(Sorry -- missed posting this blog entry and don't know how to insert in sequence!)
Sunday, July11/10 0500 hours:
Dawn watch, the sky is just getting light…the best part of the day. No, the best part is knowing that in one hour, I am off watch and have 6 hours to sleep!
The countdown to the finish has begun. We are less than 800 nm from Maui now, still fighting the rolling 2 metre waves that have knocked us around for the entire voyage. We are just socks in the washing machine…still…Our characteristic staggering gait across the cabin has been named “The Turicum Twostep”. Hale said it best, when he said “I’m done with trying not to fall down, unless it’s from my barstool at the yacht club!”
Yesterday seemed like Friday the 13th: everything that could go wrong, went wrong. Just little thngs like broken shackles, chafed lines, out of control spinnakers, but so many of them that it took both watch crews from 0600 to 1130 to sort them all out. Weird. Impressive, though, is the way the 8 very different people on the crew have brought together their various skills and have formed a strong team.
Fast forward to 1330: Had first shower of trip!! Cold water, but clean hair is worth it.
Have been seeing flying fish since yesterday….and the weather is finally warm, with that soft hint of the tropics in the air. Aaahh, finally we get to ditch the fleece and foulies! We had our halfway party last night, complete with 4 course meal and wine, courtesy of Don. Never, have I had such a sumptious meal at sea. Thanks Don!
Well, better get back up on deck, the sun awaits!
Naomi
SV Turicum
July 11, 2010
Last night was our somewhat belated mid-point dinner hosted by Don. Don’s entire family contributed to the feast of Gazpacho, crab cakes in a roasted red pepper aioli and salmon on a bed of wild rice. Desert was a sherbet, (as in frozen!) roll and your choice of red or white wine. This was truly a grand offering for the occasion. It was especially welcome after such a difficult day.
All of our thoughts are beginning to now focus on the next few days that are the end game to this race. Boats have committed to courses based on their interpretation of the best information available to them and the navigators’ inclinations as to what the wind may do over the next few days. Many boats are pursuing a course selection similar to ours, some have stayed well east expecting the trades to fill in and one boat has already committed to a far westerly course. We shall see.
The winds are now north easterly, which are the hallmark of the trade winds in the northern hemisphere. The seawater is now tepid and is still an array of brilliant blues. Flying fish have become more abundant and the albatrosses skim the waves in search of their prey. Although I had read about the Pacific Gyre, an area roughly the size of Texas where the currents conspire to collect huge amounts of plastic debris fatal to sea life and sea birds, our course did not take us through this human induced tragedy. The ocean we have been travelling through is pristine. I feel privileged to experience its grandeur and hope that succeeding generations will have these beautiful waters and more as their legacy.
One thing that has struck me over the past 11 days is how different the sea state can be after only a four hour period off watch. In particular, a certain pattern of waves that held over the period of an entire watch can be rearranged both in terms of period and direction, without any apparent influence coming to bear on them. This is but one demonstration of the complex interrelations that make up global weather patterns.
I have five hours left on watch on this warm and sunny Sunday morning. At present the sails and course are set for the next several hours although one never knows when there may be a call to change sail or to gybe. So, it is back up to the cockpit to take it all in, to think about what we are doing, and to let my imagination take me where it will.
Les on Turicum
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
A couple of days, a couple of Mai Tais
Synopsis, -- Hale’s perspective
OK – sitting in Lahaina after consuming more Mai Tais in the last few days than is prudent and looking back at things.
This race was struggle that was engaged in and defeated by a group of individuals whose input at various levels continuously conquered everything that was thrown up in our collective faces in an attempt to defeat us in spirit and purpose.
1 week prior to the start of the race, Turicum had no keel, no mast and more importantly no interior framing structure.
The people at Straits Marine worked tirelessly with the help of some incredibly skilled craftsmen they were able to bring in to assemble Turicum in a very short order and have all the work done in the available time.
Yes, there were a few leaks in the water system and some other picky bits but what they were able to accomplish was fantastic.
Our crew were not to be outdone.
They cleaned out a ton of fiberglas grindings that were in the boat and were coating everything. They also painted the bottom (the original reason the boat was hauled) and waxed the topsides.
They spent hours loading all the gear that was necessary along with stowing all of the food during the early hours between Turicum going into the water and heading for Victoria and the start.
The start of the race was a simple matter of – find the wind; lose the wind. Very frustrating to pull miles ahead of our competition just to have them sail up beside us with the next puff of wind.
Even when we got out of Juan de Fuca I managed to screw up and find some dead spots that my satellite information wasn’t showing.
We quickly came to realize that if we chose to run the west route, our outcome would be based on the lack of Trade Winds. My review of the available information indicated that winds to the east of us would stay soft so we planned a course that would give up distance early but would allow us to reach across the lighter areas toward the end of the race rather than trying to run downwind.
All of the course planning aside, small problems popped up to raise the stress level.
First, we found that we were running only on house battery #1 and it was starting to fail. Then the battery isolator that distributed power from the alternator went up in a cloud of light and heat. (very warm navigator’s seat it was located under)
The next issue was the spare 25 gal water tank that was filled in Victoria turned out to be empty. Apparently a leaky fitting.
Hey – our trusty watermaker would take care of that BUT the failed isolator allowed the start battery to draw down to the point where the engine wouldn’t start.
No problem – by linking the start battery with the house battery, we had just enough power to crank the engine and then by bypassing the isolator, we could charge the batteries (using a jumper wire for the starting battery).
Oh, we also found that the connections on the #1 battery were crap and with new connectors and some cleaning everything was back on line.
BTW did I mention that the fuel gauge was showing that we were almost out of fuel? Opening up the top of the fuel tank spilled some fuel but proved that the gauge was wrong and did wonders for my blood pressure.
The last little issue that we have to deal with is the broken shroud.
Unfortunately, during the takedown of the mainsail, after crossing the finish line, we had an accidental gybe that ended up breaking an intermediate shroud.
We have people coming to look at it today and have talked to people in Oahu how can make up some new parts.
We have our fingers crossed.
This race is never for the faint of heart.
It is not a down wind drag race like Transpac or Pacific Cup where you get the biggest baddest down wind sled you can and then go out an kick ass.
With the Maui race, some thinking is required – there is strategy – get it right and you do well, get it wrong and it’s out the back door.
This year we had a group of people who didn’t have the fastest boat or the best prepared boat, but we had a mostly cruising crew that worked tirelessly and their efforts paid off.
Good Guys DON’T Finish Last
Cheers,
Turicum
Friday, July 16, 2010
Sunrise in Lahaina
Turicum finished the Vic-Maui race at 0322 this morning. Champagne welcome party on the dock in Lahaina was finishing just as the sun came up! Our greeter team was amazing -- grass skirts, palm trees, mai-tais, and a smokin' volcano on the buffet table. Ritz-Carlton goodies were wonderful! Lahaina Yacht Club and all the volunteers and friends who make the shore activities possible are examples of the true spirit of Aloha. Crew have crawled away for showers, food, sleep and...then they'll be ready to party on! Last blog(s) from aboard and some photos to follow to add to this chronicle.
June
SV Turicum
June
SV Turicum
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Mai Tais are on ice...
July 14, 2010
We are 285 nm from Maui. We have gained some ground over our division competitors over the past couple of days, so the westerly rather than southerly approach seems to be making sense. You will not be reading this entry until after we have crossed the finish line due to the fact that our super shore side support person, Hale’s wife, June is en route to Maui. (Ah, the miracles of modern science and the Internet -- I'm in Maui and back on line :- J.)
We have been under spinnaker for two days. Each crew has done about 35 watches, not counting the all hands episodes. The days do tend to blur in retrospect although each seems unforgettable as it is occurring. It is the failure of our memories not to be able to catalogue events with accuracy and precision that leads to this vagueness of recollection. Were there two or three spinnaker changes? Did that happen yesterday or the day before?. It was once the current thinking in the neuroscientific community that the human brain was a giant filing cabinet and our only limitation was the ability to access the information in the cabinet. If one were able to access the memory then there was a completely accurate record available for review. We now understand that this was too simplistic. Memory is far more complex and subjective function. It is therefore individualistic. There will therefore be eight unique initial recollections of this race by the eight persons on board. As time passes, there will be unconsciously revised “memories” created by each of us. Speaking only for myself, it will always certainly inhabit the “significant events” section of my brain in a most positive fashion. I hope that in the future I will be confronted with the dilemma of trying to remember on which race an event occurred. This stuff is pretty addictive.
Last night, sunset was remarkable and quite paradoxical. The line squalls that pass in front of, behind and over us, all aggregated on the western horizon. They are giant black cummulo nimbus clouds that, but for the fact they are in our past, would be quite threatening. The sun came down on top of the clouds and as it sank behind these giant black monsters the light began to fade from the sky. This unique moment at the end of the day is known by the French as crepe escuil and in English as the gloaming. Just as it appeared that darkness would descend over the entire sky, the sun which was now only just below the horizon, began to emit brilliantly intense orange light in an upward direction as if a giant fiery cauldron were brewing at the end of the earth. The intensity increased for a matter of moments turning the entire western sky into a myriad of orange and pink hues surrounded by the black clouds. Wow! I just do not know what else I can say.
Night is a special time on a moving sailboat. When you are driving, the senses one employs are quite distinct from those in the daytime. The most obvious differences are that the orientation of the bow of the boat and the view of the horizon are either greatly reduce or eliminated. But there is something that is more internal to the process. I believe (after consultation with our on board medical consultant and skipper) that this is known as proprioception – the ability to coordinate one’s body in a three dimensional environment. This innate quality, present to everyone to a greater or lesser degree, cannot be replaced entirely by the use of instruments. In fact, attempting to rely on instruments creates the most intense sense of vertigo and you feel that the boat is turning in tight circles. Steering by the stars most closely approximates the daytime experience. The only downside to steering by the stars in this area of the world is that from time to time they become obscured by each passing storm cell.
In all likelihood, tomorrow will be a short entry and then, after the parties and the hoopla in Maui, I hope to send a closing entry. Thanks to everyone for opening these electronic messages in a bottle.
