Melbourne Osaka Double Handed Yacht Race 2013 0600

Robin Hewitt

Thank goodness for the 0600 and 1800 skeds! The tracker is a wonderful tool but with the tracker reports at varying times it can be sometimes difficult to make detailed analysis, but certainly a picture is worth a thousand words as the saying goes and it all levels out at these two skeds. Funnelwebs position is updated manually on the tracker at sked times and has to be taken with a pinch of salt in between.

Kiss Goodbye to MS reports at this mornings radio sked that they retired at 0200 and are heading to Truck (sic-read Chuuk) island. They have been dogged by light weather for a long time now and require further supplies. Shelley reports that they would like some assistance if anyone has knowledge of supplies, fuel etc.

Light winds as the center of a weakish HP system centred about 20° N, 132°E passes through the fleet creating mixed fortunes and reports of ‘lovely day’ to ‘cloudy, overcast’ and ‘rain’, all the while low pressure near Japan giving good winds a little further North. Interesting that the winds shown on the tracker are ahead of this 24 hr forecast map from Japan which should be valid for 6am today  but the features are clear. As always the slight differences in forecasts are race winning stuff and it requires experience and knowledge to interpret plus a sixth sense from local observation.

17.4.2013 1800hrs Melbourne Osaka Double Handed Race

What is building excitement is not so much where everyone is placing racewise but rather with the staggered start how everyone is coming together. Escapade is still comfortably leading the charge and has broken the 1000 mile to go mark at the 1800 sked 17/4/13. Meanwhile Optimus Prime reports they found Escapade’s windless hole and paid their dues moving just 39 miles since 0600. They practiced some of the dreaded 360s and have battled hard to keep moving. Wasabi meanwhile is now 140 nm from Escapade. At the other end Kiss Goodbye to MS managed just 39 hard earned miles for the 12 hours but is advancing having reached 3°N which in the conditions he is encountering is welcome. In terms of progress Gusto has again moved up well with 90 nm but is well short of what she can do wind willing. Turbulence is right there making 86 nm for the 12 hours. The weather pattern ahead is changing but I suspect not record breaking and the possibility of something dirty much later, but may be losing it’s sting. Here’s hoping for them all-RFH