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

[dunedin]

The Ocean Race started yesterday - Spectacular start day for The Ocean Race in Alicante

Let’s hope they have a good and safe race, the first time the IMOCA 60s have raced round the world in crewed mode.

However, having been in Gothenburg for the finish of a previous Volvo Ocean Race, it was sad to see a fleet of just 5 boats heading round the world. Only needs a couple of breakages to be a non event. And in the Southern Ocean, the number of “nearby” boats has saved quite a few lives in the Vendee Globe, for example.

I had thought the second feet of VO65 boats were also racing round the world. But it appears that they are just doing a shorter “European focussed” race, not going round the world.

 

[Bajansailor]

Gosh. Foiling through the Southern Ocean.
I just hope that they all survive with no major breakages.

 

[dunedin]

Gosh. Foiling through the Southern Ocean.
I just hope that they all survive with no major breakages.

They have been foiling through the Southern Ocean on these boats solo for two editions of the Vendee Globe already

And the autopilots are so sophisticated these days they reckon the crewed boats will be on autopilot 99.9% of the time - with the crew doing sail set / trim and routing

 

[capnsensible]

Been having a great beat out of the Alboran Sea and through the Straits. Interesting tactics from some. And Liberal views of the TSS.

 

[Minerva]

I saw on Social media the mention of Ocean Race - I never twigged this was the whiteness/Volvo ocean.

5 boats on the start line does some a little lacklustre.

It will be interesting to see if the average boat speed differs with being fully crewed but with extra weight being carried compared to being lighter but less well attended when in single handed mode!

 

[Bobc]

It's great to see fully crewed IMOCAs racing. It'll be interesting to see how hard they push them.

Cheering on Sam Goodchild on Kevin's boat (PRB)

 

[capnsensible]

Seen this? Hourly updates at the moment.

Tracker - The Ocean Race 2022-23

 

[affinite]

Anyone else nervous at the thought of the IMOCAs charging through the Canaries at +30kts, on autopilot, at night with on-watch crew "watching" from a bubble in a fully enclosed cockpit ?
Brings back memories of the incident in Hong Kong during the last race.

 

[Bobc]

Anyone else nervous at the thought of the IMOCAs charging through the Canaries at +30kts, on autopilot, at night with on-watch crew "watching" from a bubble in a fully enclosed cockpit ?
Brings back memories of the incident in Hong Kong during the last race.

There are 4 crew on the boat, so there will always be 2 people on watch.

 

[dunedin]

Anyone else nervous at the thought of the IMOCAs charging through the Canaries at +30kts, on autopilot, at night with on-watch crew "watching" from a bubble in a fully enclosed cockpit ?
Brings back memories of the incident in Hong Kong during the last race.

Compared to the HUGE fleet of solo sailors in the Route du Rum, which included much faster foiling maxi multihulls, 5 crewed IMOCAs is almost immaterial

 

[affinite]

Compared to the HUGE fleet of solo sailors in the Route du Rum, which included much faster foiling maxi multihulls, 5 crewed IMOCAs is almost immaterial

Fair point

 

[capnsensible]

Check this out:

 

[Bobc]

Some new drone footage of them reaching down towards the Canaries. What a machine.

 

[dunedin]

You can see why the solo sailors like their covered cockpits these days

Perhaps that is what dancrane is always going on about wanting his motor sailor with a pilot house ?

 

[capnsensible]

I've not sailedat those speeds. But I've gone pretty fast in strong winds and bumpy seas. Water is hard stuff and with boats already travelling so fast it must be like brick walls and bullets. So no surprise that covered cockpits are in.

Using the old military adage,any idiot can be uncomfortable. And in this case, its gonna help.

 

[Zing]

I've not sailedat those speeds. But I've gone pretty fast in strong winds and bumpy seas. Water is hard stuff and with boats already travelling so fast it must be like brick walls and bullets. So no surprise that covered cockpits are in.

Using the old military adage,any idiot can be uncomfortable. And in this case, its gonna help.

It looks horrid. Maybe I’ll keep my slow cruiser after all, but upwind in those winds they are not as fast as I was expecting. From a screen shot:

 

[flaming]

It looks horrid. Maybe I’ll keep my slow cruiser after all, but upwind in those winds they are not as fast as I was expecting. From a screen shot:

View attachment 149583

You do realise that's 48 knots of true wind....?

 

[Zing]

You do realise that's 48 knots of true wind....?

Obviously, otherwise my post makes no sense.

These are high wind very fast boats and if designed for anything near 55kt apparent would be going much faster. I would like to know what their full sail wind speed is, but it has to be a long way off this.

 

[flaming]

Obviously, otherwise my post makes no sense.

These are high wind very fast boats and if designed for anything near 55kt apparent would be going much faster. I would like to know what their full sail wind speed is, but it has to be a long way off this.

Yeah... So if you don't think going over 8 knots upwind in 48 is pretty good, then we're talking about very different things....

48 knots is generally "survival" conditions, not racing conditions. And these boats have upwind performance as a very low priority. Even so, in 48 knots (and attendant waves) I'd expect the crews to be backing right off to avoid damage. You don't win a round the world race by configuring your boat to be fast upwind in survival conditions. Generally you win it by being fast off the wind in the trades and in the South.

 

[capnsensible]

This part of their website has some great video footage of life on board:

CONTENT FROM THE BOATS - The Ocean Race 2022-23