In the Virtual Regatta version, there are about 30,000 boats. I'm not sure, because I'm getting a two-hours late start. And I can't stick around to say more because I have a mountain of boats to catch up to!
Leaving the Carolinas, here is Open Container II (750th) in the Big Picture on 16-May, 1504GMT:
Here are the regulars: No Going Back (3606th), Contiguous (2471st), and Belladonna (3497th):
We are all taking the northern route. I think it's going to pay out!
| No Going Back = Red Contiguous = Yellow Belladonna = White |
Here's No Going Back, Contiguous, and Belladonna, as near as I can squint!
No Going Back = Red Contiguous = Blue Belladonna = White Dinty=Yellow |
Thanks to Belladonna for alerting me!
ReplyDeleteNot a bad start, Doc, as you are now under 600 !
ReplyDeleteI think to have seen that there are more than 80,000 participants !
How about 81,821 participants. That's a lot of folks. Although, I think the active number may be in the 15 to 20K range. - ...which is where it looks like I'm heading after a bad night at the helm.
ReplyDeleteWhat is it with Belladonna and No Going Back? Have you ever noticed they are always in formation as if they are practicing fleet movements or they think there is more speed in numbers. It's like there is a large magnet that holds them together. Or - could this be some sort of a political statement? Just wondering.
ReplyDeleteKeep your imagination under control, Con. It's just that we have the same router, called Svetan. By the way, your statement is valid for you too :-))
ReplyDeleteRight, Belladonna! Only it's Cvetan. Check-out our up-dated positions!
ReplyDeleteHello Boys!
ReplyDeleteNice to see the usual suspects back again.
With NGB & the Bella coming along behind me I’m having flash backs to when I was on an aircraft carrier and we had “plane guards”, destroyers that would follow right off our quarter so they could pick up any pilots that had to jump. Spooky.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are all going north. What memo did I miss?
ReplyDeleteHi Contiguous, I'm still trying to catch you so please don't jump anywhere until I get there. Belladonna wouldn't get out of my way so now I'm going around him. I sure hope this strategy pays off!!
ReplyDeleteI'm going north Doc because Zezo sent me there, following his instructions is a bit like taking the bus. Very interesting to see how the next 24 hours work out between the northerners and southerners. Who knows, we may even meet up for sundowners sometime this week. Cool !!
I hate to say it, Paula, but Zeso's boat is following yours, according to my map. Who is leading whom?
ReplyDeleteHey Vlad,
ReplyDeleteI'm watching Big Bird too. Last leg he finished waaaay behind me. I guess he didn't put in the long, hard, lonely hours on the helm! I was up twice during last night and at my age I desperately need as much beauty sleep as I can get.
No adjustments for NGB tonight... unless Zezo changes his mind later...
Normally I would be a tad more nervous about heading so far north but I am given comfort by the fact that philou33 RKN and Tovaritch RKN (my heroes) are up here with me. I figure they probably have better wind predictions than I do so I should be safe.
ReplyDeleteOnly time will tell. Plus I've got NGB running plane guard for me if I fall overboard. Aghhhh.
Plus the world is SMALLER up here in the north side of the globe!
ReplyDeletePosting to the newest to the oldest ..........
ReplyDeleteTo Con : yes, mutch smaller, but only to east (or west) !!!
To Paula : Big Bird (Zezo, Cvetan) posted an answer on his site : he has other things to do than follow his boat hour after hour. It's just to check how his program works.
To all : we have to get around that high pressure center in front of us. We'll see in the next hours if it was better to do it by the north or the south !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bella - then it's a good thing we are heading east! And my money is for following the flow. Ride up and over the high and ride the broad reach to catch Doc. Got to figure out how to catch Doc somehow. He's just sitting out there in front with a 12 mile lead. It must have to do with all the REAL sailing he gets to do on the weekends. It must give him a steady helm and balanced trim.
