Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

Board » Sailonline Race Committee » Races » SOL World Race: Leg 2 Analysis

Page: 1 2 Next

Leg Update: under 12 hours in, boats rounding Cape Agulhas. Hugging the coast in the first hours paid off. Boats now evenly spread across 20 NM in a straight line, no group having a signficant advantage. Boats to Nth - lighter winds, better angle. Boats to sth, more wind, longer dist. Boats will disperse now as strategy is played out. Decision - how far sth to you go and how far east do you go? Some nasty holes appearing across the course in 21-23 hrs. Where do you position yourself?

--- Last Edited by NZL Reg at 2011-12-12 01:56:19 ---
[Edit - please do not upload bitmaps, use a compressed format]

--- Last Edited by aaronadmin at 2011-12-12 03:29:53 ---
Attachments
I have been tweeting Askel Magdahl, the navigator on Sanya who pulled off that clever passing move to win the Rio leg of the last Volvo race on Eriksen 3. He said he uses Expedition and Deckman plus some of his own routing software. I wonder what course he is working on for this Dhabi leg??
Day 2 Analysis
As expected, the southern boats where able to ease sheets in more pressue, good angle & head east at max boat speed. The line of boats pivoted in a nice orderly fashion over 15 hours - see attached. More importantly its all about postioning at this point with light wind coming and a gybe coming up in 4 hours. At the same time you have to balance short term gains with a longer term strategy. The longer term plan looks very messy with no logical path, plenty of shifts and a wall of no wind across the course.

--- Last Edited by NZL Reg at 2011-12-12 19:36:05 ---
Attachments
The SOL fleet has just enough distance on IRL that we should still be able to run plan B to hook into the trailing edge of the system ahead of us.

Look for the boats further South to negotiate the upcoming shifts (positioning and timing critical) before either tacking N to rejoin the main group Tuesday evening or splitting SE.



As always the key is to look far enough forwards. Where do we want to be in 72h?

It looks good to pick up strong wind from the NNE and ride a close reach well East before tacking almost due North, and it seems like boats will be on similar paths until then regardless of how wide they plan to round Mauritius.



--- Last Edited by 76Trombones at 2011-12-12 20:37:59 ---
Attachments
01d10hr into the race:

After 34 hours, a leading pack is emerging containing many of the favourites. This bunch kept close to Cape Horn before trending ESE. They separated from a second group who kept close to Cape Agulhas. The gains of the leaders were due keeping on stronger wind as the inshore boats sailed into a hole. They also sailed faster angles than those who went south earlier, initially by easing sheets and then by sailing higher as the wind backed.

This strategy paid off after about 24 hours, as the leaders kept in stronger winds for longer. The wind easied from the north and west meaning that anyone further east gained, provided they were at the right latitude of 36S.

The next 24 hours looks very interesting. A large hole is drifting over the fleet, faster than the boats. This will result in the fleet spreading out. A blocking ridge of very light pressure is to the SE, which has forced most boats to gybe NE. The wind is forecast to veer 180 degrees, so the wind will come forward. This may help the more northerly boats as they may get the pressure first, but the southerly boats will have a better angle.

The route to Mauritius still looks challenging. How far south to sail and when to head north? Will anyone take the inshore route which may have better pressure but mostly headwinds? How to avoid the holes and stay in good wind? Part 1 of this leg is far from over.

--- Last Edited by NZL Scotsman at 2011-12-13 01:14:19 ---
Attachments
Day 3. Decision time - when to tack.
This decision has really been made for us with a wind shift coming thru in a couple of hours. Once the tack is made, expect a long run east with no real opportunity to head NE in the near future. Objective is to then stay in the pressure & not to get dropped off the back of the NE windflow

There has been an opportunity to pull back a few miles on some of the leading boats by taking an advantage of a 15 degree wind shift. see attached.



--- Last Edited by NZL Reg at 2011-12-13 19:53:23 ---
Attachments


The die's been cast for the first half of the leg at least. Somewhat of a four-way split in the fleet depending on options taken at the points Reg and Scotsman have discussed.

The group furthest South comprises the SE split that I suggested last post, who continued SE directly rather than tacking North. They're dangerous as wildcard candidates to hook into the high ahead of us and go the long way around. Huge extra distance, but if they can get the timing right it will be a thing to see!

Next is a small group that split early from the North going boats using a small shift to gain Easting early, tacking at least three times. The goal is to overtake the high and tack on it's trailing edge.

The "middle" group that waited for the stronger shift before tacking only once is in good shape, put playing a more dangerous game flirting with the dead zone chasing that's already eaten most of the fleet.

Finally the boats further North and those who have fallen off the back side are going to pick up strong wind from behind shortly, putting them on a completely different strategy. Watch for some boats to stay closer to the African coast. They have the advantage of putting miles down in the right direction while the others chase off to the SE. If a bridge opens close to the exclusion zone or the SE fleet gets marooned they stand to do well.


