and its crossed seas, then the Pacific Ocean, the world’s biggest ocean. Finally, there is the climb back up the Atlantic to head back to Les Sables d’Olonne, which marks the start and finish of the Everest of the seas.
Watching the real thing, readers should go to Vendée Globe.
To play the simulation,
readers should go to Many Players.
To play the simulation,
readers should go to Many Players.
 |
| No Going Back (green), a sans options boat, is crossing my Open Container III, 4 miles ahead! |
 |
| 25-Nov 11:25 UTC+1: Open Container is 67th. No Going Back is in the lead in the central fleet. Contigous and Belladonna are deep in the leading Options yachts. |
Oh No! Virtually hooked again!
ReplyDeleteFair winds everyone.
It's all (virtually) Belladonna"s fault, Paula!
DeleteThank you Doc, and fair winds to all !
ReplyDeleteHope you know it's 0416 hrs here! Hope you realize that, Bella!
DeleteDoc - it's good for you to rise that early if for no other reason than to keep up with the East Coast. Good luck to all!!!
ReplyDeleteSounds a bit French to me.
ReplyDeleteHi All,
ReplyDeleteThe little 'F' is giving the VR version of the Vendee race a miss this time, but I am doing it on the LiveSkipper.com site as, being a tight Yorkshire man, their version is free with not as much competition although I will undoubtedly do worse as I will have no help from any routers, just sailing by polars and my own brain!!!!
Have a look at the game site as they usually have a new short race every Friday.
Oh and on LiveSkipper my name is Dilligaf, slightly politer than my current name on VR.
Hope to maybe see some of you in another race but I will be watching your progress and cheering you on as I will be taking the helm as “guest skipper” every now and then on a friends boat.
Good luck and fair winds to all.
I'll have to look, Fuk!
DeleteSome Technical glitches out of the way: Open Container III (23,875th)is finally in her groove!
ReplyDeleteI've tried Live Skipper a couple of times and generally found it to be clumsy in that much of the screen text ie the wind vectors etc. appear too small and difficult to read. Their method of plotting a course with way points or marks only made it more frustrating. Frankly I gave up. I much prefer the Virtual Regatta screen format. It is so much easier and intuitive to use. That's why I keep coming back.
ReplyDeleteI tried other virtual sailing games too, including Live Skipper, but decided to stick with Virtual Regatta and all their familiar controls. Very important if you need to get up around 4:00am to make a course or sail change!
ReplyDeleteThanks, guys, for scouting it out. Saved me some time. I won't check into Live Skipper unless I find a lot of time on my hands!
DeleteDoc, you seem to have recovered a lot.
ReplyDeletePaula, this nite (nite for me at least and you too)will be very important in terms of course change if you don't want to loose a lot of ground due to the speed difference between rear wind and 150°. Keep on coffee !!
No Going Back = 3220
ReplyDeleteOpen Container III = 3438
Contiguous = 6197
Belladonna = 6479
Do I have everybody?
SkanTown= head start for you
DeleteBelladonna! Did you sleep through your alarm clock last night? I had a big turn at 03h30 and woke up at 03h29 and made the course change! Just as well as I had set my computer alarm for 03h30 but had turned the speakers to silent... Du'h!
ReplyDeleteI had great fun playing cat and mouse with you yesterday... both boats criss crossing and being in front and then behind. I have no doubt that you'll be back!!
Contig: I still can't get the Virtual Regatta App to work on my phone. Not great but handy for making course changes in the middle of the night. Are you able to use it?
Doc... I'm so pleased to see you've changed the font and increased the size of the writing. Much easier to read and no longer necesssary to squint :)
What happened???
DeleteAs soon as I pressed 'Publish' for the above post,it reverted back to squinty mode!?!?!?!?
Doc, I'm gonna get (more) wrinkles!
Paula, I was sure you would have posted this kind of comment :-)
DeleteWell, it seems that my "Need For Sleep" is far stronger than my "Need For Speed" :-O (yawn). I'll be regaining some miles during day-time (I hope) !
