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 » General Discussion » V070v3

There have been rumblings about upgrading our Volvo now that the next generation of boats are starting to appear.

Still quite a few cards being held back, but we have some preliminary data for Puma, Groupama and Camper with more to come in August.

I'm happy to do the final crunching, but in the meantime it would be great if we could set some of SOL's collective enthusiasm to the task of ferreting out relevant info:

•Anecdotal data
•Data points from pics showing instruments
•Pics showing the nav station with the routing running (haha right, but sometimes they're sloppy)
•The big one is to parse the tracker data. Either scroll manually picking off as many data points as possible into a spreadsheet, or trickier methods. There's not much point in trying to figure reaching speeds using this method, but scatter-plotting BS vs TWS for up and downwind conditions gives us a pretty decent overall evaluation. Tacking and gybe angles are also there (if you squint)...

We have 3 months! Post away
76T - it would be fab to have an upgraded boat before the next ocean race.. as you say.. we have three months!!

Let's hope everyone starts data-gathering!!!
have been trying to ferret, with no results of any thing worthwile - will keep trying

Raw data from the first two legs superimposed on our existing polar.
Attachments
The close hauled 40 to 70 TWA range looks reasonably close to the polar, but in the spinnaker 120to 140 range there is not as consistent agreement. This is all at first glance without any detailed comparision. My first questions is to ponder how much the sea state or tides/currents could have affected the actual results? Perhaps this is impossible to know or analyise and adjust for.

Still it is a very interesting comparision. Well done & Thanks.
If it breaks, it's not strong enough!
Very interesting 76...

Paul - I would imagine that with enough data sea-state etc could be eliminated. I mean, if we had 200 data points for sailing at TWA X in TWS Y, there should be enough different sea-states and currents etc that they average out?
Perhaps I am wrong though.
Certainly some sea-state would be consistent, ie you usually have waves from behind when sailing downwind, and off the bow upwind. But that would be something we should include in our performance data? (as we don't have waves themselves in SOL) What should even out is the size of the waves. Sometimes they will be large and add a lot to the SOG - other times they will be much smaller (for the same wind) and contribute less.
Seems to me inport data would help with this?
I help develop the client interface for the best online ocean racing sim there is... __/)/)_/)__
Aaron: I believe this is a simple summary.

"In theory there is no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is."

So yes, lots more data could help, but eventually "paralysis by analysis" will occur.

The Nexus Server & software can produce polars for you after some sailing. I'm sure other systems can as well, but I have not seen or done this myself.

SOTP and looking outside the boat works for me, but a improving performance using a lot of effort and heaps of money would help!!.

Still I do appreciate 76T's work and thanks for showing the data.


If it breaks, it's not strong enough!
However the sea states "average out", most of us are seeking excellence in sailing, not just an "average" performance, rather like sex really. LOL!!
If it breaks, it's not strong enough!
The data represents some 600 hours of sailing spread over 6 weeks and averaged over 1 hour periods (and 6, well 5... maybe 4 :) different boats), so it's a pretty good snapshot of average performance.

The "average" performance is a moving target, but it's what should feed your navigation decisions (always looking out the companionway as well). There'll be another (dozen?) sets of data that are used as performance targets to put the spurs to the crew, adjust for extreme weather nastiness etc.

Though sometimes you wonder... From Ken Read: “All of our routing software on board gave us an illusion that we could punch through that front,’’

Whenever statistics come up in sports (life, business etc) decision-making there's an argument that says that setting strategy based on anticipated performance is aiming for mediocre results. I don't buy it, but I think it's probably the way different people are wired - probably whole branches of psychology... I'd never say to my tiny pink crew that "we only need to hit 90% of our perf targets to make the critical move", but I'd likewise not make critical decision based on achieving 110%.

In SOL, where 100% boatspeed is a given, I still try to allow room for error/fatigue/luck. Routing (or SOTP) can sometimes give you the idea that you can do things that are pretty improbable. Balancing the improbable and the impossible is a good chunk of the fun (and like swing-for-the-fences irl strategy, GREAT fun when it pays off).

ANYways :) My take on the data vs our polar is that a) we're pretty close! We mostly knew that already, but cool to see. b) There are a few sail transitions that we could work into the polar to give us some more gears to play with (usual suspects close reaching and 110-130 depending on TWS)

We're much too fast in some conditions, but have to balance against sailing gribs vs IRL and the way SOL handles weather, especially for ocean races.

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m


Current Races:

ORCV Melbourne to Devonport Race 2025

Welcome to the legendary Rudder Cup, Australia’s oldest and most storied yacht race—sailed for over 110 years across the challenging Bass Strait from Melbourne to Tasmania. Organized by the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria, this 195nm classic tests sailors’ skill, strategy, and endurance against the unpredictable Southern Ocean. This year, our SOLers will be racing the timeless Swan 36, Nautor’s very first production yacht—a Sparkman & Stephens masterpiece renowned for her elegance, balance, and seaworthy performance. Get ready for a true ocean racing adventure!
Race #1951
INFO by brainaid.de
Swan 36 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC
Race starts: Oct 31st 03:30 Registration will open soon
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

PIC Coastal Classic Yacht Race 2025

Welcome back to Auckland for the 2025 PIC Coastal Classic! In partnership with the New Zealand Multihull Yacht Club, Sailonline is thrilled to race this iconic 118nm dash to Russell. First sailed in 1982 and inspired by early powerboat runs, it’s now a legendary multihull showdown. This year we race Ocean 50 foiling trimarans—fast, agile, and built for offshore performance. Expect tactical challenges, adrenaline-fueled downwind legs, and nail-biting lulls. Finish line rewards? Bacon butties, rum, and bragging rights in beautiful Russell!
Race #1950
INFO by brainaid.de
Ocean 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC
RACE CLOSE: Thursday,
October 30 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Oct 24th 22:30 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Sinbad by Balloon 2025 - Carnarvon to Dondra


From here, our home in Bharatavarṣa is now north west of us – said Sinbad to his fellow balloonists. Perhaps we can ride the wind first further north, and then catch the winds that every year bring the rain, perhaps not. It’s 2600nm and we could be aloft awhile, so, Master el-Quarters, victuals only, no sandbags, provisioning the giant hamper. It will be not a picnic!
Race #1886
INFOby brainaid.de
SOL Balloon PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC - SBB
Race starts: Oct 15th 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Marion Island to Fernando de Noronha 2025

The adventure continues as we launch the next to last leg of the RWW series. This leg takes us from Marion Island to Fernando de Noronha, an island in the world heritage archipelago with the same name, 220 nm off the coast of Brazil. This race doubles up as #7 of RWW and #10 of OCCH. A 4400 nm journey of endurance, strategy and pure adrenaline. The RWW series is as whole, part of the 2025 ocean championship. Get ready for this exhilarating challenge as we set sail on the third to last leg of the 2025 Ocean Championship Series! This leg will be raced aboard the Judel Vrolijk 62, pushing sailors to their limits as they navigate the open ocean. Do you have what it takes to conquer the Southern Atlantic? Join us and put your skills to the ultimate test!
PRIZE: SMPF
Race #1955
INFO by brainaid.de
JV 62 PARTICULARS    
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230    
Ranking: OCQ4 - RWW - OCCH - SUPSOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Thursday,
October 30 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Oct 06th 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member vida
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CollegeFund
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Kipper1258
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member FreyjaUSA
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Panpyc
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Sax747

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

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

The mobile client