Vendee Globe 2012

This non-stop singlehanded round the world race takes place starting in November 2012 and is sailed in Open 60's. This class is the most advanced monohull class sailing today-at least from a foil standpoint. A few of these boats are using curved lifting foils and this class is the first monohull racing class to allow those foils. It is also the first monohull racing class to allow DSS-no word ,so far, if any of the entrants will use this revolutionary technology.
This may be the last time these boats race as an "unlimited" class because there is a lot of (unfortunate) talk about the class going one design*. After the stop and go of the VOR this race will be an exciting departure-no stops-no planned stops anyway!

http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/

* no decision yet as far as I know

click on image:

 

Another race I will follow with great interest. These Open 60/70s are amazing boats. Can you define or explain DSS.

 

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Me too ,Ken -looking forward to it. DSS is a "foil assist" system for monohulls invented and pioneered by Hugh Welbourn. It consists of a horizontal foil that slides across the boat and itlift adds tremendous righting moment while ,at the same time, reducing wetted surface and improving the "ride" of the boat. Here is much more: http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/sailboats/quant-28-foil-assist-keelboat-dss-38421.html

 

Will they have canting ballast keels as well?

 

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Open 60's have always had canting ballast keels. If DSS is retrofitted it would be into a boat that had a canting keel. It could be locked on the center line but would probably be used in combination with DSS until DSS is better understood. The RM from DSS can exceed that from a canting keel when the boat is moving fast enough.
I doubt anybody will use DSS because the class bigwigs want to move to a one design.....

 

Cool boats. Any vids of them in action yet?

 

Joseph, google "Open 60" and I'm sure you'll run across some video.....

 

All boats have arrived in Les Sables d'Olonne and race village is opened.
Counting down 20 days from now the race begins on 10th november with 20 competitors!
Lots of info & articles on the website.

http://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/

 

One word comes to mind Doug:

Robust.

I've followed the races for years.

Great post, thanks.

 

Vendee

Well, I'm rooting for Virbac-Paprec 3. Skipper-JP Dick.
Heres more: http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/sailboats/open-60-using-curved-lifting-foils-35710.html

 

I'm rooting for everyone to finish!

Thanks for the link.

 

anyone who wants to read what its like to sail an open 60:
http://www.sailingworld.com/experts/how-to-sail-an-open-60

interesting stuff from ryan breymeier on board "neutrogena" during the barcelona world race (two handed)...

 

Vendee 2012

The race starts November 10th. Here is a blub from the front page of SA about a guy doing something special for the race: ( I doubt that "no one in history" is accurate)

show us your bubi

Javier “Bubi” Senso has a good chance of doing something no one in history has done – his Open 60 “Acciona 100% Ecopowered” has no engine, no genset, and no hydrocarbon fuel of any kind. If Bubi finishes the 2012 Vendee Globe, he’ll be the first person ever to sail around the world without using a drop of diesel, gas, kerosene, propane, or anything else made from dead dinosaurs. It’s an impressive goal – something others have tried to do and failed – and Bubi and his sponsors will be real winners if they can just get ‘round.

 

Thanks for showing us this, Doug.

Something interesting.

Wonder if he uses a canting ballast keel.

It is theoretically possible to use moveable water ballast with no motors. You just have to use less of it.

Before changing tacks, you just let the ballast run to the low side then change tacks, so the ballast ends up on the high side.

Whether or not he will be able to compete with the CBTF's out there is another matter.

I always thought that moveable ballast should be restricted to a certain percentage of fixed ballast, on long ocean voyages. If that had been done, we would never had seen CBTF's, which I have always seen as a needlessly expensive, risky technology, that just invites disaster. Just so a mono can go as fast as a much cheaper multi. (Due to numerous CBK break offs, I don't buy Mr. Finot's claims that this type of boat is any safer than a multi hull.)

Then again, he may be using even more uber expensive solar cells, which use full spectrum light, like the ones on the Mars rovers do, to cant the ballast.

It may work and solar cell technology could use the boost (of diesels being banned in future races, perhaps) of bringing full spectrum cells into the civilian market.

 

The boat is solar powered. The sheerclamp and deck under the covers are panels. Plus tow generators. At launch I meant to ask the gang...What is the fitting on the end of the boom ? I dont know about propulsion. The boat is fitted with a prop