--- Last Edited by 76Trombones at 2011-12-14 11:59:08 ---
Attachments
For the middle boats its a drag race to 37S 54E. For the boats at or near a line from Wetstuff to 76Trombones its all about coaxing every little ounce of speed in order to order to turn "our imaginary corner". Former leader Ita10267 is about 120nm of the pace, just a reminder of how fickle any lead is on this leg. As 76T says the die is cast, all we have to do is wait a couple of days to see how it all plays out.
Day 4 Update.
Quite an eventful 24 hrs. At the start of the day, the majority of boats where heading NE, rather tightly bunched. The question was, when to tack back East, as 76Trombones illustrated. The boats that delayed their tack intially looked to be in a very strong position. Then new wx came through which hurt the boats to far north - they couldnt get on the back of the stonger winds. The fleet is effectively split in 2 - see attached. The West group will pick up strong winds building from the Southwest - a chance for the boats behind to gain miles. This wind will swing to the South which will allow boats to point directly at the mark.

The east group has sails eased & is trying to get east as quickly as possible, as Exmeromotu explained. The group is quite spread right now, but I see them compressing North to Sth as the north boats will start to drop more south as they start encountering a NE clocking wind. It is imperative that boats stay in front of the dying winds.

What group will win out - we wont know the answer for a while..


Attachments
4d10hr report

The blocking ridge of high pressure has caused a large split in the fleet. Several hundred boats have lined up behind the ridge in a 600NM long NNW-SSE line. At one stage about 12 hours ago, it looked like it would fill and allow the northern boats to make good progress. However, the latest forecasts show the ridge continuing to hamper progress. Once it fills enough for more rapid boat speed, these northern boats can follow the shortest course for a day or two and will move rapidly up the rankings. Then they likely face strong headwinds for about 800NM when passing south of Madagascar and onto the next mark at Mauritius.

The group that made it through ahead of the ridge are probably in the lead. They are now almost 500NM east of the northernmost boats, but much further south. This group has about 100 boats and are spread out over 400NM (NW-SE). The previous leader ITA10267 just made it through at the very north of the group. The big decisions for these boats are how high to sail now and when to tack. They are likely to pass to the north of the South Indian High and therefore are on the wind or a tight reach for several days. As the high is moving east, the winds continue to be from predominantly a north or north east direction, which makes the timing of the tack quite difficult. Tack too early then progress may be lost by sailing in northerlies, tack too late then winds may be lighter and more distance will be sailed. There is a good chance they will have fast reaching conditions for much of the time heading north.

The “wildcards” in the south are very few in number. I’m one of those and currently the boat furthest east. There is only really one other boat down here, although some of the southern boats in the group above could follow. Their opportunity to dive south is closing as the wind becomes more westerly, and lightens, as the front passes over them. I expect to stay ahead of the front all the way to the high. My challenge is when to head north and try and get around the high, in about 60 hours. I’m making good miles, but have many more to sail than anyone further north. 550NM days are certainly enjoyable and hopefully my winds continue to be fair.
Attachments

Page: 1 2 Next

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m


Current Races:

Garagiste's Test Lab

Welcome to Newport, RI, one of the great sailing centers of the world. This TIMED race takes us around Nantucket Island in RC 44s to celebrate the life of Capt. Bartholomew Gosnold who, among many other things in his short life, named Cape Cod for the teeming fish he encountered there, and Martha’s Vineyard for his daughter. This is a TIMEDrace so you may RE-REGISTER HEREto try again after finishing a run. You will have 13 days and 11 hours to test your skill and decision making after the race opens.
Race #1939
INFOby brainaid.de
RC 44 Particulars
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
TRQ3 - TRCH - SUPSOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
23 August at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Aug 10th 12:00 Registration will open soon
GO TO RACE

Patricks Test

Join the excitement as Sailonline partners again with New Zealand's Short-handed Sailing Association for the thrilling SSANZ Triple Series, proudly sponsored by Lewmar Marine. Our SOLers will tackle an exhilarating 47-nautical-mile race, navigating the waters of the beautiful Hauraki Gulf out to Motuora Island via The Haystack and back. Racing virtual Young 88 yachts, our virtual fleet will match skills and strategies with the real-life fleet of the vibrant Young 88 Association. Don't miss this intense, tactical challenge!
Race #1932
INFO by brainaid.de
Young 88 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
SSANZ - SYC
Race starts: Aug 03rd 08:00 Registration Open!
GO TO RACE

