du Rhum through a weather window between the series of gales we have been experiencing.
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Wonder what 'little surprises' the pit crew left aboard?
G
Guest
Guest
I've just finished her book. Apart from it being a very good read, two things are apparent.
1. No wonder she needs to be ferried to the start line - she must be totally shagged out after raising the money just to get there in the first place. (This seems to be what the majority of sailing actually is - certainly up to now for her).
2. She uses the word incredible and incredible amount of times.
Incidentally - Pete Goss' book on the Vendee is a real gripper.
Geoff W
1. No wonder she needs to be ferried to the start line - she must be totally shagged out after raising the money just to get there in the first place. (This seems to be what the majority of sailing actually is - certainly up to now for her).
2. She uses the word incredible and incredible amount of times.
Incidentally - Pete Goss' book on the Vendee is a real gripper.
Geoff W
Grehan
Well-known member
Good book. I enjoyed it. Full of admiration for the gal.
I'm in the phonebooth. It's the one across the Hall
I'm in the phonebooth. It's the one across the Hall
Thanks, that's two Christmas present requests sorted.
> Claire Francis .... pilotage and inshore navigation was practically nil.
I think Tracy Edwards confessed she worried about leaving and entering harbour but then unlike Ellen she did not have equivalent core yachting skills.
I think Tracy Edwards confessed she worried about leaving and entering harbour but then unlike Ellen she did not have equivalent core yachting skills.
snowleopard
Active member
Tracey - how did she do it
read her book recently. two interesting statements:
1. it's the opposition of the rudder and weather helm that makes a boat go forward.
2. all waves travel at 21 knots regardless of size.
how the hell did she sail 1.5 times round the world on that basis???
read her book recently. two interesting statements:
1. it's the opposition of the rudder and weather helm that makes a boat go forward.
2. all waves travel at 21 knots regardless of size.
how the hell did she sail 1.5 times round the world on that basis???
chuns
New member
Watching the prog, I was puzzled. Can anybody explain why it appeared that the tilted-up boom seemed to have no kicker? It seemed to be moving about quite a bit in the vertical sense.
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Wot no kicker?
Chuns, don't know about Kingfisher, but I got a good look at Mike Golding's boat when it was called Group 4. The boom gooseneck is at deck level, so a conventional kicker won't work. As I recall it had a kicker going down to a semi-circular track which ran pretty much beam-to-beam, at a radius of maybe 10 feet or so back from the mast.
Chuns, don't know about Kingfisher, but I got a good look at Mike Golding's boat when it was called Group 4. The boom gooseneck is at deck level, so a conventional kicker won't work. As I recall it had a kicker going down to a semi-circular track which ran pretty much beam-to-beam, at a radius of maybe 10 feet or so back from the mast.
Twister_Ken
Well-known member
Tee-hee. nm
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<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Twister_Ken on 12/11/2002 12:47 (server time).</FONT></P>
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<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Twister_Ken on 12/11/2002 12:47 (server time).</FONT></P>
Jacket
New member
Re: Wot no kicker?
I think most of the latest boats don't bother with a kicker. Instead they just rely on a full width mainsheet traveller. As the apparent wind is always ahead of the beam, this works fine.
I think most of the latest boats don't bother with a kicker. Instead they just rely on a full width mainsheet traveller. As the apparent wind is always ahead of the beam, this works fine.
G
Guest
Guest
I could be wrong but...
I noticed this too. From reading her book, Kingfisher seems to be designed more for downwind sailing - (they choose a route based on very good weather info to try and give them that ability). Under those circumstances - would it not be the case that you'd want a more baggy sail so a quicker wouldn't be required.
Whereas - when she has to go to windward then a very long mainsheet traveller would do the trick and reduce the number of strings. With a sail that large, a kicker maybe a lot less use than the arrangement I suggest.
I dunno!
Geoff W
I noticed this too. From reading her book, Kingfisher seems to be designed more for downwind sailing - (they choose a route based on very good weather info to try and give them that ability). Under those circumstances - would it not be the case that you'd want a more baggy sail so a quicker wouldn't be required.
Whereas - when she has to go to windward then a very long mainsheet traveller would do the trick and reduce the number of strings. With a sail that large, a kicker maybe a lot less use than the arrangement I suggest.
