Crossing the lake...

Some more Transpac insight...

SC 70 OEX skipper John Sangmeister:

Seldom is the fleet divided across such a wide arc of latitude. We have fanned out some three hundred miles searching for the fastest path around an area of high pressure and little wind. Our weather team, including fellow Stars & Stripes alum Chris Bedford, have elected to follow the southern route in hopes that we’ll find the exhausted of a diminished Dolores.

“Well, we won’t be Third.” I’m reminded of Tom Whidden’s comments as we sailed away from the fleet at the start of the 1986 Molokai race onboard David Rosow’s Valecelli 50 “Springbok.” DC looked over in silence and conviction as we watched the sun set of the fleet beating up the face of Coco Head.

Every four hours, we download delayed position reports and then we gather in hushed silence as Jeff Thorpe recites – sometimes painfully slowly – our progress vis a vis our competitors. Traditionally, the northern boats all score better in the first few days. The northern routing is closer to Great Circle routing and calculates better progress to Hawaii. This morning a cagey Jeff Thorpe emerged from below with the morning report. The One AM report showed big gains against all the sled fleet. Holua is sailing 40 miles directly upwind. We made gains on Pyewacket, GI, Buono Serra and Maverick as well. At 40 miles upwind, Holua would have to sail 8 hours to catch us and at this stage of the race, we only owe them three.

Last night, CHef Pete Lehmar from Gladstone’s Long Beach prepared a decadent surf and turf meal of fillets and grilled lobster tails. In true caveman style, the crew devoured this Paleo dinner. Tonight will bring on Randy Smith’s favorite Mountain House freeze dried, Beef Stroganoff and raspberry crumble.

We are westing in 11 knots of true wind under a full main and 2A.

ALSO...

On the Rio 100: 

Up until now, we have been sailing with our R1, as our routing wanted us to get west, but also stay north to get to the trades as quick as possible. I few hours ago we put up our full size A4. and went into VMG mode. We have 16 – 19 knots of wind cruising along at 18 knots. The girl really loves this stuff. We are managing to hang on to Oats; we actually reeled them in a couple of miles yesterday. That is probably due to two factors. Us being in a little better spot on the course wind-wise, and we think they are probably sailing some extra miles to put a lose cover on Rags (Ragamuffin 100 – ed).

Everything is going well her. My biggest concern is running into something and damaging the boat. We are very far north, and there is lots of debris. The fact that we have two rudders, and neither of them are protected by the keel, leaves us vulnerable Add to that the fact that there is very little moonlite makes me very nervous. I’ll gladly make a large withdrawal from my good karma account to come through unscathed.

That’s it for now, I’ll write again… – Keith Kilpatrick.

(If you dont know, the Transpac is a sailing race from LA to Hawaii, it is a big event that most never hear about.)