Zezo forum:

Post by RickW | 2015-02-14 | 04:02:56

What is with the darling of Leg 3; the Zephyr? Is she on a plane?

21 Comments

Post by lotsemann | 2015-02-14 | 05:03:15

She is trying to pull a Puma...

Post by RickW | 2015-02-20 | 06:47:37

Six re-routes a wind cycle is getting a bit trying. It is not just a little but radical changes. It is like you have to be at the helm all the time. Amazing.

Post by RickW | 2015-02-21 | 04:00:39

The continued flux resulting in routes casting about multiple times a wind cycle in the Solomon Sea has been a surprise to me. In just 18 hours a few nights ago, which looked like a lazy cruise to New Caledonia with a nice curve into the Hauraki Gulf, the routes unraveled into chaos and still making little sense.

Figured it out. It has been said here on the West Coast of the US, that if you want a little extra money apply for weather forecasting on the 11 PM TV news channels. They only last a year and gone...maybe to the government. :-)

Today, the leaders switched from the Solomon Sea to the coast of Queensland 700 miles west. And, those from the north have yet to dropped in out of orbit yet.

This is sailing drama folks...at least for a Dummy.

Post by obloviate | 2015-02-21 | 23:36:41

I feel like a sucker after tacking back and forth for 24-36 hours and then getting some decent straight line sailing finally with the 'middle pack' in great shape and WHACK!! Just like real off shore sailing with the weather Gods for sure. Now that our leg is over in the middle group, I've been working on a new 'tool' for the game that we can push the button and our screen will blow up, just like our leg did!! ;) I knew I should have called 'tails'!! I'm stopping in Suva.

Post by lotsemann | 2015-02-22 | 03:31:13

The "midway" could have worked... But it is hard to beat a side with *two* cyclones to their side. It's frustrating -- until Leg 5. :)

Post by RickW | 2015-02-22 | 04:32:38

Hi Lotsemann. Glad to see you are following and hope things are well at home. It is not over till the Fat Lady sings. The mid group is aimed at New Caledonia which has always been the hitch pin point for Auckland; Kingston second in my mind. They need to get there; to be a gathering, if you will, for the run to the Hauraki Gulf.

I will agree this has been a mess but it is either Mother Nature or the forecasters claiming out fate. There are good navigators in all groups converging (3).

It is drama and part of sailing and a lot of other things.

Post by lotsemann | 2015-02-22 | 17:57:25

Hi, Rick!

With further thought, I agree the leg is still open:

1. The westerners have to deal with the low formerly known as Marcia, and then they are likely to have quite a bit of beating to close reaching.

2. The midway group will finally find a way to clear the through and get some wind at better angles than the westerners.

3. Even the northerners are still alive, depending on how fast they can clear the Doldrums. If they are fast enough, their angles will become unbeatable.

Post by lotsemann | 2015-02-23 | 00:51:51

For the moment, advantage East.

Post by RickW | 2015-02-22 | 18:43:31

This is likely a waste of ink, as there are so many factors involved; many in the results of algorithms outside my pay grade. However, since the frustration of navigational confusion in the Solomon Sea and passing the island chain into the Coral Sea I changed my navigational look to 7 days and things settled down. The last 48 hours has been far more stable.

The 16 day, when offered is great for an overview. This distance routing has to be influenced at the predicted wind posting times. The other route changes that can be caused by changing the zoom look may the many more options the router now has over this distance.

We may be experiencing a learning period with the introduction of 16 days and how to use the information. There is more dribble I can spout out but this is the core. Do you have enlightenment, Cvetan?

Post by RickW | 2015-02-22 | 19:51:18

So what do I know. No sooner did the ink dry on the above a 45 degree course change is suggested. I am beginning to think that no one in the meteorological world knows what is going on within 6 hours.

I guess there will be several changes before the end of the wind period at 22-2000 CET. I may go to the beach with the dogs.

Post by DABurleigh | 2015-02-25 | 09:46:47

Well my strategy of going between Papua New Guinea and New Britain blew up. I have spent so long tip-toeing down to New Caledonia those who happily virtually sailed through two tropical cyclones or way out into the Pacific have come screaming past me.

