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Board » Flag Officers » Race proposals » ESRW - a proper RTW race

Posted by
sol


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2008-08-14 11:08:14
2020-05-02 09:39:40 - ESRW - a proper RTW race
SRC probably has enough race proposals to last a lifetime, but, if we agree that long distance ocean races are the lifeblood of SOL, then perhaps we could do with some more variety in this category.

I am no fan of Google Earth as a route-creating tool, but, when I came across GEPath1_4_6.exe to make life easier, it motivated me enough to want to convert my ideas into .kml files.

There are a number of them. I'll deal with the first one now.

For a long time, I have felt that these races down the Atlantic, around that southern island and back up are badly described as "round-the-world". Round Antarctic seems more accurate with a leg to get there and another to get home again (if you're French).

A proper round-the-world race surely should attempt to circumnavigate the globe there where it is wide, so either a round hugging equatorial latitudes, or a spin hugging one or other meridian from North to South and another back from South to North, or the other way around.

The stumbling block of course is that made-up races are not 'real' races, but does that really matter?

Also I am conscious of a certain distaste for in-course marks among sections of our ocean racing community, so my first proposal, a race in six legs chasing the setting sun, has none. This results in some finish lines being far from square to the line of approach from final coastal obstacles, but with legs of on average around 3500nm that hardly matters, and, a plus point, it makes life easy for the course planner as well.

Here then I give you the ESRW, the Equatorial SOL Round-The-World Race.

ESRW-I - Haifa to Sao Vicente - 3400nm
ESRW-II - Sao Vicente to Colon - 3200nm
ESRW-III - Panama to Honolulu - 4600nm
ESRW-IV - Honolulu to Port Noumea - 3350nm
ESRW-V - Port Noumea to Singapore - 3950nm
ESRW-VI - Singapore to Kuwait - 3600nm

Some highlights.
The race starts off the coast that is home to the world's first monotheistic religion and finishes off a coast where the world's most recent monotheistic religion is the dominant faith.
I considered Port Said at the entrance to the Suez Canal as the final destination, but felt that we would have more fun sailing up the Persian Gulf than dito up the Red Sea. As a result, the circumnavigation is slightly less complete.
The furthest South of the equator our course takes us Port Noumea on New Caledonia.
The furthest North is Haifa, our departure point.
Three of our ports of call lie within 10 degrees either side of the Equator.
Colon and Panama, either side of the Canal (we will not sail the canal), and Singapore.

Pick a fast boat. I suspect the wind will be all over the place, so a Mono 90 or a Maxi 100 perhaps, for both up- and downwind performance.

bonk(ers)

PS As before this attaching files isn't going terribly well, so 'bear with'
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Posted by
sol


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2008-08-14 11:08:14
2020-05-02 09:43:11 - Re: ESRW - a proper RTW race
more legs
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Posted by
sol


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2008-08-14 11:08:14
2020-05-02 09:45:02 - Re: ESRW - a proper RTW race
'last legs'
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Posted by
bonknhoot


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2020-05-07 14:26:47 - Re: ESRW - a proper RTW race
sol on this occasion was I, bonknhoot. I recommend this race to SRC.
Clipping along
Posted by
Rod


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2020-05-12 13:39:04 - Re: ESRW - a proper RTW race
Other than the Suez and Panama Canals, why not a 'real' RTW Race? Three legs---long, yes, but so is an IRL RTW! It would give a "Great" choice of actual route to the SOL competitors!
If it breaks, it's not strong enough--if it doesn't, it's too heavy.
Posted by
bonknhoot


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2020-05-26 19:59:08 - Re: ESRW - a proper RTW race
Yes indeed, definitely an option - Israel to Panama, Panama to Indonesia, Indonesia to Egypt or Iraq.
Clipping along

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