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 » Flag Officers » Race proposals » Round the World where it is wide

Posted by
bonknhoot


Users avatar

Posts
108
Registered at
2013-08-06 21:35:15
2017-03-11 16:15:08 - Round the World where it is wide
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 doess 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 benig 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 Persain 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 this file attaching is confusing me, so this may go awry for now.
Clipping along
Attachments
Posted by
bonknhoot


Users avatar

Posts
108
Registered at
2013-08-06 21:35:15
2017-03-11 16:21:54 - Re: Round the World where it is wide
OK, so that was Leg-I x3 times.
Here then the rest and Leg-I again, maybe.
Clipping along
Attachments
Posted by
bonknhoot


Users avatar

Posts
108
Registered at
2013-08-06 21:35:15
2017-03-11 16:23:06 - Re: Round the World where it is wide
Nope, that was Leg-VI.
Again...
Clipping along
Attachments
Posted by
bonknhoot


Users avatar

Posts
108
Registered at
2013-08-06 21:35:15
2017-03-11 16:24:48 - Re: Round the World where it is wide
IV still missing
Clipping along
Attachments
Posted by
JB


Users avatar

Posts
305
Registered at
2013-03-07 08:54:34
2017-03-12 15:59:01 - Re: Round the World where it is wide
Viva Jan and all.

Brilliant race!
I’m in for this one.

Only a suggestion.
For finishing the circumnavigation closer to the start, why not a Leg VII, from Kuwait to Suez?

A BH
João/psail
Sail Fair.

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m

Current Races:

New Ice Age 2026 - Longyearbyen to Browerville


Although we have by no means exhausted the possibilities of ice boating on lakes at high latitudes or high altitudes, it was noticeable that as our 2025 Series progressed, there were calls from time to time for longer-distance challenges, and so in response to these calls we will pretend that global warming has reversed and as a result the coastal waters of Antarctica and Russia and Canada have fully (and smoothly!) frozen over offering us the possibility of a 4-race New Ice Age series in our trusted no-PL DN machines. Our first leg takes us 2600nm from Svalbard’s Longyearbyen east to North Alaska’s Browerville. You’ll be a few days on the ice, so dress warmly and take some provisions; go!
Race #1968
INFOby brainaid.de
DN PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: NIA - SYC
Race starts: Jan 22nd 07:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Cross the Convergence 2026 - Robinson Crusoe to Galapagos


Welcome to our first race of a new series of ocean voyages across the World’s convergence zones, this first race taking you north from south of the Tropic of Capricorn to the Equator-straddling Galapagos, home of magical iguanas and other exotic fauna (but no mythical kings, Dory) Departing from the island where in 1704 adventurer Alexander Selkirk inspired Daniel Defoe to write the best-seller "The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe", by debarking off the unsound "HMS Cinque Ports", four months before she foundered off the coast of present-day Colombia, we will sail the 2200nm in our decidedly sounder and faster than the " Cinque Ports",
Ocean 50 !
Race #1983
INFOby brainaid.de
Ocean 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: CCZ - SYC
Race starts: Jan 16th 18:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Bight of Bonny TIMED Race 2026

Welcome to the first TIMED race of 2026! Our race finds us in the Gulf of Guinea and the Bight of Bonny. Starting in Douala, Cameroon the 170 nm course takes us around the island of Bioko with its Caldera and tropical rainforests finishing in Calabar, Nigeria. The boat for this race is the sporty Farr 30. This is a TIMEDrace so you may RE-REGISTER HEREto try again after finishing a run. You will have 13 days and 11 hours to test your skill and decision making after the race opens.
Race #2004
INFOby brainaid.de
Farr 38 Particulars
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
TRQ1 - TRCH - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Saturday,
24 January at 23:00 UTC
Race starts: Jan 11th 12:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Natuna Sea Race 2026


At 4.0N 108.2E lies the island of Natuna Besar, Great Natuna, surrounded by at least 154 islands, of which 127 uninhabited, Indonesia’s Natuna Regency, and all around this archipelago, the Natuna Sea, bordered by Borneo to the east, the Java Sea to the south, and the Malay peninsula to the west, and extending north to cross a disputed international border with China into the South China Sea. And it’s a border that matters, there’s gas here! But why worry, let’s race – 2050nm in our goo’ol’ Open 60s in between the production platforms, prowling destroyers and submarines.
Race #1997
INFOby brainaid.de
Open 60 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC
Race starts: Jan 06th 17:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Cape Town to Rio 2026

Welcome to South Africa and RCYC's classic transatlantic Cape2Rio Race from Cape Town, South Africa, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. First run in 1971, this run is buddied with the IRL, Cape2Rio 2025 arranged by the Royal Cape Yacht Club with the cooperation of the
Iate Clube do Rio de Janeiro Despite this being announced the 2025 race (starting dec. 27) it is the 2026 SOL championship kickoff. This virtual version, will be raced once again in Mark Mills' 74ft speedster, the stunning C2R74.
Race #1996 INFO
by brainaid.de
C2R74 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
OCQ1 - OCCH - SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Dec 27th 12:00 Registration Closed

▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member bonknhoot
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Sax747
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rumskib
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member vida
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Panpyc
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CollegeFund

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

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

The mobile client