Les on Turicum
We are 285 nm from Maui. We have gained some ground over our division competitors over the past couple of days, so the westerly rather than southerly approach seems to be making sense. You will not be reading this entry until after we have crossed the finish line due to the fact that our super shore side support person, Hale’s wife, June is en route to Maui. (Ah, the miracles of modern science and the Internet -- I'm in Maui and back on line :- J.)
We have been under spinnaker for two days. Each crew has done about 35 watches, not counting the all hands episodes. The days do tend to blur in retrospect although each seems unforgettable as it is occurring. It is the failure of our memories not to be able to catalogue events with accuracy and precision that leads to this vagueness of recollection. Were there two or three spinnaker changes? Did that happen yesterday or the day before?. It was once the current thinking in the neuroscientific community that the human brain was a giant filing cabinet and our only limitation was the ability to access the information in the cabinet. If one were able to access the memory then there was a completely accurate record available for review. We now understand that this was too simplistic. Memory is far more complex and subjective function. It is therefore individualistic. There will therefore be eight unique initial recollections of this race by the eight persons on board. As time passes, there will be unconsciously revised “memories” created by each of us. Speaking only for myself, it will always certainly inhabit the “significant events” section of my brain in a most positive fashion. I hope that in the future I will be confronted with the dilemma of trying to remember on which race an event occurred. This stuff is pretty addictive.
Last night, sunset was remarkable and quite paradoxical. The line squalls that pass in front of, behind and over us, all aggregated on the western horizon. They are giant black cummulo nimbus clouds that, but for the fact they are in our past, would be quite threatening. The sun came down on top of the clouds and as it sank behind these giant black monsters the light began to fade from the sky. This unique moment at the end of the day is known by the French as crepe escuil and in English as the gloaming. Just as it appeared that darkness would descend over the entire sky, the sun which was now only just below the horizon, began to emit brilliantly intense orange light in an upward direction as if a giant fiery cauldron were brewing at the end of the earth. The intensity increased for a matter of moments turning the entire western sky into a myriad of orange and pink hues surrounded by the black clouds. Wow! I just do not know what else I can say.
Night is a special time on a moving sailboat. When you are driving, the senses one employs are quite distinct from those in the daytime. The most obvious differences are that the orientation of the bow of the boat and the view of the horizon are either greatly reduce or eliminated. But there is something that is more internal to the process. I believe (after consultation with our on board medical consultant and skipper) that this is known as proprioception – the ability to coordinate one’s body in a three dimensional environment. This innate quality, present to everyone to a greater or lesser degree, cannot be replaced entirely by the use of instruments. In fact, attempting to rely on instruments creates the most intense sense of vertigo and you feel that the boat is turning in tight circles. Steering by the stars most closely approximates the daytime experience. The only downside to steering by the stars in this area of the world is that from time to time they become obscured by each passing storm cell.
In all likelihood, tomorrow will be a short entry and then, after the parties and the hoopla in Maui, I hope to send a closing entry. Thanks to everyone for opening these electronic messages in a bottle.
Les on Turicum
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Getting closer
July 13, 2010
We are now 396 nm from Maui. The spinnaker run last night under the most intensely bright Milky Way star display was a sheer delight. By morning the winds had lightened and all around us were benign weather cells bringing minute amounts of moisture and occasionally much welcome respite from the now consistently high temperatures. We have changed to a lighter spinnaker and continue to make a presentable 5 – 6 knots in only slightly more wind. Everybody on board can sense a building anticipation of making landfall but you try to let that occupy only the smallest recess of your consciousness since anything can happen at any time and our attention must remain on the immediate task of sailing the boat intelligently and efficiently.
Conversation on board comes easily and the heat down below has eased some of the self-imposed barriers between the two watches. Unless it is absolutely necessary off-watch crew must remain below while the others do their job. Now, with the much warmer weather we pop our heads up through the companion way like neighbours having a chat over the fence. The whole process of throwing strangers together and setting out to do a race this long still seems crazy yet it has worked extraordinarily well. As I wrote some time ago, we all sought common ground and by and large, exercised mutual respect.
One of the things that I believe we will remember the most about this race was the laughter. On watch, our discussions would inevitably take some comic turn which would lead to significant belly laughs and often, especially at night, silence – not an awkward silence but one that comes after riding a good wave of humour that is then appreciated by all individually. We often hear the other crew doing the same thing when we are off watch. If you are laughing a lot you know things are going pretty well.
The ocean swells that were with us for most of the trip abated with the reduction in wind speed. It is possible to see the curvature of the Earth simply from deck level and I understand from the masthead it is even more pronounced. The immediacy of our environment is thought provoking, awe inspiring and, as I wrote earlier will bear seeds of more thought that we will all carry away with us. We are all very lucky to have had this experience as individuals and collectively.
Tonight’s “sched” – the nightly call in by the boats with their lat/long is going to be interesting. We have made up some time against one boat yesterday and we are anxious to see whose strategy – south and ride the trades or west then south to cut the angle, proves to be correct. In any event we look forward to having a drink and swapping stories with everyone regardless of the final outcome.
To all at home from all aboard Turicum, take care and speak to you soon, we hope.
Les on Turicum 74257
We are now 396 nm from Maui. The spinnaker run last night under the most intensely bright Milky Way star display was a sheer delight. By morning the winds had lightened and all around us were benign weather cells bringing minute amounts of moisture and occasionally much welcome respite from the now consistently high temperatures. We have changed to a lighter spinnaker and continue to make a presentable 5 – 6 knots in only slightly more wind. Everybody on board can sense a building anticipation of making landfall but you try to let that occupy only the smallest recess of your consciousness since anything can happen at any time and our attention must remain on the immediate task of sailing the boat intelligently and efficiently.
Conversation on board comes easily and the heat down below has eased some of the self-imposed barriers between the two watches. Unless it is absolutely necessary off-watch crew must remain below while the others do their job. Now, with the much warmer weather we pop our heads up through the companion way like neighbours having a chat over the fence. The whole process of throwing strangers together and setting out to do a race this long still seems crazy yet it has worked extraordinarily well. As I wrote some time ago, we all sought common ground and by and large, exercised mutual respect.
One of the things that I believe we will remember the most about this race was the laughter. On watch, our discussions would inevitably take some comic turn which would lead to significant belly laughs and often, especially at night, silence – not an awkward silence but one that comes after riding a good wave of humour that is then appreciated by all individually. We often hear the other crew doing the same thing when we are off watch. If you are laughing a lot you know things are going pretty well.
The ocean swells that were with us for most of the trip abated with the reduction in wind speed. It is possible to see the curvature of the Earth simply from deck level and I understand from the masthead it is even more pronounced. The immediacy of our environment is thought provoking, awe inspiring and, as I wrote earlier will bear seeds of more thought that we will all carry away with us. We are all very lucky to have had this experience as individuals and collectively.
Tonight’s “sched” – the nightly call in by the boats with their lat/long is going to be interesting. We have made up some time against one boat yesterday and we are anxious to see whose strategy – south and ride the trades or west then south to cut the angle, proves to be correct. In any event we look forward to having a drink and swapping stories with everyone regardless of the final outcome.
To all at home from all aboard Turicum, take care and speak to you soon, we hope.
Les on Turicum 74257
Sunday, July 11, 2010
The saga continues...
July 10, 2010
It is morning and we are 932 nm from Maui. Conditions are boisterous and we have just lost a guy line attached to the spinnaker when the sheet and guy blew off simultaneously flying the symmetrical spinnaker called Green Meanie. This unleashed a series of problems beginning with the spinnaker flying out in front of Turicum uncontrolled. Corrective actions were taken promptly by all hands and the spinnaker was brought back on board without further mishap.
We ran on a poled-out A sail for the morning and are now back to the #1 with full main. The main sheet then had a minor failure that required further repairs. No voyage is devoid of adversity and we are confident that we will regroup in the coming hours. After all, it was a tale of overcoming tremendous challenges just to get Turicum to the start line for the race.
Some weeks before Swiftsure, Turicum hit a rock on the bottom of the keel. The boat was hauled and inspected for Swiftsure. A few days after Swiftsure she was hauled for pre-Maui paint and necessary repairs at Strait Marine in Steveston and the nature of the structural problems began to be discovered. The unexpectedly severe damage fore and aft of the keel turned out to be much more extensive than the previous inspection showed and extended out to the sides as well. Andrew, the owner of Strait put an awesome crew of skilled tradesmen together with a commitment to work as necessary to effect the repairs in time for the start of Vic Maui. Even with such a commitment, there were lingering doubts that such a massive undertaking could be done in such a short period of time.
During the repair process, the exterior glass, fore and aft was ground away, and in one area, clear through. At the same time, all electrical and plumbing was carefully removed and marked for reinstallation. The damage was such that on the interior of the hull several structural ribs had to be cut away, replaced and retabbed to the hull. The rig had been removed upon arrival at the yard in order to inspect the hull to keel join and to inspect the condition of the keel bolts. Doug, Dave, Marcus and Malcolm, all skilled craftsmen of the highest order, worked tirelessly and meticulously reconstructing much of the bottom, the join and refairing the keel to a standard far above that employed in the original construction. At 3:30 p.m. on June 28, 2010 the rig was put back in the boat and it was lowered into the river. Paul and his crew at Ocean Rigging were on the job when needed and put the finishing touches into the rigging job in time for us to leave on an ebb tide just after midnight on the 28th. Special recognition must also go to Gunnar, John and Don for their involvement and efforts in readying the boat in two weeks. Don flew in from Edmonton on short notice in order to render much needed assistance. Naomi Roddick (misspelled yesterday – sorry Naomi) and Les spent the weekend helping to feather out irregularities in the bottom and polish the hull. In order to ensure that we would be able to leave to Victoria, we began loading stores for the race onto the boat while she was still on the hard using Strait’s forklift. It was only in the late morning of June 28th that we were able to begin the process of cleaning out massive amounts of fibreglass dust from the interior. Of course, Hale as the owner of Turicum was an ever present participant in the entire process. As I write this, we are now less than 900 miles from the finish line. In long distance races such as this, there are often innumerable problems that can call into doubt the ability of a vessel simply getting to the start line. Today, the same spirit of commitment and cooperation that got Turicum to the start line kept us moving toward the finish line with the shortest possible delay.
