As the wind blows

[yugi]

Like wind and waves? Foils maybe?

Anyone following the Vendee Globe solo round the world race with crazy fast foiling monohulls? The pack following the leaders are coming into 50 to 70 knot winds and 10 meter waves. Helllooooooo. Batten down the hatches.

Anyone have any idea what that’s like? Well that’s between beaufort force 11 and 12.

Let's hear some wind stories.

[In Knots or Beaufort please. If you aren't accustomed to it get used to it. This is a watersports forum. it's really weird to hear people talk about wind in mph or kmh, means nothing to a waterman. Miles and Kilometers are for landlubbers.]

Plenty of wind scales available. Here is a good one:
   www.windfinder.com/wind/windspeed.htm

[yugi]

Well, it’s kind of not very windy where I am so while I’m jonesing for some wind and waves I’m following the Vendee Globe race. Some of them expecting gusts of 80 knots. Whoops!

This guy took a big detour through the Tansmanian straits for way less wind. So here are shots of the guy who took the “wee breeze” option.



and BOOOF. We’ve all done this.

[yugi]

^ This illustrates my gripe on SUP boof noses.

Anyone watching any footage of these 60-foot Open monohulls (IMOCA60s) see’s them slamming into waves all the time. They are on autopilot and are not being actively helmed to avoid slamming. So pokeing into the wave ahead is a thing they are totally designed to do. Anyone notice how thin and sleek the nose is?

Personally I prefer how a  Jimmy Lewis Rail handles and comes up clean when it pokes over a full on brake-slam that a Bullet V2 nose plant would do. Boof noses are brake-slammers too. Jimmy Lewis Rail has the sleekest nose in the downwind business. A la IMOCA 60. Check it out.
   
   

[Area 10]

I've SUP downwinded in 50 knots with gusts much higher. But that is staying within a mile of shore, and I can't imagine what it would be like to be in a boat like that in the open ocean in winds like that and with 10m swells. It would be close to a scene from hell I would think. Absolutely terrifying. Where I live we do get winds with gusts in the 70-80 knot range occasionally. Trees will come down, walls and fences get blown over, caravans get destroyed and it is dangerous to drive. I think that unless you have experienced winds like that first hand, especially in cold climates, it is difficult to understand how much uncontrolled energy is around you, and how alarming it is. I really feel for these sailors and hope they make it through.

[Badger]

The foiling monohulls are wild. I've been away from the sailing scene for a while. I didn't know they were doing that.

[yugi]

It’s a 40 000 Km / 22 000 mile downwind race. No stopping.

These yachts are the epitome of high tech yet the hull design is soo simple. Love it. Looks like a giant SUP board.

Very interesting to look at the hull differences and the foils.

[Area 10]

Btw a Bullet 14v2 doesn't brake-slam if you poke the nose. It just slows a little but keeps going and then recovers. The V2 actually has quite a lot of nose rocker and the nose volume isn't particularly big. You can't class it alongside true boof-noses like the Ace etc. It's got nothing in common with them.

[yugi]

^ you won't be saying that after you try a Rail

[mrbig]

I get to channel Jimmy after our email 📧 conversations. He said ALL DW boards have a tendency to stick, or catch, and the slight V in the nose he added, as compared to the M-14, helps to minimize the boof bitch slap.

Yugi has 'sperienced it, I do believe!  

[Area 10]

^ you won't be saying that after you try a Rail

I reckon the Bullet V2 might actually have more rocker than the Rail. So you shouldn't be poking the nose in the first place. In any case, I hardly ever poke the nose these days on any board. So I'm not too fussed about buying a board to compensate for something that hardly ever happens.

Would love to try a Rail though. But it's maybe now looking like I won't get the chance, unfortunately.

[yugi]

^ well... you know. It's just when it does happen.

Pono had a great video of him on a Bullet V2 planting the nose, and I've seen others do it too when their boards are new.

The Rails nose is a bit higher off the water than the V2 but the rocker is more gradual. It's slightly more "ski jump". The Bullet V2 has wider shoulders up front, the Rail is far pointier shape the whole front 1/3rd. Much more like an IMOCA 60.

[Eagle]

Looking at the various pics - the Bullet 14V2 seems to have a lower rocker than the Rail.  The Bullet does not pearl as much as the M14 with its pointy low volume nose.  On one occasion as a DW noob I was so far forward on a wave with my M14 -> 1/2 of the board pearled into the wave directly ahead while planing.  Slowed to a crawl and got bucked down to the deck.  After that learned my lesson.

For being on the water in adverse conditions - was in this yacht race.  Winds were around 50-60 kts at the finish.  No exaggeration -> the rain was actually blowing horizontal.  3 crew we had were completely incapacitated due to seasickness.  I was strategist navigator and helmsman.  We finished fine - but many in the fleet retired.  Much talk after that about the Race Committee should have abandoned the race.  My GPS was tracking the boat doing nice 90 degree angles - but it felt like we were being blown backwards.  Those are survival conditions.  Finish was pitch black.  Fun but not fun.  Nowadays we are completely content just day racing. 

[Eagle]

yugi - you are 100% right about the Bullet 14V2 with wider shoulders.  Very observant.  Adds a ton of stability and makes that board so very stable up forward.  Kinda like cheating.  But does slow its flat speed down quite a bit.  Ok in a sprint - but not for 5 miles on flat or into the wind.

But you want minimal shoulders -> this is what an AS23 with minimal looks like.  Takes a few weeks to get comfortable on - but once you do there is no turning back.  Want to try out the 21.5 Sprint in the Spring if it is available.  Just to compare the lower standing position.  If you are good on a festive breezy DW on a 26.5 Rail - you should be able to drop down to other narrower boards as well.  The AS25 was very stable for example.  A 25 Eradicator custom and 25 Sprint as well.

[Eagle]

This to me is the essence of yacht racing.  Mano a mano.  Keeps you on your tippy toes and "keeps it interesting".  When it comes down to tactics and strategy - and not boat speed or boat prep or tech -> racing becomes very fun.  His comments resonate very well.  He is doing what he can with a limping boat - and still racing as hard as possible.  That is what is so appealing btwn one design vs handicap.  If you stay in touch - you can keep it close.  And have a "real" race.  Thanks for posting this vid yugi.  Fast is FUN!   

[Area 10]

It's such a shame that Starboard can't build their boards as well - and as cheaply - as Jimmy Lewis. It's so peculiar that the most popular premium brand is also the brand with perhaps the worst fit and finish. You'd think it would be the other way round. IMO the Kinetic factory is way better than Cobra.