Zezo forum:

Post by Gerrit | 2018-03-02 | 08:56:18

Clipper nr 8, start 4 March 7:00 CET, 1600nm, around 7 days sailing. Weather forecast looks interesting with trades, light areas and a low developing near Qingdao/Korea. I'm sure Cvetan will add the route soon.

41 Comments

Post by Ursus Maritimus | 2018-03-02 | 09:08:46

it's already there!
great job Cvetan

Post by bewareth | 2018-03-03 | 12:23:46

Guys I don't know why but when I hit Clipper I get the last route from Australia north. Am I doing something wrong?

Post by bewareth | 2018-03-03 | 12:39:32

I placed my boat by the crsor to the starting line and it is ok now

Post by zezo | 2018-03-03 | 14:56:17

Cleaning the cookies (for the page) and opening a new window should also set the default points for the current leg.

Post by bewareth | 2018-03-03 | 15:07:03

Post by Gerrit | 2018-03-02 | 09:16:51

And the leg is again vsr level 4!

Post by WildWassa | 2018-03-04 | 04:05:42

Sorry double posting.

Post by WildWassa | 2018-03-04 | 04:13:24

There appears to be several boats on the course, heading North. One of the boats that I've been watching, for a few hours now, is nearly 5 hours into the leg already ... and there's still two hours to go to the official starting time.

Who or what are these boats?

There were boats on the course in the RORC 600 race just past, well ahead of the starting time as well.

Post by Gerrit | 2018-03-04 | 07:43:52

Do you have a screenshot or names of the boats?

Post by WildWassa | 2018-03-04 | 09:39:31

Gerrit, Ahoy skipper.

I was viewing zezo, examining the course and found the red dots. I viewed them as boat positions. I originally questioned (to myself) if the dots were test boats or even artifacts.

I see now that the leading red dot or boat? that I was following earlier in the day, is still progressing along the course, well ahead of the fleet. I have no way of knowing the boat's name, or if it is even a boat.

Post by WoKeN | 2018-03-04 | 11:52:40

red dots appears when you click starting point, some make some messages with it, but usually someone set is as starting point, as I believe, not a boat in VR.

Post by WildWassa | 2018-03-05 | 00:28:11

Thank you WoKeN.

Post by WildWassa | 2018-03-05 | 09:15:20

By the way, that red dot that I've been following since yesterday, is now 10 1/2 hours due West of the fleet. The red dot only shows on zezo, when the map is at 50% magnification.

Maybe it is an alien craft.

Post by Stormbringer | 2018-03-07 | 04:31:40

Um, why is everyone sailing so high just to reach back down to the tip of Taiwan?

This is my first Clipper, the polars seem a little funky, am I missing something? Where the hell is everyone going?

Post by zezo | 2018-03-07 | 08:20:44

In low winds polars have peaks at 60 and 120, almost flat in between, with a dip at 105/110. That creates a somehow weird routing plan. It would not matter in real life, but can be noticed when you are chasing a 1% performance gain.

The Taiwan wind shadow plays certain role too. In the prevailing NE wind you get a shift N and lift in the strait.

Post by zezo | 2018-03-07 | 09:01:29

That said, the boats South will take a slight lead beacause of the polar weirdness and better upwind than downwind performance.

And it's not so weird for a cruising type boat.

Post by huditojo | 2018-03-07 | 07:06:56

They are going after the rainbow..lol

Post by Stormbringer | 2018-03-07 | 14:22:56

I see it now, the code zero is mush in the light air.

But why wouldn't zezo take this into account? It routed me directly east.

Post by YourMomSA | 2018-03-07 | 17:59:07

It was iffy which way to go the whole time. There was a bubble (Taiwan's wind shadow) to go above or below, but Zezo was close to 50/50 on which way was better. During the first day of the race, it said below. Later, it said above. At the forecast update about 14 hours ago, it went back to below, but a bunch of us had already gone far enough North to be committed to above. So... if it was routing you directly East, it could be because of the timing when you checked, or your boat's position (if you were a little south of, or behind, the people who routed north).

Post by Stormbringer | 2018-03-07 | 18:29:48

Pretty sure it was routing me directly east since we tacked 36 hours ago but I was a tiny bit south and west of your group.

Post by YourMomSA | 2018-03-07 | 20:45:10

My sense is that a tiny bit south and west may have been enough to make the difference. I think I was near the tipping point because it was occasionally telling me to go south and usually telling me to go north. I suspect those who were NE of me were being told persistently to go north.

