Vendee Globe and Alex Thomson / Hugo Boss

Home - Great Cape Race

Raced under ORC and starts next October. Could well be worth watching...

The issue with the VOR was that the sponsors wanted it to go to their key markets to help them sell their product. Which was behind the race going to the middle east (and Abu Dhabi sponsoring a boat) and China.

Although Volvo have gone, it seems very likely that the course will be fairly similar. The sponsors for that sort of event aren't in South Africa, Australasia or South America. The Great Capes race is a bit different as it looks like it's going for a mix of Private owners and teams like the IMOCA teams looking for an event to do in the "off" years.

4 FEES
4.1 It is the OA’s intention to run the race with a minimum of eight entrants and a maximum of 14.
A race entry fee equivalent to €200k + (yacht LOA x €3000) will be payable by all yachts competing.

12 PRIZES
To be confirmed.

I'm out!
 
I think it's important to find out if the yacht LOA is measured in Metres or feet for this calculation before completely ruling yourself out....
Given that they didn't specify in the rule then no prizes for guessing it's feet. :-)
Minimum 60*3000 on top of the 200K I better start looking for a sponsor. and boat. and crew. :-)
 
For those who have an interest in the recent structural issues on Hugo Boss I have just watched an interesting video that explores some of the design issues. Link The young chap presenting is quite good and is developing his channel with a recent focus on the Vendee. He does not profess to know the answers but rather just explores.
 
Last edited:
For those who have an interest in the recent structural issues on Hugo Boss I have just watched an interesting video that explores some of the design issues. Link The young chap presenting is quite good and is developing his channel with a recent focus on the Vendee. He does not profess to know the answers but rather just explores.
Thanks for posting the link.
 
I'm wondering if AT still has problems. He's considerably slower than all around him and seems to be running downwind again. No updates or videos today?
 
If I was Alex I would be cautious until I knew whether the repairs are likely to solve the problem or create more problems. I am not convinced that this will be end of the problems if he goes at the speeds needed to win. Time will tell............
 
Latest (2100h - 26/11) data is puzzling when you look at the 4 hour averages. AT's boatspeed is .4.7 Kts when the boats close (approx 50 M) behind him are doing 11+, the boats ahead are doing 14 and even the 3 boats to the East who have cut in towards the dead wind near high are dong 6-8 kts.

Very strange

On a cheerier note, it looks like Sam Davies (and Burton) can switch on the autopilot for a few days and have a snooze.
 
Back in the 70s, I remember having to download weather maps from the RN, by morse, and then having to draw my own pressure maps. And navigational info was by DR, celestial or guesswork!
So most definitely having come a long way. Not sure that it always forward though, so far as skill is concerned , just different skill sets.
Thanks for that. Just brought to mind our Dad with a radio showing us signal strength (witchcraft) and direction and also listening to the SF watching him sketch out pressure maps.
 
For those who have an interest in the recent structural issues on Hugo Boss I have just watched an interesting video that explores some of the design issues. Link The young chap presenting is quite good and is developing his channel with a recent focus on the Vendee. He does not profess to know the answers but rather just explores.
Thanks. Very interesting content in your link.
 
What is AT looking at when he so frequently trims the mainsail? It is very difficult to imagine how he can see much of the mainsail in his dungeon, so does he have some sort of electronic tell-tales on the sail, or is he looking at one of his cameras?
 
What is AT looking at when he so frequently trims the mainsail? It is very difficult to imagine how he can see much of the mainsail in his dungeon, so does he have some sort of electronic tell-tales on the sail, or is he looking at one of his cameras?
Strategically placed windows and cameras.
 
Top