YB Tracking

Ahead of the first race of the series, Race Director, Magda Makowska, previewed what is looking set to be an fast paced passage through the Baltic Sea.

YB “wakes up” on a regular basis (for example, every hour) to obtain a position using the GPS satellite network, and then transmits that position back to an online map, which is embedded on the STI website during a Race, or viewed directly. If you own a Yellowbrick you get your own personal map, which you can embed into your own website. Vessels taking part in STI events are now being offered a unique opportunity to purchase their own Yellowbrick device, at a substantial discount to the normal price. And for each take STI then benefits from a rebate on its cost for hiring Yellowbrick for our Races.

YB Tracking features a big selection of different sailing events; the event you are interested in should be chosen on the PC or app home screen by its event name.

Once the event is loaded, the user will see a satellite view of the first race course for that event. The system works slightly differently between PC and phone app – but the basic functions remain the same.

There are multiple legs (or courses) in the event – you can click on the race leg you want to see from a drop down menu. Each race leg page shows the satellite positions of competing vessels and different view options including Overlays, Teams, Leaderboard and Social.

Overlays can provide latitude and longitude lines, day and night indicators, course waypoints, up to date wind directions and speeds, and change the overall map style.

Teams shows vessels in alphabetical order along with nationalities and further information. If you can’t find the vessel you are looking for, it might be you are looking at the wrong division/group. Click the “Groups” button on the top right, and choose the right group. Touching the name of the boat should then take you to the boat on the map.

Leaderboard is a list of the vessels, start time, DTF – Distance To Finish and VMG – Velocity Made Good (the progress made to the finish that is the speed along the rhumb line – the straight distance from race start to race finish).

Please Note: All stats are before the Sail Training International Time Correction Factor has been calculated.

Choose Leaderboard separates the ships into classes for more detailed race tracking. Clicking one of the vessels will centre the map on their location, and highlight them on the map. If a user clicks on or hovers over a vessel, key information – including skipper’s name, current sailing speed, last recorded position and their place in the class leader board and overall leader board – will be shown.

Zoom allows users to select one of three race overviews All, Leaders and Course. Users can zoom into the lead three teams and add different overlays to the event map.

CAN YOU REPLAY THE RACE?

Yes – once all the data has loaded, a scroll bar will appear at the bottom of the map. Clicking and dragging this will move you backwards and forwards through time, so you can replay the race and see the vessels move.

HOW UP TO DATE IS IT?

The mobile app will show the latest data we have at all times. If viewing on a PC the data will usually be refreshed at least every fifteen minutes.

FURTHER INFORMATION

YB Tracking platform provides a detailed help page and pop up by clicking on the ‘help’ button.

For help installing the YB Tracking map embed code, contact YB Tracking directly at: support@ybtracking.com.

The YB Tracking Race map, with all functionality, can be easily added to your website using the following embed code. This can be added simply through your website’s content management system (CMS).

<iframe src=”https://yb.tl/magellan-elcano2″ width=”965px” height=”965px” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen=”allowfullscreen”></iframe>

The div style is added to allow the YB block to resize according to the responsive design of your site. You can change the width and the height to suit your site best.

• Visit www.ybtracking.com for more information.
• You can download the YB Tracking mobile app for iPhone/iPad from iTunes, and for Android from Google Play.

Once again, during The Tall Ships Races Magellan-Elcano you are able to follow the Tall Ships fleet as they make their way along the Race route thanks to the YB satellite tracking system.

You can follow each race leg and ensure you miss none of the sailing action below.

Weather conditions came to the fore on day three of Race One as light winds leading the Race Committee to announce a Finish at Sea. The weather had already presented the fleet with a number of tactical decisions to make and made for a challenging race across the classes.

With a revised finish deadline of 0800 UTC today (22 August), the fleet will now continue their journey to A Coruna and the next stop on The Tall Ships Races Magellan-Elcano. Provisional results show the Class B Gaff Cutter, Jolie Brise,  and Class D BM Yawl, Stella Polare coming out on top, but all results are still pending until the fleet reach the next Host Port.

“The Race Committee brought the time limit forward to 0800 UTC in view of the light headwinds encountered by the fleet.

Bring the timeline limit forward will allow ample time for ships to make A Coruna and the next scheduled celebrations.

We’ve seen an exciting race from Falmouth and it has been fascinating to see the different tactics being deployed across the fleet, in particular the close battle between the Polish ships, Fryderyk Chopin and Dar Mlodziezy.

Well done to all crews who have completed such a challenging race!”The Tall Ships Races Magellan-Elcano Race Director, Paul Bishop

Provisional placings of each Class at the time of publication are below, these are subject to change based on the final race declaration forms which will be submitted by each ship upon their arrival in A Coruna.