Tonight is the belated mid-point meal provided courtesy of Don and Maggie. To one and all who read this we send you our greetings from one of the most magnificent places on the planet.
Over and out,
Turicum 74257
It is morning and we are 932 nm from Maui. Conditions are boisterous and we have just lost a guy line attached to the spinnaker when the sheet and guy blew off simultaneously flying the symmetrical spinnaker called Green Meanie. This unleashed a series of problems beginning with the spinnaker flying out in front of Turicum uncontrolled. Corrective actions were taken promptly by all hands and the spinnaker was brought back on board without further mishap.
We ran on a poled-out A sail for the morning and are now back to the #1 with full main. The main sheet then had a minor failure that required further repairs. No voyage is devoid of adversity and we are confident that we will regroup in the coming hours. After all, it was a tale of overcoming tremendous challenges just to get Turicum to the start line for the race.
Some weeks before Swiftsure, Turicum hit a rock on the bottom of the keel. The boat was hauled and inspected for Swiftsure. A few days after Swiftsure she was hauled for pre-Maui paint and necessary repairs at Strait Marine in Steveston and the nature of the structural problems began to be discovered. The unexpectedly severe damage fore and aft of the keel turned out to be much more extensive than the previous inspection showed and extended out to the sides as well. Andrew, the owner of Strait put an awesome crew of skilled tradesmen together with a commitment to work as necessary to effect the repairs in time for the start of Vic Maui. Even with such a commitment, there were lingering doubts that such a massive undertaking could be done in such a short period of time.
During the repair process, the exterior glass, fore and aft was ground away, and in one area, clear through. At the same time, all electrical and plumbing was carefully removed and marked for reinstallation. The damage was such that on the interior of the hull several structural ribs had to be cut away, replaced and retabbed to the hull. The rig had been removed upon arrival at the yard in order to inspect the hull to keel join and to inspect the condition of the keel bolts. Doug, Dave, Marcus and Malcolm, all skilled craftsmen of the highest order, worked tirelessly and meticulously reconstructing much of the bottom, the join and refairing the keel to a standard far above that employed in the original construction. At 3:30 p.m. on June 28, 2010 the rig was put back in the boat and it was lowered into the river. Paul and his crew at Ocean Rigging were on the job when needed and put the finishing touches into the rigging job in time for us to leave on an ebb tide just after midnight on the 28th. Special recognition must also go to Gunnar, John and Don for their involvement and efforts in readying the boat in two weeks. Don flew in from Edmonton on short notice in order to render much needed assistance. Naomi Roddick (misspelled yesterday – sorry Naomi) and Les spent the weekend helping to feather out irregularities in the bottom and polish the hull. In order to ensure that we would be able to leave to Victoria, we began loading stores for the race onto the boat while she was still on the hard using Strait’s forklift. It was only in the late morning of June 28th that we were able to begin the process of cleaning out massive amounts of fibreglass dust from the interior. Of course, Hale as the owner of Turicum was an ever present participant in the entire process. As I write this, we are now less than 900 miles from the finish line. In long distance races such as this, there are often innumerable problems that can call into doubt the ability of a vessel simply getting to the start line. Today, the same spirit of commitment and cooperation that got Turicum to the start line kept us moving toward the finish line with the shortest possible delay.
Tonight is the belated mid-point meal provided courtesy of Don and Maggie. To one and all who read this we send you our greetings from one of the most magnificent places on the planet.
Over and out,
Turicum 74257
Friday, July 9, 2010
Break out the shorts and t-shirts...
July 9, 2010
1098 miles to Maui. We are flying Wanda, another A sail that is better suited to running. The foul weather gear came off and was replaced with shorts and T shirts today. Clear skies and about 25 – 30 degrees. The wind continues to be in the teens to twenties and we are on a deep reach with the rollers helping us surf our way to Hawaii. Flying fish were spotted this morning and the ocean water is deep blue with sapphires thrown across the surface. Last night the night sky was our compass as we held our course by aligning stars. Shooting stars were in abundance and the Milky Way was as thick as I have seen. The crew are light hearted, well fed and pretty thrilled with the way Turicum is eating up the miles. We are in a close competition with the other boats of our division so each watch is driving the boat as hard as they can. 200 mile days have been great but we are hopeful that we will do even better over the next few days with the larger sail area. Then comes the tricky part approaching Lahaina from the west. Hale is hard at work running course simulations and updating our best strategy. The winds will weaken as we approach Hawaii so it is essential that we be no lower than a beam reach.
Yesterday I promised a piece on the Church of Rasputin. After checking with the FBI, CIA, FCC, CRTC and our censors, we regret to inform you that the piece has been pulled to protect the obviously guilty. Another blow to democracy. In its place the management would like to offer you a factually correct if sanitized account of who all are aboard ( as far as we know).
Gunnar Jonsson: Gunnar is the skipper of Turicum and a veteran of the 2008 race. He owns and campaigns the SR 33 Havoc which has competed in the Van Isle 360 5 times and in countless other local races. He is a well known sailor and is past president of the Vancouver Rowing Club. Gunnar is married to the lovely Ede. They were actually married in Iran, one of the many countries Gunnar lived and worked in during his career in wireless communications.
Warren Hale: Hale, as he is known to virtually everyone, is the owner of Turicum and serves as navigator as well as doing a regular watch. He was a high school teacher and taught at the University of BC department of Education before going full time as a sailing educator through his company Richmond Sailcraft. This is Hale’s 6th Vic Maui. He is married to June, who runs the logistical side of the race including satellite information, meal planning and provisioning and all communications during the race.
John North. John is crew captain for the watch Gunnar is not on. John has a PhD from Cambridge in immunology and is currently Chief Operating Officer of the medical research company, Immunex. John has competed in one Vic Maui and one Transpac. His sons both hold PhDs in engineering. John’s wife Lois is an interior designer.
Don Macfarlane. Don competed on the international level as a dinghy racer and has a long history of involvement with sailing. He is an engineer by training and is the president of a company that manufactures custom pressurized steel vessels. He is married to Maggie and together they have three daughters.
Naomi Roddick. Naomi is a registered nurse and a highly sought after foredeck crew. She raced in the 2006 Vic Maui and continued on after the race to cruise through the South Pacific. She has raced in Greece and is a veteran of all of the major local and distance races. Naomi is on staff at UBC Hospital and taught post-anaesthesia recovery at an orthopaedic surgical facility in Uganda.
Johan Viljoen: Johan is a physician, originally from South Africa. Johan held a number of medical posts in South Africa before immigrating to the more temperate climates of Saskatchewan & Medicine Hat. In addition to conventional medicine he is also an acupuncturist and hypnotist. Johan and his wife Christa have three daughters.
Tim Mastel Mar. Tim is a property developer and property manager who began his successful career when just in junior high school. Raised in northern Alberta by teacher parents, Tim grew up doing a wide variety of outdoor activities. He is an avid sailor who regularly goes cruising with his wife, Laurie and their two daughters.
Les Mackoff: Les has been a lawyer for 28 years and is the senor partner at Mackoff & Company. He has been an ardent cruising sailor, both coastal and offshore for almost three decades. Les is married to the pianist, Patricia Hoy, They have two sons.
I guess you just can’t find good help these days.
Over and out.
Turicum 74257
1098 miles to Maui. We are flying Wanda, another A sail that is better suited to running. The foul weather gear came off and was replaced with shorts and T shirts today. Clear skies and about 25 – 30 degrees. The wind continues to be in the teens to twenties and we are on a deep reach with the rollers helping us surf our way to Hawaii. Flying fish were spotted this morning and the ocean water is deep blue with sapphires thrown across the surface. Last night the night sky was our compass as we held our course by aligning stars. Shooting stars were in abundance and the Milky Way was as thick as I have seen. The crew are light hearted, well fed and pretty thrilled with the way Turicum is eating up the miles. We are in a close competition with the other boats of our division so each watch is driving the boat as hard as they can. 200 mile days have been great but we are hopeful that we will do even better over the next few days with the larger sail area. Then comes the tricky part approaching Lahaina from the west. Hale is hard at work running course simulations and updating our best strategy. The winds will weaken as we approach Hawaii so it is essential that we be no lower than a beam reach.
Yesterday I promised a piece on the Church of Rasputin. After checking with the FBI, CIA, FCC, CRTC and our censors, we regret to inform you that the piece has been pulled to protect the obviously guilty. Another blow to democracy. In its place the management would like to offer you a factually correct if sanitized account of who all are aboard ( as far as we know).
Gunnar Jonsson: Gunnar is the skipper of Turicum and a veteran of the 2008 race. He owns and campaigns the SR 33 Havoc which has competed in the Van Isle 360 5 times and in countless other local races. He is a well known sailor and is past president of the Vancouver Rowing Club. Gunnar is married to the lovely Ede. They were actually married in Iran, one of the many countries Gunnar lived and worked in during his career in wireless communications.
Warren Hale: Hale, as he is known to virtually everyone, is the owner of Turicum and serves as navigator as well as doing a regular watch. He was a high school teacher and taught at the University of BC department of Education before going full time as a sailing educator through his company Richmond Sailcraft. This is Hale’s 6th Vic Maui. He is married to June, who runs the logistical side of the race including satellite information, meal planning and provisioning and all communications during the race.
John North. John is crew captain for the watch Gunnar is not on. John has a PhD from Cambridge in immunology and is currently Chief Operating Officer of the medical research company, Immunex. John has competed in one Vic Maui and one Transpac. His sons both hold PhDs in engineering. John’s wife Lois is an interior designer.
Don Macfarlane. Don competed on the international level as a dinghy racer and has a long history of involvement with sailing. He is an engineer by training and is the president of a company that manufactures custom pressurized steel vessels. He is married to Maggie and together they have three daughters.
