The GGR race, discussion and news

[JPA Cate]

Normally, a foreign language post would not be left in a CF thread.
However, due to the content of the message, and the fact that it is available in English on the linked blog, the mod team have decided to leave it in.

JPA Cate, for the mod team

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by moniia

Ok, now with a link [emoji6]

http://www.seawitch-sailing.co.uk/home/news-wieści/

Some important news on the website

Thanks for the update. All the best with the 2019 restart for you, and sorting out your health.

[Snowpetrel]

I have bben enjoying listening to the soundcloud chats with the skippers. Lots of good insights into the goings on. Mark slats latest has a lot of info, like the fact yhat he is just winging it weatherwise, following the traditional sailing route and using basic forcasts as opposed to the french who seem to be using lots of shore side weather info. They are using the HF for chats amongst the fleet.

Istvans windvane issues don't seem to be over. He has reported the blade is lost, or broken today. Reading the windpilot blog and Istvans reports shows some large discrepancy's and tensions. There are similarities between Istvans and Crowhursts situations. Strong financial pressure to complete the GGR, but with big problems onboard.

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by Jimroda06

Ok Guys, "Comments" how would a Cape Dory 36 stack up against the Rustler 36 performance wise.

Similar waterline length and displacement. Looks like the cape dory has more sail, less ballast and less beam. So at a guess, the cape dory better in the light, the rustler better to windward? Downwind its all going to be about who can keep the boat going straight and fast. Ie efficient windvane and sail combinations and setup. I think Tomy will surprise a few people. Those Erics have a long waterline and track very well.

[Snowpetrel]

Just listened to Coconuts weekly chat. Seems like many of the competitors have removed their dorade vents. Things are going to get super yucky down south whe the main hatch has to be left closed. Mould is pretty hard to get rid of once it takes hold...

He has a very chilled attitude. Sailing conservatively and reading lots of books. One of the about Stephen Bradbury. He may yet do a "Bradbury".

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Just listened to Coconuts weekly chat. Seems like many of the competitors have removed their dorade vents. Things are going to get super yucky down south whe the main hatch has to be left closed. Mould is pretty hard to get rid of once it takes hold...

He has a very chilled attitude. Sailing conservatively and reading lots of books. One of the about Stephen Bradbury. He may yet do a "Bradbury".

Being but a simple sailorman I have only just figured out how to put the Windy winds on the map.....

So for the slower denizens of CF where do you find these chats?

Dunno why things would be going mouldy down below nor do I understand why you would unship your dorades..... why not just trim them 'off the wind'?

'Nother query.... what wind and wx info do they have available to them?

I assume they have no idea where the other boats are.

[er9]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

I have bben enjoying listening to the soundcloud chats with the skippers. Lots of good insights into the goings on. Mark slats latest has a lot of info, like the fact yhat he is just winging it weatherwise, following the traditional sailing route and using basic forcasts as opposed to the french who seem to be using lots of shore side weather info. They are using the HF for chats amongst the fleet.

Istvans windvane issues don't seem to be over. He has reported the blade is lost, or broken today. Reading the windpilot blog and Istvans reports shows some large discrepancy's and tensions. There are similarities between Istvans and Crowhursts situations. Strong financial pressure to complete the GGR, but with big problems onboard.

i just dont understand how someone with his experience and background can be having so many problems with such an essential piece of gear. I followed his restoration blog closely and i know he was under the gun to get everything ready in time but it seems to be some significant problems. im starting to think Aries or Monitor gave him a big fat check to break the windpilot over and over for publicity/marketing sake. just doesnt make sense. its not like he's even in heavy weather yet.

[er9]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Being but a simple sailorman I have only just figured out how to put the Windy winds on the map.....

So for the slower denizens of CF where do you find these chats?

Dunno why things would be going mouldy down below nor do I understand why you would unship your dorades..... why not just trim them 'off the wind'?

'Nother query.... what wind and wx info do they have available to them?

I assume they have no idea where the other boats are.

on the Golden Globe main website click on Live/Day by Day. You can find everything on that page. chats are at the top of page. Also menu links to the videos, facebook etc... The YouTube video's are good.

[Snowpetrel]

https://soundcloud.com/goldenglobera...te-call-310718

The rest should come up as an option as well.

The list can also be found on here https://goldengloberace.com under the soundcloud option. Facebook GGR page also links to the soundcloud chats.

[Snowpetrel]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Dunno why things would be going mouldy down below nor do I understand why you would unship your dorades..... why not just trim them 'off the wind'?

I think a few wild weeks down south with the hatch closed and NO ventilation at all will see those boats turn into a sauna, especially if they are cooking. With all the moisture mould will start to grow.. Yuck! At the moment its not an issue as the main hatch can be left open, and often the forward hatch.