Class A

Fryderyk Chopin (Poland)

Dar Mlodziezy (Poland)

Capitan Miranda (Uruguay)

Class B

Jolie Brise (UK)

Maybe (UK)

Class C/D

Stella Polare (Italy)

Challenge Wales (UK)

Juan de Langara (Spain)

The fleet are continuing well on the race to A Coruna, with Fryderyk Chopin (Poland) and Jolie Brise (UK) continuing to lead Classes A and B respectively, and Stella Polare (Italy) pulling ahead in Class C/D.

As the fleet enter their second full day of sailing, we asked the crews of the fleet for their favourite moments of the race event so far. The answers give a great insight to life on board during the races.

Cuauhtemoc: Cadet Gerardo Motta

“I want to write about the best things that has happened to me since leaving Falmouth. The first being the teamwork I’ve had with my fellow crew, throughout all the efficient manoeuvering that hopefully will have positive results at the end of the competition, and also the learning and experience I’ve gathered through our navigation.

In the end all of the dedication the crew brings to accomplish our final goal, to have a positive experience and live an adventure, memories that will stay with us for a lifetime.

Now, this is the best experience of my life.”

Challenge Wales

“Bioluminescence at night where the water would glow before the dolphins break the surface. Shooting stars and how bright they were. Seeing dolphins in general were pretty amazing and we liked seeing the ship lights at night from other vessels as most of us had never seen that before.

We’re excited for the night watch tonight to hopefully see more amazing things. Also, passing the waypoint!”

Dar Mlodziezy: Trainee Hubert

“Our arrival to waving people Falmouth, walking down the streets of Falmouth and our first pint in Falmouth.
Watching the setting sun seen from the very top of the mast and seeing all the other vessels”

Fryderyk Chopin

“When our engineer finally fixed the toilets!”

Maybe

“Putting up sails without blowing them out! And celebrating an 18th birthday on board.”

The leaders of each Class at the time of publication are:

Class A

Fryderyk Chopin (Poland)

Dar Mlodziezy (Poland)

Georg Stage (Denmark)

Class B

Jolie Brise (UK)

Maybe (UK)

Class C/D

Stella Polare (Italy)

Challenge Wales (UK)

Juan de Langara (Spain)

With a little over 24 hours of the race completed, it has been a tale of different tactics for the fleet on their way to A Coruna.

Following a dramatic start, which saw Capitan Miranda (Uruguay) cross the start line first as Storm Betty created large swells to contend with, the fleet have looked to differing courses in their efforts to reach the finish line first.

Race Director, Paul Bishop, explains the different options on offer to the Captains.

“The vessels have had a challenging night tacking into the SW headwinds towards WP1 off the north west coast of France. The trainees are beginning to get their ‘sea legs’ as the large residual swell from Storm Betty has subsided and are now enjoying more settled conditions.

Essentially, there seem to be three different tactics going on. Some captains and navigators have opted to go south, some to the west whilst others have decided to take the more direct route.

Each have their potential merits and it will be fascinating to see which pays off they round WP1.

The wind is forecast to become light and variable over the next 24hrs before a more favourable northerly sets in later on Tuesday.”
The Tall Ships Races Magellan-Elcano Race Director, Paul Bishop

The leaders of each Class at the time of publication are:

Class A

Fryderyk Chopin (Poland)

Dar Mlodziezy (Poland)

Georg Stage (Denmark)

Class B

Jolie Brise (UK)

Maybe (UK)

Class C/D

Challenge Wales (UK)

Stella Polare (Italy)

Juan de Langara (Spain)

The Tall Ships Races 2023 saw the Tall Ships fleet take part in an epic race series as they sailed from Den Helder, Netherlands, to Hartlepool, UK, Fredikstad, Norway, Lerwick, UK, and finish in Arendal, Norway.

You can relive each race leg thanks to the YB satellite tracking system below.

Race Two of The Tall Ships Races 2023 has continued in exciting fashion and seen a number of the fleet cross the finish line.

The race between Statraad Lehmkuhl (Norway) and Fryderyk Chopin (Poland) continued down to the wire, with the Norwegian Class A finishing only 20 minutes ahead of her Polish competitor in a photo finish.

Elsewhere, Class B saw Jolie Brise (UK) continue their longtime success in the races as the only ship to finish so far. In contrast, Class C is balanced between finishers and those still sailing, with Esprit (Germany) leading the way in the water.

Of course it’s all still to play for in the final placings once the Time Correction Factor is applied and final declaration times are submitted by the Captains.

