Fleet almost in to Grassy Harbour

It's going to be a tight one right to the end for the remaining boats in this year's M2KI.

eXtasea is nine and a half nautical miles from the finish line, with a pack racing behind her to the finish.

Jazz Player and Primitive Cool are tussling it out, spitting distance from each other, while Alien, Geomatic and Bacardi are fighting it out about 20 NM away from Grassy.

Handicaps positions have been swapping around all race and that looks set to continue right to the end. 

Crews earlier today reported the wind gaining some strength, but it seems to have faded as the day continued.

The Biddy Hu II crew was left asking, "Where has the wind gone?" 

"Saturday afternoon on Biddy Hu II, where did the wind go?"

Video: cmttocs

Addiction loving the conditions

Addiction's David Gordon sent through an afternoon update, again describing the "champagne sailing" this year's race has put on offer: 

"Over night it was champagne sailing on Addiction alright, but ORCV King Island Brut Curvee vintage 2013 is truly a remarkable drop. An hour after leaving the heads all the bubbles went flat. The easterly wind enjoyed wind enjoyed at the start died abruptly without warning and we were left to ghost along in light and variable westerlies.

Addiction Photo: Addiction

Addiction shrewdly picked the right side of a big shift and in the space of half an hour, the masthead and running lights of the bulk of the fleet twinkled in the night sky way behind us. Navigator, Ian Lyall, said, 'That view is simply stunning!'. All crew agreed that even sans bubbles ORCV sparkling was tasting better than the flat Coke in the icebox. We ghosted along in the fickle and light airs, picking off competitors ahead one by one. By Daybreak Scarlet Runner was the only boat remaining ahead of us. Crikey, how good are we?!

Cometh the morning and cometh a honking northerly to blast us down the course. See - that's the magical thing with ORCV champers, the fizz comes back! We trucked down the course in 20 knots of breeze powered by our masthead spinnacker. Only seven boats remained in sight and all to our stern.

eXtasea Photo: eXtasea

Breeze eased in the afternoon, but the mood aboard remained all good. We were well amused when back marker, eXtasea, finally crept up and passed us. By now though we've had our fill of metaphorical champagne. 

Can't wait to pull into Grassy and get a taste of the real stuff!" 

- David Gordon, Addiction

Scarlet relaxing

The Scarlet Runner crew has settled in to post-race refreshments, thanking ORCV for a great race.

The Scarlet Runner crew starts their celebrations Photo: Craig Evans

Race directors Ray Shaw and Mark Seager spoke to the smiling team, who said they hadn't managed to get much sleep through the night as they were "feverishly" trying to make the record.

"Now that they are in port, they have had their fair share of King Island delicacies under blue skies and a light 10 knot northeaster," Mark said.

Time for a beer! Photo: Mark Seager

The rest of the fleet is no doubt eager to dig in on arrival and catch up to the Scarlet Crew.

Updated 9/3/13 7.30pm

Scarlet Runner takes line honours in M2KI

In a time of 11 hours 41 minutes 13 seconds, Robert Date and his crew arrived behind the race record that earlier this morning they had looked on pace to beat. 

The crew crossed the finish line in light breezes under Scarlet's bright red assy. 

The rest of the fleet remains locked in a tight bunch, the front runners in the chasing group 46 nautical miles from the finish.

The boats that took the east route have capitalised on the slightly favourable winds they caught to be just ahead of the rest of the field as they tack back towards the rhumb line.  

Addiction is just out front, sitting third in both AMS and PBH. eXtasea is on their tail just ahead of Wicked, in the second spot across AMS, IRC and PBH divisions.

But it's a tight contest, with a few tussles going on among the crowd. Weekend Option and Matrix are close enough to pass a cup of sugar, following the east route, and Tevake II is right behind Halcyon. 

With the wind looking slightly stronger further east, Chikara Outlaw has a good chance of swinging in fast from its position further out and catching the rest of the fleet by surprise.

Streetcar is the only boat sailing the west route after Jake tacked east towards the main group, Jeremy Waltan and Aidan Gaysen putting in a valiant effort as the only double-handed yacht.

Magic, holding on to first in PBH is following Biddy Hu II on their straight-and-true route. 

The Biddy Hu II crew enjoy their breakfast Photo: Scott McDonald

Scott McDonald reported from onboard Biddy that it was tough to get any speed up over night.

"After a good start out the heads, Biddy Hu II slowed to a drift until daybreak and we got the kite up," he said.

"This picture was taken while discussing a gybe, but it was decided to wait until we finished the egg and bacon rolls and coffee." 

While the going might be slow, the view from on deck looks like today is a perfect day for it.

Current predictions have most of the fleet into King Island for a steak dinner. 

Congratulations to Robert and the Scarlet Runner crew:
Fletcher Johnson, Emma Hardy, Brett Averay, Matt Fuller, Charles Hawes, Craig Evans, Samantha Chandler, Damian Knightsbridge, Tim Kenner and Kevan Pearce.

Scarlet Runner on record pace

Eight hours in to this year’s Melbourne to King Island Race and Scarlet Runner has stamped itself firmly in the lead.

Robert Date’s Rp-52 is streaking ahead at speeds of 11 knots, 37NM ahead of the rest of the fleet. With around 45 nautical miles left to go, they might just be on pace to get in to Grassy Harbour ahead of Cadibarra 8’s 2002 race record of 10 hours 8 minutes.

Scarlet Runner could make it to King Island with a new race record Photo supplied: Scarlet Runner

The rest of the fleet is bunched up within 10NM of each other, tacking back and forth to find the most favourable winds. Wicked and Primitive Cool are in each other’s pockets at the head of the group, the two forty-footers keeping pace to fill out the podium for line honours as well as IRC handicap division behind the lead boat.

At the front of another group taking the easterly route is Chikara Outlaw, in tight competition with eXtasea and Jazz Player.

These wind chasers are gaining a slight advantage in speed, all travelling seven knots or faster.

Chikara Outlaw has taken the eastern route Photo supplied: Chikara Outlaw

Addiction is racing up behind the leaders of the main group, only 2NM keeping Richard McGarvie from pushing his boat into second on the AMS scoreboard behind Wicked.

Winds have picked up further to the east of the course, reaching closer to 20 knots, but they might be just out of reach of the group sailing the east route. Further west, winds remain at about 15 knots.

But who knows what the savvy navigators on board will be able to find out on the water.

Meanwhile, all eyes are on the front of the fleet to see if Scarlet Runner can make it in time to grab the record.

Updated 9/3/2013 8.10am

What will the Weather God's provide this weekend?

For those of you like your ocean race "20:20" - below 20 knots, above 20 degrees - this might be your race!
The general pattern indicates light northerlies moving to the east, so once again positioning yourself east or west is going to be the key to success. It looks like crew catering might need to be increased as Saturday night dinner is not going to be a King Island steak sandwiches for most of the fleet.

It looks like everyone is in for a comfortable cruise down the bay and a pleasant sail to King Island. If you want to be in the money I would be doing a lot of study and making the boat as light as possible.

The models below are from our good friends at Predictwind. As you can see there's no agreement between the two models, so anything could happen. One model has you finishing so you could have lunch and dinner in Grassy on Saturday but I doubt it!!!

Happy Sailing