'Nother query.... what wind and wx info do they have available to them?

I assume they have no idea where the other boats are.

They only get what they can gleen from the SSB. But I think this is probably the biggest loophole, as they can talk to friends via HF and it would be pretty hard to police them getting some freindly routing advice. It sounds like the top French guys are getting more detailed forcasts from their shore teams.

They can get info about other vessels via HF.

Just listened to Istvans latest. Not a happy camper. I hope he can find the inner piece of mind to deal with what comes, and the unknowns. Sounds like the southern ocean is playing on his mind at the moment.

[moniia]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Normally, a foreign language post would not be left in a CF thread.
However, due to the content of the message, and the fact that it is available in English on the linked blog, the mod team have decided to leave it in.

JPA Cate, for the mod team

I do apologise, I have copied a post with a wrong photo in it and could not, for some reason, change it later*

*I use Tapatalk, I cannot for some reason add photos from there (error)

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Snowpetrel

Just listened to Coconuts weekly chat. ....

He has a very chilled attitude. Sailing conservatively and reading lots of books. One of the about Stephen Bradbury. He may yet do a "Bradbury".

This has been his strategy for at least the past year, maybe longer.

He did sound more relaxed on the last satphone hookup. For the first couple of calls he sounded a bit lonely to me and I was worried that he was finding the isolation heavy going. He is a very outgoing and friendly person so I felt it would hit him harder than some.

[Snowpetrel]

^^ I am also following mark closely. As the only Aussie for one reason, but mostly because he is a nice guy doing it without sponsorship or any fuss. I am especially looking forward to seeing Coconut in storm bay in a few months.

http://goldengloberace.com/what-is-h...g-the-2018ggr/

A good summary of the windvane and HF issues. To me this is what gives the GGR its uniqueness, as both are old and less used technology these days and those with effective units that know how to use them will have a huge advantage over those with problems.

I think most of the issues with the vanes are due to wheel steering rather than the vanes themselves. If I was in Istvan or Antoine's shoes I'd be trying running it to the emergency tiller or the Auxiliary rudder. In fact I am cery surprised none of them have used a servo pendulum to aux rudder system.

ABHILASH..…….WINDPILOT…..SPONSORED….OK

ANTOINE……….WINDPILOT……SPONSORED….NOT OK..Parts and Operator issue?

ARE Wiig……… MONITOR………. NEW…………. OK

ERTAN.. ………..HYDROVANE……NEW…….…… OK

Francesco………BEAUFORT………NEW…………. OK

GREGOR………..HYDROVANE……NEW…………..OK

IGOR……………..WINDPILOT…..…SPONSORED…….OK

ISTVAN…………..WINDPILOT……..SPONSORED…….NOT OK..A whole story.

JL VDH……….….HYDROVANE……NEW……….…..OK

KEVIN…………….HYDROVANE……OLD………..….OK…(Operator issue)?

LOIC*………………HYDROVANE……OLD……….….OK

COCONUT……..…ARIES…………….OLD………..…OK

MARK SLATS…….ARIES…………….NEW……….…OK

NABIL………………BEAUFORT………NEW…………..NOT OK..welds broken on critical part!

PHILIPPE*…………BEAUFORT………NEW……….…OK

SUSIE………..…….MONITOR………..NEW…………..OK

TAPIO………………WINDPILOT………NEW………….OK.. after a week settling in

UKU…………………HYDROVANE…….NEW………….OK

[El Pinguino]

Interesting how it is isn't just the 'leaders' , the entire fleet seems to have split into two camps, easteners and westerners.... looking at the prognosis about 30 hours out my money would be on the westeners ooops!!!..... my directional dyslexia strikes again... easteners.. however it is still early days.

SSB... hmm ... easy peasy to set up a clandestine sked to get weather advice ... however maintaining it around the world would be problematic... I maintained a sked with Tony's net ( just for chit chat... not for wx) on my last long trip ( 14315 ) but had a rather clever bloke in NZ sorting the times to suit the propagation .... went from 0800 NZ time to 1700 NZ time... going by what we have read above I doubt these people have the SSB skills to do that....

[Snowpetrel]

^^ yeah, looks like a window may open for the eastern mob to 'cut the corner' and hook into the next low. Time will tell, and at displacement speeds they can't ride the fronts so the longer term game will be interesting. They still will need to get well south to make sure the high doesn't establish on top of them.

But I think the eastern route looks faster at the moment. It would be very hard to discuss the weather with a shore party and not get subtle routing tips. But I guess the conversations are able to be listened to by all, though radio laws generally mean that anything overheard must be kept secret.