Leg 5

[benny14 6]

I think your missing the point. Yes minty of boats have been RTW before without breaking but as Royale said the sport is changing and the teams are designing themselves boats which have the potential to go faster but also have the potential to get broken more easily. Groupama get this and Cammas and Coville know how to drive them.

 

No I don't think I'm missing the point, I just have a different opinion. I believe they are there to race boats, not try and keep them in one piece. And I also think Groupama may have had A LOT of luck, in that they just haven't come off that one wave that will do the damage the same as the rest have... Also, possibly they have a better designed and constructed boat than the rest... As was said by one of the guys on Abu Dhabi on one of the videos "I'm sick of this, we're here to race yachts, not fix them when they break." I thought that was a pretty apt statement... The boats should be designed and constructed such that they are able to push them hard in a racing situation, in the types of seas they EXPECT to see... It's not like they didn't expect these conditions in the Southern Ocean, in fact they may have seen a lot better than they could have expected... The boats should be able to withstand what they expect to see, and a little more for some safety margin...

 

That's just my opinion... I'm sure there are a few sailors in the southern ocean at the moment who might have a similar one...

[PaulR 3]

Part of the problem is that a yacht with different panels between ribs / frames / bulkheads is that each panel can be vibrating at a different frequency and with different sizes of movement.

 

Quite different to a single panel test bed situation.

 

IMHO, Looking at the different videos, the hulls appear to have insufficient ribs and the panels are large without enough reinforcement. There is a very wide space that they are having to repair and/or set up braces to reduce flexing.

[Guest]

I think your missing the point. Yes minty of boats have been RTW before without breaking but as Royale said the sport is changing and the teams are designing themselves boats which have the potential to go faster but also have the potential to get broken more easily. Groupama get this and Cammas and Coville know how to drive them.

 

No I don't think I'm missing the point, I just have a different opinion. I believe they are there to race boats, not try and keep them in one piece. And I also think Groupama may have had A LOT of luck, in that they just haven't come off that one wave that will do the damage the same as the rest have... Also, possibly they have a better designed and constructed boat than the rest... As was said by one of the guys on Abu Dhabi on one of the videos "I'm sick of this, we're here to race yachts, not fix them when they break." I thought that was a pretty apt statement... The boats should be designed and constructed such that they are able to push them hard in a racing situation, in the types of seas they EXPECT to see... It's not like they didn't expect these conditions in the Southern Ocean, in fact they may have seen a lot better than they could have expected... The boats should be able to withstand what they expect to see, and a little more for some safety margin...

 

That's just my opinion... I'm sure there are a few sailors in the southern ocean at the moment who might have a similar one...

 

So are you keeping track of the clipper round the world race? Those boats are built to deal with anything and I'm pretty sure none of them sustained major damage.

 

Lion nz was built to withstand what they expect to see and she had great success as a "race" yacht

 

Don't think you will ever see a boat that can go 40 knots + off a wave, get airborne, smash into the next one and not break. The forces are to great.

 

In saying that. I tend to agree with wheels in that some of the boats this year may have issues with the resin etc.. Making them slightly weaker than normal. Maybe they used ADOS resin

[SloopJohnB 322]

Check out your alpherbet.

 

 

P before G by 9.3 nm

[chic014 0]

off the latest camper blog it also says Abu Dhabi are also stopping in Porto Montt. Not sure if that was supposed to be made public yet.

 

"Word also came in today that Abu Dhabi will be joining us in Porto Montt, however we are uncertain if they plan to put Azzam on a ship or are quietly plotting a sneak shore team assault to fix their damage and be on their way before us."

[Chewing Gum 17]

Would I be right in saying Puma is the only boat so far not to have a hull failure ?

It appears to me that a re think of the rules to produce more reliable boats can only be a positive step. There would be better racing and the boats you would imagine would be quicker as they could be pushed harder. Interesting to note (I think I am right) that there has been no 24 hour speed record in the southern ocean even though all the hype was that there would be.

I too feel that maybe a few more stringers, frames and possibly alternative cores or solid layup may be required.

[Guest]

From SA this morning:

 

vor on board

 

this blows

 

Leg 5, Day 1

April 12012

Amory Ross, MCM, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG

 

Can I be honest with you? This race BLOWS! I write this without Kenny's knowledge or approval, and god only knows how badly the panties of the team of seemingly 800 PR chicks would be bunched, but I have simply got to tell it like it is.