I can only now try to beat the Leg 1 winner who also made the - with hindsight - bad call :-(

Dave

Post by promise_1 | 2015-02-25 | 10:23:21

Whether your sailing route worked or or not you still should continue to the finish as a matter of pride. If everyone gave up who didn't quite get it right are not sailors.

Post by RickW | 2015-02-25 | 20:38:26

I really do not think it was a bad call. My guess is the majority chose the Great Britain route. Study up ahead of time showed it the most stable. Mother Nature was not kind. West was the least. The old heads and those about them know the high dive from the north. I have watched this with interest and note taking.

This why we have throw outs on these long races.

Post by RickW | 2015-03-09 | 02:16:33

I need to review the process for making a nav turn in the middle of an iteration or at a specific time during it. Like when approaching the shore to get in close and turn. Is there something on this posted somewhere?

I.E,; the Minute Programming presented in Ricoo's Nav Guide that is not understandable to me.

Post by RickW | 2015-03-10 | 18:23:43

According to the course line the "Gates" are a Fence. Leg 4 apparently has closed according to my board. I think we will get more information this time.

Post by RickW | 2015-03-21 | 17:37:31

Ah, it is Saturday morning 21 March and foggy but the flowers OF Spring are starting to pop up.

We, about 1000 of us, or in the South Pacific above the Gate Fence at 45 south. Since coasting out of NZL we have all been sailing the same heading and at the same speed. We have been sailing about a straight line toward the East Gate; the slow way off the Great Circle. We are about 700 miles from the East Gate and there will be a BBQ party at the beach in San Francisco (RSVP please) and we will rejoice the chains of non-racing being cast off and we can use the GC for RACING for Cape Horn.

It has been BORRRING...and BORRING...

Oh, do you know where the 47th parallel travels? Where there is a nice B&B house at Lands End on the South Island of NZL and to northern Patagonia a zillion miles east and about FIVE HUNDRED FIFTY MILES NORTH OF CAPE HORN. ARGH !!!

...in a cold cabin on Milpitas Seville.

Post by DABurleigh | 2015-03-24 | 13:27:14

As to your 9 Mar post needing to review the process for navigation, after this morning's wind change I need to do similar for TWA navigation changes. My first thought is that I have inadvertently paid VR for a hidden excitement/ adrenaline module that shows my boat heading in a random direction during the period 3 minutes before the hour to about 17 minutes past. If that is NOT the case, and I really do understand TWA +/- port/starboard, would someone be so kind as to SEQUENCE what I have to do when with changing demanded course, reloads/ clear cache, before and after the 57th minute, before and after the hour, etc., to see SOMETHING on my screen that passably resembles the direction of my boat and the wind? :-(

For the avoidance of doubt this is all about VR, not zezo.

Thanks,

Dave

Post by RickW | 2015-03-24 | 19:12:41

If you use VRTool and or PacoTool (you do not need to know the full function of either, I don't) you can verify your boat is doing what you have asked. The excursions at the wind update have become normal last two legs and can last through three iterations. The reasons seem to be the rendering of the data to the screen when under a heavier load. The server feed to the Tools seems to be okay. This is my observation as a non IT guy.

Is this what you wanted to know? Clarify it you like.

Post by DABurleigh | 2015-03-25 | 11:46:47

Thanks. Don't use either of those. I remember trying to use VRTool but all the instructions pointed to a defunct website for the necessary info, so lost the will to live. For now I have resolved not to intervene in this 20 min period, but not to panic either. Just have to get up a bit earlier to do the right thing before the system enters Wonderland!

Dave

Post by obloviate | 2015-03-27 | 13:26:28

If you use the drop down box below your boat name and 'get' button in upper right corner of zezo page at 8 minutes past the hour (assuming you made a course change at 57 minutes to the hour) the dropdown will show you your heading, etc. and that will verify that what you sent to VOR did happen and was sent to Zezo at 7 minutes after the hour....will help your 'head' ;)