Mini Ocean Racing Scow

747 Scow

David Raison is back in the lead-16 miles ahead of second. Go David!

http://tracking.transat650.net/carte/etape-2.html

 

747 Scow

Excerpt from The Daily Sail:

Approaching 10degN, the leaders in the Charente Maritime-Bahia Transat 6.50 (Mini Transat) are showing their strategies for getting through the next hurdle of the course - the Doldrums. At present wind satellite radar images are showing a depression forming over 20degW between 5-10degN and to the west of this region, where the Mini will be crossing the wind is more northerly than northeasterly and with the Doldrums formed between 2-5degN before the southeasterly trades build south of this.

In the Proto class, David Raison on his novel scow Team Work Evolution moved into the lead at the 1600 sched yesterday and at present is furthest south but also the furthest east. Overnight Raison has pulled out a 20 mile lead over second placed Thomas Normand on Financiere de l'Echiquier and 37 over third placed Bertrand Delesne on Zone Large. However while this trio is charging south, the group behind led by German Jorg Riechers on mare.de are getting some westing in, the traditional wisdom being that west is best when crossing the Doldrums. The benefit of this tactic is that at present to the north there is the usual area of high pressure so this westerly group will see the wind slowly veer east at which point they will gybe south.

The question will be - is west best this year? Remember the only weather info that the Mini skippers are receiving are reports via radio and they don't have the benefit of PredictWind GRIBs like we do or access to the internet to view satellite wind radar images. Long range forecasts are pretty useful for the Doldrums, so the skippers mostly base their tactics for the Doldrums crossing on statistics. While the Doldrums at present are looking reasonably narrow, within 24 hours this could all change.

 

747 Scow

David is 31 miles ahead of second and 59 miles ahead of third. Go David!

 

747 Scow

David is just barely in the lead: 3.64 miles ahead. The others are going faster.
Go David!

 

747 Scow

David has opened back up to a 15.58 mile lead. Go David!
UPDATE: 10/25/11, 7:40EDT up to 20.95 miles in front.....
UPDATE: 10/26/11, 7:45AM EDT 38.6 miles in front...

From the race website:

Instinct, divine inspiration, clever obstination?

David Raison (747 – TeamWork Evolution) will have plenty of time to explain his strategy in Bahia. His course, since Funchal, commands respect. Greyness, rain, and squalls up to 30 knots, this is the daily atmosphere on the water. But the sea and the moderate swell seem to be convenient for the incredible TeamWork Evolution. The audacious and revolutionary design, the boldness route he chose, lead David Raison to victory. And for certain, he will mark the race's history. Behind him, the scenarios are more conventional with severe slowdowns and erratic courses... Thomas Normand (787 – Financière de l’Echiquer) and Bertrand Delesne (754 – Zone Large), try anyway to remain in the wake of David. With almost 90 miles delay, Jorg Riechers (753 – Mare.de) is the one who loses the most in the doldrums for the moment.

Many withdrawals-at least two dismastings: http://www.charentemaritime-bahia.t.../4-skippers-persevere-in-sailing-to-east.html
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From Scuttlebutt Europe yesterday:

Transat 6.50

The Intertropical Convergence Zone is now spread all over the fleet (more that 250 miles in latitude). The sailors that are experiencing very difficult sailing conditions are following the unconventional routes... Eric Llull (566 - Noble Cocoa) is no longer the Series class's leader. David Raison (747 - TeamWork Evolution) is still first in the protos but his chasers Thomas Normand (787 - Financiere de l'Echiquier) and Bertrand Delesne (754 - Zone large) are closing the gap.

Forced - for a short time - to head to the east and the African coast, Llull has attempted everything he could to get out from the tenacious wind hole where he has gotten stuck.

Update on the withdrawals...