Joanne's Test Race Zone

In 1947, Hugh McLean & Sons of Gourock, Scotland built a radical racing yacht for John Illingworth, soon-to-be Commodore of the RORC, to a design by Laurent Giles. With a masthead rig, giving her ‘free’ sail area per the rules of the time, and short overhangs reducing pitching, Myth of Malham went on to win The Fastnet that year and again in 1949, and to compete in numerous Admiral's Cups. In 1958, in honour of the yacht, the Myth of Malham race was conceived - a mini-Fastnet to the first lighthouse on a rock west of Cowes, Eddystone, rather than the second, to be held in non-Fastnet years. IRL this year it has been raced already, but this stops us not from “Red Eye” racing its online 230nm in Fareast 31Rs, leaving how to deal with the Isle of Wight open to your own discretion.
Race #1847
INFOby brainaid.de
Fareast 31R PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC - RED
Race starts: Jul 25th 12:00 Registration Closed
GO TO RACE

Marstrand to Cowes 2025


We invite you to another race, which will kick off the third quarter of our ARCH series. We'll set off from Marstrand, Sweden, which, along with Skagen, Denmark, marks the line commonly recognised as the border separating the Baltic Sea from the North Sea. The 650nm route will take our Ripitide 50 across the North Sea and the English Channel to Cowes, England. Watch out for the fast ferries crossing the Channel from Calais to Dover 😊.
Race #1935
INFO from brainaid.de
Riptide 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
ARQ3 - ARCH - SUPSOL – SYC
Race starts: Jul 21st 17:00 Registration Open!
GO TO RACE

Nantucket Sprint 2025


Welcome to Nantucket, from whence Herman Melville’s Cap’n Ahab sailed round The Horn into the northern Pacific Ocean to hunt the gray whale - whose migrations are celebrated elsewhere in SOL’s Q4 schedule - he never to return. And whaling too, as the 19th C progressed, like Ahab disappeared from Nantucket as the harbour silted up and mainland Massachusetts whaling stations benefited from rail connections. But beach life, yachting and nostalgia has rescued the island from oblivion, so to celebrate leisure, SOL gives you the Nantucket Sprint - 25nm in 29er_XX’s from east of Tuckernuck Island across the sound to a finish just inside the mouth of the harbour. Enjoy!
Race 1936
INFO by brainaid.de
29er_XX PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
SPRQ3 - SPRCH - SUPSOL – SYC
Race starts: Jul 19th 15:00 Registration Closed
GO TO RACE

Puil's Practice Palaver


Nearly there; only 2500nm to go, round the Horn and up the Red Sea to Suez into what will more than likely be more headwinds for this sixth leg of our African circumnavigation, to be followed in September by a final sneaky dash up the canal back to where we started all those months ago. We’ll be sailing a not entirely appropriate-for-upwind-work 60ft Trimaran!
Race #1859
INFOby brainaid.de
60ft Trimaran PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC - ABS
Race starts: Jun 03rd 11:30 Registration Open!
GO TO RACE

Gulf of St Lawrence - test - Mirek
-
Race starts: Apr 21st 17:00 Registration Open!

GO TO RACE

Stefan's Duck Pond

 Get ready for an exhilarating new challenge as we set sail on the eighth leg of the 2025 Ocean Championship Series! This leg takes us from Cape Town South Africa to the bay of Belbuhan on the south West coast of Java - a 5100 nm journey of endurance, strategy, and pure sailing adrenaline. This leg will be raced aboard the 125 ft Orange catamaran, pushing sailors to their limits as they navigate the open ocean. Do you have what it takes to conquer the Indian Ocean? Join us and put your skills to the ultimate test!
PRIZE: SMPF
Race #1900
INFO by brainaid.de
Orange 125 PARTICULARS    
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230    
Ranking: OCQ3 - OCCH - SUPSOL - SYC
Race starts: Feb 06th 00:00 Registration Closed
GO TO RACE

Trapped Camel
-
Race starts: Aug 21st 15:03 Registration Open!

GO TO RACE

Caravanserai
-
Race starts: Aug 08th 17:00 Registration Open!

GO TO RACE

Patrick's Playpen


Welcome to the legendary "Westcoaster," a race that has tested sailors for over 50 years. Spanning 435 nautical miles, this iconic journey takes racers from Melbourne, across the formidable Bass Strait, and around Tasmania's rugged west coast to the finish line in Hobart. Organized by the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria, the Westcoaster is renowned for its challenging conditions and adventurous spirit. This year, our SOLers will tackle the course in the swift and capable First 47.7, a yacht launched by Beneteau in 2000, built for speed and endurance in long ocean races. Get ready for an exhilarating ride in one of Australia’s most celebrated yacht races!
Race #1841
INFO by brainaid.de
First 47.7 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC
Race starts: Aug 03rd 08:00 Registration Open!
GO TO RACE

Mirek's Mess & Canteen
music deleted
Race starts: Apr 26th 18:00 Registration Closed

GO TO RACE

Antarctica 1 of 3
-
Race starts: Jan 27th 21:57 Registration Open!

