SYDNEY TO HOBART RACE 2002
Current and Wind Predictions for the 2002 Race Currents offshore Australia from Sydney southward towards
the Bass Strait and Tasmania are strong, highly localized and constantly shifting. We use
satellite data taken immediately before the race to build detailed current models for
racers. Our digital models can be displayed onscreen and incorporated in sophisticated
tactical computations, using our own tactical software or supported third-party programs
such as Deckman for Windows. We can also incorporate our
current predictions into standard "grib" file format to support
Kiwitech/Raytheon, MaxSea and others. Besides currents, we can also supply high-resolution
wind gribs for this race. |
| Currents during 2000 race, displayed in MaxSea through grib file input. Note strong southerly flow (maximum velocity currents in red). |
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| Same currents in Raytech program (also via current grib input). |
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| Currents and Tactical
Computations in our "Force 4" and "Offchart Racer" software. These programs incorporate the wind model facility and routing engine
used in our daily tactical analysis during the Volvo Ocean Race and reports to Seahorse
Magazine. Below we show more detail of the 2000 current predictions as displayed in our own racing software, and compare tactical computations with the actual positions of some of our "Local Knowledge" clients in that race (Shockwave and Illbruck). |
SEE TACTICAL COMPUTATIONS BELOW |
| The graphic below shows currents at the start of the 2000 Sydney-Hobart Race, from Sydney south over the first quarter of the race. There is a strong southerly "river" with currents ranging to 3 knots, but at the start you need to get offshore a bit to avoid the northerly flow along the coast. Then follow the flow south to the tip of Australia. |
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The graphic below continues with the next quarter of the race, to the southeast tip of Australia, just north of the Bass Strait. The southerly "river" now parallels the shore, while further out you can see one of the many circular eddy patterns. |
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The race proceeds across the Bass Strait southwest towards Tasmania. In this portion you can benefit from playing the favorable side of the circular eddies to pick up the southerly (and avoid the northerly) flow. Further south, on the last quarter of the race around the southern edge of Tasmania, to the mouth of the river leading to Hobart, the currents are relatively light. |
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TACTICAL COMPUTATIONS - USING OUR "FORCE 4" PROGRAM (OFFSHORE TACTICS) |
| Tactical routing computations factor in currents, winds and boat polars. These examples used a NOAA MRF wind forecast and Volvo 60 polars. The routing solution is from a point outside the entrance to Sydney Harbor to a point midway down the east shore of Tasmania. Comparison routes are color-coded to correspond to the times (in hours) in the "Best Course Comparisons" box at the right. The fastest course is shown in red, and basically follows the line of most favorable current (to see the forecast wind model, see graphic below). The waypoints marked "3" and "4" show positions of Shockwave and Illbruck, respectively. |
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| The graphic below shows continuation of the routing solution in the next quarter of the route (immediately to the south of the graphic above). Waypoint "5" shows position of Shockwave, and waypoints "10" and "11" successive positions of Illbruck. |
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| The next segment, shown below, crosses Bass Strait, approaching the northeast corner of Tasmania. The routing solution here bends to best utilize the circulating eddy currents characteristic of this region. |
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To see more information about our Tactical programs, CLICK HERE |