ReplyDeleteWhy are you picking on me???? Please shame Dinty into commenting in here. He's such a loud mouth over the water and he's beating all of us!
ReplyDeleteI was going to post something but it is just too damn late. I'll save all wit and sarcasm for tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteDinty is, in fact, doing so well he doesn't have time to talk smack!
ReplyDeleteLook at the update! We're getting scattered, except for those two Belladonna & No Going Back!
ReplyDeleteHey, Doc, why dont'you show your own track ? Are you so shamed to be in the 1000th. Congrats !
ReplyDeleteWhat a day! I was trying to avoid going into the same slow wind cell as Bella and went around the long way instead. Now look at the positions... Bella is nearly 800 places in front.
ReplyDeleteOn the plus side, I didn't need to make any adjustments last night and had 8 hours of beautiful uninterrupted sleep!
Am I bottom of the table now?
Belladonna, Open Container is indicated by the concentric golden circles.
ReplyDeleteA problem I have is that my friends list has been frozen forever. Does anyone else have this problem? Is there a solution?
Can't add friends Doc? Can't have more than 50 friends notification? Click 'My Regatta' and then click the 'My Friends' link located in the 'My community' box on right hand side of screen. Select the friend you want to delete by clicking on their name and then click 'Delete from friends' in the Actions box on right hand side of screen. The only way I can find my way back from this action is to hit the 'Home' tab that takes you back the VR list of races.
ReplyDeleteAlternatively, send a mail to OKDiver who is very helpful.
Can't shake Open container. But I see as he comes down off of his lofty perch I am regaining lost ground. Contiguous may be back there at the moment but I keep a wary eye on him. I think the next 24 hours will be entertaining.
ReplyDeleteDinty, you and I keep overlapping each other and we're 65nm apart! Whas'at all about?
ReplyDeletealfie, damn, now I have that song going through my head. When my wife makes a comment like that I say "well at least it's not going far". Until we get in a line (I'll be in front) we will have that problem.:);)
ReplyDelete"What's it all about, Alfie?" Remember that one?
ReplyDeleteI went out partying last night and didn't have computer access... I lost over a thousand places and Bella is now sailing with Meindray Boo hoooo
ReplyDeleteDoc - it looks like you and Dinty are close enough to pass some beverages back and forth. Why don't you do that and start a party and then slow down for No Going Back - the party animal. - then I might have a chance of catching you!
ReplyDeleteContig, Dinty has to heave to before I do. I already spotted him a 2 hour head start. But I have to ask, WTF is Meindray, the Bella would prefer her to Paula? Where is the loyalty in all that?
ReplyDeleteThat's what happens when you party hearty. Something about the Irish way of sailing.
ReplyDeleteAccording to
ReplyDeletehttp://vr-annexe.akroweb.fr/velux10g.php
Meindray is in third place overall in the SO league in the Velux rankings.
But I see Belladonna has now dropped back and I have just overtaken him. What happened Bella?
Here's Paula, folks! Pretty damned impressive, I'd say!
ReplyDeleteThanks Doc, but if you want to be really impressed, check out Belladonna!!
ReplyDeleteAs I said a couple of days ago, form a line with me in front (of you OC)and no more overlap problem. HAHA. Just hope it stays that way. May the shrewdest or luckiest SOB prevail.
ReplyDeleteContig needs a big wind hole up front to bunch up the fleet.
I flew to south of Spain 48 hours ago and could'nt get a comfortable internet connexion till now. That's the reason. I hope it's gonna go better now, but I've 1,000 places to regain !
ReplyDeleteI just got back from Maui, myself!
ReplyDeleteThat really hurts. I cleaned the muck out of my fish pond today! ( in the southern part of my yard.)
ReplyDeleteY'all can congratulate me now. My rotisserie team in the English Premier League, Latitude 34, finished exactly where my yacht, Open Container III is right now: 297th. That's out of 95,000 boats -er- teams!
