www.amazon.co.uk/Wooden-Boat-Building-Peter-Radclyffe-ebook/dp/B0838NSG9D/ref=sr_1_40?crid=11GZDP...

I find it simply amazing that the Vendee Globe official site uses google translate to give us the english version of the articles they post. I mean I hope it's the google translator, because otherwise we're dealing with a person who has been translating washing machine manuals in order to be able to afford excesive quantities of french wine.

Wow!

Golden Globe Race will you be running a Virtual race alongside the real race, as they have with the Vendee?

Hi Don, I think great consideration has gone into maintaining the integrity of the original GGR and it had us at the edge of our seats for the duration of the race in 2018. The comms provision was well and truly tested by the numerous major race incidents which were managed expertly. We couldn’t have been kept better informed whilst still preserving the sense or adventure and imagination that makes the GGR the unique event it is. Stay special, there is no going back. ☘️⚓️☘️

Hi Don, I think the GGR was perfect the way it was , and the drama of waiting for updates from you without the pictures added to the drama and excitement. Compared to the Vendee Globe where we get around the clock footage that becomes boring. Stick with the KISS principal

How about totally unassissted, no calls but they can stream movies ;)

It is important that we at home see Videos more frequently. Seeing old pictures from before the start and hearing radio interviews will not convince us in 2022 to become followers.

Chris James

But you could do the same with iridium go now if you wanted... (put the go in a padlock box, limit functionality etc) I thought the issue was that wasn’t in tune with the ethos of the race?

I would think this should be prohibited. Only communication and assistance between compettitors. What would be possible and very nice is voice/video messages that you check as organiser. Because i really doubt this super 8 stuff helps you. Just let them have a GoPro and the means to send data Just to the organiser. Great footage and news updates as a bonus. Because SSB is not what it used to be with all the radio traffic.

If I would sail the GGR the splendid isolation would be a big part of the fun!

the GGR niche (talking marketing here) should be completely un-unassisted unless innmediate life threatening situaitons about to come (huge storm, ice, etc). it should also be about production boats to avoid falling on the "budget" race (those with money have a quicker boat). what i do think GGR should include is better real-time tracking (positions, boat pitch, temperature, humidity, etc) and documenting capabilities (on board cameras) for the people (not the sailors) in land to follow the race. the technology is there and is very affordable now-a-daways. telemtry is very light (power-wise and bandwidth) and current satellite networks can easily deal with them. video is another story... i love yuor work but not having a documentary about the story you built is a crime.

I think the proverbial cat was out of the bag long ago. Even the original Golden Globe race allowed for basic technology of the time like radios. The last GGR saw problems with position reports being given over radio. I think the spirt of the GGR can easily be maintained with a reasonably low cap on price of electronic equipment allowed on board. To me, the spirt is to have an entry price to the race that could be attainable to anyone with the skill to make the attempt - as opposed to the millions of dollars it costs to enter the Vendee Globe. A good skipper today could circle the globe with a simple cell phone with a navigation app and weather while not diminishing the accomplishment by living in the cave era.

Once these new systems would be allowed what is to stop people giving away other competitors positions/route even by mistake and clouding the unassisted status. Emergency situations are already covered, and worked in the 2018 race. As in the saying " If it is not broke don't fix it".

The GGR is perfect as it is.... so, no need to change a thing...

Concur with most said about being self reliant. Adding Starlink, as it's meant to be, would take too much away form GGR. That said if there's away to connect only video feed and direct GGR link on the boats that could benefit the followers. Another problem this brings is the power requirements and how it's arranged?

I think making a call to shore, whether audio or visual would count as assisted. Kay Cottee's book about her solo non-stop circumnavigation is full of examples where calls to friends and family helped her achieve her voyage, as the mental support was significant. Im sure she would have achieved it anyway, but it would have been a very different experience. The GGR is firstly for the competitors and then for aspirants and followers. Those interested in the concept will enjoy following the sailors, even with limited coverage, which is excellent anyway. Placing a requirement on sailors to supply live footage will be both a burden for them and provide them with mental support. Let's not become PR clones or do things (tech) just because it's possible. Keep it pure, about the skippers fulfilling themselves. Great work GGR team.

Let the sailors solve their own problems at sea. Keep the airwaves silent except for distress calls.

Hi Don, I know where you are coming from...and it is indeed a real (and open) question to embark modern communication tech. Nevertheless, we (skipper) came in 2018 for the true spirit of that race and I hope it will remain as it is. However I like the comment on improving "better real-time tracking and documenting" for the followers. What do you think? I like it. It is a great opportunity to share skipper's daily life without compromissing the "unassisted" side of the race. See Alex Thompson hub...

Can't wait for it!

A proverb: For Want of a Nail For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of a horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the message was lost. For want of a message the battle was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

Samantha, there are 33 skippers with 23 from France, 4 from Britain, 2 from Germany and 1 each from Italy, Finland and Japan. This year the record has been set with 6 lady skippers, 3 from Britain, 2 from France and 1 from Germany

John is this the reason Fabrice Amedeo had to return to Les Sables d'Olonne just hours after the start to fix his sails?

Strange to see it happening to early in the race, but lucky that it’s happening now rather than in the Southern Ocean!

Hey Don , can the skippers choose only to use the halyard and not engage the hook for those who may be worried of having the same problem? ⛵️🇮🇪 Darin

Oui mais bon! la course ne fait que commencer! C'est vrai qu'ils entrent dans le vif du sujet ces prochaines heures!

le détail qui tue! dommage!

Who are the other entrants,?

😱

How wasnt this identified during all of the pre-race testing? A real shame if some of the top boats are scuppered by such a simple part...

Some of these boats have done a lot of miles and yet the problem was not evident. Indeed a worry for skippers who have this system of halyard lock.

Hard upwind sailing in big waves is not the usual setting for these boats.

Guys who designed this hook must feel pretty bad right now !

Do we know which boats have and which don't?

Keeping it simple could be the answer Don haha :)

On the live broadcast they said that he had decided to fix it on the go. His hook had apparently failed and the sail dropped to the deck. He's working on a solution and using a lashing on a storm jib for now. A bit early to call foul on a component without full info. So far each component failure appears to be slightly different.

Same issue we always had in our mast on our Mumm30. Whoever thought that was a solution: bad idea. You try to avoid something and it even makes things worse....

What are the rules for getting repairs? Is it game over if you get assistance from shore or is there a penalty you can take? Charal is headed back to Les Sable so I am guessing they are pulling out but I would be interested to know the rules around this.