Naomi Roddick. Naomi is a registered nurse and a highly sought after foredeck crew. She raced in the 2006 Vic Maui and continued on after the race to cruise through the South Pacific. She has raced in Greece and is a veteran of all of the major local and distance races. Naomi is on staff at UBC Hospital and taught post-anaesthesia recovery at an orthopaedic surgical facility in Uganda.
Johan Viljoen: Johan is a physician, originally from South Africa. Johan held a number of medical posts in South Africa before immigrating to the more temperate climates of Saskatchewan & Medicine Hat. In addition to conventional medicine he is also an acupuncturist and hypnotist. Johan and his wife Christa have three daughters.
Tim Mastel Mar. Tim is a property developer and property manager who began his successful career when just in junior high school. Raised in northern Alberta by teacher parents, Tim grew up doing a wide variety of outdoor activities. He is an avid sailor who regularly goes cruising with his wife, Laurie and their two daughters.
Les Mackoff: Les has been a lawyer for 28 years and is the senor partner at Mackoff & Company. He has been an ardent cruising sailor, both coastal and offshore for almost three decades. Les is married to the pianist, Patricia Hoy, They have two sons.
I guess you just can’t find good help these days.
Over and out.
Turicum 74257
Philosophers Afloat
July 8, 2010
1333 miles northeast of Maui and we are still close to the 200 nm per day mark. Winds have been variable 15 – 25. With the moderately large swell it is sometimes difficult to keep the genoa filled in under 15 knots of wind. We have just now re-hoisted the asymmetrical spinnaker which has given us an extra knot of boat speed and greater stability. With any luck we will be flying it for several days.
This race is not properly defined in days or even in time for that matter. It is defined as the execution of several tasks and procedures performed on an ongoing basis including sail handling, navigation, driving and observation. One of the consequences of how well one performs the tasks or procedures may be the ultimate length of time it takes to race across the North Eastern Pacific. Other consequences may be whether one ever reaches Hawaii or whether the vessel and crew remain intact. The point is that we tend to define things by the desired result, i.e. arriving in Maui within a certain time, rather than by the process – sailing well and performing each task to the best of one’s abilities. The latter are things over which we have complete control and which have some effect on the desired result. However, we have no control ultimately over the result because weather, health, the need to assist others and unforeseen mishaps may lay waste to our best laid plans. The point is, that all we can do as people is to take control over the elements of our lives that are capable of control and to realize that there will always be variables in any endeavour that will remain variables over which we have limited or indeed no influence, Tonight’s assignment – G-d does or does not exist. Discuss and use illustrations.
The moving boat: For one week we have lived and moved on a platform that is always moving three dimensionally. To lurch across a short space grabbing handholds and avoiding contact with objects animate or inanimate is just part of the landscape of life aboard a sailboat. We adapt to it and eventually it becomes second nature. That does not mean that we don’t fall, collide and stumble from time to time, but as each day passes under the keel, our internal gyro becomes better calibrated to our present circumstances. Life lesson – roll with the punches, get up when you are knocked down, internalize the data for the future and carry on – easier said than done!
Communicating is the conveyance of information and opinion from one to another or others. The interface between thoughts and words is notoriously faulty. One phrase or one interaction should never form the basis of a hard opinion by the listener of the person communicating. Even a bold declaration is not necessarily the true message that was intended. This is especially the case in circumstances where there is high component of stress. The corollary to this point is that one must think before speaking. We do that pretty well aboard. Memo to self – stop flying off the handle once back to life as we knew it.
Challenge, Adventure and Teamwork. This is the motto of the Vic Maui race and it is what grounds some of the entries in this blog. These three words are a statement of ideals that can be universalized to have much broader application. I promise to lighten up tomorrow and tell some tales out of school about the goofier aspects of the trip thus far. Stay tuned for a man of principle dedicates his life to the Church of Rasputin and other “great thoughts.”
Over and out.
Turicum 74257
1333 miles northeast of Maui and we are still close to the 200 nm per day mark. Winds have been variable 15 – 25. With the moderately large swell it is sometimes difficult to keep the genoa filled in under 15 knots of wind. We have just now re-hoisted the asymmetrical spinnaker which has given us an extra knot of boat speed and greater stability. With any luck we will be flying it for several days.
This race is not properly defined in days or even in time for that matter. It is defined as the execution of several tasks and procedures performed on an ongoing basis including sail handling, navigation, driving and observation. One of the consequences of how well one performs the tasks or procedures may be the ultimate length of time it takes to race across the North Eastern Pacific. Other consequences may be whether one ever reaches Hawaii or whether the vessel and crew remain intact. The point is that we tend to define things by the desired result, i.e. arriving in Maui within a certain time, rather than by the process – sailing well and performing each task to the best of one’s abilities. The latter are things over which we have complete control and which have some effect on the desired result. However, we have no control ultimately over the result because weather, health, the need to assist others and unforeseen mishaps may lay waste to our best laid plans. The point is, that all we can do as people is to take control over the elements of our lives that are capable of control and to realize that there will always be variables in any endeavour that will remain variables over which we have limited or indeed no influence, Tonight’s assignment – G-d does or does not exist. Discuss and use illustrations.
The moving boat: For one week we have lived and moved on a platform that is always moving three dimensionally. To lurch across a short space grabbing handholds and avoiding contact with objects animate or inanimate is just part of the landscape of life aboard a sailboat. We adapt to it and eventually it becomes second nature. That does not mean that we don’t fall, collide and stumble from time to time, but as each day passes under the keel, our internal gyro becomes better calibrated to our present circumstances. Life lesson – roll with the punches, get up when you are knocked down, internalize the data for the future and carry on – easier said than done!
Communicating is the conveyance of information and opinion from one to another or others. The interface between thoughts and words is notoriously faulty. One phrase or one interaction should never form the basis of a hard opinion by the listener of the person communicating. Even a bold declaration is not necessarily the true message that was intended. This is especially the case in circumstances where there is high component of stress. The corollary to this point is that one must think before speaking. We do that pretty well aboard. Memo to self – stop flying off the handle once back to life as we knew it.
Challenge, Adventure and Teamwork. This is the motto of the Vic Maui race and it is what grounds some of the entries in this blog. These three words are a statement of ideals that can be universalized to have much broader application. I promise to lighten up tomorrow and tell some tales out of school about the goofier aspects of the trip thus far. Stay tuned for a man of principle dedicates his life to the Church of Rasputin and other “great thoughts.”
Over and out.
Turicum 74257
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Don't forget the sunscreen
July 7, 2010
We are now less than 1500 miles from Maui sailing roughly the Rhumb line – the shortest line between two points on the globe (as opposed to a great circle route which is passing through every meridian at the same angle). The winds have abated to 20 knots and shifted a little which has brought down our speed ever so slightly -199 nm noon to noon. Just before the wind moved forward we had brought up a spinnaker to set. A small trip line at the top of the mast used to release a halyard lock had become fouled in the spinnaker halyard and one of the foredeck crew, Tim was sent aloft in the climbing harness. Going up sixty feet when a boat is pitching is fraught with the potential for harm so it was all hands on deck. Tim did his work quickly and came back down. Now if only the wind would cooperate by moving aft so we could hoist the kite and catch up some ground on the other boats. Kudos once again to Naomi for suggesting that Tim go up before we launched. It was the right decision and avoided a much thornier situation.
Turicum is at 37 degrees 46 minutes north as I write and the outside temperature is getting pretty warm. The heavy foul weather gear will probably be stowed for the duration tomorrow and the shorts will be out in a day or two. Our route will likely not take us into the trade winds until three or perhaps four days out of Maui, but we will still be in fairly intense heat (especially below decks) very soon. We have all been quite wet for the past few days as the rain has come and gone and a few large rollers invaded the cockpit yesterday. One also finds that the intensive work of taming a mainsail coming down in a large breeze or hauling sails up and down bring the heart rate and body temperature up very quickly. Then when you return to the cockpit and sit or stand in the breeze you cool off very quickly and get a chill. It appears that there is not much in between too hot and too cold although at the start of a watch when you are properly attired and not yet required to exert yourself it can be quite pleasant.
To sleep, per chance to dream. – or to hallucinate. I believe the type of sleep we get – no more than 4-5 hours at a time leads to some very vivid dreams. They are actually a great diversion in an otherwise very set routine. Everyone is now able to get to sleep quite quickly, largely due to the fact that the work and watch shifts (0600 – 1200; 1200 – 1800; 1800 – 2200; 2200 – 0200 and 0200 – 0600) wear you down so much in the first few days that it is impossible not to sleep. This may be a tough routine to break once back to life on land.
As mentioned in an earlier entry, driving the boat to the finish line is the goal. Each watch crew of four tries to beat their own best miles per shift and compete against the other watch crew to do better. The intercrew rivalry is good natured and a real positive in terms of overall relations aboard. Of course we would like to win, but we accomplish that by doing our best for ourselves and our team. I have no doubt that we will be unanimous in our view that we have certainly accomplished the latter even if the former eludes us.
As you read yesterday, Naomi contributed to the blog and I hope that others may find time to as well. You all ought to be very proud to be the spouse, parent, child, friend, workmate or whatever relationship you are to these people. They are all competent, passionate and compassionate individuals. It is quite remarkable to participate in one activity for six months, do a couple of overnight races together and then set off across an ocean with seven other people you only sort of know. Some crews have terrible conflicts which is extremely unfortunate. I believe what we collectively have done is played to each other’s strengths, avoided confrontation on issues where we may disagree and go the extra mile to lighten each other’s load. It is an interesting way of approaching relationships that should translate well into many, albeit not all situations. As the iconic petty criminal Rodney King said – why can’t we all just get along?
Over and out for now.