This will remain one of the great questions of the 2011 Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50... Why there were so many problems with the rudders, problems that in many cases forced their victims to withdraw. Aurelien Ducroz has had to abandon this morning at Mindelo. David Prono (728 - Get it Right - www.esi-group.com) told the race director that in addition to its torn starboard rudder, there was a leak at the fittings. Brendan Archin (757 - Association La touline) also confirmed his withdrawal from the race. The Swedish Ulf Brandstrom (772 - GRPMS.com) ends his race for health reasons, his infected knee does not allow him to carry on. 7 Series boats are officially out of the race, to which will probably be added the unfortunate Bruno Simonnet who is on his way to Cape Verde. On Protos side, Aurelien Ducroz now is the fourth skippers to withdraw from race.www.charentemaritime-bahia.transat650.net

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From Scuttlebutt Europe this morning:

Transat 6.50: Mathieu Claveau Forced to Abandon His Boat

Mathieu Claveau (405 - Okoume Les chevaux du Beal) collided last night with one unidentified floating object that severely damaged his hull. This also caused important leaks on board. The water level rose rapidly and forced Mathieu to start the standard procedure for external help request by pressing the red button on his beacon and releasing his sarsat beacon. He has been evacuated of his boat.

A cargo ship was diverted on 45 miles toward the area and the escort boat Edulis was diverted by the Race Direction. In agreement with the MRCC, which oversaw the operation, the cargo was asked to be on the weather-beam and athwart the sea to protect Mathieu during his evacuation. Mathieu has board on his life raft and two Edulis's crewmembers in the rear skirt have caught him and his first aid bag - which he had carefully prepared. Mathieu will remain on board of Edulis until Bahia.

Mathieu' statement - by Iridium:
"I had 10 knots of wind when it happened. I was asleep and I was awakened by a great shock. I have made more sails and then, while I was looking inside the boat, I saw the water gushing under my kitchen board. I went down, I plunged my hand and I felt the wood of the hull that exploded. I think that I hit a metal object that destroyed my hull. The boat was filled with water in one hour. I tried to bail out but I quickly realized that this was not possible and that it was completely useless. I had battery up until half an hour before the arrival of the cargo and Edulis in the area. I was surprised that everyone is there so quickly. I have all prepared to stay one or two days without help. All is fine... "

www.charentemaritime-bahia.transat650.net





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Picture by Loris Von Siebenthal:

 

747 Scow

Raison is 50 miles ahead of second and ....100 miles ahead of third! At the time of this post he was 1kt faster than second. Go David!

UPDATE: 10/27/11- Raison is over 70 miles in front and going a knot faster than second place....

 

Looks like the squared bow is the new thing in mini design. The question is how wide and how square.

This bow, counting its radii, looks to be about one third the total beam.

Since these boats sail mostly down wind, I won't be surprised to see one half a beam wide.

 

A round-bilged scow seems to have a number of advantages, extra forward buoyancy allows it to a press of sail, it maintains neutral helm when heeled, and it has more hull volume and deck space.

Does it have any disadvantages compared with a hull with a conventionally shaped bow, or is it’s lack of popularity just because people think it doesn’t look like a proper boat?

A garvey would be be similar I imagine and easier to build but - other than in dinghy size - might have less manners in a blow. I haven’t sailed either typs but am interseted in more informed opinions.

 

747 Scow

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My first reaction to this boat was something like: "Uggggly!" But the more I've tried to consider the science behind it and the more I am astonished by its performance the more I like it. He has had every condition that critics said would be the demise of the design and mostly stayed in front. Raison is an exceptional sailor and has made some gutsy calls starting with this design.
As of this post he is 80 miles ahead of second and 139 miles ahead of third and going faster than both.
The design is surely a breakthru-but I remember someone saying "if it looks good it should be fast". No one ever said-to my knowledge-" if its ugly it should be fast". So I've come to believe my ingrained definition of ugly needs to change.......

 

I don't see ugly, I see "specialized", and I wonder how this will translate to our mundane world, if at all.

 

Well, I was halfway there with Cox's Bay skimmer; note bow wave - it's ripping the water surface.

 

upwind into a chop

 

747 Scow

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Not so sure about that-there has been lots of chop-the bow is a little different when the boat is heeled 20 degrees.

 

Peter: I can believe it might pound but I wonder if there would be enough thrust to cause that upwind?

Doug: the bow looks almost spherical, I would have expected it to change less than a covnentional bow.

 

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Here's a picture that may help:

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