 

When I signed up for this "race", I envisioned something much, much different. Who knew what fragile, temperamental bitches not only these boats would turn out to be, but this crew as well. Holy christ, what a bunch of whiners! And to call Ken Read a Diva would be like calling Sarah Palin an idiot - Duh!

 

Between the farting, the gay porn magazines and the constant slacking off, (only to suddenly "look sharp" when the camera comes out) by these 11 overpaid douchebags, I have had enough.

 

Oh and did I mention that if we aren't freezing, then we are boiling, and if it isn't blowing 50, then it is blowing 0, and if it isn't rough, then it is flat-ass calm. It is maddening, and appears to be never, ever, ever ending. Oh and did I mention that we have yet to even sniff a victory in this race? All these millions spent and we sail around in 3rd place the entire god damn time. We move up when someone (always) breaks in front of us.

 

Right, well I have probably said too much as it is, and now I'll sign off and go back to being everyone's boat bitch on board this hideous boat. Monster indeed. - Amory.

 

03/30/12

 

 

 

Methinks it was posted 1/4/12 but you never know

[Chewing Gum 17]

Abu Dhabi - another observaton.

They must have had an idea the thing was likely to fall apart otherwise why would they be carrying untold heavy bolts when they are all so weight conscious.

Also their failure this time is in the aft part of the hull, not where you would expect slamming to affect so much.

[Guest]

From SA this morning:

 

vor on board

 

this blows

 

Leg 5, Day 1

April 12012

Amory Ross, MCM, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG

 

Can I be honest with you? This race BLOWS! I write this without Kenny's knowledge or approval, and god only knows how badly the panties of the team of seemingly 800 PR chicks would be bunched, but I have simply got to tell it like it is.

 

When I signed up for this "race", I envisioned something much, much different. Who knew what fragile, temperamental bitches not only these boats would turn out to be, but this crew as well. Holy christ, what a bunch of whiners! And to call Ken Read a Diva would be like calling Sarah Palin an idiot - Duh!

 

Between the farting, the gay porn magazines and the constant slacking off, (only to suddenly "look sharp" when the camera comes out) by these 11 overpaid douchebags, I have had enough.

 

Oh and did I mention that if we aren't freezing, then we are boiling, and if it isn't blowing 50, then it is blowing 0, and if it isn't rough, then it is flat-ass calm. It is maddening, and appears to be never, ever, ever ending. Oh and did I mention that we have yet to even sniff a victory in this race? All these millions spent and we sail around in 3rd place the entire god damn time. We move up when someone (always) breaks in front of us.

 

Right, well I have probably said too much as it is, and now I'll sign off and go back to being everyone's boat bitch on board this hideous boat. Monster indeed. - Amory.

 

03/30/12

 

 

 

Methinks it was posted 1/4/12 but you never know

 

I would agree with that orge. Calling Kenny a Diva and saying that they all have gay porn on the boat would not be the 'normal' im sure. He would have also known what he was getting himself in for when he signed up.

[Guest]

this is funny

 

 

 

[Guest]

GROUPAMA, PUMA DUEL FOR FIRST AS TELEFONICA RESUME CHASE

 

PUMA and Groupama were neck and neck on Sunday, locked in a battle for the top spot in Leg 5 as they raced up through the South Atlantic.

 

Long-term leg leaders Groupama sailing team were overhauled by Ken Read’s PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG at around 0700 UTC – but by 1300 UTC, Franck Cammas’ men were back in charge.

 

It is the first lead change of the leg since Groupama edged out CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand and claimed the top spot at 2155 UTC on March 23.

 

With more than 1,300 nm of racetrack remaining, Groupama helmsman Damian Foxall said his team were focused on staving off PUMA’s attack and claiming a maximum 30 points for the leg win.

 

“We want these points so we can have the chance to dig into Telefónica’s overall lead," Foxall said. “The number of legs and the number of points between now and the finish in Galway are reducing so every single position counts from here on in. It’s very important for us to beat PUMA.”

 

PUMA’s brief ascension to first place was the first time they have topped the Leg 5 leaderboard since March 20.

 

The pressure of dueling with their French rivals, winners of Leg 4, was weighing heavily on their shoulders.