Turicum 74257
We are now less than 1500 miles from Maui sailing roughly the Rhumb line – the shortest line between two points on the globe (as opposed to a great circle route which is passing through every meridian at the same angle). The winds have abated to 20 knots and shifted a little which has brought down our speed ever so slightly -199 nm noon to noon. Just before the wind moved forward we had brought up a spinnaker to set. A small trip line at the top of the mast used to release a halyard lock had become fouled in the spinnaker halyard and one of the foredeck crew, Tim was sent aloft in the climbing harness. Going up sixty feet when a boat is pitching is fraught with the potential for harm so it was all hands on deck. Tim did his work quickly and came back down. Now if only the wind would cooperate by moving aft so we could hoist the kite and catch up some ground on the other boats. Kudos once again to Naomi for suggesting that Tim go up before we launched. It was the right decision and avoided a much thornier situation.
Turicum is at 37 degrees 46 minutes north as I write and the outside temperature is getting pretty warm. The heavy foul weather gear will probably be stowed for the duration tomorrow and the shorts will be out in a day or two. Our route will likely not take us into the trade winds until three or perhaps four days out of Maui, but we will still be in fairly intense heat (especially below decks) very soon. We have all been quite wet for the past few days as the rain has come and gone and a few large rollers invaded the cockpit yesterday. One also finds that the intensive work of taming a mainsail coming down in a large breeze or hauling sails up and down bring the heart rate and body temperature up very quickly. Then when you return to the cockpit and sit or stand in the breeze you cool off very quickly and get a chill. It appears that there is not much in between too hot and too cold although at the start of a watch when you are properly attired and not yet required to exert yourself it can be quite pleasant.
To sleep, per chance to dream. – or to hallucinate. I believe the type of sleep we get – no more than 4-5 hours at a time leads to some very vivid dreams. They are actually a great diversion in an otherwise very set routine. Everyone is now able to get to sleep quite quickly, largely due to the fact that the work and watch shifts (0600 – 1200; 1200 – 1800; 1800 – 2200; 2200 – 0200 and 0200 – 0600) wear you down so much in the first few days that it is impossible not to sleep. This may be a tough routine to break once back to life on land.
As mentioned in an earlier entry, driving the boat to the finish line is the goal. Each watch crew of four tries to beat their own best miles per shift and compete against the other watch crew to do better. The intercrew rivalry is good natured and a real positive in terms of overall relations aboard. Of course we would like to win, but we accomplish that by doing our best for ourselves and our team. I have no doubt that we will be unanimous in our view that we have certainly accomplished the latter even if the former eludes us.
As you read yesterday, Naomi contributed to the blog and I hope that others may find time to as well. You all ought to be very proud to be the spouse, parent, child, friend, workmate or whatever relationship you are to these people. They are all competent, passionate and compassionate individuals. It is quite remarkable to participate in one activity for six months, do a couple of overnight races together and then set off across an ocean with seven other people you only sort of know. Some crews have terrible conflicts which is extremely unfortunate. I believe what we collectively have done is played to each other’s strengths, avoided confrontation on issues where we may disagree and go the extra mile to lighten each other’s load. It is an interesting way of approaching relationships that should translate well into many, albeit not all situations. As the iconic petty criminal Rodney King said – why can’t we all just get along?
Over and out for now.
Turicum 74257
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Less than 1700 nm to go
July 6, 2010
While we are on the topic of colours of the ocean, there is something quite incredible about the crests of the rollers during the day. As the crests break, the oxygen in the foam is re-absorbed into the top of the wave and creates a rich blue somewhere between sapphire and aquamarine. It is especially striking on overcast days since it is the only true colour in the landscape other than endless shades of grey.
As of the end of the 2:00 – 6:00 a.m. (HST) watch we are now less than 1700 nm from Maui. We are still averaging 200 miles per 24 hour run, although that is over the ground rather than vmg (i.e. speed in the direction of Maui). Winds have been constant in the 20’s with frequent patches into the 30’s and a gust yesterday to 45. Naomi hit a new high for boat speed yesterday at 18.7 down a big wave. Turicum handles these conditions with ease. Our course is now changing to more westerly around the contour of the High and as a result the ride is a little less boisterous. It has been “black and blue” water sailing the past few days since it is so easy to get tossed around above and below decks.
In about two or perhaps three days we anticipate that we will be in warm weather. It will be nice to get out of the foulies and to dry out a little but I am told by those who have done this race before that the heat has its own issues. .On balance warm is better if only because it means we are getting closer to Hawaii.
The watches mostly seem to pass very quickly. When there is a lot to do like changing sails, reefing or fixing something it passes that much faster. Of course, driving the boat makes the time fly since you can only think about the task at hand (especially us less experienced folk).
Training for and participating in an ocean race is not for everyone, but the process of setting about doing something, planning it and taking the necessary steps to have a reasonable chance at succeeding is translatable to so many endeavours. Fulfilment is a necessary component of feeling at peace with one’s self and I would hope empowers us to be better people in all aspects of living. Enough said.
Separation from things familiar is also an enriching experience both by adding to one’s range of experience and also by allowing one to re-examine familiar things afresh. Well, time for porridge and a snooze before the next watch. Whoever is out there, we will talk again tomorrow.
Turicum 74257
July 6th – Day 6
Grey, grey, grey….grey sky, grey water….no, wait!...what is that glowing orb I see in the sky?....oh…no….thought it might have been the sun, but it’s gone. I don’t remember it being this cold last time I did this race. It is a bit monotonous….grey sky, big waves, winds 20 to 30 knots. But, that said, we are making about 200 miles per day which is great.
Driving in these 2-3 metre waves is challenging, especially as some of the wave trains are coming at different angles. Every once in a while a big one throws the boat around, and everyone down below protests. REALLY difficult at night, as there is no light, everything is dark grey to inky black, and there is only the lighted compass to steer by. As it whirls like a gyroscope one tries to respond to the pressure on the helm as the boat tries to head up…all the while maintaining an upright stance. No easy feat, let me tell you.
Had a small problem with the propane last night…spent the night wondering what the rest of this trip would be like without….aacckk! Luckily, Handyman Don was able to fix it this morning. Just in time for coffee!
Hello to everyone back at home – all my workmates at UBC Hospital, my family, and especially, my godson, Tavish. Onwards to Maui we go!
Naomi
SV Turicum
While we are on the topic of colours of the ocean, there is something quite incredible about the crests of the rollers during the day. As the crests break, the oxygen in the foam is re-absorbed into the top of the wave and creates a rich blue somewhere between sapphire and aquamarine. It is especially striking on overcast days since it is the only true colour in the landscape other than endless shades of grey.
As of the end of the 2:00 – 6:00 a.m. (HST) watch we are now less than 1700 nm from Maui. We are still averaging 200 miles per 24 hour run, although that is over the ground rather than vmg (i.e. speed in the direction of Maui). Winds have been constant in the 20’s with frequent patches into the 30’s and a gust yesterday to 45. Naomi hit a new high for boat speed yesterday at 18.7 down a big wave. Turicum handles these conditions with ease. Our course is now changing to more westerly around the contour of the High and as a result the ride is a little less boisterous. It has been “black and blue” water sailing the past few days since it is so easy to get tossed around above and below decks.
In about two or perhaps three days we anticipate that we will be in warm weather. It will be nice to get out of the foulies and to dry out a little but I am told by those who have done this race before that the heat has its own issues. .On balance warm is better if only because it means we are getting closer to Hawaii.
The watches mostly seem to pass very quickly. When there is a lot to do like changing sails, reefing or fixing something it passes that much faster. Of course, driving the boat makes the time fly since you can only think about the task at hand (especially us less experienced folk).
Training for and participating in an ocean race is not for everyone, but the process of setting about doing something, planning it and taking the necessary steps to have a reasonable chance at succeeding is translatable to so many endeavours. Fulfilment is a necessary component of feeling at peace with one’s self and I would hope empowers us to be better people in all aspects of living. Enough said.
Separation from things familiar is also an enriching experience both by adding to one’s range of experience and also by allowing one to re-examine familiar things afresh. Well, time for porridge and a snooze before the next watch. Whoever is out there, we will talk again tomorrow.
Turicum 74257
July 6th – Day 6
Grey, grey, grey….grey sky, grey water….no, wait!...what is that glowing orb I see in the sky?....oh…no….thought it might have been the sun, but it’s gone. I don’t remember it being this cold last time I did this race. It is a bit monotonous….grey sky, big waves, winds 20 to 30 knots. But, that said, we are making about 200 miles per day which is great.
Driving in these 2-3 metre waves is challenging, especially as some of the wave trains are coming at different angles. Every once in a while a big one throws the boat around, and everyone down below protests. REALLY difficult at night, as there is no light, everything is dark grey to inky black, and there is only the lighted compass to steer by. As it whirls like a gyroscope one tries to respond to the pressure on the helm as the boat tries to head up…all the while maintaining an upright stance. No easy feat, let me tell you.
Had a small problem with the propane last night…spent the night wondering what the rest of this trip would be like without….aacckk! Luckily, Handyman Don was able to fix it this morning. Just in time for coffee!
Hello to everyone back at home – all my workmates at UBC Hospital, my family, and especially, my godson, Tavish. Onwards to Maui we go!
Naomi
SV Turicum
Monday, July 5, 2010
Light shows for the 4th
Hello All:
I wrote a long blog entry yesterday and then the computer got rebooted before it was saved and it was lost! In any event, happy US Independence Day (belatedly). Now, where was I? First, let’s talk about the greatest light show on earth. Two nights ago, on an overcast night, the bioluminescence in the water was the most amazing I have ever seen. We were reaching in 25 knots of wind with a fairly large swell on our beam. The largest rollers were probably 10 -12 feet and several were cresting. The view from the cockpit looked like were looking out at a huge fleet of ships all with bright green lights the colour of glow sticks. The rollers that were cresting near Turicum looked like they were going to envelope us in green and as they passed under the boat large swathes of lighter green spread across the water. Astern, Turicum’s wake was like a jet trail. Add to that, the fact that sailing in a good breeze at night feels like the boat is travelling impossibly fast, and it all is pretty surreal.
In reality, we are sailing fast. Noon to noon has been over 200 miles in the past two days with speeds regularly in the teens surfing down the waves. Driving the boat in these conditions, is a real challenge – especially at night. One hour of driving seems like ten minutes but is also extremely tiring.
