Vendee Globe and Alex Thomson / Hugo Boss

[cherod]

Yep,
methinks there will be a host of race yacht design houses and CFD specialists at Uni etc who will try and build a model and replicate a (load) scenario that might cause that damage

( seems this has gone to the wrong reply !! )
dont know that i can agree with that ,, looks to me that it has given on the three weakest points equally which to me indicates that the loads have been spread evenly and correctly across that stress member but have been underestimated and too much has been taken out of the centre ( aperture ) will be interesting to see if the repair ( it is a bodge by any other name ) will address that issue .

 

[kof]

He's back racing again

 

[cherod]

just watched that ,, all good for now

 

[Hermit]

So, interesting remarks and fantastic to see him going again.

What I wonder is ... there was a lot of talk after storm Theta that LnkedOut and Apiva were catching him and sailing faster (different foils etc. which may well be true).

However, do you think that AT was perhaps holding back to get down to the Saint Helena high safely before deciding to do the repairs in the area where he knew/suspected it would be calmer but also that he wouldn’t be overtaken by miles?

if so, bloody well done to him!

 

[glynd]

Was perhaps the carbon fibre too rigid?
Not flexing a little, and resulting in the cracking under shock loads?

Hope for his future health, he was wearing a decent face mask

Full on credit to him and the team repairing something like this on the go

 

[Ulysses II]

Very impressive to be able to take on a repair of such a major structural element. Do the engineers on here think it likely that the fracture sites suggest that the damage is through repetitive twisting of the structure, rather than vertical impacts?

 

[E39mad]

No engineer but carbon fibre is extremely strong along the directions of it's weave but is prone to shatter when impacted side on.

Kevlar has better impact qualities.

 

[dom]

I love this guy ....indomitable Alex!!

Perhaps he needs a bit of luck now tp get him through the Southern Ocean so let's wish him oceans of it!
???

 

[Airscrew]

Looks like AT has slowed overnight - likely to do some more work in the cool.
By my calcs, if he gets going again today, then a Southerly route could see him (and Sam + Louis) about 18hours behind Dalin at the CapeGH. So game on.
But also likely that LeCam, PRB, etc will miss the 'gate', and will end up behind AT/Sam/Louis.
Also possible that LinkedOut will loose ground to Apivia today, and so could be along way behind at the Cape...

 

[LONG_KEELER]

Looks like he's still working from home instead of racing the boat.

Around 3 knots boat speed and 470 miles behind the leader .

Should be easy to catch up though. All he has to do is maintain a speed of 1 kt over the leading boat . Will only take
19 odd days to catch him.

 

[dom]

Looks like he's still working from home instead of racing the boat.

Working to protect both his home and his principal asset you mean

 

[Little Dorrit]

Looking at this situation as a pragmatist I would want to know how or why the forces that caused the failure were generated and where they will be transferred to next time. If he really believes this is an issue now behind him then bravo; obviously, these people are made of sterner stuff than me.

 

[flaming]

Looking at this situation as a pragmatist I would want to know how or why the forces that caused the failure were generated and where they will be transferred to next time. If he really believes this is an issue now behind him then bravo; obviously, these people are made of sterner stuff than me.

It wouldn't surprise me at all to eventually learn that they know what caused this, and possibly it was something like winding a bit too much tension into the MH0 luff.

 

[Little Dorrit]

It wouldn't surprise me at all to eventually learn that they know what caused this, and possibly it was something like winding a bit too much tension into the MH0 luff.

Correct me if I am wrong but I think AT's boat is one of the few that have not been through a rigorous test 'in anger'. Do you think the IMOCA standings give us some idea of how much the boats have been tested?

 

[flaming]

Correct me if I am wrong but I think AT's boat is one of the few that have not been through a rigorous test 'in anger'. Do you think the IMOCA standings give us some idea of how much the boats have been tested?

It hasn't sailed in a race, no, but he did go out for about 2 weeks and look for some rough stuff. In contract the Vendee Artic race was sailed in pretty average wind conditions.

Alex's preparation was far from ideal, but I'm not sure it was as bad as many are making out.

 

[Spyro]

7

Looks like AT has slowed overnight - likely to do some more work in the cool.
By my calcs, if he gets going again today, then a Southerly route could see him (and Sam + Louis) about 18hours behind Dalin at the CapeGH. So game on.
But also likely that LeCam, PRB, etc will miss the 'gate', and will end up behind AT/Sam/Louis.
Also possible that LinkedOut will loose ground to Apivia today, and so could be along way behind at the Cape...

The Weather for the leaders doesn't look great but In about 60 hours time there's a system coming along that hopefully the chasing pack will catch and make ground on the two in front. Linkedout seems to have hit a brick wall on the latest update?

 

[Seven Spades]

Alex and Sam and another boat have made a sharp turn to starboard to get as far south as possible. This could be a very good move; if you fast forward the forecast the leading boats look like they are going to be stuck in a ridge of high pressure unless they can get south.

 

[DJE]

So clearly advice on repairs doesn't count as outside assistance under the rules. I'm not saying that it should but just wondering if there is a special dispensation for this race or is it generally allowed.

 

[flaming]

So clearly advice on repairs doesn't count as outside assistance under the rules. I'm not saying that it should but just wondering if there is a special dispensation for this race or is it generally allowed.

In this case it's in the NOR.

4.3.5 Remote technical advice
Remote technical advice, defined as “any information given by a support person (within the meaning of the RRS) enabling the skipper to solve, alone and with the means available on board, a technical problem on the boat” is authorized.
It is prohibited:
• Technical advice shall not give information to the skipper about the precise timing to carry out repairs in order to optimize the trajectory of the boat and minimize its loss in distance.
• Technical advice shall be restricted to actions of repair; under no circumstances shall it be connected with manoeuvering or operating the boat, particularly to compensate the loss in performance following technical damage.
• Remote control, defined as « any external human and/or technological intervention on the boat, including sending personalized updates by email, allowing remote action on one or several elements, equipment, or settings of the boat in place of the crew”.
• Downloading software or updates by the boat is prohibited (except for those publicly accessible, referenced and subject to authorization by the race management before
downloading).
It is authorized to:
• Are authorized all oral or written exchanges of photos and videos aimed at enabling the skipper and its team to describe a technical problem and offer a method of repair so that the skipper can make the repair autonomously.
• Any technical advice to the skipper shall be accessible at all times to the race management. If a group of technical discussion through instant messaging (such as Whats App, Telegram, etc.) is set up, the race management shall be included in it.

I especially like the bit about the race committee being copied into a whatsapp group!

 

[TLouth7]

I can see how the chasing group inc Alex can get round the back of the big High, but what is the process for the leaders here? Head for Tristan de Cunha and hope the adverse/light winds pass over rapidly?