 

Media Crew Member Amory Ross said navigator Tom Addis and skipper Read were grappling to second guess their opposition and figure out how best to fend off any advances.

 

“The French are tough to predict," Ross said. “Legs one and two they made bold decisions, legs three and four they played it safe. It’s hard to know what they’re thinking, and that in turn makes our decision making process tougher.”

 

Ross said it was a blessing that the brains of the boat could focus their efforts solely on Groupama, with third placed Team Telefónica, some 330 nm behind, considered a minor threat.

 

Telefónica started their comeback at 2133 UTC on Saturday after briefly hitting pause on racing to stop at Cape Horn to repair structural damage.

 

Skipper Iker Martínez said his team now had full confidence in the boat and were pushing 100 per cent, although the Spanish Olympic gold medallist admitted that securing anything but third place was unlikely.

 

“The leaders are still very far away, and the ones in the back also," he said. “Third place looks realistic. Second place looks pretty unrealistic today but anything can happen. We have to keep racing hard and cut down the miles.”

 

Martínez said he and navigator Andrew Cape had found an unfamiliar sense of freedom in his team’s unusual position in the middle of the fleet.

 

“We don’t have anyone very close, we’re feeling freedom, we can just take things as they come," the skipper said. “Now what we have to do is figure out what is the best route, and in any moment we can try something different.”

 

CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand remain in fourth place and continue to trek towards Chile, some 600 nm away, for repairs, while Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, in fifth, are still assessing their structural damage and considering all options.

[Guest]

 

[Fogg 427]

So are you keeping track of the clipper round the world race? Those boats are built to deal with anything and I'm pretty sure none of them sustained major damage.

 

Lion nz was built to withstand what they expect to see and she had great success as a "race" yacht

 

Don't think you will ever see a boat that can go 40 knots + off a wave, get airborne, smash into the next one and not break. The forces are to great.

 

In saying that. I tend to agree with wheels in that some of the boats this year may have issues with the resin etc.. Making them slightly weaker than normal. Maybe they used ADOS resin

 

The Clipper guys aren't immune to problems/injuries either:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17580958

[203 0]

Groupama doing some single handed sailing

 

 

28kts of wind, Full main, And single handed.. Cant be that hard

[Guest]

April fools mate...

[Fogg 427]

Groupama are my heroes. Not only are they sailing better than the rest they have a cool sense of humour!

[203 0]

April fools mate...

 

Oh snap.. People keep getting me!

[Guest]

Camper emplaning again what happened.

 

[Guest]

The tactical battle between leg leaders PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA) and Groupama sailing team (Franck Cammas/FRA) continued today with PUMA maintaining a separation of 5.1 nm at 1000 UTC as the pair race towards Brazil’s Itajaí.

 

Since 0400 GMT yesterday, the top two have been trading places in a scrap set to get even more intense as they enter the final 1000 nautical miles (nm) of this 6,705 nm leg from Auckland.

 

A spell of upwind sailing during Saturday night and early Sunday morning saw both teams engage in a series of fast and furious tacks that had both crews on deck throughout.

 

The arrival of the three-hourly reports containing vital information about the fleet continue to be anxious moments as the crews wait to see the outcome of their efforts. Trimming, tweaking, stacking and tacking make life on deck a serious business.

 

Incredibly after 6,245 nm covered so far on Leg 5 by Groupama the French crew have PUMA clearly in sight. Covering each other move for move, there are no thoughts of taking fliers now.

 

“Keep them close, sail fast and they shouldn’t have a chance to break away,” said PUMA’s Media Crew Member Amory Ross.

 

PUMA and Groupama are today sailing downwind in a 20-knot south-westerly breeze, clicking off the miles to the finish at an average speed of 18 knots. They are currently 277 nm east of Puerto Madryn in Argentine Patagonia.

 

Meanwhile, in third place and back racing full bore, Team Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) have shaved their deficit to 247 nm, sailing 416 nm in the 24 hours to 0700 GMT today.

 

Back in the Southern Ocean sailing at the same latitude as the leaders, CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) are just a day from arriving at Puerto Montt in Chile where they will meet their shore team who will help repair the boat.

 

Also nursing damage, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) is heading cautiously in the same direction as CAMPER as they continue to assess their leg 5 options.

[Guest]