I dunno!
Geoff W
Jacket
New member
Re: I could be wrong but...
The thing to realise about these boats is just how fast they can go relative to the true wind speed, and the huge shifts in apparent wind direction this causes. A few years ago I was lucky enough to sail on an old open 60. We were sailing along happily with the sails trimmed for a close reach. It was only when we passed a few other yachts that I relised we were actually on a very broad reach, almost a run.
The point is, even when sailing down wind (or rather tacking down wind on a series of broad reaches) the apparent wind will be from about 70 to 80 degrees off the bow. This means that the boom will always be above at least the end of the traveller. The result is that the traveller on an open 60 is used to adjust the boom angle (which would be done using the main sheet on a normal yacht) while the mainsheet is just used to control sail twist (ie works as a traveller).
The thing to realise about these boats is just how fast they can go relative to the true wind speed, and the huge shifts in apparent wind direction this causes. A few years ago I was lucky enough to sail on an old open 60. We were sailing along happily with the sails trimmed for a close reach. It was only when we passed a few other yachts that I relised we were actually on a very broad reach, almost a run.
The point is, even when sailing down wind (or rather tacking down wind on a series of broad reaches) the apparent wind will be from about 70 to 80 degrees off the bow. This means that the boom will always be above at least the end of the traveller. The result is that the traveller on an open 60 is used to adjust the boom angle (which would be done using the main sheet on a normal yacht) while the mainsheet is just used to control sail twist (ie works as a traveller).
G
Guest
Guest
Re: I could be wrong but...
Yes, I can see what you say if the wind is forward of the beam. But, my point was that their fastest point of sail is down wind and apparent wind is not important - and this is what they try to do all the time.
All she wanted was huge spinnaker up and presumably wing and wing it! On the other hand of course she did beat to windward but kept making the point that this was not ideal.
Indeed in Pete Goss' book he blames this for losing the Vendee as early as the Azores. He was forced to go west others were able to go east. He had to beat they were able to run and jumped into the next weather system.
Like I say - I dunno - I don't have this experience. Just going by her/his book and a bit of logic.
Geoff W
Yes, I can see what you say if the wind is forward of the beam. But, my point was that their fastest point of sail is down wind and apparent wind is not important - and this is what they try to do all the time.
All she wanted was huge spinnaker up and presumably wing and wing it! On the other hand of course she did beat to windward but kept making the point that this was not ideal.
Indeed in Pete Goss' book he blames this for losing the Vendee as early as the Azores. He was forced to go west others were able to go east. He had to beat they were able to run and jumped into the next weather system.
Like I say - I dunno - I don't have this experience. Just going by her/his book and a bit of logic.
Geoff W
Jacket
New member
Re: I could be wrong but...
The point is that they never sail these boats on a run. If you want to get downwind quickly, it is much faster to sail down wind in a series of broad reaches, at an angle of about 120-140 degrees to the true wind, much as modern asymetric sailing dinghies do. Under these conditions, the boats go so fast that the pull the apparent wind ahead of the beam.
This generation of wind allows the boats to sail faster than the true wind speed (landyachts manage this in the extreem- they can sail at 6 times true wind speed!). So although by tacking downwind they have to sail much further than if they sailed on a run, they still get there quicker.
The large spinnackers are cut for reaching, rather than running. a lot of the boats have them cut so flat that they are in effect very large genoas.
The point is that they never sail these boats on a run. If you want to get downwind quickly, it is much faster to sail down wind in a series of broad reaches, at an angle of about 120-140 degrees to the true wind, much as modern asymetric sailing dinghies do. Under these conditions, the boats go so fast that the pull the apparent wind ahead of the beam.
This generation of wind allows the boats to sail faster than the true wind speed (landyachts manage this in the extreem- they can sail at 6 times true wind speed!). So although by tacking downwind they have to sail much further than if they sailed on a run, they still get there quicker.
The large spinnackers are cut for reaching, rather than running. a lot of the boats have them cut so flat that they are in effect very large genoas.
G
Guest
Guest
Thanks Graeme
Now I understand!
Geoff W
Now I understand!
Geoff W
