Vendee Globe 2024, Brits

Sam D has got to the bottom of her power blackout problems. Caused (if I've understood correctly) by the 'black box,' between her charging sources and the boat, shutting all power down, once a full charge was achieved (instead of cutting the charge supply to the batteries). Yesterday's stop (head to wind, in light airs, during the 14.00 sched 'speed gun' period) was (I'm guessing) to rewire the batteries, onto a back up system. Whilst stopped, Sam climbed the mast to replace the head lashing, on the square-top main. Hearing a loud sigh "like a wave echoing in a cave," she realised that a large Fin Whale had surfaced alongside. Which then swam behind the boat. Mesmerising Sam and leaving her with the feeling that the whale was watching out for her (again, if I've got the gist). By the time Sam thought to grab a camera, her companion had left.....

 
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Andi's +72hr weather / fleet position prediction (from today's Live)

Screenshot 2024-12-12 141101.png

Breakaway by Charlie, Seb & Yoann. Bunching (possibly to the advantantage of the Sams) behind.....

EDIT: Some wisdom and wit, from Loick Peyron, regarding Jean Le Cam's tactics, and choice of a daggerboard boat 22.43 to 24.05 , were the highlight of the Live, for me. (Link should open it at the right place)
 
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John_Silver said:
Andi's +72hr weather / fleet position prediction (from today's Live)

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Breakaway by Charlie, Seb & Yoann. Bunching (possibly to the advantantage of the Sams) behind.....

EDIT: Some wisdom and wit, from Loick Peyron, regarding Jean Le Cam's tactics, and choice of a daggerboard boat 22.43 to 24.05 highlight of the Live, for me. (Link should open it at the right place)
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The predictions have already changed. As of 15:00 Europe
Screenshot 2024-12-12 at 15.27.53.png
 
To stand still, in disadvantage-by-boat-age terms, for 2028, Pip would need something like the 2020 Apivia. (Owned by Alex Thomson, skippered by Clarisse and racing as L’Ocittane, this time round). To move her competitive game on (as Pip did upgrading from Super Bigou to Medallia ll) she’d need one of the new Verdier or Koch boats, currently leading the fleet. Which would take some serious sponsor commitment. And would put her into a similar competitive position to Sam G, in this race.
 
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ridgy said:
Quite afew up with Owen Clarke
https://www.owenclarkedesign.com/maxi-imoca-open60-racing-yacht-sales

Where do old imocas go? Like Ellen MacArthurs old boat that no longer qualifies. Guessing they are not really a.candidate for cruising conversions.
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Going back a number of years, before they were called Imoca. Olympian Challenger, an open 50, raced by Steve White was bought for a song. I helped the new owner with the delivery from Totnes to Cardiff. In those days the boats were almost empty shells and it was difficult to see any value in them. Today the cost of production in exotic materials and the complexity of rig, sails, electronics, hull and deck gear must make selling them on a big part of the financial planning for the race.
Allan
 
ridgy said:
...Where do old imocas go? Like Ellen MacArthurs old boat that no longer qualifies. Guessing they are not really a.candidate for cruising conversions.
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We know French chap who converted an Open 50 into a cruising yacht; we met him in Turkey years ago and the last I heard, he and the boat were in the Marquesa islands. It was (compared to our 35 footer) a really comfortable, spacious and practical liveaboard; though I doubt that he visited the Bahamas, the yacht was fitted with a 'short' keel, but it still drew 3m.
 
Yoann catches Seb. Who vows a fight back, once he gets onto starboard, in the Atlantic (I think)



Both have an advantage on Charlie. Able to sail, pretty much, due east. Whilst Charlie is having to gybe along the rhumb line…..

Pip and Sam D on the march. Some good insights, into Sam G's race philosophy (should open 3.24):

 
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John_Silver said:
To stand still, in disadvantage-by-boat-age terms, for 2028, Pip would need something like the 2020 Apivia. (Owned by Alex Thomson, skippered by Clarisse and racing as L’Ocittane, this time round). To move her competitive game on (as Pip did upgrading from Super Bigou to Medallia ll) she’d need one of the new Verdier or Koch boats, currently leading the fleet. Which would take some serious sponsor commitment. And would put her into a similar competitive position to Sam G, in this race.
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Sort of. From a pure date of build perspective then yes. However the big question is how much advantage the 2024 boats have over the 2020 boats. And then how much the 2028 boats will have over the 2024 boats.
And further, how much of that advantage is coming from things that cannot be upgraded. Which basically means hull shape and structure.

I think the leap from 2016 when the boats were designed with the thought that they could revert to daggerboard configuration if foiling wasn’t the advantage it looked to be, to 2024 when they were committed to foils, was a lot bigger than the leap to 2024 gen. And I think we’re largely seeing that play out. Especially with SamG’s performance.

And I think we’re also seeing boats that are optimised for different phases of the race more than ever.

Agree entirely that to move up the fleet Pip (and the others in 2016 builds) will have to go shopping, but not completely convinced that a 2020 build with the right hull shape is so significantly worse than a 2024 build that a judicious refit and new foils wouldn’t leapfrog a 2024 boat that didn’t refit.
 
Next week looks like a drag race, first 2 or 3(if Seb can hang on) on Stb tack and the rest all compressed on the front of the low on Port. By Friday they could all be on the back of the same low although still in two groups.

Screenshot 2024-12-14 at 20.18.06.png
 
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