Trans Pac update – weak winds at front of pack!

The weather for the leading boats is a disappointing high. The big boats that left Saturday are taking a more southerly route to try to get more wind so they will probably have faster  starting days than those that left earlier in the week.

Not all the websites can be updated daily….after all there are some more important tasks to take care of….but we’ve included two below. Surprisingly Pegasus, with a small crew, is doing a pretty good job on their updates. Pegasus was making 14 knots last night in pretty big seas…much faster than most of the reports. They reported longitude 121.27 so there are several boats far in front and many behind….but if they can keep the 14 knots up they’ll soon be among the front runners in their class.

The 35 foot Relentless (Div 6) is still the overall leading boat. It is 1503 miles from Diamond Head at Latitude: N 23°56.336′ Longitude: W 130°47.99′ Last report 4:53 ago and it is considerabley south of other boats and getting better winds at present.

Close 2^nd is 57’ Charisma, Division 7 leader 1520 miles from finish at Latitude: N 26°27.448′ Longitude: W 130°38.626′.

Cipango is 1660 miles from finish and is lead boat in Division 3 at Latitude: N 26°43.989′ and Longitude: W 128°3.387′.

A second Relentless, the 52’ Santa Cruz, and Bengal 7 are in a virtual tie leading Division 4, 1679 miles from Hawaii at Latitude: N 27°36.228′ Longitude: W 127°47.595′. Four hours since last report and they appear to be sailing in sight of each other. Great excitement for those crews.

Passion, a 50” Santa Cruz, leads Division 5 and is 1704 out at Lat N 26°25.667′ and Long W 127°12.642′ but all the class 4 and 5 boats are very closely grouped and undoubtedly leads will change in the coming days.

The big boats are still in relatively strong winds and far behind at this juncture, however, two of the race favorites, Alfa Romeo and Magnitude 80 are within 40 miles of each other and neither has reported in recently. (Could it be they don’t want to give each other any important information?)

Pegasus Last Report – July 6, 8:00 AM PST,

Course 219° T, Speed 14 Knots, Lat 31° 18′ N, Lon 121° 27′ W

“Mark and I split the night. I stood watch until 2 am, Mark took over until sunrise. We are both wet, cold, battered by waves, yet happy as can be: We sailed fast and smart.

At one in the morning we put up the big Genoa, cracked the sheets and stood on 14 to 16 knots. Fast in the night. We saw lights from racers ahead of us, then on our beam, then behind us, Then no more.

I saved a life last night. I was hit on the chest by a giant flying fish. I looked at it flapping in the dark amidst the fluorescent krill brought on by the large waves submerging the boat periodically. So, I made a dive for the fish on my way, hit the auto-pilot switch, grabbed the fish, felt a violent right turn, and I got washed to leeward by a wave. Bloodied nose, bruised knee. The pilot didn’t engage. But I saved the fish. I wasn’t going to eat it. It was a male so no Tobiko. Now this fish has quite a story to tell his fellow fish. Mark slept down bellow through all of this.

Pushing hard for the record after a wild, wet and exhausting night.”

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Lynx’ Last Report – Day 6 July 4, 2009 (Written July 5^th)

Kate’s Blog

“Today was another lazy day. The wind picked up for a little while this afternoon, but now (at 21:30) it has died again. It sounds like boats are starting to drop out of the race and turn on their engines so as not to run out of food before they reach Hawaii. I hope that it doesn’t come to that for us.

On a happier note… If I had to pick a theme for today I think it would be “just dance.” Holly told us a little story about a couple of boys that were out for a day-sail. They got into a disagreement, but the mom came over and said “don’t fight, just dance.” And they did! And we have as well, all day long. Holly, Christine, and I had a little dance party in the galley this afternoon (perhaps inspired by the sugar rush from the 4th of July cake…) and we’ve all been bouncing around ever since. I even heard that our First Mate, Sam, pranced down the deck earlier!

In addition to the cake, we shot off a canon in celebration of the 4th. It was a pretty awesome sound and sight to have a canon go off in the middle of a dead calm Pacific Ocean. Afterwards did some dancing to 1812 Overture (which, I think, is extra appropriate aboard Lynx.) Happy 4th of July everyone! We would also like to send out a Happy Birthday to Holly’s mom and my Aunt Renee.”

(ed.note) Lynx is an escort boat.

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Check keep in touch at www.whatsupinsealbeach.com

Trans Pac Update for July 3

July 3

Charisma is leading Division 7 @ longitude 124.25

Relentless is leading Division 6 @ longitude 123-09

So far we don’t have information on where the larger boats are but we do know they are hurrying to a high pressure area……so it will take a while for them to get there. 

Doubt there will be any record times this year.

For more updates go to http://www.transpacrace.com/docs/2009racedocs/Standings09/TP09.S02.TXT

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49 Yachts ultimately will be testing one another with the slower boats first off the start line. Some craft have been sailing for three days and others are yet to leave.

On Thursday, “Relentless”, a 53 foot Santa Cruz52 captained by Viggio Torbensen of Dana Point, was leading the pack with a 10 mile lead over “”Lynx” one of the largest boats in the race.  Lynx is a square rigged “tall ship” ship so it will need some very strong winds to be competitive.  Lynx is captained by Jeffrey Woods.

The Trans Pac is a handicapped race so the yachts do not all leave at the same time. 

Boats that have not left yet include previous winners; “Pyewacket” Roy Disney, Captain, “Ragtime” Chris Walsh, Captain.   “Magnitude80”  captained by Doug Baker is Whats Up in Seal Beach’s sentimental favorite since we’ve known Baker a long time and he’s a local guy.

The largest ship in the fleet is the 100 foot “Alfa Romeo” captained by Kiwi Neville Crichton. In a ideal race the first two boats to cross the finish line at Diamond Head, Oahu would be in sight of each other…but that is seldom the case.  The vagaries of the winds play a large part in who has the winning boat.  We’ve known captains who. when the found  good winds, would report their position each evening as somewhere other than where they were.  A little risky if an accident should occur….but winning the Trans Pac is a prize that is highly sought.

For more info and to follow the race for the next 10 days go to: https://event-manager.compete-at.com/Manager/event/entryList.do?eid=332 or http://www.transpacrace.com/