Vendee Globe and Alex Thomson / Hugo Boss

Little Dorrit said:
Finally, chasing down is easier than being chased! There are no rewards for getting to any point other than the finish first and it's easier to catch someone than it is to stay ahead. When you are on top in any sport it's hard to maintain that position because there are no benchmarks. Always better to have a strategy of coming from behind rather than one of leading all the way.
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Alex has said that he prefers to lead from the front. The problem with being behind is that you may miss a weather system that the boats in front of you can ride. The rich get richer as they say. In the Southern Ocean once you get a whole system behind it is almost impossible to catch up.

Little Dorrit said:
Hopefully, I am right, but I'm not putting any money on it.
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What a shame. I have in the past enjoyed some very satisfying prediction threads on other fora, most recently betting (for satisfaction not money) on the future locations of a Frenchman who decided to cross the Atlantic in a barrel.

Perhaps we should make a bet thread over on the Racing Forum? Predictions of any boat's location a week ahead, closest wins. Any takers?
 
TLouth7 said:
Alex has said that he prefers to lead from the front. The problem with being behind is that you may miss a weather system that the boats in front of you can ride. The rich get richer as they say. In the Southern Ocean once you get a whole system behind it is almost impossible to catch up.


What a shame. I have in the past enjoyed some very satisfying prediction threads on other fora, most recently betting (for satisfaction not money) on the future locations of a Frenchman who decided to cross the Atlantic in a barrel.

Perhaps we should make a bet thread over on the Racing Forum? Predictions of any boat's location a week ahead, closest wins. Any takers?
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Very well made point. As you can tell I am not a racer but yes I know it's has been said on various YouTube updates that getting a long way behind and being out of touch with the weather systems others are riding is definitely not good. But staying in touch within a few hundred miles is ok, isn't it? Would all you expert racing sailors be pushing the boat and yourself to the limit right now just to get ahead or say ahead?
 
Little Dorrit said:
Very well made point. As you can tell I am not a racer but yes I know it's has been said on various YouTube updates that getting a long way behind and being out of touch with the weather systems others are riding is definitely not good. But staying in touch within a few hundred miles is ok, isn't it? Would all you expert racing sailors be pushing the boat and yourself to the limit right now just to get ahead or say ahead?
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The major benefit of being in front is the ability to cover - to put yourself between a desired place and the opposition. That place is normally a mark, but in a race like this it will also be points on weather systems. Once in a covering position you might then have an opportunity to take your foot off the gas a little, but as mentioned, the dream is really to get a whole weather system between you. It's yacht racing though, so not infallible.

(ps. I'm not self-identifying as an expert).
 
Airscrew said:
AT has already shown on video that the sensor records the peak.
The peak of 117 is when his alarm goes off.
He said he needs it that loud to be certain that he will wake up!!!

The average background was/is around 100, which is still very very loud....
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He said the alarm annunciates at 135db so that is heard/wakes him up.
 
anoccasionalyachtsman said:
The major benefit of being in front is the ability to cover - to put yourself between a desired place and the opposition. That place is normally a mark, but in a race like this it will also be points on weather systems. Once in a covering position you might then have an opportunity to take your foot off the gas a little, but as mentioned, the dream is really to get a whole weather system between you. It's yacht racing though, so not infallible.

(ps. I'm not self-identifying as an expert).
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Whether you are an expert or not I obviously have a great deal to learn and will bow to your knowledge.
 
Corum is sitting in the Cape Verde with the complete mast missing and one of the spreader beams , foils seem to be ok ,, at anchor / mooring , out in the bay .
 
AT's race is run!
By the sound of the press release it's not a minor problem.

At approximately 19:00 UTC on Saturday 21st November, British Skipper Alex Thomson notified his team on shore of a possible structural issue onboard the HUGO BOSS boat.
At the time, Thomson was located approximately 800 miles east of Rio de Janeiro in the South Atlantic ocean, and was 13 days into the Vendée Globe round-the-world yacht race.
Thomson and his team, together with their appointed naval architects and structural engineers, are now working together to assess the extent of the structural issue and to determine a repair programme and timeline.
Thomson is safe and well onboard, and in regular dialogue with the team. The Vendée Globe race organisation has been notified and is being kept well informed.
We kindly ask that members of the public refrain from attempting to contact the team at this time. A further update will be released on Sunday 22nd November.
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It doesn't sound good at all but he is still heading in the right direction albeit slowly and boat data is showing quite a heel angle. Canting keel?
 
LONG_KEELER said:
Bummer !

Hopefully not a design issue that can sometimes happen with new boats but a repairable wear and tear job.
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After what happened on the TJV a year ago, like Spyro, my thoughts turn immediately to his canting keel.

Let's hope that the problem is one that Alex can fix. Don't forget, that he very nearly managed to snatch victory last time, despite having one severely damaged foil for much of the race.
 
Yep doesn't look good for Alex. At least he is not in the Southern Ocean 1000s of miles from land.

Ruayant is up the mast also fixing a halyard so Dalin is taking advantage and Le Cam is creeping up behind. He's held onto 4th place brilliantly.
 
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