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Around the World of Sailing
7 March 2001
This weeks features:
Finish Line
Yves Parlier sailing the jury rigged Aquitaine Innovations in the
Vendee Globe. His slow pace has left him short on rations. Here's
one solution: "I've hooked up this lighting system to illuminate my
sails and the flying fish just head right into them. Two days ago I
caught 20 and last night I found 30 on deck!"
Rowing Reporter
Rowing Reporter Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/0307_frw.htm
The Rowing Reporter is a weekly column of commentary and observations
by Ike Stephenson, Marine Informationist. It concentrates on the home
waters of Around the World of Sailing Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake.
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Readers Write:
On our weather links page at http://www.torresen.com/weather.htm
I ask visitors to send in their best weather links. This week
someone took up this challenge. Stuart Weir wrote: "Ok Ike here is
the BEST marine weather and wave and tide forecast site
http://www.coastweather.com." This site produces detailed forecasts
for the coastal United States. It does not appear to include the
Great Lakes. To gain the services of this site you must subscribe.
Costs range from $ 100 to $ 240 on a yearly basis.
If you are planning a voyage, or want detailed weather info this
site should get a look from you. While I can't say it's the best,
some one else can.
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Vendee Globe Comparisons
This edition of the Vendee Globe had several boats sailing their
2nd Vendee Globe. While the skippers had changed and the boats had
been refitted and sported new sails and gear the hulls were the same.
Below is a comparison of how the boats performed.
2000-2001 Voila Fr. Bernard Gallay 111 16 7
1996-97 Geodis Chrisoph Augin 105 20 31
2000-2001 VM Matériaux Patrice Carpentier 116 0 32
1996-1997 Aqua Corum Pete Goss 126 21 25
2000-2001 NDC Joe Seeten 115 16 46
1992-93 Jean Luc Van Den Hede 116 15 01
We have one major improvement, one significant backslide and one
minor gain. Could this show that the man/boat equation is tipped in
favor of the boat?
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The Race Routes
After finishing Club Med skipper Grant Dalton said: "Their
[The French] whole flair nature is one thing, but God knows how many
(extra) miles they've sailed on Innovation Explorer - they've sailed
one-and-a-half times round the world, while we've been going 'man and
the mark' all the time."
Club Med sailed 27407 miles at 18.3 knots
Innovation Explorer sailed 28764 at 18.45 knots.
That's a difference of 1357 miles. Sailed at the average of the two
race class cats that's 74 hours. The difference in elapsed times was
64 hours. Dalton's statement would seem right on.
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The Price of Being 1st
Here's some of the damage toll on Club Med the first race class
catamaran to circumnavigate: hull flex, main beam damage, hull core
collapse, bulk head doors used in repair, bolt shortage, trampoline
damage, numerous failed pad eyes perhaps due to faulty welds and
rigging damage, failed ballast pumps, broken battens, lower shroud
failure.
Here's a similar list from when Robin Know Johnston sailed Suhali a
cabin knocked off, damage to cabin flooring, complete radio failure,
failure of chip log, split mainsail, blow tack on jib, failed brakes
on halyard winches, seized engine, damage to self steering gear,
steering system damage, ran aground, leaking seam in hull, worn
rudder pintles, broken jib forestay, broken gooseneck.
Although Club Med was 100 foot plus composite structure and Suhali a
32-foot wooden ketch both suffered various types of damage during
their voyages. There's a price in uncertainty of being first.
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Rowing Reporter Interactive- The Rowing reporter seeks comments,
questions and suggestions. Send email in a bottle to ike@torresen.com.
When readers write we can start a dialogue about rowing reporter
writing. Send challenges, remarks, queries and they will make you a
part of this column.
Water Level Update
Weekly Water Level Update
Available on line at: http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/0307_frw.htm
Here is an informative feature that used to appear in the Friday
edition of Sailing Daily. Below you'll find water level info that
pertains to Lake Michigan and Huron. For information on other lakes
see http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil/levels/weekly.html
Weekly Water Level Update
Reference Point Inches below Chart Datum - 9
Difference From 2 February 2001 0
Difference from 2 March 2000 -3
Difference from Long-Term Avg. -23
Difference from Record High -53
Difference from Record Low +8
Forecast for 2 April 2001 +2