Now this is sailing-and racing!
 

http://www.vendeeglobe.org/uk/classements

John Cairns

OzOne wrote:
Nah, this is
http://tinyurl.com/6clxq
Quote: 'Still got 40 knots of wind, and 40 foot seas, but we've gybed
- it was a big one! But feel much better now heading north of east
away from this system, not a great angle but its the right thing to
do. We are still being thrown around, the sea is very confused. Every
few minutes my heart ends up in my mouth as I feel the boat suspended
above a wave trough...then we come crashing down. At night it is
something else....?'

Is there a way to plot to plot the weather on the same map with the
boats? I'm curious why the ones further west are headed south... diving
into the system? They're already going a lot faster ( 14 kt vs 9 )

I will sincerely tip my hat to anybody for gybing one of those boats in
40 knot winds.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

I will sincerely tip my hat to anybody for gybing one of those boats in
40 knot winds.


OzOne wrote:
It's actually not all that hard, you need to be quick, very quick, and
commited.
You pick a wave, the bigger the better then start surfing it, cranking
in the main as you go, then turn her thru and let the main out as you
go.

Could you program the autopilot to do an S-gybe? That'd help, although
the timing would still be critical.

It's gotta be quick because you'll need to set up for the trough and
back of the next wave because you are definately going faster than it.

I cannot imagine doing it single handed!
The thought sends shivers up my spine!

The stakes are a lot higher than gybing other boats, that's for sure.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Could you program the autopilot to do an S-gybe? That'd help, although
the timing would still be critical.


OzOne wrote:
I wouldn't think so.
As the bow passes facing directly down the wavefront, you need to
start pulling against the tendency to round back up and do a surfers
flickout over the top of the wave.
Again the timing and above all feel is critical here.
I couldn't see an AP doing it.

Now that you mention it, I don't think so either. Helm pressure is not
constant among other things... you'd need a *very* smart autopilot to do
it. Plus (and this is what I was thinking earlier) the timing of the
turn with the pull & release of the mainsheet is not a constant thing
either... at times the main just *won't* go over until long after you
think it should, and the helmsman has to be able to respond accordingly.



The stakes are a lot higher than gybing other boats, that's for sure.


My guess is that single handed, they just pick the biggest wave they
can, surf to build up as much speed as possible to reduce the load on
the gear, then turn her thru and pray that the speed stays high to
protect the rig.
(shudder)

Shudder, hell!!

Now you've got me curious... how DO they gybe these things? I bet they
turn quick enough that you could do a North River gybe *if* you can time
it right with the waves.

Personally, I'd think seriously about just hauling the main down in it's
gear until there was only ten feet or so showing, and then putting it
over by hand and hoisting again. Lot of hard work though.

DSK

John Cairns wrote:

http://www.vendeeglobe.org/uk/classements

Looks like Ellen MacArthur is going to be catching them soon. :-)


--
Wally
www.artbywally.com
www.wally.myby.co.uk

OzOne wrote:
What's a Nth River gybe? Never heard the term.

It's a variation of chicken gybing.. turn very quickly from DDW to just
above beam reach on the new tack, the main comes over hard but doesn't
come up against the sheet or the rig, just luffs on the new side. Then
quickly bear away to new course. You can do it while surfing, but of
course the risk is getting caught by the crest while turning.


Multis, particularly big tris, don't turn quickly but instead "carve"
their way thru what becomes a turn.
They sink down on the outside ama which is the lowside one as you go
past directly down the wave so heel can be quite a shock and the wave
cannot have too steep a face.

Yeah, you don't want to bury the bow either! One thing I dislike about
multis is the very large loads they generate on the rig. Going fast
downwind helps.





Personally, I'd think seriously about just hauling the main down in it's
gear until there was only ten feet or so showing, and then putting it
over by hand and hoisting again. Lot of hard work though.



Yeah, but then you need to turn completely around both to drop and
hoist.

Not necessarily. There are a bunch of rigs that you can pull the sail
down in it's lazyjacks... obviously not if it's draped across two or
three spreaders though...


In that case, you might just as well granny.

In 40 knot winds, yes. In 40 foot waves, I'm not so sure!

I remember getting tossed over the boom into the sail, tacking once in
about 40 knots... although the waves were not 40 feet they were pretty
high & steep. The helmsman sharply turned us right into a crest and the
combination roll, pitch, plus a big surge of water coming over the rail,
flung crew all over the place.

DSK

DSK wrote:
Could you program the autopilot to do an S-gybe? That'd help,
although the timing would still be critical.



OzOne wrote:

I wouldn't think so.
As the bow passes facing directly down the wavefront, you need to
start pulling against the tendency to round back up and do a surfers
flickout over the top of the wave.
Again the timing and above all feel is critical here.
I couldn't see an AP doing it.


Now that you mention it, I don't think so either. Helm pressure is not
constant among other things... you'd need a *very* smart autopilot to do
it. Plus (and this is what I was thinking earlier) the timing of the
turn with the pull & release of the mainsheet is not a constant thing
either... at times the main just *won't* go over until long after you
think it should, and the helmsman has to be able to respond accordingly.



The stakes are a lot higher than gybing other boats, that's for sure.



My guess is that single handed, they just pick the biggest wave they
can, surf to build up as much speed as possible to reduce the load on
the gear, then turn her thru and pray that the speed stays high to
protect the rig.
(shudder)


Shudder, hell!!

Now you've got me curious... how DO they gybe these things? I bet they
turn quick enough that you could do a North River gybe *if* you can time
it right with the waves.

Personally, I'd think seriously about just hauling the main down in it's
gear until there was only ten feet or so showing, and then putting it
over by hand and hoisting again. Lot of hard work though.


Good lord.

Cheers

DSK wrote:

OzOne wrote:

What's a Nth River gybe? Never heard the term.


It's a variation of chicken gybing.. turn very quickly from DDW to just
above beam reach on the new tack, the main comes over hard but doesn't
come up against the sheet or the rig, just luffs on the new side. Then
quickly bear away to new course. You can do it while surfing, but of
course the risk is getting caught by the crest while turning.


"You" can do it? I'd say it's a very bad idea in a big sea.

Cheers

The only thing that pretender is capable of catching is a cold.

CN


"Wally" wrote in message ...
John Cairns wrote:

http://www.vendeeglobe.org/uk/classements

Looks like Ellen MacArthur is going to be catching them soon. :-)


--
Wally
www.artbywally.com
www.wally.myby.co.uk

And just what is she supposed to be pretending to be? She's certainly more
of a sailor than any of us on this group...and she's more woman than you'll
ever be or know or think of...Jealousy rears it's ugly head again,
Neal....you just can't stand it when a woman proves herself to be better
than you...

"Capt. Neal®" wrote in message
...
The only thing that pretender is capable of catching is a cold.

CN


"Wally" wrote in message
...
John Cairns wrote:

http://www.vendeeglobe.org/uk/classements

Looks like Ellen MacArthur is going to be catching them soon. :-)


--
Wally
www.artbywally.com
www.wally.myby.co.uk