Sydney-Hobart 2015

Sh 2015

Wild Oats XI post mods 2015: (note DSS trunk)

 

She Sails!

Back on the water!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkPRCyJdBSA

 

Wild Oats XI

Thanks,RC!

more video: https://www.facebook.com/brandon.galwey/videos/1709215452630766/

 

Wild Oats XI---mods

Some early word on whether or not the mods have helped the boat: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2015/12/13/47663/#more

This is what was done to Wild Oats in preparation for the Sydney-Hobart 2015---

When the design was finalised there were six significant changes planned:

• The section of the hull forward of the mast would become more streamlined and provide additional buoyancy. This feature would greatly reduce the tendency to nose-dive, so the yacht could then be driven downwind faster and more safely in strong winds. It would also present the opportunity to increase the sail area (horsepower) and make the sail-plan more efficient.
• Upwind speed in light winds (up to eight knots) would improve as a considerably larger headsail (a J1) could be set. The new sail measures in at 280sq metres – 20sq metres larger than a doubles tennis court, and 23% larger than the existing J1!
• The bowsprit was redesigned to be significantly longer than its predecessor. This meant the spinnakers being carried downwind would be more efficient, and therefore provide more drag-reducing lift.
• The longer bowsprit would also allow for the largest spinnaker to be increased in area by 120 square metres to 965 square metres. Its total area is now greater than the wing area of an Airbus A380 passenger aircraft!
• The DSS (Dynamic Stability System) hydrofoil wing has been modified to provide more lift forward and contribute to a reduction in hull drag. This will also result in an increase in speed when sailing downwind. New, deeper, daggerboards have also been fitted.
• Through the removal of some old non-structural internal components from the hull, and the use of the most modern materials, the new-look Wild Oats XI hull is more than 500 kilograms lighter. An additional 300 kilograms has been saved through the use of new, ultra-light cloth for the manufacture of the new sails. This fabric is the same as that being used in the construction of some components for the Boeing Dreamliner aircraft.

 

Solar Big Boat Challenge

Comanche won't be racing, but Wild Oats XI and Rambler 88 and many others will.
Tonight starting between 8:15 and 9:15 EST :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOjK4dvHAh0

 

It's on live NOW! So far Wild Oats just smoked Ragamuffin and Perpetual Loyal, but Rambler 88 is higher and going real well. Wild Oats and R88 are the only boats(I think) with DSS.
Looks like it was Wild Oats, R88, Perpetual Loyal and Ragamuffin. Wild Oats was smokin fast! R88 beat two 100 footers to take second-shes fast. The race was videoed from on board Ragamuffin-and for all those that say these are "motorsailers" you should watch the replay-just fantastic sailing......

 

Wild Oats XI

The Wild Oats Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na3tULRQ_uA

 

Wild Oats vs Comanche today

Look at Wild Oats close on Comanche today-from right to left:

 

Sh 2015

Live coverage of Sydney -Hobart should be here about 8:30pm December 25TH Eastern: https://au.sports.yahoo.com/#page1
https://au.tv.yahoo.com/plus7/live/


Nick Douglas, Sailor Girl Live for Sydney-Hobart: http://www.nicdouglass.org/ NOTE: Nick's broadcast will begin about 4pm Eastern the afternoon of the 25th!

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rshyr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RolexSydneyHobart

Race website: http://www.rolexsydneyhobart.com/

Tracker: http://www.rolexsydneyhobart.com/tracker/

Following the race: http://www.rolexsydneyhobart.com/spectators/following-the-race/

Go Wild Oats XI!!

 

Sh2015

Long range weather forecast and Stan Honey interview at 14:00 in:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PQbwxq12co



Go Wild Oats XI!!!!

 

Nice interview from several angles;

* Jennifer Wells pointing out that the "little boats" have to face tougher conditions for longer. I see Hobart vet Tony Cable is giving the supermaxis stick for being "one night wonders" as they only have to spend one full night at sea. It's funny to see Wild Rose now being a Div D boat..... she's a great tough old girl but when a 43 footer is in the small class it underlines how the move to big boats has stuffed the 30-36 footers that used to be such an important part of the event.

* good interview with Nic and Stan Honey. The point he brings up about the fact that the Fastnet had flat water is often overlooked. In the Hobart and similar Australian races there is almost always a ground swell and left-over chop in light stuff and the "Open" types can absolutely stop in those conditions. They aren't such a factor in events like the Fastnet, so what works in those events often fails in the Hobart, and it's been shown to be the case for about 50 years.

Nic's personality also shows through. Nice.

 

Sh 2015

Comanche in the 2015 Transat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUpw_5qcWb0



Go Wild Oats XI!!!!

 

It certainly was not flat in '79..............

and I would have done it then but for the fact the boat was deemed too small. She still did Lymington to Milford Haven in sub 24 hrs - not bad for a 24' er...

 

Yep, '79 didn't have flat water, and many other Fastnets had fierce seas. However, the latest Fastnet -the one Honey and I were referring to - had flat seas.

I may have been unclear - the point is that in other places when the wind dies the seas normally die soon afterwards. In the Hobart and off Sydney, you get a left-over slop and chop that hangs around a lot of the time even when the wind is light. The British boats back in the days of the Southern Cross Cup used to sometimes have their headsails fitted with an extra luff panel to compensate, which illustrates how aware they were of the issue.

The seaway is pretty damn bad in the Hobart, though; the skippers of Sunstone (which has about 7 Fastnet class wins and 4 RORC Yacht of the Year awards) reckon Bass Strait and the Tassy coast have the worst seas they have encountered in about 200,000 miles of sailing, including sailing around Cape Horn and a lot of time in Alaska. So a shape that handles slop is very important here.

 

SH2015-AC Team USA Oracle racing on several boats

“Right now it looks like the forecast is going to be pretty wild,” he said. “You just want to make sure you have the right gear. It is summertime in Australia, but you can get Southerlies that are coming off the Antarctic, and it can be a pretty cool breeze. I’m excited – it’s going to be a race.”

In addition to Rome Kirby, ORACLE TEAM USA will be represented on several big boats. Skipper Jimmy Spithill and grinder/bowman Louis Sinclair return for a second consecutive year to race on the 100-foot super-maxi Comanche. Sailing team manager/helmsman Tom Slingsby and chief operating officer Grant Simmer will sail on Perpetual Loyal, a team also raising funds for children’s charities. The crew for last year’s winner, Wild Oats XI, will include meteorologist Juan Vila, shore team manager Andrew Henderson and hydraulics systems engineer John Hildebrand.

“This race is iconic in Australia and always been a dream of mine to win,” said Spithill, who is excited to be back racing on Comanche. “This is looking like the most competitive race to date, with a number of big boats capable of winning, and as always in ocean racing you never know what mother nature is going to dish up for you.”

The Sydney Hobart Race starts on Boxing Day, December 26, at 1 pm AEDT.