VOR TOURISTS EXPO 1

VOLVO OCEAN RACE TOURISTS EXPO

PART 1

The Volvo Ocean Race expo was designed to deliver a standard experience for all visitors / spectators / tourists in each country where the yachts are destined to stop over - a tourists expo like no other in the world. I suspect that the Volvo ocean race media props, race team exhibits, yacht scale models, parapahania, structures and vehicles are transported so each of the stopovers whilst the yachts are still at sea. Whether or not I'm right is pure speculation but the likelihood that duplicates of everything is remanufactured in the respective countries is very slim. The following images will gives you some idea of the  race villages at Alicante, Cape Town and Abu Dhabi looked like and what the race villages at Sanja, Auckland, Itajai, Newport, Lisbon, Lorient, The Hague and Gothenburg will look like. But this is just the tip of the iceberg, there is a lot more happening than meets the  eye. The volvo Ocean Race coincided with a businesses expo in Cape Town and the possibility is that the same is happening or at least going to happen at each stop over. There was a big screen event about Germany in the amphitheater, with business conferences and exhibitions in several of the adjoining buildings in the waterfront and the foreshore much like the Seda expo that was held in the CCITT venue just outside of the waterfront.

 

VOLVO 65

It is the first time in the history of yacht racing that seven identical yachts were specifically manufactured to race one another. The yacht in question is the Volvo 65. It is this yacht, that will  indicate at the end of the race who the best racing team really is and probably who the best yacht builders are. Thus far it is very difficult to say, in fact impossible to say which team will win,  since just less than one third of the total race distance has been covered.  

In my opinion, Volvo is planning to produce the Volvo 65 as a commercial yacht with a proven track record of robustness, sailability, performance, seaworthiness, style, durability etc.. When partnered with inmarsat, the Volvo 65 becomes a sort after small vessel  worthy of purchase. Good on you Volvo!

The Abu Dhabi team consist of  the most experience sailors whose collective seamanship won  them the 1st leg of the Volvo ocean race. Team Brunel also consists of racing stalwarts whose collective seamanship won them the 2nd Leg of the Volvo ocean race.   However the most interesting contenders in the Volvo ocean race is undoubtedly the Chinese  French team "Dongfeng Racing" with sailors with only six months worth of  sailing experience yet has been constant in taking second place in both the completed legs of the Volvo Ocean race. Having said that, my money is on the Dongfeng Team because  what they lack in experience they definitely makeup in determination. The images below is about the Volvo 65 yacht, its construction, its design, its layout, its fitments, etc...

The Volvo 65 hull without the deck with all 7 bulkheads visible.

The amazing thing about the Volvo 65 is its interior and outer shell is composed of  carbon fibre composite construction as can be seen above and in the successive images below. The downside of this composite material is that because it is black, therefore very dark inside the yacht and considering there are no portholes, it is extremely hot inside as well.

Transparent view of the Volvo 65 stitched together from 3 images.

Cross section of the Volvo 65 split along its centre panning out at 45 degrees at the stern.

Internal Wiring for the Electronics navigation Console mounted on the carbon fibre composite bulkhead

The cooking Station bolted down in place

Navigation station inside Volvo 65

A huge Volvo 65 Lithium Iron Power Supply (battery) necessary for all the electronics on board.

24V  regulator 

Left image is the door  the first bow bulkhead, right image exposes a storage area behind the door.

The stainless steel rod is the port rudder control mechanism house inside the stern storage hatch

The stern storage hatch beneath the skippers wheel

Aluminum tube and net constructed bunk beds, four port side and four starboard

Red switch / isolator seen through the glass top is connected to the battery in the adjacent compartment

Powerful Diesel Engine and alternator powering  the Volvo 65

Sat-Nav System and 2 x 16 man lifeboats

Brookes & Gatehouse Serial / Analogue Marine Instrumentation

TEAM VESTAS WIND - WE'LL BE BACK

WE'LL BE BACK SAYS VESTAS WIND CREW

At this moment in time we sadly say goodbye to Team Vestas Wind.  The sailors of the six competing yachts has been in contact with them, via radio and email, sympathizing and offering moral support with hopes that Vestas Wind is not too badly damaged so that  that could get back into the race.   While Vestas crew are safely on land, efforts to salvage the Vestas Wind wreck still grounded on the Cargados Carajos Shoals at St. Brandon Íle du Sud is underway.  

However, Team Vestas Wind is speculating about getting back into the race since there is talk by their sponsors  to try to get them back into the race with a brand new yacht since the original Vestas Team Yacht is too badly damaged to do repairs. The million dollar question is, can they get a new yacht built in time? Meanwhile Chris Nicholson and his crew have been debriefed by the race officials in Abu Dhabi and will shortly return home to their respective countries if another Volvo 65 cannot be built in time.

Vestas Wind lies wrecked in the shallows, off the coast of Mauritius

Chris Nicholson skipper of Vestas Winds

Team Vestas Wind sailors and photographer

Vestas Wind motoring in the bay

Team Vestas Wind Expo Waterfront Cape Town

The Original Vestas Wind Yacht prior to departure from Cape Town

Final preparations before departure

Teams Vestas Wind messages.

ABU DHABI VOLVO OCEAN RACE EXPO

All the yachts are finally in. Just a few moments ago Team SCA arrived with a finish time of 025d 06h 23m 34s. Caution is the word and rightfully so considering what happened to Vestas Wind.

Positions as at 15th December 2014, Official Race  25d 1h 23m 34s by which time Team SCA wasn't in yet

Volvo Ocean Race 1st Position Team Brunel finished time: 023d 16h 25m 20s

Volvo Ocean Race 2nd Position Dongfeng Race Team finished  time: 023d 16h 41m 40s 

Volvo Ocean Race 3rd Position Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing finished time: 023d 19h 08m 15s

Volvo Ocean Race 4th Position MAPFRE finished time: 024d 11h 18m 18s

Volvo Ocean Race 5th Position Team Alvimedica finished time: 024d 21h 29m 23s

Volvo Ocean Race 6th Position Team SCA finished time: 025d 06h 23m 34s

VOLVO OCEAN RACE 2ND LEG DAY 23

ABU DHABI STOPOVER

After a gruelling 23 days and 19hrs of non-stop sailing, the 2nd Leg of the Volvo Ocean Race has been completed by at least 3 yachts, viz, Brunel and Dongfeng and Abu Dhabi.  Meer hrs from now six yachts will safely reach their stopover destination - Abu Dhabi. The 7th Yach Vesta Winds unfortunately didn't even manage to cross the equator and abandoned adjacent to Madagascar, or rather Port Louis, Mauritius to be exact. (see map below)

Salt water, Sea spray, damp clothing, freeze dried food and sleep deprivation has been each sailors nemesis for this entire duration, but no more. Abu Dhabi has greeted the sailors with "Ahlan wa Sahlan" where nourishing food and delicious fruit, dry clothing and hospitality awaits them. These incredible bunch of seafarers will look forward to their time in Abu Dhabi with its near perfect weather. 

Current Position Chart

The Official Volvo Ocean Race positions as at the 13th Dec 2014 

As can be seen in the above image, Mapfre, Team Alvimedica and Team SCA will finish some time tomorrow weather permitting. However, Vestas Wind sailors will not make it, since they ditched their yacht and made it safely to Port Louis in Mauritius after striking a reef in the Indian ocean.

The Turquoise colour boat to the east of Madagascar is the abandoned Vestas Winds, in the vicinity of  Mauritius.

Aerial View of the Vestas Wind Wreck, mast still in tact.