I believe we are several hundred miles west of the southern Oregon coast. The trick is to stay more south than west so you avoid getting becalmed in the major weather system called the North Pacific High. Hale has been following the High by satellite printouts and hopes that we are well positioned to cut the corner about right. Whatever the outcome in terms of the race, simply going as fast as possible day and night and seeing the expanse of the Pacific is, well, spiritual, in an atavistic way. We do not have a clue as to what is going on in the world, but we have a minute to minute knowledge of what is happening in the world we are visiting and it is all consuming.
If this were a job site the labour law authorities would shut it down in a minute. Work is twelve hours per day seven days per week but you are on call the other half of each day. Sleep is at most five hours in a stretch. You are routinely called to put yourself in harms way, often in the middle of the night – boy what fun! Oh yes and there is no pay unless you count a Mai Tai in Maui. By the way, the Ritz Carlton Hotel is our food sponsor. Good on them for sponsoring us and good on us for having the luck to get them.
Well, I have cut into my five hours of sleep enough for one day. To all and any who read this, have a great 24 and tune in tomorrow.
I wrote a long blog entry yesterday and then the computer got rebooted before it was saved and it was lost! In any event, happy US Independence Day (belatedly). Now, where was I? First, let’s talk about the greatest light show on earth. Two nights ago, on an overcast night, the bioluminescence in the water was the most amazing I have ever seen. We were reaching in 25 knots of wind with a fairly large swell on our beam. The largest rollers were probably 10 -12 feet and several were cresting. The view from the cockpit looked like were looking out at a huge fleet of ships all with bright green lights the colour of glow sticks. The rollers that were cresting near Turicum looked like they were going to envelope us in green and as they passed under the boat large swathes of lighter green spread across the water. Astern, Turicum’s wake was like a jet trail. Add to that, the fact that sailing in a good breeze at night feels like the boat is travelling impossibly fast, and it all is pretty surreal.
In reality, we are sailing fast. Noon to noon has been over 200 miles in the past two days with speeds regularly in the teens surfing down the waves. Driving the boat in these conditions, is a real challenge – especially at night. One hour of driving seems like ten minutes but is also extremely tiring.
I believe we are several hundred miles west of the southern Oregon coast. The trick is to stay more south than west so you avoid getting becalmed in the major weather system called the North Pacific High. Hale has been following the High by satellite printouts and hopes that we are well positioned to cut the corner about right. Whatever the outcome in terms of the race, simply going as fast as possible day and night and seeing the expanse of the Pacific is, well, spiritual, in an atavistic way. We do not have a clue as to what is going on in the world, but we have a minute to minute knowledge of what is happening in the world we are visiting and it is all consuming.
If this were a job site the labour law authorities would shut it down in a minute. Work is twelve hours per day seven days per week but you are on call the other half of each day. Sleep is at most five hours in a stretch. You are routinely called to put yourself in harms way, often in the middle of the night – boy what fun! Oh yes and there is no pay unless you count a Mai Tai in Maui. By the way, the Ritz Carlton Hotel is our food sponsor. Good on them for sponsoring us and good on us for having the luck to get them.
Well, I have cut into my five hours of sleep enough for one day. To all and any who read this, have a great 24 and tune in tomorrow.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Flying with Zelda
S.V. Turicum, July 3, 2010
After a great evening of 20 knot winds and beam reaching at our polar speeds, we were once again stalled in light airs and big sloppy rollers for ten hours. The mental attitude that one maintains throughout a long race like this is to be driving toward a goal that at the outset seems impossibly distant. When the boat is making almost no mileage through two watches, it is extremely tough mentally. First, one realizes that the time to reach the finish line, family friends, food and other amenities will inevitably be lengthened. But it is the more immediate issues that have a profound effect. Working hard to just keep moving can mean hard work changes sails and endlessly adjusting trim just to minimize the loss of time ever so slightly. Even when off watch, the noises below interfere with the ability to sleep or to get into one's own thoughts. The sounds of water slipping along the hull and the tension of a sheet under load being adjusted are replaced by the clanging of the rigging and the slap of water against the boat's beam or stern. These are disruptive sounds that are disheartening but at the same time require a redoubling of effort.
The good news is that we are now moving again at speed under our big asymmetrical spinnaker Zelda, which is meant to point us higher than any other A sail aboard. The boat is still fairly level which gives the off watch crew an easier time sleeping than when the boat is close hauled and you are sleeping crammed against your lee cloth.
The weather is getting warmer, probably due to the fact that it is just better weather rather than getting any closer to the tropics. Nonetheless it is nice to remove some of the layers. I hope to be able in the coming days to provide some description of the various jobs we all do and the unique satisfaction that each job provides. Clearly experience is the greatest asset and being one of the less experienced racing sailors in the crew, my perspective is one of discovery, learning from mistakes and deriving immense satisfaction from something done properly and efficiently. We are all very fortunate to have supportive crewmates and a profoundly knowledgeable skipper. Hale, the owner of Turicum is pretty damn smart too.
Hello all!
Naomi here. Just a quick note from Day 3. We are somewhere off the Oregon coast, I think, but out of sight of land (yay!). It has been a rather frustrating three`days, with spotty winds and cool weather, as described by Les previously. But nonetheless, it is great to back on the ocean again.
Memories of last Vic-Maui are resurfacing as we face life aboard once more: Gobbling meals before going on watch, wearing every layer I own on night watch, and diving for my bunk as soon as I am off to get much needed sleep. Staggering around the cabin like drunken fools, as the sea slops us back and forth, and sleeping in what feels like the interior of a washing machine. Aahhh...life at sea!
However, I am happy to say that, after all the frantic last minute preparations, the boat has come together in fine form, much to the relief of all.
So far we have seen a few dolphins, whales, a sealion and some sooty shearwaters skimming the waves. The water has turned from dark green to deep indigo....we are now bluewater sailing!
Naomi
SV Turicum
After a great evening of 20 knot winds and beam reaching at our polar speeds, we were once again stalled in light airs and big sloppy rollers for ten hours. The mental attitude that one maintains throughout a long race like this is to be driving toward a goal that at the outset seems impossibly distant. When the boat is making almost no mileage through two watches, it is extremely tough mentally. First, one realizes that the time to reach the finish line, family friends, food and other amenities will inevitably be lengthened. But it is the more immediate issues that have a profound effect. Working hard to just keep moving can mean hard work changes sails and endlessly adjusting trim just to minimize the loss of time ever so slightly. Even when off watch, the noises below interfere with the ability to sleep or to get into one's own thoughts. The sounds of water slipping along the hull and the tension of a sheet under load being adjusted are replaced by the clanging of the rigging and the slap of water against the boat's beam or stern. These are disruptive sounds that are disheartening but at the same time require a redoubling of effort.
The good news is that we are now moving again at speed under our big asymmetrical spinnaker Zelda, which is meant to point us higher than any other A sail aboard. The boat is still fairly level which gives the off watch crew an easier time sleeping than when the boat is close hauled and you are sleeping crammed against your lee cloth.
The weather is getting warmer, probably due to the fact that it is just better weather rather than getting any closer to the tropics. Nonetheless it is nice to remove some of the layers. I hope to be able in the coming days to provide some description of the various jobs we all do and the unique satisfaction that each job provides. Clearly experience is the greatest asset and being one of the less experienced racing sailors in the crew, my perspective is one of discovery, learning from mistakes and deriving immense satisfaction from something done properly and efficiently. We are all very fortunate to have supportive crewmates and a profoundly knowledgeable skipper. Hale, the owner of Turicum is pretty damn smart too.
Hello all!
Naomi here. Just a quick note from Day 3. We are somewhere off the Oregon coast, I think, but out of sight of land (yay!). It has been a rather frustrating three`days, with spotty winds and cool weather, as described by Les previously. But nonetheless, it is great to back on the ocean again.
Memories of last Vic-Maui are resurfacing as we face life aboard once more: Gobbling meals before going on watch, wearing every layer I own on night watch, and diving for my bunk as soon as I am off to get much needed sleep. Staggering around the cabin like drunken fools, as the sea slops us back and forth, and sleeping in what feels like the interior of a washing machine. Aahhh...life at sea!
However, I am happy to say that, after all the frantic last minute preparations, the boat has come together in fine form, much to the relief of all.
So far we have seen a few dolphins, whales, a sealion and some sooty shearwaters skimming the waves. The water has turned from dark green to deep indigo....we are now bluewater sailing!
Naomi
SV Turicum
Out of Juan de Fuca
S.V. Turicum, July 2, 2010
As the many family members and friends who came to see the start of the race will know, the wind was somewhat weak as we glided across the start line for twenty-four hours of light and sometimes non-existent winds. Turicum was engaged in a back and forth competition with Black Watch which came to a head at Duntze Rock mark located in the open Pacific Ocean. After four hours of clanging halyards and sloppy windless swell, the northwestern winds finally filled in and we started to cover some serous
ground. As I write, we are in 20 knots of wind on a beam reach almost on the rhumb line to Hawaii. Some grey whales graced us with a fabulous show of breaching and tail fluke gymnastics. We are just about to do the call in for locations but regardless, we are very happy with the progress we are now making. Turicum feels solid and all systems are operating as they should. There is a feeling of satisfaction on the part of the whole crew that this adventure that threw a group of strangers together has coalesced into a real racing crew who genuinely like spending time together. A little too rough to write more. Stay tuned.
As the many family members and friends who came to see the start of the race will know, the wind was somewhat weak as we glided across the start line for twenty-four hours of light and sometimes non-existent winds. Turicum was engaged in a back and forth competition with Black Watch which came to a head at Duntze Rock mark located in the open Pacific Ocean. After four hours of clanging halyards and sloppy windless swell, the northwestern winds finally filled in and we started to cover some serous
ground. As I write, we are in 20 knots of wind on a beam reach almost on the rhumb line to Hawaii. Some grey whales graced us with a fabulous show of breaching and tail fluke gymnastics. We are just about to do the call in for locations but regardless, we are very happy with the progress we are now making. Turicum feels solid and all systems are operating as they should. There is a feeling of satisfaction on the part of the whole crew that this adventure that threw a group of strangers together has coalesced into a real racing crew who genuinely like spending time together. A little too rough to write more. Stay tuned.
