Vendee Globe

[wingreen]

eom

[wingreen]

Just below boat info are some clickable bars, one of which lets you add that entrant as a friend. Once they're on your list, you'll be able to look them up from the Friends List button--that is, when the "friend" feature isn't glitching.

I suspect you've already figured out you can zoom in and out using the scroll wheel on your mouse. . .

What's the name of your virtual boat? And--good luck!

I did not know any of this before your message, Judith, but I am getting the hang of things quickly now. I was looking for a profile for my boat, but I now see that the boat name is the same as my screen name - wingreen. Not too sexy as far as boat names go, but at least I'm afloat and underway.

So, where are we going? Cape of Good Hope to port? First star on the right and sail on 'til morning?

[BillNH]

Anyone else having trouble with inconsistent sail performance? All day today I get my boat dialed in, optimizing speed and then I check back a few hours later and I'm at half the speed... Change sails, change back after a few minutes and I'm zooming again??? It's happened several times already and I've dropped almost 2000 places...

[Judith]

Yes! This was happening for a while but seems to've cleared up. For what it's worth, the sail-set seemed to finally 'stick' when back-and-forthed a couple times: change, then click again a couple times.

May be one of those glitches discovered when the number of participants is way more than anticipated: Destremau was really excited when it hit 100,000, and now it's around 125,000!

I've finally started ignoring rankings (well, OK, not completely ) But standing does start to plummet when one tacks away from a more direct route. . .

[Neil Gordon]

...I now see that the boat name is the same as my screen name - wingreen.

If you promise to tell us the new name, you can change it by clicking on "profile" at the top of the screen.

[wingreen]

...I now see that the boat name is the same as my screen name - wingreen.

If you promise to tell us the new name, you can change it by clicking on "profile" at the top of the screen.

Nah, I'll use wingreen. That's me - Wingreen, the skipper of the great Open 60 - Wingreen.

BTW, There's an article on the Vendee Globe and the Open 60s in the November issue of Sail. It's worth reading. The short summary is the Open 60 is freak of engineering in all respects.

[Warren S]

During last year's Velix 5-Oceans race (similar to Volvo Ocean Race, but solo) one item in the engineering "fun facts" that stood out was that the traveller alone is suposed to handle some 3 or 4 tons of force. I think thosw were open 60's as well.

[wingreen]

I see it's possible to pick one up on the cheap for ~$250K on yachtworld. Perhaps if I shopped around a little I could knock off $50K?

[Warren S]

n/m

[wingreen]

I've moved up 18,000 places in 2 days! At this rate, I estimate that I'll be #1 by the end of next week, and several weeks ahead of the pack by the end of the race.

By way of trivia... With over 100,000 boats in the race, there's over $50 *Billion* in virtual Open 60s in this race!

[Sea Owl]

At least for me, the No.1 boat has held steady at around 300 miles in front....but looking at the plot, I think our happy little group is gaining on boats 2-5....not a lot....but gaining!

The 'host' for the tournament may be bagging it somewhat, as he is WAY off to the west, now burning east on a heading of 097, but a long stretch off despite what the standings show....and behind us!

Go Team CD!

[Judith]

I'm really proud of us--we ROCK! Even our later entrants are smokin'! (`Course, we've only covered about 10% of the total trek )

Too bad Neil can't put in a good word here, too, and arrange for us to vie for best of class: Open 60 CD skippers

Judith

[Neil Gordon]

Too bad Neil can't put in a good word here, too, and arrange for us to vie for best of class: Open 60 CD skippers

Judith

Who says!!!

I don't know if I can get any trophy $$$ out of the CDSOA budget for this one so I'll offer up a different suggestion...

A small wager, whatever amount you feel appropriate ... losers donate the the winner's favorite charity. Count me in.

[wingreen]

... and preparing to cross the equator!

[MarkN]

If you take a look at the boats you'll notice some are of the tiller steering variety while others are use a wheel. Has the tiller vs wheel debate now come to a truce?