Vendee Globe 2016 - Bon Voyage!

[Polux]

"Hugo Boss skipper Thompson covered an incredible 531.5 nautical miles in the 24 hours leading up to 1100 UTC position update, notching up an impressive average speed of 22.1 knots in the process. The huge distance fell just short of the existing record set by reigning Vendee Globe champion François Gabart in December 2012 when he sailed 534.48nm in 24 hours through the Southern Ocean. But Thomson's shot at the coveted record is far from over - the perfect conditions caused by a low pressure system that is currently firing the frontrunners south at scorching speeds are set to continue for several days more. "

An they are not even on the zone where all Vendee Globe records are beaten. I hope Alex can maintain the boat on one piece till there even if I doubt that on that zone of strong winds Hugo Boss is going to be the fastest boat, at least without risking a lot more than the others breaking the foils. One thing is almost for sure: these boats are faster and the record is going to be beaten.

And about the foil noise:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x52...ee-globe_sport
Just terrible!!!!

[Tricolor]

Originally Posted by Polux

"Hugo Boss skipper Thompson covered an incredible 531.5 nautical miles in the 24 hours leading up to 1100 UTC position update, notching up an impressive average speed of 22.1 knots in the process. The huge distance fell just short of the existing record set by reigning Vendee Globe champion François Gabart in December 2012 when he sailed 534.48nm in 24 hours through the Southern Ocean. But Thomson's shot at the coveted record is far from over - the perfect conditions caused by a low pressure system that is currently firing the frontrunners south at scorching speeds are set to continue for several days more. "

An they are not even on the zone where all Vendee Globe records are beaten. I hope Alex can maintain the boat on one piece till there even if I doubt that on that zone of strong winds Hugo Boss is going to be the fastest boat, at least without risking a lot more than the others breaking the foils. One thing is almost for sure: these boats are faster and the record is going to be beaten.

He lost a Foil...

Here is Alex's account of what happened..

"Having had pretty quick night where the boat was sailing high averages and the boat was super uncomfortable I had retracted the foil 30% early this morning and was sailing the boat pretty conservatively in a building breeze. At 09.35 UT this morning I was down below trying to sleep and the boat was sailing in 22kts of wind with a J2 and one reef in the main. I was averaging 24kts of boat speed when I heard an almighty bang and the boat stopped and turned to starboard by about 30 degrees and the rudder popped up . I quickly went on deck, eased the main sheet and realised I must have hit something. I put the rudder back down, eased the boat down wind and went to take a look and the starboard foil has broken off. Right now I have taken the foot completely off the throttle and changed sails and retracted the remaining part of the foil and will sail on in these conditions until the wind and sea state moderate and I can inspect the damage and assess. I didn’t see anything in the water but it felt like the boat wrapped itself around something and it has caused some pretty significant damage to my foil. I was instructed to carry out an internal inspection of the boat and there does not appear to be any structural damage to the hull that I can see. For now I am going to continue and assess when I get the chance."

[SV DestinyAscen]

Ouch. Glad he and the boat is safe. Certainty brings up the question posted earlier about foilers performance in the contingency that they lose a blade.

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Tricolor

He lost a Foil...

Here is Alex's account of what happened..

"Having had pretty quick night where the boat was sailing high averages and the boat was super uncomfortable I had retracted the foil 30% early this morning and was sailing the boat pretty conservatively in a building breeze. At 09.35 UT this morning I was down below trying to sleep and the boat was sailing in 22kts of wind with a J2 and one reef in the main. I was averaging 24kts of boat speed when I heard an almighty bang and the boat stopped and turned to starboard by about 30 degrees and the rudder popped up . I quickly went on deck, eased the main sheet and realised I must have hit something. I put the rudder back down, eased the boat down wind and went to take a look and the starboard foil has broken off. Right now I have taken the foot completely off the throttle and changed sails and retracted the remaining part of the foil and will sail on in these conditions until the wind and sea state moderate and I can inspect the damage and assess. I didn’t see anything in the water but it felt like the boat wrapped itself around something and it has caused some pretty significant damage to my foil. I was instructed to carry out an internal inspection of the boat and there does not appear to be any structural damage to the hull that I can see. For now I am going to continue and assess when I get the chance."

I posted about that and about the choice of foils on my blog moments ago but the English translation is different.

On the original French one they don't say he lost a foil but that it sustained some damage and he thinks that it is not a light one. It says also nothing about the rudder having pooped out.

On Alex site you have a better translation or account, since I don't know what is the original, but he doesn't say that the foil is broken. Pretty much the same as the French on Vendee Globe site:
http://www.alexthomsonracing.com/pre...ident-onboard/

It seems that even with that accident, If I understood correctly, he has beaten the 24hour solo record for monohulls.

[Panope]

Originally Posted by Tricolor

He lost a Foil...

Here is Alex's account of what happened..

"Having had pretty quick night where the boat was sailing high averages and the boat was super uncomfortable I had retracted the foil 30% early this morning and was sailing the boat pretty conservatively in a building breeze. At 09.35 UT this morning I was down below trying to sleep and the boat was sailing in 22kts of wind with a J2 and one reef in the main. I was averaging 24kts of boat speed when I heard an almighty bang and the boat stopped and turned to starboard by about 30 degrees and the rudder popped up . I quickly went on deck, eased the main sheet and realised I must have hit something. I put the rudder back down, eased the boat down wind and went to take a look and the starboard foil has broken off. Right now I have taken the foot completely off the throttle and changed sails and retracted the remaining part of the foil and will sail on in these conditions until the wind and sea state moderate and I can inspect the damage and assess. I didn’t see anything in the water but it felt like the boat wrapped itself around something and it has caused some pretty significant damage to my foil. I was instructed to carry out an internal inspection of the boat and there does not appear to be any structural damage to the hull that I can see. For now I am going to continue and assess when I get the chance."