They're off!
We did indeed make the dock party on the 29th, leaving Steveston after midnight on the 28th, and arriving in Victoria later that morning. Great to see familiar faces and old friends on the dock, and looking forward already to the celebrations in Lahaina! Tuesday and Wednesday were filled with the final race prep which is always barely-controlled chaos, but somehow with everyone working flat out, it all came together to get Turicum to the start line on Thursday morning.
Well, not exactly a screamingly fast start for the fleet, but hey, it's a long race. Many thanks to Linda and Scott Primrose for providing transportation to the start line and warm hospitality to the Turicum "shore support crew" on their beautiful yacht, Catherine. Turicum has managed to struggle out of Juan de Fuca; the wind picked up last night and the race tracker on www.vicmaui.org shows good progress. Andy has a blog as well -- his "view from the shore" if you'd like some observations on racing and the weather and wind http://turicumfriends.blogspot.com More news that's fit to print as it becomes available!
Well, not exactly a screamingly fast start for the fleet, but hey, it's a long race. Many thanks to Linda and Scott Primrose for providing transportation to the start line and warm hospitality to the Turicum "shore support crew" on their beautiful yacht, Catherine. Turicum has managed to struggle out of Juan de Fuca; the wind picked up last night and the race tracker on www.vicmaui.org shows good progress. Andy has a blog as well -- his "view from the shore" if you'd like some observations on racing and the weather and wind http://turicumfriends.blogspot.com More news that's fit to print as it becomes available!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Whatever floats your boat...
Hard to believe, but the boat goes in the water at noon today. Bottom is faired and epoxied; bottom paint by 0800, then we have a whole six hours or so to load and stow five (six?) truckloads of gear. Straits Marine are A-one, and many thanks to Ocean Rigging for expediting their work on the mast. We'll try to get some photos posted before we leave, but after the race start, we don't have the bandwidth to upload photos on the sat phone. We'll be able to post some photos when we get to Maui. After a bite of dinner tonight, it's off to Victoria, where we hope to arrive about 0200. Most importantly, we'll be in Victoria in time for the dock party! Alo-ha!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Maui here we come
WOW!!
We're going to make it after all.
Due to a fantastic job by everyone at Straits Marine in Steveston, we are going to be able to make the race.
In May, during a casual afternoon sail, we bumped a rock between Bowen Island and Hut rock.
I had been through this area maybe 30 times previously and was well aware where the rocks were but, even with the chart right beside me, I misjudged the distance.
It didn't seem like an earth shattering impact – more like hitting a log but we apparently did some significant damage.
We pulled the boat out to inspect it and it didn't seem too bad so we waited until our scheduled pre-race clean and paint.
When Turicum was pulled at Straits, we started exploring the damage and found that things were much more serious than originally believed.
The people at Straits have worked tirelessly to get us ready for the race and the job that they have done is extraordinary.
Turicum is now much stronger than original and we have the utmost faith in her ability to once again show the other boats the way to Maui.
We expect to be in the water Monday morning and be on our way to Victoria for the start and of course, the pre-race activities.
We will be trying to keep up a daily Blog to try to give people an idea of what is going on aboard.
Les will be our onboard “blogger” and we will be sending our messages to June who will be uploading them to our site.
You will also be able to watch our progress on the Vic-Maui site via the race tracker.
Cheers, from the Crew.
Gunnar
John
Les
Naomi
Tim
Don
Johan
Hale
We're going to make it after all.
Due to a fantastic job by everyone at Straits Marine in Steveston, we are going to be able to make the race.
In May, during a casual afternoon sail, we bumped a rock between Bowen Island and Hut rock.
I had been through this area maybe 30 times previously and was well aware where the rocks were but, even with the chart right beside me, I misjudged the distance.
It didn't seem like an earth shattering impact – more like hitting a log but we apparently did some significant damage.
We pulled the boat out to inspect it and it didn't seem too bad so we waited until our scheduled pre-race clean and paint.
When Turicum was pulled at Straits, we started exploring the damage and found that things were much more serious than originally believed.
The people at Straits have worked tirelessly to get us ready for the race and the job that they have done is extraordinary.
Turicum is now much stronger than original and we have the utmost faith in her ability to once again show the other boats the way to Maui.
We expect to be in the water Monday morning and be on our way to Victoria for the start and of course, the pre-race activities.
We will be trying to keep up a daily Blog to try to give people an idea of what is going on aboard.
Les will be our onboard “blogger” and we will be sending our messages to June who will be uploading them to our site.
You will also be able to watch our progress on the Vic-Maui site via the race tracker.
Cheers, from the Crew.
Gunnar
John
Les
Naomi
Tim
Don
Johan
Hale
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Straits Video
Some fantastic video from the crew on Astral Plane.
The boat you see near the end of the video is Turicum with our jury rigged 4th reef heading up to Sisters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R22JdoU1pI&feature=player_embedded
The boat you see near the end of the video is Turicum with our jury rigged 4th reef heading up to Sisters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R22JdoU1pI&feature=player_embedded
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Crew view -- Mark
All been said in previous replies. The only thing I can add is that there’s no boat I’d rather be on in those conditions than Turicum.
Thanks Hale.
Mark
Thanks Hale.
Mark
Crew view -- Don
Ditto on many of the remarks made by others. For me, the conditions were as bad as I've seen and worse when you consider that it was sustained for many hours, not just a squall line blowing through.
What impressed me most was the level of calm and co-operation evident amongst all the crew and leadership. Everyone was 'in it' till the end constantly working at solving the problems.
Great experience!
Don
What impressed me most was the level of calm and co-operation evident amongst all the crew and leadership. Everyone was 'in it' till the end constantly working at solving the problems.
Great experience!
Don
Monday, April 5, 2010
Crew view -- Carl
It's definitely an understatement to say we had anything less than severe weather! Storm/Hurricane force winds, record boat speeds, 4-5 meter waves in short frequency, Coast Guard rescues, crossing lee shores, & 90% race abandonment has the obvious marks of stories to tell for years!! Beyond that however, I think the reason for our success was the calm diligence of the crew and adapting to the circumstances. I can remember one evening offshore we were deciding what to run with overnight and went for 'Thunder Chicken' (when nothing else will do!) and within minutes of hoist realizing we had to douse what we just put up as the winds had actually picked up and changed direction. The plan that was executed so well backfired just as quickly and we had all crew (less the driver) pull this now giant drouge out of the water in 70 foot seas - an event that still sticks out in my mind today. It was still the best decision as if we would have had to do that at night it would have made things MUCH more difficult (we ended up running the #2 headsail). What I am trying to convey with this story is the practice of: Don't get into what you can't get out of. Many of the boats at the start put up spinnakers and there was a point at the beginning where we could (maybe) have put up an asymmetrical, but that is a lot of sail in a gale. If we would have been aggressive like some of the other boats we could have had a blowout of the spin or main or (probably worse) is we could have created a very expensive drogue as per my offshore example and would have been part of the 90% abandonment with increased risk of injury to the crew. Being a relatively new crew I fully believe we sailed the boat to the best of our abilities in the conditions provided and I would consider it a privilege to sail with any of you in the future - although it looks like I will not be able to join you on any further races before 'the big one'. I wish everyone the best on their journey to Maui. My wife, daughter, and I hope to see you guys off the night before you leave.
Regards, Carl
Regards, Carl
Crew comments -- Johan
I have seen a lot of critical comments thrown in from the "Peanut Gallery" .....
As for myself, I had a great time!! This is the stuff that you just cannot learn only out of a book!
It was comforting to know that Turicum had been through this kind of weather before , and that most of the crew and the Skipper had extensive offshore experience.
What better circumstances can you ask for to get a great learning experience?? It was one that I will remember for a long time .
I certainly appreciate being able to have sailed with such a competent and confident crew.
Thanks everybody!
Johan
Crew comments -- Les
I am still not quite back to having both feet on the ground following what was indeed one of the most satisfying twenty-four hours in recent memory. Lots of firsts. My first overnight race (although not completed). My first time in winds that strong. Our first time working together as the Hawaii crew and the first time Turicum exceeded 20Kts. Like Tim, I felt that the leadership on the boat was superb and I took immense comfort in knowing that each of us is willing to work hard to keep the boat safe and moving. There was a wonderful sense of comraderie among all aboard and I think that we have moved much closer to our common goal. I am largely self taught as a sailor which has its pitfalls. To borrow a phrase from my wife's work...practice makes perfect..so be careful what you practice. Hale and Gunnar display this amazing ability to communicate, coach, correct, cajole and encourage. In the result I feel inspired to be a better technical sailor and to contribute the most I am able to as a crew member. Turicum is an awesome vessel - a stable working platform and very comfortable. It was great to meet Christof and Carl and to be reacquainted with Mark forty years after we last met.
I am looking forward to Halibut Bank.
Best regards,
Les
Crew comments -- KC
Tim said it all for me.
Thanks to all for the fantastic ride!!
I knew it was something special when Hale and Gunnar said Turicum set the new speed record and we all cheered for more!!!!
Cheers,
kc
Thanks to all for the fantastic ride!!
I knew it was something special when Hale and Gunnar said Turicum set the new speed record and we all cheered for more!!!!
Cheers,
kc
Crew comments -- Tim
What a ride! Thrilling to say the least. Other than thinking we were going the wrong direction at times, never did I feel concerned with the capabilities of our boat or the crew. Not once did I feel we were doing the wrong thing under the circumstances and never did I get the sense that there was concern for our circumstances. In fact I was disappointed upon learning the race was canceled. Call me naive for possibly overestimating our capabilities and the circumstances but I had full confidence in the leadership of the boat, in their experience and knowledge. Sure it was a bit of a roller coaster ride, but a test that I am glad we went through and came out of with flying colours. I thought our crew communicated well together, worked well together, were patient and steady. No one panicked, language remained civil, suggestions and opinions were listened too and appropriate concern was given to the crew and their needs. If anything were to end up in the negative column I'd say we possibly were not monitoring the radio sufficiently and probably should have watched the weather more closely at the start. More practice with Turicum would be an asset as well.
