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Posted by JimGodders  |
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Hi all,
I've joined SOL so I can learn to compete in long ocean races manually rather than use an automated weather router. Problem is, I don't have the foggiest ideaon where to start! I've had a look around the internet, but haven't been able to find anything for beginners to this, other than some blogs such as SOL's 76trombones. I appreciate the concepts of VMG and VMC in getting to a point, but at tbr moment I have no idea on where that point should be based on other things such as the weather. A couple of questions I have are: - Do you work forwards, i.e. look at where you can be in 6, 12 hours etc, or work backwards and look at where you want to be in 2-3 days and route based on that? - Is there some sort of rule about straying to far from the GC? I can't imagine its wise to add an extra 100 miles to the route for an extra half knot of wind. I really want to try and get better at this, so any info you have for a begginer would be much appreciated. Also, if anyone is aware of any other media (books or websites etc), that would also be bery helpful! Thanks in advance!! |
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Posted by NZL_Scotsman  |
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Hi Jim
I've picked things up gradually by experimentation and trying to understand what the better SOLers are doing. We are a friendly bunch especially in the chat, so I've learnt a lot of little lessons since joining here. Some of my tips: - Try to understand what the top 10 ranked SOLers are up to. If all of them head 30 deg away from the rhumb line, there will be a very good reason. Ask them why, see what happens, learn from what they do. - To begin with play the long term game on ocean races. Don't worry too much about hour to hour changes. Ignore the ranking until the end. Aim to compete with SOLers of a similar ability rather than the very best (to begin with anyway). Aim for the top 100, then the top 50, then top 25. You have to be very very good to compete for the top 10 - not many get there even after a couple of years, and most not at all. - Learn the details on shorter races or practice races. VMC, VMG, playing wind shifts etc - all easier to see how the work over an hour or two, or a day. The longer races have a lot more going on and once you are 6 hours behind, you are in a different race. - Break a race up into manageable chunks. Say the race is 2 days long. Break it up into 6 hour periods. Work backwards from the finish. Work forwards from the start. Explore a few different options using the polar, the weather forecast and a calculator. Predict where you will be for each period. Then look at the first period in more detail. How do you get to the end of the first period in the best position? - Investigate why different options worked or didn't. We have up to 1000 playing a game, so there are many variables being played out. That we end up so far apart at the finish with identical boats shows how important navigation is. - Don't worry about stuff ups. We all make them. They are part of learning when to be aggressive or conservative, or even just learning how to play the game. - Enjoy it! Cheers, Kevin |
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Garagiste's Test Lab
Race #1939
INFOby brainaid.de
RC 44 Particulars
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Race starts: Aug 10th 12:00 Registration will open soon
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Patricks Test
Race #1932
INFO by brainaid.de
Young 88 PARTICULARS
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Joanne's Test Race Zone
Race #1847
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Ranking: SYC - RED
Race starts: Jul 25th 12:00 Registration Closed
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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
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Ranking:
ARQ3 - ARCH - SUPSOL – SYC
Race starts: Jul 21st 17:00 Registration Open!
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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
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Ranking:
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Race starts: Jul 19th 15:00 Registration Closed
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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
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Ranking: SYC - ABS
Race starts: Jun 03rd 11:30 Registration Open!
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Gulf of St Lawrence - test - Mirek
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Race starts: Apr 21st 17:00
Registration Open!
Stefan's Duck Pond
PRIZE: SMPF
Race #1900
INFO by brainaid.de
Orange 125 PARTICULARS
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Ranking: OCQ3 - OCCH - SUPSOL - SYC
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Trapped Camel
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Race starts: Aug 21st 15:03
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Caravanserai
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Race starts: Aug 08th 17:00
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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
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Ranking: SYC
Race starts: Aug 03rd 08:00 Registration Open!
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Mirek's Mess & Canteen
music deleted
Race starts: Apr 26th 18:00
Registration Closed
Antarctica 1 of 3
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Race starts: Jan 27th 21:57
Registration Open!
Flinders Island TIMED Race 2024
Race #1776
INFO by brainaid.de
Ocean 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
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Ranking:
TRQ1 - TRCH - SUPSOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
27 January at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Jan 14th 12:00 Registration Open!
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Tasman Double 2023 - Hobart to Sydney
music deleted
Race starts: Jan 02nd 02:00
Registration Open!
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
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Ranking:
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Race starts: Sep 01st 04:00
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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
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0245 / 0845 / 1445 / 2045
Ranking:
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RACE CLOSE: Sunday, 18 August at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Aug 05th 12:00
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ZONA DE PRUEBA DE MANUEL
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
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Ranking: SYC - NTR
Race starts: Jan 10th 14:00 Registration Closed
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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
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Ranking: SYC
Race starts: Mar 05th 17:00
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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
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RANKING:
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RACE CLOSE: Sunday, 28 February at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Feb 15th 12:00
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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
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ALT. CLIENT:Classic
Race starts: Dec 21st 16:00
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Antarctica 3 of 3
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Race starts: Sep 16th 11:13
Registration Closed
BLANK POLAR
Race starts: Feb 16th 00:00
Registration Open!
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