Paula - the I-phone app is good for changing course when away from the computer but as you know it is very clumsy especially when it comes to in close navigation.
ReplyDeletemy attitude is if I wake up I can change course/sails etc. But if I'm asleep I'm meant to be asleep...cause I deserve it! ( where have I heard that phrase before?)
I'm coming after you Doc!
Dipped below 970, but I'm going to bed. Turning helm over to Otto. Who knows what he's going to do?
DeleteCont, I'm 100% with you re.sleep :-))
DeleteContig, I can't get the VR App to work at all! I load the app but as soon as I press 'Play' it kicks me out. I think this started happening when I upgraded to iOS 6.0.1.
ReplyDeletePaula, are you talking about VRTool? It worked for me 100% during the VORG years ago. But I haven't been able to harness it since!
DeleteNope, I don't have VRTool but I used to be able to move my boat, when away from my computer, with the VR App on my phone. Since today, I can no longer log on to VR from my work computer during the day so I guess I can no longer compete but just follow the fleet :(
DeleteI can't tend my yacht from my place of employment either, Paula. If it were against my principles to spend a few £'s for extra options, I'd feel some empathy and solidarity with you. But it's not. However, if one of you brave S.O. boats beat mine (again!), I will die of embarrassment.
DeleteNow if I were only smart enough to know a little French, I could avail myself of PACOTOOL!
DeleteDoc, here is the link to PACOTOOL.
Deletehttp://www.pacotool.fr/
Just click the English/American flag and Submit your details and your important information appears in English. I only use it to locate my boat by clicking the ZEZOlink near the top of the left hand side on the second page. The rest of the stuff is beyond me but you can check out the English User Manual, Chapter 7, Page 30.
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=dcd4f6970ae3fcc7&id=DCD4F6970AE3FCC7!108
In return for providing this useful information, you are not allowed to pass me out :)
Hmmmmm..... Oh, so this allows you to find your location on Zezo's chart without scrawling down your Lat/Long and transferring it? Well, I can see the point I guess, especially with my hand-writing. Unfortunately, 'The rest of the stuff is beyond you' is also beyond me; but that's what would be worth plowing through the User Manual. And, I already spend way too much time on this game!
DeleteDoc, in addition to Paula's comments, another interesting feature of PACOTOOL is to compute your Great Circle heading to a point of your choice. This is done by imputing the coordinates of the point to reach in the "orthodromy to position" and look at the results beyond. This is interesting for us(poor S.O.)to get an average heading for the night !!!
DeleteSorry, the english version says "target orthodromy" ......;;
DeleteTarget orthodromy?????? I have no idea what that means bu here is nice simple link for a Great Circle Calculator.
Deletehttp://williams.best.vwh.net/gccalc.htm
My argument would be that wind shifts trump Great Circle, but that's because I'm too lazy...
DeletePaula, I sincerely hope you notice the most recent graphic I just posted to this original column! What a piece of sailing you have done!
DeleteDoc, Great graphic! At approximately 06h30am (my time), I reached the dizzy heights of #927 on the VR leaderboard and at some stage, was even in front of you! I fear this will quickly become a distant memory as Zezo, my guide, has stopped loading and Cvetan himself has not been around for some time. I have my moves for today but will be 'all at sea' from wind update tonight.
DeleteYaaaaaaaaaay! Zezo is back up and running!! Doc, be afraid... be very afraid!
DeleteBella, Nice comeback!
Thanks, Paula. I told you, during day-time I'm more active ;-)
DeleteI just wonder if your western move was right at that time. We'll see.
Zezo is back, yes, but it does'nt change much !
I hope going West pays off. I can hardly bear to look at the rankings right now :(
DeleteVR is down again, bs !!
DeleteTakes me out of my misery... means I can't check my position. I have five hours before I need to turn South!
DeleteWell VR down twice in 4 Days, am I glad I didn't pay or start.
DeleteThe skipper who I guest helm for occasionaly is giving up and I think he is going to head home in protest.
For those of you who paid for this fiasco I hope they refund your payments, but don't hold your breath.