I had a great time and will remember the trip for a long time to come. I certainly am looking forward to our upcoming trips and the opportunity to increase our skill and knowledge on the great boat TURICUM.
Tim
Crew comments by Gunnar
Turicum's Southern Straits race was really a success because our goal was for the race to be a big part of our preparation for Vic-Maui. We learned that our crew has what it takes to deal with really boisterous conditions and reaffirmed Turicum's legendary toughness. The old adage "what doesn't kill me makes me stronger" refers to individuals but is equally applicable to teams. Our Vic-Maui crew became a stronger team on Friday and being part of that gives me great satisfaction.
I would be interested to see what some of our first-timers have to write about their Southern Straits experience.
Gunnar
Crew members comments by Chris
I am sure one of the first timers here. I have never sailed in much more than 30 kts of wind or seas that big.
This was a great & exiting adventure for me. I was quite amazed how well our drivers managed to keep Turicum "steady as she goes" and how organized the entire crew was. There was not a moment of tension or excitement (with the exception when we surfed down the waves – which was a good thing). Everybody seemed to enjoy the ride. Although I suspect some, including me, wondered how we would beat back into 40 to 50 knots of wind once we rounded Sister Island. As we all know – it never got to this.
The only regret: Not taking any pictures!!
What a ride, what an adventure! This skipper, his crew as well as Turicum handled the perfect storm exceptionally well - I would do it again in a heart beat. Thanks Hale for having me on your crew for this regatta.
Has anybody heard from the skipper of Incisor – is he back home from the hospital? I read this morning in one of the blogs that all crew are home and well.
Cheers, Christof.
There I was sitting on deck of Turicum racing in the Southern Straits Regatta 2010. The winds were around 30 to 40 knots and we were running downwind out of English Bay towards Sister Island. The boat was running beautifully and the driver did a great job and I enjoyed myself tremendously. One of the boats to our starboard seemed to have less fun. They had a spinnaker up, broached and had a hard time getting things under control again. We put a second reef in the main and kept the #2 jib.
The wind then picked up progressively, getting over 40 knots and eventually over 50 knots. Our driver managed to get Turicum surfing several times and we hit over 18 kts one time and over 20 kts the next time. What a feeling - everybody on board was exited. Winds are now consistently over 50 kts and gusting over 60 kts - the waves got bigger and bigger too - several times I could actually look up to the crest of the waves - fabulous.
Another boat to our starboard was in trouble with her sails completely shredded - the remains of the sails flapping horizontally from the tip of the mast - held only by the halyards. Not pretty, but they managed to get the situation under control. Trying to avoid a similar fate to Turicum's sails, we took down the foresail and put a "5th reef" in the main. A very smart move - Turicum is still doing over 10 knots, but it's much safer this way.
I was quite amazed how well our driver managed to keep Turicum "steady as she goes" and how organized the entire crew was. There was not a moment of tension or uneasiness. Everybody seemed to enjoy the ride. Although I suspect some, including me, wondered how are we going to beat back into this once we rounded Sister Island. Well, it never got to that - the race was abandoned just before we got to Sister and the skipper decided to head for Deep Bay near Denman Island, where we had hot chocolate and meat pie before heading back to Vancouver, where we arrived safely the next morning.
What a ride, what an adventure! This crew and this boat handled the perfect storm exceptionally well - I would do it again in a heart beat. Thanks Hale for having me on your crew for this regatta.
Christof.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Reflections
OK, we're home and we survived -- from what I can find out we were the 2nd boat to round the first mark -- Kinetic was an hour ahead of us.
The ordeal was a great learning experience for our Maui crew but for me it's time to get a good nap.
The Deep Bay Yacht Club is on Vancouver Island just East of the south end of Denman/Hornby.
We now have 12 more people who are total believers in the strength and durability of a C&C 44.
One of our crew, Carl Dobler, shot this short video --- http://goo.gl/asq8
Cheers, hale
The ordeal was a great learning experience for our Maui crew but for me it's time to get a good nap.
The Deep Bay Yacht Club is on Vancouver Island just East of the south end of Denman/Hornby.
We now have 12 more people who are total believers in the strength and durability of a C&C 44.
One of our crew, Carl Dobler, shot this short video --- http://goo.gl/asq8
Cheers, hale
Oh My God
Well so much for the idea of doing timely updates during the race -- you have probably heard about this on the news by now anyway.
A short overview ---
We got out to the start and immediately decided on a single reef and the #2.
As we were turning for the start line, we jammed a runner because of the pressure from the mainsail and were basically unable to turn the boat. We had to gybe back to take the pressure off and then headed to the start line about 2 min. late.
This wasn't a big problem as the building wind was forcing other boats to change to smaller sails and we had already done that.
We then started planning for a spinnaker but put a stop to that as we saw other boats blowing up their sails as the wind continued to build.
We sailed on watching the other boats break things and turn for home. All of this time the wind has built from 20 or so to about 35 kts. We then decided to reduce the main even further and then things started to go wrong.
In pulling down the main, we had to head up into the wind a bit and this caused so much thrashing one of the battens broke and the main sail jammed. While that was happening the flogging of the #2 caused it to start to tear.
We immediately go it down and then went back to tying up the main -- oh yeh, the wind was now up to about 40 and gusting into the 50s. I don't even want to talk a bout the seas,
We ended up with a small fraction of a main up doing about 15+ kts. Things weren't too bad although we were getting concerned that once we got to Sisters we wouldn't be able to turn and come back.
We were now seeing steady winds of 50 with gusts of 60+. As we blasted past Sisters, we had no thought of trying to turn and decided to head to Deep Bay on Vancouver Island near Denman Island, we called the race committee to let them know where we were and then found the race was abandoned.
We had a reasonable sail up to Deep Bay and stopped in at the Deep Bay Yacht Club to clean things up and have dinner.
Here we found that that they had wind speeds up to 145km/hr which seemed fairly impressive to us.
It's now 1:30 Sat morning and we are headng back with following seas and a Westerly wind behind us.
We understand that one of the short course boats sunk and thankfully everyone was rescued. We never saw any other boats up here and thinl tha we may have been the only boat to reach Sisters.
Oh, I can't sell Turicum now because we hit the magic number --- 20+ kts -- virtually with no sail being pitched off a wave that looked more like a cliff.
It's nice to be warm and dry now -- the crew can motor us back to Vancouver while I watch the Nav and radar.
Cheers, hale
A short overview ---
We got out to the start and immediately decided on a single reef and the #2.
As we were turning for the start line, we jammed a runner because of the pressure from the mainsail and were basically unable to turn the boat. We had to gybe back to take the pressure off and then headed to the start line about 2 min. late.
This wasn't a big problem as the building wind was forcing other boats to change to smaller sails and we had already done that.
We then started planning for a spinnaker but put a stop to that as we saw other boats blowing up their sails as the wind continued to build.
We sailed on watching the other boats break things and turn for home. All of this time the wind has built from 20 or so to about 35 kts. We then decided to reduce the main even further and then things started to go wrong.
In pulling down the main, we had to head up into the wind a bit and this caused so much thrashing one of the battens broke and the main sail jammed. While that was happening the flogging of the #2 caused it to start to tear.
We immediately go it down and then went back to tying up the main -- oh yeh, the wind was now up to about 40 and gusting into the 50s. I don't even want to talk a bout the seas,
We ended up with a small fraction of a main up doing about 15+ kts. Things weren't too bad although we were getting concerned that once we got to Sisters we wouldn't be able to turn and come back.
We were now seeing steady winds of 50 with gusts of 60+. As we blasted past Sisters, we had no thought of trying to turn and decided to head to Deep Bay on Vancouver Island near Denman Island, we called the race committee to let them know where we were and then found the race was abandoned.
We had a reasonable sail up to Deep Bay and stopped in at the Deep Bay Yacht Club to clean things up and have dinner.
Here we found that that they had wind speeds up to 145km/hr which seemed fairly impressive to us.
It's now 1:30 Sat morning and we are headng back with following seas and a Westerly wind behind us.
We understand that one of the short course boats sunk and thankfully everyone was rescued. We never saw any other boats up here and thinl tha we may have been the only boat to reach Sisters.
Oh, I can't sell Turicum now because we hit the magic number --- 20+ kts -- virtually with no sail being pitched off a wave that looked more like a cliff.
It's nice to be warm and dry now -- the crew can motor us back to Vancouver while I watch the Nav and radar.
Cheers, hale
Friday, April 2, 2010
45 kts in Georgia Strait
It's Friday morning and blowing up to 45 kts in the Strait --- Hey it must be Southern Straits time.
Out to the garage and drag down Thunder Chicken. This will be the first time we have actually used the Chicken Kite in years --- Oh goodie!
Lots of new people on board and we had a good practice yesterday -- even got caught in 35 kt squall with full main and #1 so with a big down shift today hopefully everything will be OK.
Conditions allowing, more later.
Cheers, hale
Out to the garage and drag down Thunder Chicken. This will be the first time we have actually used the Chicken Kite in years --- Oh goodie!
Lots of new people on board and we had a good practice yesterday -- even got caught in 35 kt squall with full main and #1 so with a big down shift today hopefully everything will be OK.
Conditions allowing, more later.
Cheers, hale
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Easter + Southern Straits
As Easter time rolls around 2 things spring to mind -- Our anniversary and the Southern Straits race. Actually our anniversary date was chosen because of the Straits race but that is another story.
I am going to try to do lots of updates of the race and see if I can also get some photos as well. In addition, we will try to get SPOT up and running which will show our course, hopefully updating our position every hour or so.
Let's see what happens -- if this works I will also do Swiftsure and Maui.
Cheers, hale
I am going to try to do lots of updates of the race and see if I can also get some photos as well. In addition, we will try to get SPOT up and running which will show our course, hopefully updating our position every hour or so.
Let's see what happens -- if this works I will also do Swiftsure and Maui.
Cheers, hale
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