Volvo Ocean Race

[Guest]

In our local rag today (The Courier Mail (Brisbane) or the Curious Snail as it's locally known) there was an artists impression cutaway drawing of a Volvo Open 60. In the forward part of the inside was a large dish shaped object that looked remarkebly like a large Satellite dish. I had a look through the web sites to do with these boats but they revealed little detail about the boats themselves which I think is a shame.

Does anyone know what this thing could be? It couldn't be a satellite dish as the boat is constantly moving. Judging by the scale of the drawing it would have to be at least 6 - 8 ft across!

 

[chrisc]

satellite communications (telephone and video) it says here
enormous thing ,cant realy see the point -if they hadn't fitted
that great thing they could have got a decent wine cellar in.

 

[kingfisher]

It is, it is a satellite dish

It's a gyro stabilized satellite dish for comms:

http://www.volvooceanrace.org/news/feature/f4_020213_communications.html

"Satellite communications equipment comes in many different shapes and forms, each having its own benefits. Just forward of the mast bulkhead on board each of the boats is an impressive piece of robotics that is the Nera Inmarsat B antenna. This US$30,000 item looks like a mini version of the dish you see parked outside telecoms or military installations around the world. Because it is important that the antenna remain focused on the satellite, it is gyrostabilised – a gyro monitors the movement of the boat and motors tilt and twist the dish accordingly to maintain alignment with the satellite."

Obi-Wan
http://sirocco31.tripod.com

 

[Jeremy_W]

Re: It is, it is a satellite dish

I think they are required (under race rules) to upload a certain amount of video time weekly so Volvo's PR Team can release a compilation to the World's media

 

[Guest]

Re: It is, it is a satellite dish

Now that is way cool, I want one. However I think I may opt for the wine cellar.