Post by Stormbringer | 2018-03-08 | 16:14:08

In spite of the low boat speed I have to admit that I'm enjoying the upwind here, nice contrast to the reaching of most races. Admittedly virtual uphill is more fun than real though.

Post by YourMomSA | 2018-03-08 | 21:17:57

Cvetan, the current routing has us all heading into the islands around Shangai in a couple days. It mostly recommends skirting the outside perimeter of the islands. Sometimes it recommends cutting one island. Is that reliable, or is the router unable to properly evaluate routes through the inner complexity of those islands, such that island hopping through there might be better?

Unfortunately, I'm going to be on a plane at that time... so I'm hoping the forecast will change to have us stay offshore instead.

Post by zezo | 2018-03-08 | 21:33:17

You know the drill. It will get a bit better as we get closer, but there are a lot of channels between those islands and the router just gives you the general idea. So far a route along the big one looks quite probable, bit there is time enough for the forecast to change.

Post by YourMomSA | 2018-03-08 | 21:42:48

Thanks. The latest is actually recommending (at least for me) a routing through the islands. Ugh... I like that stuff a lot actually, when I'm online... but it's going to be rough if it works out that way while I'm on a plane. Such is life.

Edit... Actually, I realize now it could be a good thing... because it would force me to go with waypoints instead of VMG running. VMG sailing near a coastline is the biggest "have to be online" thing. But those islands aren't likely to be do-able while properly sailing VMG angles.

Post by JohnT | 2018-03-09 | 05:05:30

Different race but on topic: the channel you are threading at the moment S. of Hormus is definitely not one to VMG remotely - especially since it's 'a bit' narrow and almost dead upwind! Hopefully following you through in a few mins....

Post by zezo | 2018-03-09 | 11:48:13

Most real boats also went via that channel. Not so narrow in real world - 1/3 mile wide and the chart shows 30m depth.

Post by YourMomSA | 2018-03-09 | 12:56:14

I ran aground in there. Fortunately I was online and it only cost me 3-4 minutes.

Post by Ursus Maritimus | 2018-03-09 | 13:32:06

Aha, that's why you lost some ground. I passed it with manual steering and a lot of sweat. and a broken night (woke up three times ...)

better to uses waypoints, but I don't have cards.
spend my credit balance on LS + C0 + W for Dubai and LS + HS + W on Clipper
not handy two race starting at the same time. Waiting for JVT to cash out.

so far so good, top 50 as NMS is not bad. (at one moment even top 20 after a day in the race). Hope to maintain a good position to the line.

Post by YourMomSA | 2018-03-09 | 14:36:57

I was hand-steering also. I just cut it too close.

Post by mak08 | 2018-03-09 | 13:50:52

I entered with Hardtack as a NMS but I ended up spending money to buy waypoints to get me through the straight. Guess what, VR reintroduced the progressive pricing which meant the �5,49 was just enough for 6 waypoints. I did not run aground, but found the boat head-to-wind in the morning. Grrr.

I still intend to win, of course.

Post by zezo | 2018-03-09 | 14:33:51

Not reintroduced. It was modified for the programmer only.

And a for such short and relatively cheap race you can easily spend three time the full pack price on navaids.

Same thing hre. Got some cards on the remaining free credits, but probably not enough spend this night well.

Post by JohnT | 2018-03-09 | 16:03:28

I made it through hand steering, then bore away too quickly from the 28 degree TWA mid channel and briefly went aground, and also woke up this morning to find I was severely pinching (31 TWA) on the other tack...all because I refuse to either buy cards. or go without a good night's sleep - no no-one to blame except the skipper!

Post by Lasse | 2018-03-09 | 18:08:59

Ahh, now I see what race you are discussing... Not this one.

I think it might get really fun in the Clipper race with the archipelago in front of us! :-)

Lots of options for the bold one!

Post by YourMomSA | 2018-03-09 | 19:13:14

I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to navigate that while flying and driving. Really awkward timing. It's probably going to be a pile of waypoints and hoping for the best.

Post by Ursus Maritimus | 2018-03-09 | 22:07:40

at least you have unlimited waypoints ;)

Post by Stormbringer | 2018-03-10 | 07:18:01

Anyone notice or aware of a discrepancy in boat speed from boat to boat?

I'm running around 2 miles behind Mom, same wind speed and TWA and he's .1 knot faster than me. This is the second or third time I've noticed this.