Virtual Vendee Globe...

[Joe Pyrat]

Well here's some grog matey, good on ya.

I'm going to hate to stop though, I've been battling pirate and pirate82 for ever and finally broken away.  In fact I made up over 1000 miles on pirate just to get even with him. 

But what the heck, easy come easy go...   ;D

[CapnK]

While waiting for other sailFarers to show up for the Giant Acronym Race (GAR), I am gonna try and see if it's possible to go sailing thru the Straits of Magellan... ;D

There's a choke point here on the eastern end that, if I can make it past it, I should be home free afterwards, wind and all that permitting...

So ... who all is gonna do the GAR?

[maxiSwede]

@CapnK

Count me in!  ...if I'll ever get there!  I had weak and variable winds for a while now and I have been too busy emptying my house to really 'tend to the tiller'.

Anyway, since we are 'officially live-aboards since yesterday  ;D I hope I'll be able to spend a little more time tending to the 'boat handling' in this upcoming contest/gathering. 

Much obliged you'd care to wait for us... ;)

[dnice]

All right I'm in...

I had to think about it for a while.  ::)

So, we are gonna race to the vendee finish line right? or did you have a different destination in mind?

[ronc98]

I am in but I believe I am the last of the salfar group.  I started way to late so if no one wants to wait I don't blame you. I am maybe a week away from the horn.

I am amazed at how addicted I am to both the game and the news feeds. 

[Pablo]

I am in but I believe I am the last of the salfar group. 

How I wish this were turn.  >:( ;)  I have been trying to catch you since I joined. 

I too would like to partake in the GAR but as Ronc98 said, I am waaaaays back so I understand if you want to go on ahead.

[dnice]

I'm ok with waiting for everybody.

I think the point is to race together...
if not, then we might as well keep going and not wait for anybody, right?

[Godot]

I ignored the computer for awhile and managed to JUST miss hitting the last gate so will need to backtrack for half a day or so.  Having moved from being in around 20,000 place to getting ready to hit the six figures again, I'm not exactly competitive with most of the fleet anyhow.  What the heck, I'll do the Cape Horn Boogie.

[Tim]

 ;) The Crew Dogs tried to warn the Capn, but he must have been in one of his "moods" again ;D




Edit; I stand soooo corrected, our brave stalwart Capn K is half way through the Straits of Magellan, proving it to be no folly at all

[Joe Pyrat]

Yo ho ho, just made it past Cape Horn!!!  Break out the rum...

[Tim]

I guess I will never understand the way this thing holds rankings, with a distance of 58 nautical miles between cruisenews and I, there is over 3000 boats! ;D

[Joe Pyrat]

It seems to me that if you stick closer to the "line" it gives you better rankings, but who knows...  I'm heading for the straits of Magellan, just lost 6000 places.   ;D

[dnice]

I think I will just stick my nose into "Isle de los estados' ( the island of states?) and wait for the start of the GAR.
Its actually a nice relief not to worry about the 4 o-clock wind change for a while.

Anyway...
Did you guys remember to bring thumbtacks?  ;D
While we're sailing around the great cape, here is some good reading

"Cape Horn, that tramples beauty into wreck / And crumples steel and smites the strong man dumb"

(edit) Oh my bad!! thats the Falklands :)  maybe there is something to be said about electronic navigation afterall :D

[Joe Pyrat]

I believe they were carpet tacks.  :)

But I have a different solution...



Standby to repel boarders!!!

;D

[dnice]

I took the liberty of informing some of the sailors around me, about our intentions....
I would encourage everyone else to do the same. maybe at the least of intentions, to draw attention to our site, but  for more important reasons, to increase our competition in the GAR :)
It is infact a race, so having a few more competitors will become a good thing.

Not to mention, I am sure there are alot of guys out there that are ready to give up, and giving them the GAR will be a nice renewal for their spirits....

The folks I informed are guys that joined late, or just plain suck.... and just like us, have no chance of winning this race, so why not invite them to enjoy the competition in a sailfar way?

[ronc98]

I am coming as fast as I can.   I am getting close to the final ice gate.

[maxiSwede]

'xcuse a confused Northener, but exactly where is the meeting/starting point for our little GAR event ? ???

Tried to heave to to get some rest last night, but the wind veered a bit and the boat almost grounded on the Falklands  :P

That's life... ::)

[dnice]

I think it is the light blue/dark blue line running horizontal from cape horn east, at around 54'50"S

[dnice]

Are we taking bets for the race winner?
My money is on Hurricane, just because he seems to be the maverick of the bunch and I have been watching his course since I started.
He should technically be back there with destremeau or piba31 or some of the other groups, but somehow always manages to make up for lost miles. He doesn't follow Aldabra and the other leaders, he is definitely sailing his own course.... GO HURRICANE!  ;D

[Tim]

Hmmm, the leaders? I had to look up "Hurricane" I hadn't been paying any attention to the leaders. He seems a bit behind, but I guess he could still make it up. Destremeau on the other hand, I have in my sights  ;D