Author Topic: Vendee Globe 2020 (Read 6538 times)

drgannet · « **on:** 08 November, 2020, 09:37:15 pm »

They're off!

Now that the Vuelta has finished, there is the prospect of two and a half months of dot watching.

https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/tracking-map

Sam Davies made a good start, but there are 4 French boats building an early lead.

LeFlic · « **Reply #1 on:** 09 November, 2020, 03:49:47 pm »

Its going to take a few days to understand who has found some speed.
Alex Thompson is listed as the favourite but its good to see so many British skippers.

We should have been in the start village as we have been for the last four editions but COVID put a stop to our trip.

I know its wrong but what I find fascinating about ocean racing is the way 'luck' plays such a part, gear breakage, hitting something, lack of sleep, storms and all the other things that the skipper has to deal with in addition to sailing the boat.

hatler · « **Reply #2 on:** 09 November, 2020, 04:29:41 pm »

Really looking forward to following this.

It is possible to 'make' a lot of your own luck with careful preparation, but you're right, there are some events which are utterly unpredictable and over which it is impossible to have any control.

It's telling that Alex Thomson has finished (I think) 4th, 3rd and 2nd in the last three races.

Clearly, chucking a shed load of cash at the problem is quite a help !!

andyoxon · « **Reply #3 on:** 20 November, 2020, 04:07:34 pm »

~~AT still in the lead, just.~~ Be interesting to see how they negotiate the Sth Atlantic high.

hatler · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 November, 2020, 06:13:35 pm »

Bugger. https://www.alexthomsonracing.com/blog/2020/11/22/team-update/

andyoxon · « **Reply #5 on:** 24 November, 2020, 12:59:11 pm »

They're all being engulfed by high pressure/low winds now it seems...

Good to see things are progressing well for AT.

LeFlic · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 November, 2020, 01:25:06 pm »

I don’t think I would want to be sanding and bonding carbon sheets in the bow like AT has been.
I think he is starting to get back up to speed and luckily only lost a few hundred miles.
I dread to think what he would have done if the damage had occurred in the Southern Ocean.

andyoxon · « **Reply #7 on:** 28 November, 2020, 09:33:29 am »

Rudder problem doesn't sound good for AT's chances. Unless it turns out to be debris or summat which detaches.

LeFlic · « **Reply #8 on:** 28 November, 2020, 03:51:24 pm »

AT is out because of the rudder damage.
He has got a seven day trip to Cape Town ahead of him.

hatler · « **Reply #9 on:** 28 November, 2020, 04:07:10 pm »

Poor bastard. That must be soul destroying after all the heartache of the structural repair.

drgannet · « **Reply #10 on:** 29 November, 2020, 09:55:17 am »

Bit surprised boats don't carry a spare rudder, as so open to damage.

Meanwhile Dalin has really benefitted from catching favourable winds.

andyoxon · « **Reply #11 on:** 29 November, 2020, 10:48:34 am »

Yes, you'd have thought a spare was doable - this image from AT's 2016/17 HB.

ETA S'pose the whole mounting assembly could have been damaged...

hatler · « **Reply #12 on:** 29 November, 2020, 12:34:45 pm »

Given AT's demonstrable determination, if it had been fixable with what is on board he would have tried.

I would be slightly surprised if they didn't have a spare rudder on board (or even two if they are handed).

Given that his last stab at this race was blighted by a foil which hit something the prospect of a damaged rudder must surely have featured in their planning

drgannet · « **Reply #13 on:** 29 November, 2020, 11:18:28 pm »

It is notable how many of the top boats have had mechanical issues early in the race. I wonder whether the designers have pushed the boundaries a little too much?

hatler · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 November, 2020, 09:39:10 am »

Twas always thus. Think high aspect ratio rudders and the '79 Fastnet.

Invent a rule, and people will (not unreasonably) design to the rule.

Remember 'The Race' in 2000 ? (Where interestingly there were no design rules at all.) One designer at the time was quoted as saying "The boat that is unbreakable will not win this race."

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 November, 2020, 09:44:34 am »

Although in the London-Sydney Marathon of 1968, Andrew Cowan went to the chaps at Rootes and said “build me a car that'll finish last”. He won. In a Hillman Hunter.

hatler · « **Reply #16 on:** 30 November, 2020, 09:57:42 am »

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 30 November, 2020, 09:44:34 am

Although in the London-Sydney Marathon of 1968, Andrew Cowan went to the chaps at Rootes and said “build me a car that'll finish last”. He won. In a Hillman Hunter.

I went to the start of that.

andyoxon · « **Reply #17 on:** 30 November, 2020, 12:21:03 pm »

Rudder aside, presumably the nautical engineers 'signed off' on AT's original spec 2020 boat thinking it was ocean robust/ safe & ready to potentially win the VG. In reality the carbon frame required repair & 'bodging' before even getting to the Southern ocean. I guess the jury's still out as to whether AT's carbon grafting would have done the trick over weeks in the SO. We won't know.

He looked gutted in the most recent video.

benborp · « **Reply #18 on:** 30 November, 2020, 10:38:17 pm »

Earlier today, Kevin Escoffier reported that he was taking on water, activated his distress beacon and abandoned his boat.
Jean le Cam immediately diverted and arrived several hours later. He reported establishing visual and audio contact with Escoffier in his life raft. Unfortunately 5m seas prevented a rescue attempt and contact was lost.
Three other skippers have diverted and are now in the area ready to start a coordinated search at sunrise.

hatler · « **Reply #19 on:** 30 November, 2020, 11:25:36 pm »

That's a different level of 'bugger'. Fingers very crossed.

benborp · « **Reply #20 on:** 01 December, 2020, 08:32:13 am »

Escoffier is now aboard Yes We Cam.

drgannet · « **Reply #21 on:** 01 December, 2020, 08:59:52 am »

Good report on the website https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/20697/escoffier-s-rescue-mission-accomplished-yes-he-did

andyoxon · « **Reply #22 on:** 01 December, 2020, 09:08:40 am »

Quote

his boat nosedived into a wave and, he reported after his rescue, literally broke in two, giving him minutes to grab his survival suit and take to his liferaft.

hatler · « **Reply #23 on:** 01 December, 2020, 09:11:24 am »

"Reported to be taking on water." Yup I guess that would be one consequence of having your craft split in two.

hatler · « **Reply #24 on:** 01 December, 2020, 09:53:41 am »

Bloody hell.

“You see the images of shipwrecks? It was like that, but worse. In four seconds the boat nosedived, the bow folded at 90°. I put my head down in the cockpit, a wave was coming. I had time to send one text before the wave fried the electronics. It was completely crazy. It folded the boat in two. I’ve seen a lot before but this one…”