GO TO RACE

Flinders Island TIMED Race 2024

In the southern reaches of the Bass Strait between mainland Australia and Tasmania, you will find the Furneaux Group of islands, largest of which is Flinders, both named after famed British navigators. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to race your Ocean 50 catamaran a course of c 106nm around Flinders in the fastest time. This is a TIMED race, so you may RE-REGISTER HERE to try again, after finishing a run. This course will self-destruct in 13 days and 11 hours after opening for entrants.
Race #1776
INFO by brainaid.de
Ocean 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
TRQ1 - TRCH - SUPSOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
27 January at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Jan 14th 12:00 Registration Open!
GO TO RACE

Tasman Double 2023 - Hobart to Sydney
music deleted
Race starts: Jan 02nd 02:00 Registration Open!

GO TO RACE

John's Test Zone
It's time to test your ocean racing skills in a variety of weathers as we head the 6400 NM between Hong Kong and Auckland in a fast Super Maxi 100. We'll be heading from a northern summer to a southern winter so keep plenty of cold weather gear and warm rum on board!
PRIZE: SMPF
Race #1597
INFOby brainaid.de
Super Maxi 100 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
OCQ3-OCCH-SUPSOL-SYC
Race starts: Sep 01st 04:00 Registration Closed

GO TO RACE

calm's Practice Race
Last raced in 2021, we return to Boston for another race to Newport. And just like in 2021, the chosen boat is once again the speedy R/P 66. This is a TIMED race so pick your winds wisely and see how quickly you can complete this 132nm run! For reference, the winning time in 2021 was 6:12:28.
RE-REGISTER HERE to race again after finishing a run
Race #1700
INFO by brainaid.de
R/P 66 PARTICULARS
NAM_AWIP WX Updates:
0245 / 0845 / 1445 / 2045
Ranking:
TRQ3 - TRCH - SUPSOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Sunday, 18 August at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Aug 05th 12:00 Registration Closed

GO TO RACE

ZONA DE PRUEBA DE MANUEL

Welcome to the Shorthanded Sailing Association of New Zealand's 2022 Evolution Sails Northern Triangle series, which, unfortunately, to comply with latest NZ government COVID restrictions, has been reduced to a duo, commencing with this short prologue of approximately 35nm on the waters of Auckland's Hauraki Gulf. As so often with SSANZ events in the past, online we will be racing the event in ever-young Young 88 one-designs. Have fun!
Please note the displayed course is provisional; the actual course will be set after the IRL course is announced at the skipper's briefing 48 hours before the start, and no later than 24 hours before the start.
Race #1561
INFOby brainaid.de
Young 88 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC - NTR
Race starts: Jan 10th 14:00 Registration Closed
GO TO RACE

San Sebastian to La Rochelle 2021
Once again, our SOL race will be shared with a group of Polish sailors, representing one of the stages of their Virtual Training Cruise around Europe. 171 nm in Delphia 47s across the not always calm Bay of Biscay from San Sebastian to La Rochelle will undoubtedly be one to test their skills. Welcome/Witajcie and we wish you all fair winds.
Race #1441
INFOby brainaid.de
Delphia 47 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC
Race starts: Mar 05th 17:00 Registration Open!

GO TO RACE

Aland Sea TIMED Race
Norrtalje Segelsallskap, 70km NE of Stockholm was founded in 1920, and time was when the society’s season opened with a challenging offshore race from the club line off Flaten island at the mouth of the long and narrow Norrtaljeviken, out onto a triangular course around the Aland Sea, to finish at Simpnas slightly to the north on Bjorko island - some 78nm in total. A fine race that SOL, being from these parts, ran annually up until 2013. Last run in autumn 2018, we return here to race the course again in the form a TIMED RUN in spanking new Club Swan 50s.
RE-REGISTER HERE to race again after finishing a run.
Race #1444
INFO by brainaid.de
Club Swan 50 Particulars
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
RANKING:
TRQ1 - TRCH - SUPSOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Sunday, 28 February at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Feb 15th 12:00 Registration Closed

GO TO RACE

Bimmer's Test Zone
What about a speedy X-362 380nm race in the waters off S America, just to blow cobwebs away!!
Race #1415
INFOby brainaid.de
X-362 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
SYC
ALT. CLIENT:Classic

Race starts: Dec 21st 16:00 Registration Open!

GO TO RACE

Antarctica 3 of 3
-
Race starts: Sep 16th 11:13 Registration Closed

GO TO RACE

BLANK POLAR
Race starts: Feb 16th 00:00 Registration Open!

GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member kenza
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member bonknhoot
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rumskib
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member zero
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WINSTON_4
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member longreacher
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Henrys
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Smo
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Neuroman

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client