Sydney-Hobart 2014

From The Daily Sail today: read the whole article here: http://www.thedailysail.com/inshore/14/67430/0/solas-big-boat-challenge-2014-day-1-report

Wild Oats still the daddy

The SOLAS Big Boat Challenge takes place in build-up to Rolex Sydney Hobart

Tuesday December 9th 2014, Author: Jim Gale, Location: Australia
A large spectator fleet watched Bob Oatley’s 100ft maxi Wild Oats XI declare that Sydney Harbour is still her back yard, the brand new, revolutionary American upstart, Comanche notwithstanding.

Wild Oats XI sliced across the finish line beside Fort Denison 1 minute 22 seconds ahead of Comanche for yet another line honours victory in the annual SOLAS Big Boat Challenge, having led the fleet for much of the race.

Fellow Sydneysider Matt Allen steered his 60ft Ichi Ban fifth across the line, behind Black Jack and Perpetual Loyal to win the race on handicap. Nicholas Bartels’ Terra Firma won the PHS class.

Skipper Mark Richards steered Wild Oats XI to a perfect start and quickly accelerated ahead until a fouled first spinnaker set allowed Comanche and Perpetual Loyal to ease past her on the approach to the first mark, with Peter Harburg’s blisteringly fast Volvo 70 Black Jack making up the quadrella.

 

Sydney-Hobart

Mildly interesting tour of Wild Oats XI:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPlAWsmITBg

 

Sydney-Hobart--Big Boat Challenge

Here is video of yesterdays Big Boat Challenge-how would Comanche do against Wild Oats XI? The radio version last night was quite exciting!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms67OA2RXhY

 

Hi Dough, I am curious about the horizontal wing (DNS) in action on Wild Oats XI. What happens in waves? Big slamming? In the vid he points out all of the underwater gear. But I can't find 1 vid of dns in action on WO XI.
Pretty sure Comanche will win the Sydney Hobart on line honours this year. unless accidents happen. And I saw the result of http://www.cyca.com.au/results/2015...challenge-2014/solas-big-boat-challenge-2014/
Is there a photo of the finish?

 

From what I hear the DSS foil works very well for Wild Oats. She used it to win last years Sydney- Hobart and this year the foil is longer so it will develop more righting moment. Comanche is interesting but I'm for Wild Oats XI in the Sydney-Hobart. She looked to be faster than Comanche in the "Big Boat Challenge".....

 

Great close up video of Comanche and Wild Oats. Man I wish I could have been racing there or at least part of the spectator fleet. Notice how much of Comanche's bow is clear of the water:
http://vimeo.com/114079967

 

Sydney-Hobart 2014-----Wild Oats DSS foil

Comment from "Terrafirma" on the "ocean racing" forum on SA :

New DSS Foil is better than they expected. Also they didn't use it during the Big Boat Challenge deliberately to gauge their performance. Now they're saying it provides other benefits even in lighter winds. If this is all true $1.65 for a line honors win is great value. They have all bases covered, a narrow boat that is unbeatable in the light, then when it blows they deploy the DSS foil and they have much added stability and a smoother motion at sea. Oats and their foil options could be the new way to go rather than beam beam beam?

=======================
From the link below:
Trials over recent days have left little doubt that the now lengthened retractable wing, which extends to leeward near the mast, is contributing to an increase in speed in light winds. Its benefits have already been proven in in stronger winds.

'The tests have shown that the new wing is producing results better than expected,' Wild Oats XI’s skipper, Mark Richards, said after the yacht secured the Big Boat Challenge line honours trophy for the eighth time. 'We deliberately didn’t use it in the harbour race, but when we did trial it over the weekend, both in the harbour and offshore, there was a noticeable increase in speed in the low wind range – and that was what we were looking for.

'However, what we didn’t expect was the stabilising effect the wing provided on all points of sailing – the yacht didn’t rock around anywhere near as much as she used to. It’s a proven fact that a smoother motion through the water leads to improved airflow over the sails – two things that really contribute to better speed.'

http://www.sail-world.com/USA/Sydne...test-attachment-is-making-a-difference/129780

Picture by Andera Francolini

 

Sydney-Hobart--Big Boat Challenge

Another long video of the Solas Big Boat Challenge: (might want to reduce your volume to start with)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcNrCmcEIBs

 

Comanchigate?

How does a brand new super wide super deep boat with more sail area rate less than a 9 year old race boat?
http://www.boatinternational.com/2014/10/17/hodgdon-yachts-racing-superyacht-comanche-under-sail/
This is what the designers were told:

This 30.48-metre sailing yacht was built for pure performance. According to Read, superyacht Comanche is designed to, ‘finish first in whatever race she is entered – and break the record when weather cooperates.’ Ratings were not a priority, quite the contrary. The designer’s instead had a brief to make her so fast and so ahead of the competition that she would be worst-rated boat in history in IRC and ORR racing, and if not, then they failed.

click:

 

What I see is Comanche trying all sorts of sail configurations. And then measuring the distance to WOXI. Smart! Pretty sure Comanche will win.
Someone wants to bet. When WOXI wins, you will eat your hat in front of the webcam. I already have to eat my hat when Dong Feng wins the VOR overall.

 

Sydney-Hobart 2014-----Wild Oats DSS foil

DSS foil shortened after testing: By Rob Mundle (read whole article here: http://www.mysailing.com.au/news/hi...final-modification-for-the-sydney-hobart-race )

Bob Oatley’s Rolex Sydney Hobart race record holder, Wild Oats XI, is out of the water for a final modification after a high speed and rough weather training run off Sydney. The 30-metre long supermaxi was taken offshore in a 30–35 knot south easterly wind and big seas to test every part of the boat, and to remind the crew just how tough a Hobart race can be.
At the end of the day, when skipper Mark Richards turned the yacht back towards Sydney Heads, Wild Oats XI gave her crew a stunning ride as she surfed down big seas, at one stage topping a remarkable 33 knots. At the time her mainsail had been reefed down to almost a quarter of its size, and a small No. 4 jib was set.
“It was a really valuable day when it came to preparing for the Hobart race,” Richards said, “and the ride back into the harbour capped it off. We sailed upwind and down all day, did sail changes and went through every other possible manoeuvre.”
Richards added that sailing in such testing conditions also proved that the extended hydrofoil wing – which was recently increased in length by 800 millimetres – was not such a good idea. While it had delivered the desired increase in speed in light winds, it was a hindrance in rough seas.
“The extra length protruding out to windward caused Wild Oats to slam much harder off the back of big waves when we were sailing upwind,” Richards explained. “There was only one solution – take the wing back to its original length so that it would be completely encased within the hull when not in use. So, the boat is now out of the water so the wing can be modified.”

 

Ch 7 Interview with Comanche's Owners

This is very interesting-Kristy may be in the race....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj6KPZnUH0M

 

Thanks for sharing, really enjoyed the video.

 

Great picture of the Sydney-Hobart 100's by Chevalier. The boat on the far right, though 100', doesn't have a canting keel. Look at the difference in SA between it and the others:

Click on image for a much better view--

 

In other news, canting keels increase sail carrying power.