Volvo Ocean race announcement

[flaming]

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Just getting to the point of announcing the new boats for the next edition.

 

[flaming]

And it's monohulls...

Basically imocas, with the boats "Able to be converted easily into an imoca compliant boat".

Can't get my head round that at the moment.

 

[Judders]

That makes sense as it means the boats have a purpose after the race. Given all the noise made about the race being eco friendly it's an obvious step.

I did think.it might also help reduce budgets by having a smaller boat with a resale market, however if teams now have to fork out for a second boat for the inshore races that perhaps was not the intention.

The inshore cats thing is an odd move to me. It's trying to take territory already populated and is a step too far from the founding principles of the race.

 

[flaming]

That makes sense as it means the boats have a purpose after the race. Given all the noise made about the race being eco friendly it's an obvious step.

I did think.it might also help reduce budgets by having a smaller boat with a resale market, however if teams now have to fork out for a second boat for the inshore races that perhaps was not the intention.

The inshore cats thing is an odd move to me. It's trying to take territory already populated and is a step too far from the founding principles of the race.

I agree with the cat thing. That's just a side show.

The interesting thing with the decision to go to an imoca compliant boat does limit them to similar tech (in terms of number and type of foils) that the imocas use, which clearly isn't what you'd do if you were starting from a blank page.

 

[Judders]

But what would you do if starting from a blank page?

 

[flaming]

But what would you do if starting from a blank page?

The first thing that springs to mind is that the IMOCA teams were saying they wanted to split the lifting surfaces and the lateral resistance surfaces, but the class rules prevented them.

 

[Ingwe]

The first thing that springs to mind is that the IMOCA teams were saying they wanted to split the lifting surfaces and the lateral resistance surfaces, but the class rules prevented them.

Exactly by the time these boats are available to do a vendee it will be about 2030 and I am sure the IMOCA guys will change the rules well before then to make foiling easier and more stable making these boats completely obsolete.

 

[flaming]

I suppose the thing in their favour is that the future of development in the imoca class looks to be foil based. Providing the hull rules don't change too much, bolting on new foils ought to be not too expensive... but if they aren't going to use the imoca OD keep and rig then there's extra cost for the solo sailor taking it on.