Good luck to those who carry on.
Fuk, I didn't pay for it, but hey ! what's the price of a fiasco.
DeleteIt's my birthday today ! Thank you VR !!!!!!!!!!!
Belated Happy Birthday Wishes Belladonna! Hope you had a lovely day :)
DeleteMany belated Birthday wishes Belladonna, I'll be waiting at the finish to buy you some well deserved drinks.
DeleteLooks like I will have a long wait as my skipper has gone about and is heading back to the start/finish in protest but I can think of worse places to be.
@Belladonna: Happy Birthday, Dude!
Delete@Fukitol: Your gift to me is that you're not in my way in this race! (I actually miss you!)
Thanks Doc, not many people miss me, most are glad to see the back of me!!!!
DeleteI miss racing against you and the others as well, so much so I was ready to bite the bullet and leap aboard little ‘F’, cast off from the pilot boat, pay for the options (I need my nights sleep so the heading programmer and auto sails are a necessity for me) and start to chase you all. But after the VR system crashed for the 2nd time in 4 days I just wonder how often this will happen at wind update times.
I know it’s only a game but the competitive side of me comes out and I can make enough mistakes of my own without the worry of the game cocking things up for me.
Rant over.
I’ll see how it goes, not sure about your route down the coast though.
Hi Fukitol,
DeleteLooking forward to seeing you back on the water! Just see all the fun you are missing, including VR crashes. I see the Pilot Boat is on the guide line so I guess that is where you will start from? Go for it !!!
Doc, what Fukitol is really saying that he is just giving you a chance to 'practice up' for future engagements. Until then he won't deign to start another race with you.
DeleteI have no idea what I'm doing. Made my boat pink though.....
ReplyDeleteWhat boat (name), Knitting Sailor?
DeletethKnittingSailor of course. Turns out its not gone pink. Very dissapointed - looks like only my boats in dock change colour!
ReplyDeleteI am right at the back.... And spent half of yesterday going in the wrong direction.
Wrong direction? So, you're out for a sail! Just like the rest of us! Someone once said, if you don't know or care where you're going, every wind is favorable! Enjoy!
DeleteWhen I get a moment, I will look at everyone's position who's commented in this thread. I'm curious, but very rushed at the moment.
ReplyDeleteAre you really 75th at this time of this day ? It's not a dream ???
DeleteAnd Contiguous is 9th of the S.O.
DeleteI'll have to push hard on my pedals !
Cf.: the newest graphic. I just lost my first boat in days. I have slipped back to 68th. Pride rideth before fall.
DeleteDid I read 69 somewhere, or are my glasses too old and scratched ? Anyway, Doc, be carefull, this number is not for your age (anymore ???) ! At least for what you often tell all of us ................ ;-))
DeleteV.R. is down again. Rotten game .............;
DeleteJust like real-time real sailing: things go bust. Hopefully temporarily.
DeleteThe first Ice Gate has been moved
ReplyDeleteIn summary, the Atlantic Ice Gate 42°00S / 005°00E - 015°00E has been moved and is now renamed the Needle Gate and is positioned at 41°00S / 012°00E - 020°00E.
Check new SI's at @ http://www.virtualregatta.com/news.php?id_news=1655
Thx Paula! Bad enough that they are changing stuff after the start. (I don't even like that when I'm racing in real water!) All I care about is that they have made the changes on the game's race chart.
DeleteHi all, check your classification ! I suddenly gained +/- 9,000 places !! Don't know why !!! Thank you VR..............
ReplyDeleteP.S. Another change in gate location has been published by VR (and real race) for Kerguelen gate. It's not for tomorrow for us, but .............
ReplyDeleteJ.C. VR down again !
ReplyDeleteYes, I know, just like the real thing, and blablablaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Don't think I can fetch the Cape on starboard. I'm soooooo foooooooked.
ReplyDeleteI am just 8,380 places behind Belladonna. However, my speed is 22.4 kts and Bella is cruising along at 10.6 kts. This wind is not good for my hair!