ReplyDeleteNow accepting congratulations, not expecting disappointment.....
Damn! tweaked it a little too far north and crossed wind cells. Just about stopped me dead. Had to turn South and that opened the door for OC to slide on by.
ReplyDeleteAnother feeble excuse. Fell asleep without setting a course for the predicted weather. Woke up and OC now 3 miles in front. If I can just get within cannon range. Looking back I see Contig. has gained about 20 miles in the last 24 hours. Now how can that be?
ReplyDeleteNo respect, Doc! The Premier League is fixed.
ReplyDeleteDinty, there are plenty of passing lanes now.
ReplyDeleteYes, I for one welcome the presence of passing lanes, especially so I can get home at 1100hrs in time to cover Dinty~
ReplyDeletePaula's closing in on SeaMiGo NNN, going 1.5 knots faster! Go Girl!!!
ReplyDeleteI should be covering Dinty, because it's the most sincere for of flattery. I now lead him by 14 boats. But this is not the way I sail on the water. I'm striking out on my own! Wish me luck, fans!
ReplyDeleteGoing as fast as I can and now SeaMiGo is checking out my stern!! We seem to have got lucky with the winds here up north. Ermmm... I mean we chose the better tactics!!
ReplyDeleteYou guys heading for the winners enclosure? This must be the best ranking leg for 'On the Water' boats of interest. My aim is to be a page 3 girl again on the rankings site. A BIG ask...
Set my course and went to my Drs. appt. Had I been home I might have played 'copy cat' just to stay with OC. Now he is 90 boats in front but more importantly it is 7 miles. Will be tough to get any of that back.
ReplyDeleteEspecially when it is all down wind to the finish. Tough to work the wind shifts when playing follow the leaderssss and the distance to finish is shrinking way too fast. I can see a lot of sterns from here! Time to turn in and hope to gain a few spots over night.
ReplyDeleteI concede one more fine finish to Dinty. I have no regrets, assuming I can still squeak in under 999! That's by no means certain by now. In my defense, I'll cop to having a wonderful afternoon on the real wet water with wonderful friends, and having partied far too late afterwards.
ReplyDeleteNice going, Dinty, as always!
Thanks Doc. I would like to thank so an so,and also so an so, and most of all so an so for giving me the courage,,OOOOPPS. Mistake!!!! I was reading the wrong script. That was my Oscar acceptance.
ReplyDeleteI think Dinky is askin' for a dent in 'is ego.
ReplyDeleteSo I'm asking Paula and Belladonna if there are stats discoverable which tell us how many boats with options and how many boats without options that really raced? In other words, not counting boats which passively registered and did not race. If you got those stats as a denominator than you could compare Dinky's percentile ranking in his class of yachts with extras with No Going Back's and Belladonna's percentile ranking in their class. I think then we could better understand Dinky's accomplishment. And Contiguous'. and OC III's.
It was a great 7 months! Thanks to all -especially Doc and his blog that raised the level of interest - Plus I didn't have to try to type in that silly little virtual message box with tiny little light blue type.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm ready for SO - what ever that means. Plus we save money - right?
Thanks Doc and congrats to Dinty for wining the Oscar! (Didn't that mean "man overboard"???)
contiguous, and all the rest. I guess my earlier post was misleading. That was my Oscar Meyer speech. They needed another hotdog.
ReplyDeleteYes, time for some SO. No more frills till the Volvo then all the guns will be used.
Gerry, no k in dinty,,,,hmmmm,,,reminds me.
Customer to clerk: where's the butter?
clerk: we don't have any butter.
cust: you have to have butter
clerk: we are all out. no butter, I'll spell it for you "NO BUTFTER".
cust: There's no F in butter.
clerk (with a smile): that's what I've been telling you....there's no f'n butter.
I have no problem with Dinty's Oscar! I'm just grateful for my nomination. Congratulations, also to my fellow nominees, especially Contiguous.
