The Vendée Globe is considered one of the most prestigious and trying sailing races in the world Nicknamed “Everest of the Seas”, only 89 of the 167 contenders over eight series managed to finish running successfully In a race that spans months, sailors face freezing cold, as well as gigantic waves, as they cross the seas 2017 winner Armel LeCleac’h currently holds the fastest record, scoring to cross the finish line in just 74 days This year, the 9th Vendée Globe will start from Les Sables d’Olonne on November 8 and will see the riders cross the Atlantic, the Indian and Pacific Oceans, then cross the Atlantic again This means a mid-autumn departure from Les Sables d’Olonne, an austral summer in the heart of the South Seas and a winter return to Vendée
To meet the challenge, solo racers design their racing boats to withstand harsh climates and rough seas The Vendée has strict requirements when it comes to competition boats All boats are around 60 feet tall and can exceed 30 knots even in downwind conditions The International Monohull Open Class Association (IMOCA) gauges all boats involved in the competition Before the eighth edition, IMOCA has reorganized this template to include the following: a standardized keel, a choice of two masts (conventional or wing-mast), and limited appendages and ballasts On top of that, more sheets need to be added to avoid drag They expect 2020 contenders to be fitted with more foils in the upcoming race
Hydrofoils are typically positioned on either side of the hull and serve to reduce drag and lift the boat up to fast speeds The latest IMOCA boats are now able to cut round the world by 40 days thanks to these modern upgrades
French sailor Loïck Peyron shared the high-tech construction of a 60ft IMOCA monohull built specifically for racing Most racing boats today are also made the same way as airplanes « We use the same terms, the same mathematical formulas and the same prediction and simulation tools that are used in airplanes, » said Peyron Generally speaking, « boat speeds have quadrupled in forty years »
Peyron explained how advancements in technology have allowed sailors to leave behind traditional wooden boats and cotton sails These newer boats now typically use carbon fiber materials, making them lighter and faster Metals have been replaced by synthetic fibers which have the same strength as steel and « the weight of a match »
This has allowed the design and reliability of sailboats to accelerate faster in less than 50 years “We are surely the only motorsport in which the difference is most significant between the common way of sailing on a boat normal and the amazing way to pilot a racing boat «
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Vendée Globe, Alex Thomson, IMOCA 60, Sailing, Yacht racing, Sailboat
News from around the world – AU – Technological advances are speeding up Vendée Globe sailing races
SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com