ReplyDeletePaula (NoGoingBack) is now 2,000 places in front of me and my situation, as well as Doc's, is not pretty good. This is an "euphemism" !!!
ReplyDeleteLook again Bella! NGB is now 7,512 places ahead. My rankikng didn't change last Monday following the updates so hopefully I'll gain some ground when I pass the first gate shortly after breakfast time tomorrow morning. Good night all and sweet dreams!
ReplyDeleteI am been trying to fetch the Cape without tacking on to port. It's turning out to be tight. IMT, I've discovered that a buddy from the Bay Area, SkanTown (SO) is 4,000 boats in front of me. I have a lot of work to do.
ReplyDeleteHey Doc,
DeleteRemember four years ago in the Volvo with the Open 70s! The game was so simple then. Now I get a pop up ad before I can even see my boat.
The first race is about over(the race south), now the drag race across the Southern Ocean, then the home stretch north.
Sail fast!
Schyler - Laure: (You have a great blog-site: I'm going to add it to my blogroll!) I do remember the VORG. Especially how much some of us sought out 3rd party applications so we could obtain some VMG calculations. But those aren't so necessary these days with the improvements/refinements to Many Players's gamer engine.
DeleteI still am pretty much a small boat sailor, constantly mugged by blue water sailors sailing on their Great Circle Routes.
What is your boat?
Ha! What is my boat? You mean how many boats, right. I'm down to a handful now after selling my marina and loosing lots of the necessary space that boats can take up.
DeletePearson 30 "Blue:30" is my daily beater. Been refurbishing and is 85% done
Lightning hull #39 built in 1939. 75% restored
Wellcraft 19' cuddy. new transom, floor and floatation 65% done
Thompson 14' 1957 (first boat) 75% restored
Chris-Craft Futura 33' 1957. Project boat-FOR SALE!
Inflatable dingy
Now that I see this written down, I'm seeing a pattern...
I wish I kept up with the blog like I used to, but thanks for checking it out
I was refering to your virtual boats.....
DeleteWhat!?You know I'm SkanTown
Deletewhat do you mean 'boats'? how many can you sail at once?
You're SkanTown? How did I miss that? I am sleep-walking.
DeleteWant to stop all those annoying pop up ads when logging on to VR? Use the direct access link. Fill in your email and password and then you can jump straight on to your boat by clicking the link that appears at the top of the page.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.vrtoutoulz.fr/GU/?lang=EN
Shit. NGB & Skantown are 17,000 boats ahead of me and Fukitol is only 7,000 boats behind me. Otto has mutinied. I can't stay awake long enough to plot a course! I am doomed. I guess I'll flounder around and look for some excuses.....
ReplyDeleteDear Doc,
DeleteI'm afraid you just realized that there are lots of real sailers who are also hooked to virtual winds !
Nevertheless, real and virtual, in terms of sleep and awakeness are pretty similar. Or you sail for the pleasure of seeing the rising sun and beeing gently rocked by the surf, or you go for the win, being shaked and sleping ........tomorrow ;-)
I'm in the first class !!!!!
Now come on Doc, I gave you a good start but you can hold me off, I'm about 7 hours behind you but I guess it will all come down to how we handle these pesky ice gates.
ReplyDeleteThe new track tool in Zero is great, it shows 3 lines
- Blue is great circle/orthodromy
- Red is loxodromy - sail with fixed heading. Difference with the blue one is well visible in the high latitudes.
- Green is fixed wind angle (TWA)
Very handy for a good nights sleep
I've been hove-to, waiting for you, Fukitol. (Took you long enough!) Now we can have a race!
DeleteOk then, no more excuses, lets have a race.
DeleteWe'll closely look at that. I'm having a race w/Contiguous for a few days now. Very entertaining !
DeleteYou're ahead of me again, Fuk! Already! Sometimes you just have to say, "WTF"!
DeleteWell, well, well, it's only some 2,000 places. Just a little vs eternity !
DeleteThanks Heaven I suvived to Apocalypse. What about all of you, dear virtual sailors friends ???
ReplyDelete"Apocalypse"? WTF?
