Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

Board » Sailonline Yacht Club » Comparing SailingOnLine with VirtualRegatta

Page: Previous 1 2 3 4

What's up Doc! (sorry couldn't help myself!) ;)

I'll do my best to answer your questions:

1) I have not played in any VR race in a looong time in fact the ONLY time they answered an email of mine was when I asked to be removed from their database (even if you don't join a race your "ghost" yacht keeps sailing races this helps them with artificially boosting their number of entries for boasting and PR purposes) . So I can't comment on the "new and improved" game engine but... If they haven't fixed the gybing or tacking indefinetely between two wind cells and boats speeding along at 4kts. in 0kts. of wind (among other things), then I still think VR is a waste of time. In SOL once you tack or gybe you take a performance hit (as IRL) which is cumulative if you do it too quickly just like IRL, if you sail into a 0kt. wind hole you stop just like IRL. SOL's server crashes rarely, but on when it crashes it crashes for EVERYBODY, in VR the "English" server always had problems, while the "French" server rarely did...hmmm!!


2) With weather updates 4 times a day SOL is not "Euro centered" EVERYBODY has at least one weather update at an inconvenient time of day which levels the playing field worldwide, but also has the effect that you have to keep an eye on your boat at least 4 times a day instead of two with VR. If you were sailing IRL on a single-handed race you wouldn't establish a 12 hours on - 12 hours off watch system, would you? The accuracy of the weather forecasts in SOL is much better than the ones from VR, as usual in light and fluky winds the forecasts have to be taken with "a grain of salt" cause the weather vary drastically from update to the next just like IRL. In conclusion I think you can get away with checking your boat 3 times a day (skip the one update at weird hours of the night and take your chances). Some top skippers do it and it works fairly well for them. But checking your boat twice a day just doesn't cut it, unless its one of the long ocean races.

3) SOL does not charge anything for a race, you can play for free as long as you like with EXACTLY the same tools as those who are members. A 35 EUR/year membership to the Sailonline Yacht Club (SYC) gets your boat on the SOL cumulative rankings. You still get ranked in each indivdual race if you are not a member. However, if you like the platform and enjoy the competition I urge you to become a member for the reasons exposed in my previous post.

Cheers,

Toño



Thx Toño! Very helpful. The relearning curve will be steep for me. But I'm definitely seeing the light. I can't tell if my membership has expired. (Maybe I'll be informed?) I'll give it a go!
Doc,

On your next race, don't be afraid to ask questions be it either on the Chat or on the forum. I'll be more than happy to help you get up to speed, I'm usually active (or lurking) on the English and Spanish chat rooms.

Cheers!
Thx for the offer! I'll take you up on it, for sure!
All,
New to SOL and have tried to read through a lot of the forum posts. This one has been particularly helpful and prompted me to join SYC tonight. I have sailed the last 3 races (poorly) but, having been landlocked for 15yrs after moving off the boat, it'll take a while to get my virtual sealegs!

I also looked at several "sailing games" and SOL seems much more realistic than any on-line game I have found. ANYTHING that will get me out of bed in the wee-hours of the morning to check the computer is, well....remarkable! If I could just have someone yelling at me while throwing ice-cold water in front of an industrial fan, it would be PERFECT!!

I am also looking forward to the challenge of creating some races for my region and researching the polars for some boats not listed in the DB. This will be a lot of fun and a good distraction during a long, cold winter. Thanks to all the SOLers!!

Page: Previous 1 2 3 4

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m


Current Races:

Elephant Island to Marquesas 2025

Prepare to test your limits as we launch into the third leg of the RWW Series and the fifth leg of the 2025 Ocean Championship Series—an epic voyage from Elephant Island to the Marquesas in the heart of French Polynesia. This 4,700-nautical-mile challenge is a true test of endurance, strategy, and raw sailing adrenaline. Aboard the high-performance Volvo 70v4, competitors will face fierce headwinds as they round the legendary Cape Horn and make the thrilling transition from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Do you have what it takes to conquer the Pacific? Join us, and put your skills to the ultimate test.
PRIZE: SMPF
Race #1909
INFO by brainaid.de
VO70_v4 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: OCQ2 - RWW - OCCH - SUPSOL - SYC
Race starts: May 05th 11:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Bosphorus Strait Sprint 2025


Welcome to the Bosphorus for a testing sprint twice through the narrow channel separating the Black Sea from the Mediterranean - the traditional boundary between Europe and Asia.
Race 1914
INFO by brainaid.de
Dehler 30 OD PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
SPRQ2 - SPRCH - SUPSOL – SYC
Race starts: May 04th 09:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Bay to Bay 2025 - Leg 2 - Great Sandy Stait

After a thrilling opener, the 2025 edition of the Bay to Bay Yacht Race continues with Leg 2, bringing even more adrenaline and tactical excitement to the waters of the Great Sandy Marine Park. In collaboration with the Hervey Bay Sailing Club, our SOLers will once again take the helm of their lightning-fast 18-foot skiffs, this time tackling a 24-nautical-mile course through shifting breezes and tight competition.

