Navigation software guides teams around the world

When the Clipper 2017-18 Round the World Yacht Race gets underway this summer, the 12 teams will be relying on TIMEZERO by MaxSea to get them around the world. As they were for the previous race, the twelve Clipper 70 yachts will be equipped with the latest in marine navigation software to help complete their eleventh month circumnavigation.

“This will enable the boats to download the weather forecasts and then calculate the best choice of routes from that advanced information,” said Clipper Race Founder and Chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston. “Having used TIMEZERO by MaxSea myself I know how invaluable it is and frankly it is not possible to race effectively these days without it.”

For the teams, TIMEZERO’s pioneering marine navigation software can deliver accurate weather routing, which if utilised efficiently by teams could prove to be the difference between first and last place in the standings.

The first marine navigation software to provide weather routing data for off-shore racing, TIMEZERO will be used by the professional race Skippers and many of the Clipper Race crew, who receive on board training, to assist them in finding the fastest routes during the race.

In the middle of an ocean where teams can go days without seeing the rest of the fleet, crew and Skippers can also utilise the software to monitor the progress and distance covered by their competition.

TIMEZERO technology integrates with a chart engine where marine charts, 3D data and satellite photos are mixed through PhotoFusion.

Event Website – Facebook

Background: Held biennially, the 11th edition of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race gets underway from Liverpool (UK) on August 20 2017 for the fleet of twelve identical Tony Castro designed Clipper 70s.

The 2017-18 race will have a 40,000 nm course divided into individual races with the team having the best cumulative score winning the Clipper Race Trophy. The teams return to Liverpool in Summer 2018 following its global route which will include stopovers in South America (port TBC), Cape Town, Western Australia (port TBC), Sydney, Hobart, East Coast Australia (port TBC) Sanya and Qingdao – China, Seattle – USA, Panama, New York, and Derry Londonderry – Northern Ireland.

Each team is led by a professional skipper with an all-amateur crew.

Source: Clipper Round the World Yacht Race