DeleteYep,I'm still here too! Waaaay ahead (for now) and watching you and Contiguous!
ReplyDeleteI think Doc has suffered an apocalypse as somehow I am no 9000 places ahead of him.
DeleteEr what's up Doc
Just seen why Doc hasn't been concentrating on this race the last few days.
DeleteCongratulations Doc
LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL!
DeleteMerry Christmas to you all
ReplyDeleteSamething from me, and fair winds. And share this if you've young children or grand-children. It's nice ;-)
DeleteMerry Xmas !!!!!!!
http://ak.imgag.com/imgag/product/preview/flash/bws8Shell_fps24.swf?ihost=http://ak.imgag.com/imgag&brandldrPath=/product/full/el/&cardNum=/product/full/ap/3166187/graphic1
Yes! Good cheers to all!
DeleteI haven't been able to log on for 24 hours. All I get is:
ReplyDeleteShockwave Flash has vanished.
I've probably been dismasted and Otto has been lost overboard. I'm thinking I might as well rename my boat "Shockwave Flash". That way, she won't be missed if she sinks with all aboard.
Hi Doc, try to update flash player as it is now Adobe Flash.
ReplyDeleteHi Doc, I just chacked your position. You don't seem to be in bad conditions, heading directly to the next gate which you should pass today. But maybe I'm a little late, your post beeing dated Dec 24.
ReplyDeleteYeah, off & on, I tried everything. Finally I uninstalled and reinstalled Chrome. That seems to be working somewhat. ITMT, the whole process was costly in terms of time and not to mention crappy ads all over my browser. I am not a happy camper.
DeleteDoc, as I can see, your track seems not have passed the gate. Is that true or an optical illusion ?
DeleteEverything about this game is illusory, Belladonna. One minute I have Shockwave Flash, the next (15) I don't.
DeleteThe parade continues without any foreseeable passing lanes.
DeleteHey Fu*itol, what are you thinking!?!?!? You were not supposed to overtake me!! When did that happen? You were off my radar for a while and I spent my time watching Contig, Doc and Bella just cruising sloooowly behind. Have they forgotten that they are in a race???
ReplyDeleteRace? Race!!!! Who said anything about a race? I thought we were just cruising!
DeleteYes, Paula, it's true that usually during the night I let "Otto" steer my boat, loosing a few hundred places, but usually also I regain that during daytime. I'm still racing against Contig, a little behind for now !
DeleteBTW, congratulations for your race !
Happy New Year ang good winds to all of you !
Sorry about that Paula, but I did let you lead us all into the New Year. Lets hope it's a good one for us all.
ReplyDeleteAs anyone can tell by looking at my track, I am afflicted by Many Players' server being down just at the time the wind changes and I am going to bed.
ReplyDeletePaula, where is that Live Skippers's site again?
Having travelled together for a while, No Going Back and Fu*itol parted company earlier today and chose different paths around the Falkland Islands. (I don't remember them being that big during the Falkands War??). It will be interesting to see the outcome! Ihope I made the right decision!
ReplyDeleteGerry, remind us again of the name of your boat... you too Vlad!!
Me? I just have a spectator vessel. I'm a witness to this foolish insanity. I prefer sleep, thank you. And thank you for asking!
DeleteBella, have you tried out this new site based on Zezo routing? The tool is in french but you can change it to english first time you launch
ReplyDeleteby pressing the "configuration" button. Du'h, silly me! I forgot that your first language is French :)
www.meteo-suippes.fr/vr/gmrtoolsv1.61.zip
Well since parting company from No Going Back to go west of the Falklands and closer to the coast of Argentina instead of being ahead I have lost thousands of places in just 3 days, and me with all the options as well.
DeleteNot a good start to the new year for me but I am hoping the next few days winds will play out in my favour and we can meet up again.
Booo hooo!!! Fu*itol has just passed me out...and I can only see slack winds ahead :(
Deletewhat's happening ? Where are you, fellow skippers ? Is there something I missed ???????????