ReplyDeleteGerry has a good point. If we had a base index with which to compare SO's with optimized racers, we could post those as the race progresses. But it would have to be just the total active racers in each class, excluding those who are merely registered.
Personally, I need speed, and so I am attached to the extra high tech goodies. But I would welcome an opportunity to fairly compare my performance with SO's.
I've been trying since yesterday evening (my evening) when it was not over to post following message :
ReplyDeletecongratulations to Dinty, Contiguous and Doc Ice Cream, I don't know in which order for the two last, for having entertained us by their ever uncertain fight. It was thrilling !
I want not to forget Paula who helped me to stay in the race some times.
I suppose next race will be the VOR for all of you and I'm starting right now my training to sleep less !!!
Belladonna (Bernard)
Apologies to Belladonna and Paula for their difficulties in posting. And thank you both for your persistence. I don't know what the problem is. Still working on it....
ReplyDeleteHi Guys,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you all... YAYAYAYAYAYAY !!!
It's been fun sailing with you all and thank you Doc for keeping us entertained and maintaning your Blog. The bug in my VR 'friends' was finally fixed this week and I was able to add a couple of extra names - just as Velux was finishing. :(
A special thanks to Belladonna for keeping me on my toes, SO, although I did have aspirations of catching you guys with all the toys on board. There was many a night when I thought Bella had set his compass for the night and gone to sleep only to find that he was obviously still awake at the helm and tweaking his settings to get that little extra bit of speed.
Gerry, I'm not sure of the actual figures of AO and SO boats. VR obviously need to give the best possible number of players to their advertisers and the game doesn't give us an option to withdraw. I guess the best indication of actual players is by going to Kohtao's site.
Have you all received your 'keys' for the closed beta VORG race? Unfortunately, I won't be able to take part as I'm going to the south of France (with patient husband) for a few weeks on 4th June. I hope to spend my days relaxing in beautiful sunshine whilst watching real yachts racing on the Mediterranean. I think the VORG 2011-2012 will be a completely different game. Just look at the number of tools that have been developed since last VORG. From reading the forums, VRTool seems to be a must but I can't get it to work. Just look at the list of links from Ricoo's site
Paula
Paula: Thanks for your participation, and all this info!
ReplyDeleteObviously, I don't get out very often: I don't know anything about the closed VORG Beta race. Is that what you, Belladonna, were alluding to?
I had VRTools working for the last part of the last VORG. It really was helpful. For one thing, I could post really good charts of a half a dozen of my friends. Unfortunately, after subsequent attempts, I concluded my command of French wasn't close to being sufficient for the task.
I guess my strategy for my next race will be to follow Dinty and Contiguous. Other than quiting my day job, I am clueless. And being a clueless addict is a pitiful position to be in.
Hmmm.... no disrespect to you Doc, Dinty or Contiguous, but I think a better strategy is to follow the LEADER !! lol
ReplyDeleteThis anonymous link seems to let me post :)
Paula
I have to disagree on following the leaders. Generally by the time I get to where they were, they are gone and wind speed and direction has changed. I just try to sail 12-24 hrs down the road while reducing maximum distance to the target.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy this blog. Meet nice people and it has increased sailing prowess by the competitiveness of all.
I will have to make arrangements with Contiguous about sailing SO in next race. Not until the VOR will I be sailing AO.
I'm with ya Dinty. I want to try "SO" for bunch of the single leg races for a while so I can test myself against No Going Back and Belladonna. Seems like the right thing to do. Basic sailing 101.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I'm not sure I can handle not being able to program future tacks 'cause I ain't setting my clock for a 2 am wake up call just to tack a make believe boat unless of course I'm in the lead.
It's amazing to me the mood swings you visit either in the lead or falling behind - just like the real world - eh?
So where is Doc? Gone on a vacation? Fall asleep at the helm sailing only under the jib? Stuck at work? Or becalmed off the coast of CA?
That's all for now.