The leaders of each class at the time of publication are:

Class A

Dar Mlodziezy (Poland)

Statsraad Lehmkuhl (Norway)

Fryderyk Chopin (Poland)

Class B

Jolie Brise (UK)

Betty (Denmark)

Rupel (Belgium)

Class C

Esprit (Germany)

Belfer (Poland)

Saeftinghe (Belgium)

Class D

Urania (The Netherlands)

Tara (Denmark)

Patricia (Belgium)

The third day of racing has seen the Tall Ships fleet continue to enjoy excellent sailing conditions and the leading ship on the water, Dar Mlodziezy (Poland) delivering a stunning performance to cross the finish line at 21:53 UTC last night (Tuesday 12 July).

Throughout the fleet, there has been an exciting battle with changes in the top positions in Class A, Class B and Class Class C. With the TCF factored in, Dar Mlodziezy has jumped up two places to lead Statsraad Lehmkuhl (Norway) in second and Fryderyk Chopin (Poland) in third in Class A. Both ships are within touching distance of the finish line, fighting neck and neck.

In Class B, Denmark’s Betty has made amazing progress to pass both Swan (UK) and Rupel (Belgium), putting them second behind leaders Jolie Brise (UK), who are no strangers to success in The Tall Ships Races. In Class C, it was another Polish ship, Belfer, who made their way up the placings to third in Class.

Class D saw no change with Urania (the Netherlands) still leading Tara (Denmark) and Patricia (Belgium).

The leaders of each class at the time of publication are:

Class A

Dar Mlodziezy (Poland)

Statsraad Lehmkuhl (Norway)

Fryderyk Chopin (Poland)

Class B

Jolie Brise (UK)

Betty (Denmark)

Rupel (Belgium)

Class C

Esprit (Germany)

Saeftinghe (Belgium)

Belfer (Poland)

Class D

Urania (The Netherlands)

Tara (Denmark)

Patricia (Belgium)

After two days of sailing, Dar Mlodziezy (Poland) leads the way on the water as the fleet close in on waypoint one, closely followed by Patricia (Belgium) and Urania (the Netherlands) vying for 2nd and 3rd place in line honours. With the crucial Time Correction Factor in place though it’s another Class A ship, Norway’s Statsraad Lehmkuhl, who leads the field overall.

The fleet have enjoyed more favourable sailing conditions with 25-30 kts wind speed pushing the fleet to over 15 kts on their way to Fredrikstad. With these conditions set to continue, it won’t be long before the first arrivals in Fredrikstad.

The leaders of each class at the time of publication are:

Class A

Statsraad Lehmkuhl (Norway)

Fryderyk Chopin (Poland)

Dar Mlodziezy (Poland)

Class B

Jolie Brise (UK)

Rupel (Belgium)

Swan (UK)

Class C

Esprit (Germany)

Vahine (Finland)

Saeftinghe (Belgium)

Class D

Urania (The Netherlands)

Tara (Denmark)

Patricia (Belgium)

After yesterday’s dramatic race start, the fleet are making progress towards Fredrikstad and experiencing some excellent sailing conditions. 

“To quote the captain of Urania, they are enjoying ‘champagne’ sailing conditions!  The sun is shining and they have 15 knots of wind. All appears to be going to plan and it seems that the fleet, who are in quite a compact area, are all getting similar wind conditions and speed.”

The Tall Ships Races 2023 Race Director, Magda Makowska

The leaders of each class at the time of publication are:

Class A

Statsraad Lehmkuhl (Norway)

Fryderyk Chopin (Poland)

Dar Mlodziezy (Poland)

Class B

Jolie Brise (UK)

Betty (Denmark)

Rupel (Belgium)

Class C

Esprit (Germany)

Belfer (Poland)

Saeftinghe (Belgium)

Class D

Tara (Denmark)

Urania (The Netherlands)

Patricia (Belgium)

With challenging head on westerly winds still affecting the Tall Ships fleet as the make their way to the start line, the Race Operations Committee decided that the start gate will remain open after 1200 UTC.

This change will mean all ships in the fleet will have the chance to pass the start line for Race One, with final placings decided by their progress over elapsed time.

When the time came to start the race, it was the Class D yacht Patricia (Belgium) that made it across the start line first. Race Director, Magda Makowska, gave an update on the fleet’s progress and the upcoming weather conditions.

“With the start gate still open, we’re just waiting for the remaining vessels to pass and begin their race to Hartlepool. There are some big waves out there still providing challenging conditions for the fleet.

The forecast is looking to improve for the fleet in the coming days though, and we expect them to enjoy some great sailing conditions as they make their way along the course to the finish line and the upcoming celebrations in Hartlepool – which will be well earned after Race One!”

Race Director, Magda Makowska

Replay with all the action in the Tall Ships Races 2019 with YB Tracking and relive the races in full with our race reports, below.

Full Race Reports