Vendée Globe 2020

The main reason is to keep the strut AOA small as the boat heels. They go tail high when heeled. It also shifts the longitudinal CG a wee bit.

 

I may be slow, but I can route. Yes we Cam is the real Jean Le Cam's location overlaid on the VR.

 

My VR "Dolfisud" seems close to you and Jean Le Cam :

 

Hugo Boss has now a clear lead, on this video that looks easy (but its is not) :

 

At last the reward, i.e. beam reaching in ideal conditions for the first half of the fleet, at this game Hugo Boss and Linkedout seems the faster, averaging 21+ Knots during the last 4 hours :
Cartographie - Vendée Globe https://www.vendeeglobe.org/fr/cartographie

 

In these reaching conditions (wind ~ 13-14 Knots, twa ~ 115°-120°), when looking at the average speeds on 24 h of foilers (Hugo Boss, Linkedout, Apivia) and the best non foiler (Yes we Cam) , it is 19,4 knots versus 17,4 Knots , so exactly 2 Knots better , 50NM /day, for foilers.
Tracking : Cartographie - Vendée Globe https://www.vendeeglobe.org/fr/cartographie

 

... And that's at a TWA that's ideal for the non-foilers. I think the foilers can sail deeper downwind in moderate air. They look to have more than a two knot advantage VMG down wind. At least Hugo Boss does, with those skinny-tipped, low lateral force foils.

 

I had hoped to see L'Occitane closing the gap to the leaders but for one reason or another its about the slowest boat in the race for the last couple of days.I'm still hugely impressed by the speed of Jean Le Cam compared to the sailors with the latest generation of boats.

 

I am afraid Occitane will be glued there (in the west of Canaries) for the next 40 hours, according to the Ventusky prediction, the half stop for repairing the staysail costs him a maximum of delay !! Too bad because it would be interesting to see what Occitane can do with regard the front runners.
Ventusky - Weather Forecast Maps https://www.ventusky.com/?p=29.5;-18.6;4&l=wind-10m

 

Linkedout and Apivia were a bit faster than Hugo Boss during the last 24 h, best average speed / day are presently :
1) Linkedout : 21,2 Knots ; 2) Apivia 20,3 ; 3) Hugo Boss 20,1 : 4) Arkea Paprec 19,4 ; ..... ; 10) Yes we cam : 18,1
More on statistics :
Statistiques - Vendée Globe https://www.vendeeglobe.org/fr/statistiques
They arrive that night in the Doldrums zone which seems not very active presently, but wait and see...
tracking : Cartographie - Vendée Globe https://www.vendeeglobe.org/fr/cartographie

 

The last news, about the beginning of the doldrums crossing by the leaders :
News - Last Hours in the Northern Hemisphere For HUGO BOSS - Vendée Globe - En https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/20380/last-hours-in-the-northern-hemisphere-for-hugo-boss
Sad for Corum and Nicolas Troussel for this strange dismasting in somewhat easy sailing conditions, we should know more when she arrives at Mindelo

 

Video of Hugo Boss, with Alex the Vendee Globe looks like an indoor game for your living room !

 

Linkedout and Apivia , at ~ average 20,5 Knots/day , now on the heels of Hugo Boss at ~ 19 Knots. Arkea Paprec / Sebastien Simon shows also its high speed potential and gradually go up in the ranking :
Statistics : Statistics - Vendée Globe - En https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/statistics
Tracking : Tracking map - Vendée Globe - En https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/tracking-map

 

Alex Thomson reports possible structural damage and presently sailing at slow speed, waiting for solutions from his technical team :
News - HUGO BOSS slowed after possible structural issue concern - Vendée Globe - En https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en/news/20472/hugo-boss-slowed-after-possible-structural-issue-concern-leaders-deal-with-south-atlantic-doldrums
The 3 leaders try to make profit of a narrow corridor of wind, which could evolve unpredictability and vanish for the followers.

 

Disappointing to see that Hugo Boss has been slowed by a structural issue.It happened with the last Hugo Boss four years ago and makes me wonder whether being developed in isolation from the other new generation IMOCA 60's is unhelpful.Lack of preparation time might also play a part as even Charal has had a couple of years to prepare and find weak spots and yet had to return for work.I know that in the case of Charal,it was UFO damage and at the speed of a modern boat,the energy that goes into a collision is commensurately increased.Has any word come out regarding which aspect of Hugo Boss has been affected?I do hope it isn't the same rig defect that forced Corum to retire and that some work on board will have the boat back in the race soon.It would be sad to see a boat with such potential retire but even worse to see it carry on to the most remote part of the planet and then need rescuing.