The Ocean Race (ex-Volvo, ex-Whitbread)

[r_h]

If you gave me the option between being in the Southern Ocean in a new, covered cockpit IMOCCA with live satellite feed showing the weather and a boat capable to put myself in precisely the best sector of a system and have the boat controls managed my a state of the art autopilot OR be sat exposed in the cockpit of a 35ft, 50 year old boat with no outside weather info and at the mercy of the luck of the draw... I think I know exactly what would offer the safest, most enjoyable and most memorable trip!

It would be the IMOCCA all the way!

Absolutely, nothing beats being able to identify the best part each weather system to be in and to have the speed to get there.

 

[Bobc]

Holy shit! They're flying! 11th Hour just set the 24hr record for an Open 60 of 544.06 miles.

 

[capnsensible]

After 23 days racing, they are all within 7 miles of the lead yacht.....

 

[Wansworth]

After 23 days racing, they are all within 7 miles of the lead yacht.....

Amazing

 

[Wansworth]

Amazing

Is this how we will beyachtinginthefuture,with the nasty sun boiling us up

 

[jlavery]

This is so impressive. 29kts regularly, all driven off autopilot. Drone struggling to keep up. All edited on board. Synchronised sound with drone footage really brings it to life.

 

[Wansworth]

This is so impressive. 29kts regularly, all driven off autopilot. Drone struggling to keep up. All edited on board. Synchronised sound with drone footage really brings it to life.

Ocean racin Ain’t what it used to be

 

[Wansworth]

I get the impression thatthe roaring forties were benign this year

 

[Bobc]

This is so impressive. 29kts regularly, all driven off autopilot. Drone struggling to keep up. All edited on board. Synchronised sound with drone footage really brings it to life.

This is what happens when you go to bed and leave the children in charge.

 

[flaming]

Stunning footage.

 

[capnsensible]

Stunning footage.

Agree. I thought the view of the others from the top of the mast the other day was great but that's probably the best sailing footage I've ever seen.

Apart from that stored in my head!

 

[jamie N]

Good grief, that's one of the finest videos I've ever seen!!

 

[dunedin]

This is so impressive. 29kts regularly, all driven off autopilot. Drone struggling to keep up. All edited on board. Synchronised sound with drone footage really brings it to life.

Yes, all on autopilot these days, as better than a human helm. Don’t imagine a vane self steering would cope with that

 

[affinite]

This is so impressive. 29kts regularly, all driven off autopilot. Drone struggling to keep up. All edited on board. Synchronised sound with drone footage really brings it to life.

Rosie @ 3:55 "Do you want a bit more speed ? "
Antoine "NO I (the drone) cant go any faster" !!

 

[dunedin]

33 days and thousands of high speed miles and the leaders are match racing within sight of each other The Ocean Race Leg 3 Day 33: Tension mounts as racing remains painfully close

 

[dunedin]

Incredible that the winner of the super fast race through the southern ocean was the boat that had to do a major repair to their carbon fibre masthead soon after the start. Amazing skill to effect such an effective repair, and the guts and skill to push to the limit but not beyond in the hurtle through the Southern Ocean.
Shame the fleet is so small, but 80% finish rate for super lightweight boats with swing keels, foils, twin rudders etc going at 4 or 5 times the speed of the GGR boats again shows that many peoples perceptions of suitable boats for ocean sailing are wrong.

 

[capnsensible]

I reckon it shows that lots of types of yachts can sail oceans...

 

[flaming]

Shame the fleet is so small, but 80% finish rate for super lightweight boats with swing keels, foils, twin rudders etc going at 4 or 5 times the speed of the GGR boats again shows that many peoples perceptions of suitable boats for ocean sailing are wrong.

Budget is quite a big factor too… An IMOCA with a GGR budget might not quite have the same success rate…

That said I think the biggest thing we see demonstrated time and time again is that when the boats can do decent speeds in “normal” conditions then the routing makes it much easier to avoid the nasty stuff….

 

[Birdseye]

Incredible that the winner of the super fast race through the southern ocean was the boat that had to do a major repair to their carbon fibre masthead soon after the start. Amazing skill to effect such an effective repair, and the guts and skill to push to the limit but not beyond in the hurtle through the Southern Ocean.
Shame the fleet is so small, but 80% finish rate for super lightweight boats with swing keels, foils, twin rudders etc going at 4 or 5 times the speed of the GGR boats again shows that many peoples perceptions of suitable boats for ocean sailing are wrong.

True - if you have their skill levels. Most of us dont so we need something slower and more ponderous.

 

[capnsensible]

Breaking news, Holcim dismasted, crew safe. Site reports more information soon.