Zezo forum:

Post by DancingBrave | 2020-05-21 | 19:36:12

I see a pronounced routing split between blue and red dots on the fetch come beat down to Formentera.

I'm a blue dotter with winches and light sails and sure enough I'm to the West of the red pack. Given LJ seemed to be the default anyway, what do the FullPackers have that triggered their clearly different optimum route?

11 Comments

Post by zezo | 2020-05-21 | 21:16:05

Could be a router vs., no-router split. Without a router you'd just sail high.

But the forecast has been unstable, and that was viable option half of the time.

Or maybe something in between - common wisdom combined with weather observations.

Post by MidnightFoiler | 2020-05-23 | 12:02:56

For me Zezo, said one then the other coming around the corner and before I saw that I had decided south was slightly better using VR's routing and programmation. Went a little lower such that VR router gave almost no loss and same results either way until the next update. My middle road seems to have been a gain at least on those to my south, last (2nd) update reduced the shift to the north/west so I'm hoping for a gain on the northern group ... we'll see.

Post by Hardtack | 2020-05-23 | 12:53:28

I'm curious, did any of the leading boats try to go north around Mallorca?

With only C0 I don't have winning chances on the "main" route anyway, so I decided to try. Right now it doesn't look like it will pay off, but I think there was a chance of getting a favourable wind shift.

Post by YourMomSA | 2020-05-23 | 13:16:32

I considered it, but never seriously enough to investigate possible routings. I can't remember why for sure... I think there was a patch of light wind that we would have had to get through to get there...?

Post by Hardtack | 2020-05-23 | 13:44:52

Yep, the light wind along the north west coast is a problem.
I was hoping to get north quicker. I am still faster than the south boats because I have a better angle, but I'm sailing more distance as well.

Basically my hope was that the mistral would build faster than predicted, but it probably hasn't. I'd again have a much better angle than the south boats.

Edit: comparing my position now and where I would be on the south route, it looks like I'm loosing one hour. Two forcast updates to go. Hope dies last :-)

Post by YourMomSA | 2020-05-24 | 02:24:27

Nice move by the new leaders. I'm pretty annoyed with myself for not thinking of that, and bummed to have not been paying attention enough to see the others go.

Post by SlyStarLeRetour | 2020-05-24 | 02:48:55

Yep - same

Post by UUnet | 2020-05-24 | 10:47:48

Same to me.

Post by MidnightFoiler | 2020-05-24 | 08:06:34

philippej pointed it out to our team just before I woke up. I hadn't looked close enough to realise it was possible. Wishing I had that extra 0.5 to 1nm from forgetting to change sail before the first rounding!

It was surprising so few saw it! Slim chance the low spinning off the coast near the finish could still mess things up though.

Post by MidnightFoiler | 2020-05-24 | 08:34:58

... er, make that a high (clockwise)!

Post by Zorba777 | 2020-05-24 | 08:31:51

I tested both options about 5 hours before the turning point and the southern path showed more than 2 hours quicker in the router. So, happy I took the south, but without CO I can't match the speed of the boats in front of me. Whatever...