With fresh legs, sharper tactics, and everything to race for, it’s anyone’s game! See you on the start line for the grand finale!
Race #1906
INFO from brainaid.de
18ft Skiff PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: B2B - SYC
Race starts: May 03rd 21:30 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Bay to Bay 2025 - Leg 1 - Great Sandy Strait

Prepare for an electrifying start to the 2025 Bay to Bay Yacht Race! In partnership with the Hervey Bay Sailing Club, this first leg will see our SOLers take on a fast-paced, 16-nautical-mile sprint through the stunning waters of the Great Sandy Marine Park, weaving past the breathtaking landscapes of the Great Sandy National Park. Racing in high-powered 18-foot skiffs, the fleet will battle shifting winds, tricky tactics, and fierce competition—all in pursuit of victory! With the thrill of the race and an unforgettable sailing experience ahead, we can’t wait to see you on the start line!
Race #1905
INFO from brainaid.de
18ft Skiff PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: B2B - SYC
Race starts: May 03rd 01:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Regata dell’Accademia Navale 2025

Welcome to Sailonline’s first partnership with the City of Livorno, in cooperation with the local yacht clubs and the Italian Navy, to offer you the online opportunity to race the Regata dell’Accademia Navale. 630nm in length, starting and finishing in Livorno, the race takes you the length and breadth of the Tyrrhenian Sea via Porto Cervo and Capri. Online, you will be sailing a Class 40, which should keep you well in with the top of the real-life fleet which we will be tracking on screen!
Race #1902
INFO by brainaid.de
Class 40 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC
RACE CLOSE: Friday,
May 9 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Apr 27th 09:00 Registration Open!

▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Gulf of St Lawrence 2025


The Gulf of St. Lawrence, with one of the largest and deepest estuaries in the world, will be the site of a completely new race in SOL. Our Melges 40 will take us 950 nm from Bathurst in Baie des Chaleurs around the islands of Anticosti, Pelee and Prince Edward admiring beautiful landscapes along the way. Fair winds.
Race #1910
INFO from brainaid.de
Melges 40 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
ARQ2 - ARCH - SUPSOL – SYC
RACE CLOSE: Friday,
May 2 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Apr 21st 17:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Transat à Deux 2025

Above you see a single-handed sailor semi-foiling his Beneteau Figaro III to the horizon. It is in fact Ireland’s Sailor of the Year and the overall winner of last year’s Solitaire du Figaro, Tom Dolan. Somehow, we got our hands on a polar for the Class, and rather than trying to surreptitiously track Tom and his mates in the 2025 edition of the Solitaire, sailing rather-short, single-handed legs across the Celtic Sea and Biscay, we thought we’d see how our virtual craft would fare on the Class’s double-handed 3900nm Trans-Atlantic, from somewhere in Brittanny to somewhere in the Caribbean via somewhere in the Canaries. Allez, mes braves!
Race #1901
INFOby brainaid.de
Figaro III foil PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC
Race starts: Apr 20th 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Sinbad by Balloon 2025 - Toamasina to Baia de l'Oiseau


You may recall that when last we visited Madagascar in the company of Sinbad, the Sultan commanded our intrepid inspirator to seek out fabled islands where in Summer the sun barely set. We did and we returned but the Sultan wasn’t happy with Sinbad’s report, so here we go again, now by SOL Balloon instead of sailing vessel. Expect to be in the air for at least 2100nm and depending on how the wind brings us, anything between two weeks and two months before we shall descend at the Sultan’s given coordinates!
Race #1884
INFOby brainaid.de
SOL Balloon PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC - SBB
Race starts: Apr 09th 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Valparaiso to San Francisco 2025

Get ready for an exhilarating new challenge as we set sail on the fourth leg of the 2025 Ocean Championship Series! Following in the 19th century footsteps of Isabel Allende's heroine, Eliza Sommers, 'Daughter of Fortune', this all-new route takes us across the vast eastern Pacific, from Valparaíso, Chile, to San Francisco, California - a 3500nm journey of endurance, strategy, and pure sailing adrenaline. This leg will be raced aboard the powerful Rapido 60, pushing sailors to their limits as they navigate the open ocean. Do you have what it takes to conquer the Pacific? Join us and put your skills to the ultimate test!
PRIZE: SMPF
Race #1900
INFO by brainaid.de
Rapido 60 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: OCQ2 - OCCH - SUPSOL - SYC
Race starts: Apr 07th 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Patrick70119
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member FreyjaUSA
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member vida
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rumskib
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member bonknhoot
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Kipper1258
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client