Golden Globe Race

[zoidberg]

As at 08:00 this morning.

Looks like Suzie G has hit a hole in the wind - or something solid?

Oh dear, 1.4kts but Uku R was doing 4.6kts and Istvan K 5.5Kts.
She was then 358nm behind Uku R.

Anyone any up to date news?

She's going fine today, 2 Dec. I suspect someone at Starbase Command sent her Tricorder an 'Urgent', for she has Tweeted back 'Oops! OK'
Dunno whether she overslept or 'w.h.y', but it seems all is now well.

Mark Slats cleverly closed the coastline early to get some limited shelter from the long-forecast NW big blast bearing down on him. Seems to have worked, for he made a swift passage of The Horn, ducking out to get round, then bearing away towards Le Maire Strait and easier winds/seas.

Jean-Luc is meanwhile on a charge north at 8.0 knots ( ! ), going for the unusual 'inshore passage' rather than the more usual loop to the east. Time will tell, but it seems a good gambit.

Interestingly, as pointed out above, Jeanne Socrates is about 850nm ahead of Uku, who is now 375nm ahead of Susie. Getting crowded out there...!

 

[Robert Wilson]

She's going fine today, 2 Dec. I suspect someone at Starbase Command sent her Tricorder an 'Urgent', for she has Tweeted back 'Oops! OK'
Dunno whether she overslept or 'w.h.y', but it seems all is now well.

Mark Slats cleverly closed the coastline early to get some limited shelter from the long-forecast NW big blast bearing down on him. Seems to have worked, for he made a swift passage of The Horn, ducking out to get round, then bearing away towards Le Maire Strait and easier winds/seas.

Jean-Luc is meanwhile on a charge north at 8.0 knots ( ! ), going for the unusual 'inshore passage' rather than the more usual loop to the east. Time will tell, but it seems a good gambit.

Interestingly, as pointed out above, Jeanne Socrates is about 850nm ahead of Uku, who is now 375nm ahead of Susie. Getting crowded out there...!

Fenders at the ready!!

 

[zoidberg]

Jean-Luc seems clearly to be heading northerly up the unusual 'big lift' inshore to the west of the Rhumb Line. Mark Slats may have to route, conventionally, to the east....
Ant other views on how this may pan out over the next few days?

 

[Frank Holden]

Fenders at the ready!!

Its the crossing traffic they want to watch out for.... blue are cruise liners ( I counted 40 between Ush and the peninsula at the top of the season last year) .. purple are yachts.....

 

[auditdata]

Oh No, not another one!
Susie #Goodall (via satellite) 73-DISMASTED.HULL OK. NO FORM OF JURY RIG,TOTAL LOSS.

Let's hope rescue is on the way but she is over 1800 miles from nearest land. Perhaps Istvan can help in 5 days?

 

[Kukri]

Lost both spin poles, hence no jury rig. Tricky.

 

[Wandering Star]

Oh no! Thats awful news, she must be gutted. Does anyone know the cause for the dismasting?

 

[Kukri]

Oh no! Thats awful news, she must be gutted. Does anyone know the cause for the dismasting?

GGR Facebook page 50 minutes ago:

UPDATE Susie rang and she is OK, rolled, dismasted, hull and deck secure, lost spinnaker poles too...situation developing, all safety gear OK ...More soon.

 

[KINGFISHER 8]

Stand by for all the arguments about single handed racing and driving too hard in heavy weather!

 

[Kukri]

From GGR FB page:

UPDATE: FULL Press Release shortly...spoke to Susie again. advised her MRCC CHILE have a ship 400 miles SW now making way best speed to her, ETA about two days. Boat was PITCHPOLED stern over bow. She has cut hands a few paces, bruising and pounding headache after concussion. Now talking to MSOS UK the GGR 24hr telemedicine doctor for advice and check up. Weather is moderating a little. Boat huge mess down below. Not in danger for now.

Susie Goodall Racing was enjoying the sailing very well in 35/40kts when the safety tube of the Monitor wind vane failed. She dropped the reefed main then set the Jordan Series drogue as could not hand steer in building winds. Went below. Sometime later was gearing up to come on deck to check things when pitchpoled stern over bow. The mast and all poles lost. Windvane damaged by backstay. The drogue Bridle is still fitted but the drogue gone. #GGR2018

My comment: It looks like the series drogue failed. She didn't have a choice, she had to deploy the drogue once the safety tube had gone. Interesting that she was dismasted under bare poles as the result of a pitch pole. I am guessing that once the series drogue had parted from the bridle the boat would accelerate hard down the face of a sea and dig the bows into the trough resulting in a pitch pole which would be violent enough to bring the rig down despite no sail up.

Good seamanship: rotten luck.

 

[capnsensible]

Agree, great sailor, rats luck. Glad she is safe and help at hand.

 

[doug748]

Here is the interesting Facebook stuff on weather, just before the dismasting:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=741510146247759

 

[Frank Holden]

Stand by for all the arguments about single handed racing and driving too hard in heavy weather!

I can see the RSPNB* getting involved...how many lost so far?

Driving to hard? Drogue v keeping the speed up?
Neither... all about heavy sea over heavy swell.... ie a *big* confused sea.... doesn't matter who you are or what you do.... one minute you are sitting on top of the world.. next thing you know you have no visible means of support and are plunging into the abyss....

She is in about the same position as we were just under 3 years ago when we had our bit of fun....

* Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Nice Boats

 

[alant]

Oh no! Thats awful news, she must be gutted. Does anyone know the cause for the dismasting?

According to DM, pitchpoled.

 

[zoidberg]

It is reported that water is getting in via holes in the deck - possibly fastenings where mounts for the spinni poles were stowed, or through-deck chain plates pulled out. That appears to be manageable, and the weather seems to be abating.

Her Jordan Series Drogue seems to have parted beyond the bridle. Chafe, or splice...?

There will be stuff to learn from this.

 

[Robert Wilson]

Agree, great sailor, rats luck. Glad she is safe and help at hand.

+1
So sad, especially as she had done so well for so long.

I can't imagine what it must be like to have been through the catastrophe. I bet it was terrifying.

 

[zoidberg]

This is what's now heading to the rescue of Susie.....



Perhaps the sea state will subside enough to permit the recovery of her boat.... and perhaps the Good Minn could post more details of the vessel for us?

 

[Frank Holden]

Back in the good old days they may have... not so much now but the ship does at least have her own gear.... next port ... Puerto Madryn so not too long on board ...

 

[doug748]

It is worth noting that the Longue Route sailors are also down there.
Pierre-Andre Huglo in Fresh Herring, his Contessa 32, looks to be in the thick of it soon

This chart shows both groups:

https://maps.sail.cloud/home/event/19

 

[zoidberg]

Back in the good old days they may have... not so much now but the ship does at least have her own gear.... next port ... Puerto Madryn so not too long on board ...

View attachment 74618

Interesting pic. I note the distressed sailor has hoisted his trousers up the signal halyard. That's a novel form of distress signal!