Hi all

We went down to South Arm at the mouth of the Derwent yesterday and watched Comanche enter the river and stop as the breeze died followed by Wild Oates X1 about 10 minutes later

After some sail changes by both crews and both crews sending someone up to the top of the mast to look for wind Wild Oates X1 managed to catch and pass Comanche and went on to cross the line first

This is a series of photo's showing what happened

Regards Don

Thanks Don.
Great pics.

Amazing photos. Thanks for sharing.

LDVC must be spewing!

Great shots Don. I saw it happen on TV. How would you like to be the guy atop the mast. Both boats
look magnificent.

It was quite interesting because we got to South Arm about and hour before the boats arrived and there was a nice breeze still blowing up the river

Just before Comanche arrived the breeze in the river died and there was a definite wind line at the start of the river

Comanche hit this and stopped and a little while later on Wild Oates X1 did the same

The wind then started to come back and advanced up the river and both boats were advancing up the river with it

It probably wasn't helped by just about everything that floats in Hobart was surrounding them and messing up what would have been flat water

These photo's were taken about an hour before they arrived

Heading back up today to watch a few more finish and have a good look at the boats

Regards Don

Wow, that was some transition zone. Fully powered up to backed headsail and no wind in a matter of meters.

Love your work Donk.
I reckon that situation has happened to most....can almost feel how frustrated the LDVC team would have been.

Great pics !

Hard to believe that Comanche could make a basic mistake, but my understanding of light weather conditions is that you pull the traveller to windward to minimise twist in the main, and catch the high level puffs. Compare the photos: WOXI has virtually no twist in her main, Comanche has heaps.
What does the brains trust think?

Select to expand quote

Yara said..
Hard to believe that Comanche could make a basic mistake, but my understanding of light weather conditions is that you pull the traveller to windward to minimise twist in the main, and catch the high level puffs. Compare the photos: WOXI has vitually no twist in her main, Comanche has heaps.
What does the brains trust think?

I thought you pulled the traveller to winward to maximise twist. Make the sail fuller. Catch more wind.

www.sailnet.com/forums/42955-post6.html

What surprised me was when the wind died Comanche seemed to spend a fair bit of time without a head sail up but

Regards Don

Select to expand quote

Cav30 said..

Yara said..
Hard to believe that Comanche could make a basic mistake, but my understanding of light weather conditions is that you pull the traveller to windward to minimise twist in the main, and catch the high level puffs. Compare the photos: WOXI has vitually no twist in her main, Comanche has heaps.
What does the brains trust think?

I thought you pulled the traveller to winward to maximise twist. Make the sail fuller. Catch more wind.

www.sailnet.com/forums/42955-post6.html

Yes, of course, you are right. However the twist theory relies on a wind speed gradient. These "no expense spared" boats possibly have instruments to measure that, and the answer could be that the gradient effect was not as much as Comanche expected.

Great pics Don

Great pics Don

Select to expand quote

Yara said..
Hard to believe that Comanche could make a basic mistake, but my understanding of light weather conditions is that you pull the traveller to windward to minimise twist in the main, and catch the high level puffs. Compare the photos: WOXI has virtually no twist in her main, Comanche has heaps.
What does the brains trust think?

Other way around. Maximise twist. There is normally more wind up there, which skews the apparent aft at the masthead. Also, twist reduces your pointing and, in perfect conditions, your ultimate speed - but it promotes attached airflow (rather than stalling the lee side and leach) and acceleration.

Yep, looks like Comanche were trying different things to keep the flow attached. She would be like glue in light airs, that's a massive wetted surface area to overcome. Heel the boat at the expense of optimal trim, so traveller up, sheet on is worth a shot at that stage.
Btw, thanks Donk for the pics, some of them are excellent.