Vendée Globe 2016-2017

Well I guess as soon as Alex detected Armel on the change of course he will have set his best track closing heading. The Remora model suggests that Armel will extend his lead on this homeward leg by 30NM and he will arrive around 1530 GMT (in the light?) and Alex will arrive around 2230 (not in the light!!!)

Interesting battle ahead for 9th place, Conrad Coleman has been given an opportunity and it is down to - has he got the remaining sails to make the best of it.

A couple of videos about Rich Wilson at the Horn and being buzzed by a C130 from MPA

Post Horn

C130 Buzz
 
NormanB said:
Armel has just turned onto 160 and Alex continues heading NE at out 4.5 knots, he gained about a mile in the last report and is now 33.3 miles behind. He did sound absolutely bolloxed in the phone interview with Vendee TV.
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I have just seen the 1700 update. BP has turned and HB has not . . . .

My first thought was "Master and Commander. He has turned after dark and left a raft with a lantern as a decoy."

but a replay of the VG tracker showed that he turned before the indicated night. Very Sporting.

BTW, I woke from a bad dream here in Brisbane, Aus (I don't dream often) and first thing I did was look at the clock and work out the time in the Western Approach.
 
BigJoe said:
Alex talking on VG TV today....................... sounds absolutely knackers, not hared him like that before.

Not being helped by being asked stupid questions.
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Having listened to that interview, I think Alex's priority is to get HB and himself to the finish safely. He was trying to get his wind instruments working again so he can put the autopilot on wind angle. He hasn't slept at all for 48 hours, in case of an accidental gybe. This and no AIS transmission in this busy area must be enormously stressful! Any fight for 1st place has probably gone. Lets hope he makes it. Finishing in 2nd with the problems he has had will be a magnificent achievement!!
 
BigJoe said:
Alex talking on VG TV today....................... sounds absolutely knackers, not hared him like that before.

Not being helped by being asked stupid questions.
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Sounded absolutely wrecked.... 48 hours without sleep and racing through busy shipping lanes without AIS. Not a good mix.
 
adwuk said:
If Armel were to tack now, and Alex continue until their tracks cross, the distance between them would be about 55-60nm. You may want to consider that Armel has overstood the line to give himself a better, and faster, angle to the finish. The fact is that either of them could tack now and lay the finish, and the difference in distance to finish is around 35nm, but the better angle results in higher speeds. Armel still has the advantage, and will most likely only lose this if he hits something, snags a lobster pot, or breaks something.
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flaming said:
It's 34 miles if both boats were to point straight at the finish. I.e BP is about 34 miles closer to the finish by the shortest route. However, neither boat is expected to do that, and in fact Alex is expected to pretty much follow Armel's line. If you go to the tracker and measure the distance between the boats I have it at 56 miles. So in reality Alex is 56 miles back.

Alex has sailed extremely well to be so close with a damaged boat, but sadly I don't see him getting past now.
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Thanks both. It makes perfect sense.
 
Alex has turned SE, now doing 9 knots to Armel's 16 knots ( model suggests similar wind speed) who now has a lead of 50+ miles already.
 
They are both magnificent sailors; it has been a privilege to watch this effort. We are, all of us, the better for having seen it.

I'm Irish, and have been rooting for AT for the whole race, but on reflection they are both heroes. Well done to all concerned.

PWR
 
@ 0400UT AC is 8mi off the French coast. I wonder how long ago he made landfall.

AT has not had any breaks. Looking at the wind plots, AC always had the wind a bit more on the beam, giving him more speed potential and a little more flexibility choosing where to sail.

AT has done as much as really possible, it would have taken some enormous fluke of a wind change to get in front.

Well done both sailors.

Edit: Crikey! AC has sailed over/near some very hard stuff off the Ile du Sein, according to

https://gis.ee/vg/navionics.php?boat=3
 
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adwuk said:
This is a useful link. Shows he is tracking right to the edge of it. https://gis.ee/vg/navionics.php?boat=3
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If that routing is correct......................, Le Cleac'h passed over Ar Galliged, a reef on the Raz de Sein showing a depth of just 1 meter.

1 meter............................one

That's crazy local knowledge and tidal awareness is that track is correct.
 
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