ReplyDeleteThanks for your concern. I keep trying to log on, but I am denied by Flash-Bang (Or whatever it is called). As you know me, I haven't lost interest merely because of being vastly out-classed by the rest of you. But I have a lot of things on my plate, presently, and I can afford only a finite number of attempts to get to the helm of my boat. (That goes equally for Open Container III and Das Boot!) The most superficial of these other distractions is my English Premier League rotisserie team, SB Attitude, which are trying desperately to keep their head above water.
DeleteThanks Doc for your answer. At least I know you're still trying hard !!!
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DeleteWell another approx 700 miles, about 1.5 days, and that's me finished but I think the real winning skipper from our select group is Paula, she is only 400 miles off my stern and all done without any of the options, she led us all into 2013, I take my hat off to her.
ReplyDeleteThe champers will be on ice waiting.
3 cheers for Paula.
This is my last day on the Vendee Globe as I hope to arrive in Les Sables d'Olonne in a little over twelve hours time! I'm quite pleased with my performance and even at this late stage, still gaining positions. It seems that my decision, under Zezo's guidance, to go far west a long time ago has paid off. I was very nervous at that time and couldn't bear to watch my positions dropping by hundreds at every refresh.
ReplyDeleteFukitol was a very late starter but soon passed everyone out showing us that we were in a race. At one point, I was foolish enough to think that I might be home and dry whilst he was still playing with his toys out on the water. He finished way before me in the very credible position of 2261st. I hope he is still in the bar so I can buy him a drink. I also hope he has some delicious French
champagne for me, chilling in the ice bucket!
I'll post my finishing position from France :)
Finally some buzz on this blog 8
DeletePaula, as I told you on VR chat, I want to reiterate you, in front of all our friends, my congrats for your nearly perfect race.
Fukitol, you deserve 2261 claps for your outstandin race, even if AO :-))))))))
Doc, still racing, but I lost any hope to rejoin you !!!!!!
I still have a few days (or weeks) before I'll sleep in a real bed and have a good rare steack with a lot of french (or better belgian) fries, a lot of mayonnaise and a full bottle of red Bordeaux wine
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBonsoir!
ReplyDeleteI have just arrived in Les Sables d'Olonne after 79J9H56M in 7,773rd VR position. My SO position, according to l'Annexe des SO, is a repectable 807th. Just + 23h 49' 40" behind the first SO boat.
There is a deadly buzz on the quayside and everyone is speaking French!!!
Many thanks everyone again for keeping me company. Thanks Doc for keeping updates here. Thanks Contiguous for your support. Thanks Bella for staying asleep during those long nights and leaving the way clear. Thanks Fu*itol for your kind words and being on the quayside with a Nebuchadnezzar of champagne. Oh là là!!
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Fukitol and Paula! You have clearly and totally eclipsed me. I'm thinking or renaming my boat, Teignmouth Electron! (Does anyone get that?)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/40-years-m-loss-Donald/story-11399271-detail/story.html
ReplyDeleteThank you Paula, but try Doc's future boats name on Google and you'll get a full lot of stories and pictures !
DeleteTeignmouth Electron!
DeleteSuch a perfect name for my next virtual yacht!
I'm so embarrassed, I think I should just go missing!
DeleteBut you're there, Doc !
ReplyDeleteI still have a long way to go !!!
Austral Persuit?... anybody?
ReplyDeleteI guess I'll have to Google it to get the dates. I was so unhappy with the last race with not getting easy access that I was about to throw in the towel. Maybe try some other yacht racing games.
ReplyDeleteIdiom Definitions for 'Bad workers always blame their tools'
ReplyDelete"A bad worker always blames their tools" - If somebody does a job badly or loses in a game and claims that they were let down by their equipment, you can use this to imply that this was not the case.
Doc, you are bigger than this. Dry up your tears and get back up there!!!
No, Paula. For the record. I lost this race before I lost access to it. It was just frustrating not be able to log in when I had the time. But the record should show that in my heart and mind you all beat me fair and square. Soundly, in fact.
DeleteThank you for your support on the current thread, BTW. {Hearts}