Since the "starboard foil has broken off", I wonder what percent of the remaining race is likely to need the starboard foil. Does the route in the Southern ocean favor one tack or the other?

Steve

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Panope

Since the "starboard foil has broken off", I wonder what percent of the remaining race is likely to need the starboard foil. Does the route in the Southern ocean favor one tack or the other?

Steve

As I have said already that is a bad translation from the French original. They don't say that in French neither in English on the Alex site.

What he said you can find here on Alex Thomson site:
Press Statement – Incident onboard

He says that it is damaged and he talks about "pretty significant damage to the foil". He does not say that the foil had broken off. If it is damaged probably it can be repaired (they have materials for reparations). If it had broken off he would have lost part of the foil and I doubt it would be reparable.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

Pieter threw his back out early in the race, and is in 'healing' mode. We will wait to see how he does when he feels better and has a bit more time in the boat.

Physical prep of the skippers is as much of an issue as having an ultimate boat. I hope Pieter's back will recover somewhat which is twice the challenge given not just the age but above all the most non conductive conditions onboard.

I feel very much for Pieter (nearly literally) as I suffer from poorly designed back myself (Thanks Mom for your genes!)

No kidding, she is right now in the hospital having her back overhauled. She is Pieter'e age.

b.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

(...) So, to sum it up, I can see three likely scenarios, in no specific order:

- Alex crashes into a UFO, (...)

Here we go. Barnakiel rulez.

In the old times, people like me were tied down and thrown overboard, I guess ... ;-)

But he seems to be doing very well sans foil. Down to 19 knots from 22 earlier. Probably lost about 10% of the speed potential. He will recover some more once he re-trims his boat and adjusts his tactics.

b.

[Panope]

Polux, thanks for the clarification on the status of the foil.

Still, I wonder if the race as a whole, favors one tack or the other?

Steve

[barnakiel]

Meanwhile Bertrand stopped at Noronha to try and find out what causes the vibrations. My wild guess is one of the foils could be delaminating. I hope he will find a way to keep on going.

His boat run over something off Portugal. Correct me if I am wrong but I think Bertrand crashed into something last time and was forced to retire.

Then again it makes me wonder why so many boats hit objects in waters adjacent to Portugal and then close to Brasil. Is that how some nations get rid of their excessive sofas and dead cows?

Otherwise, tough luck.

Fingers crossed for all of them.

b.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Panope

Since the "starboard foil has broken off", I wonder what percent of the remaining race is likely to need the starboard foil. Does the route in the Southern ocean favor one tack or the other?

Steve

Very good question.

If it were the case, one could benefit from some things being built asymmetric, etc. Some existing monohulls are asymmetric in fact.

My wild guess it is a nearly balanced stbd/port race.

The Atlantic is sailed up and down so this part could possible even out.

The Southern Ocean is sailed gybing them but if I were allowed a wild guess, I would bet maybe somewhat longer stbd tacks (???)

b.

[SV DestinyAscen]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Meanwhile Bertrand stopped at Noronha to try and find out what causes the vibrations. My wild guess is one of the foils could be delaminating. I hope he will find a way to keep on going.

His boat run over something off Portugal. Correct me if I am wrong but I think Bertrand crashed into something last time and was forced to retire.

Then again it makes me wonder why so many boats hit objects in waters adjacent to Portugal and then close to Brasil. Is that how some nations get rid of their excessive sofas and dead cows?

Otherwise, tough luck.

Fingers crossed for all of them.

b.

My first guess would actually be marine life... a lot of the optional current and wind routes is also great mammal sighting ground and they can't dodge 15+ knot boats. Wonder how the foils sound to them.

[Bleemus]

Originally Posted by Panope

Polux, thanks for the clarification on the status of the foil.

Still, I wonder if the race as a whole, favors one tack or the other?

Steve

The current thinking is the race favors port tack till the Indian Ocean. The French smell blood and will chase him down. He now has no option other than going all out when he is on the good foil and hope it is enough. Sadly, i dont think so unless he is able to effect some sort of repair. Without video it is hard to determine the extent of the damage to make a guess as to his ability to do that. Hoping for the best for him.

[SV DestinyAscen]

Originally Posted by Bleemus

The current thinking is the race favors port tack till the Indian Ocean. The French smell blood and will chase him down. He now has no option other than going all out when he is on the good foil and hope it is enough. Sadly, i dont think so unless he is able to effect some sort of repair. Without video it is hard to determine the extent of the damage to make a guess as to his ability to do that. Hoping for the best for him.

Just read from the website that it favors the port tact until Cape Town - which is about 2000 miles away. Figure at the present speed difference of a couple of knots, his lead might disappear in 5 days. But then the race changes and his missing foil may not impact this as much - really going to interesting to see how it works out. Also gives us a chance to see the same boat w/ foil vs. no foil. They said he'll try to remove the stump once weather permits.

[Pelagic]

I suspect that a large number of foils will get damaged from collisions with UFO's.

At those speeds, solo conditions of zero lookout, and a horizontal foil exposed over a wider swath, I am afraid that floating debris and flotsam will take a high percentage of these foils out over time.