Race Leg 1

[tmh900]

Tactics for Cape Town

Looks like the leading pack may be planning to go west then south of the light winds off Cape Town. A long route, but they will be able to 'sling-shot' themselves round, with a following wind most of the way. Is this worth a try?

 

[st599]

3 down 3 to go.

Puma's Mar Mostro drops its rig.

 

[Martin_J]

That's the idea.. to get close in behind the western (trailing) edge of the low and follow it along.. and as it peters out then head north at that point towards Cape Town. It just looks a bit messy four days out from now...
(Although that SE wind direct from Cape Town looks unusually strong and consistent so a few boats have taken that route north of the low..)

This head south and follow the lows will be the plan on the next two legs across the Southern Ocean as well.. to get close to the Southern edge of each low to be catapulted forwards.. You will also see the great circle route in the next leg would take you a long way south!

 

[Spyro]

That's the idea.. to get close in behind the western (trailing) edge of the low and follow it along.. and as it peters out then head north at that point towards Cape Town. It just looks a bit messy four days out from now...
(Although that SE wind direct from Cape Town looks unusually strong and consistent so a few boats have taken that route north of the low..)

This head south and follow the lows will be the plan on the next two legs across the Southern Ocean as well.. to get close to the Southern edge of each low to be catapulted forwards.. You will also see the great circle route in the next leg would take you a long way south!

I sat for a while today deciding whether to follow Alistair and MJM or beat upwind all the way to the finish. In the end I decided to follow in the hope that they might get stuck sometime heading back up north east. The nearest boat behind me is SKT and about 200 miles back so hopefully I wont lose any places. I still reckon south will be quicker.
I think it is a high we are skirting not a low. winds in the southern hemisphere go anti-clock around highs and clock around lows. Is that right?


http://www.stormsurfing.com/cgi/display_alt.cgi?a=satla_slp

 

[Martin_J]

Spyro.. .You are right... The Lows are off the bottom of the chart then. We are not as far south yet as I thought.. Apologies.

 

[Martin_J]

Spyro.. Thanks.. Just checked your link as well.. A nice moving picture of the fronts (and lows!) coming along...

 

[tmh900]

The leading pack - are they just lucky?

i.e. the pack that went to the west then south of the high that has been lying to the west of Cape Town. The leading pack went round it when it was nice and small, now as I approach the high it elongates to the west and engulfs me! This was not shown on the SOL wind forecasts. Are the leaders just lucky?

 

[Spyro]

i.e. the pack that went to the west then south of the high that has been lying to the west of Cape Town. The leading pack went round it when it was nice and small, now as I approach the high it elongates to the west and engulfs me! This was not shown on the SOL wind forecasts. Are the leaders just lucky?

I still believe they got very lucky with the west passage in the atlantic after Gib but they have done well since the mark at Fenando. I think they are just far enough ahead to outrun the high. I'm sure I won't be.

 

[Grunter]

Only just getting to grips with it all, am now realising that choosing a course to give greater speed earlier on has led to me suffering falling further and further back now...

how long after the first finisher is it before it stops? guessing it wont wait for everybody to finish. hope to make it to the next waypoint before it does.

 

[Spyro]

Only just getting to grips with it all, am now realising that choosing a course to give greater speed earlier on has led to me suffering falling further and further back now...

how long after the first finisher is it before it stops? guessing it wont wait for everybody to finish. hope to make it to the next waypoint before it does.

Leg 2 starts sun 11th dec I'd imagine we have up until a few days before that to finish.

schedule here
http://www.volvooceanrace.com/stati...les/m50_Volvo-Ocean-Race-Schedule-2011-V3.pdf