ORCV Melbourne to Vanuatu (M2V)

Zero to Hero!

So just how do you get from a casual jaunt in the Paddock (Bass Strait), where you're expected in to Vanuatu next Thursday, July 15, to being in contention for the record?

25 knots SOG with a slab in the Main, Jib Topper up and a Staysail - that's how! (A 'slab' is yachting slang for a reef in the mainsail, which is the big sail behind the mast. In the pics of Scarlet it is the sail with the Fiat log on it. By reducing the height that it is hoisted to, you reduce the area that is exposed to wind and thereby, reduce the power it delivers. Unlike headsails, which can be changed, a mainsail cannot and so you reduce the size of it to suit the weather and thereby protect it from damage, so you can keep on using it. We described a Jib Topper before and a staysail sits in between the headsail and the mast and is run on either the baby (inner) stay or has it's own luff cord built in, to keep the tension in the leading edge of the sail. Finally then, by way of reference, Scarlet Runner is doing about nine knots in the pic above, well under half what she's up to in the Pacific.)

Last night, the Composites Constructions 52, Scarlet Runner was regularly punching out over 25knots, so it's no wonder there's been radio silence from onboard. At that pace it's helm, trim, eat, sleep and then do it all again! And Again! You get the picture...

Let's hope they can stay on the West side of that low pressure system and get up North quickly. We first looked at weather in Back to Racing and then routing in A certain James Cook. if you did not read them then, you may wish to now, so as to get an appreciation for the changes.

So it is with many thanks to our friends at PredictWind that we can look at their wind models and Beta test routing models. Most interesting to note is that it now looks like all the boats will pass the Nor'west end of Noumea. Scalet Runner should be in late Sunday or early Monday and the rest of the fleet within the next three days. It will be very interesting to see how many of the boats follow these models. Please note that the starting positions are taken from this morning's sked and the wind and route models were developed at 3pm EST Thursday, July 8.

Routing models for Scarlet Runner kind of agree with the ORCV Tracker ETA and the recent post Giddy Up!

For a Beneteau 47.7, which is exactly what Samskara is and we heard about their day in The Ship's Cat.

Today, Thursday, wind model and those strong SE winds off Yamba, which is exactly where the Runner is - and my very good friend, Blue Water Legend, Jim Close. Hello Pal. Hope you are well. Best to Julie, Harry and Riley.

Friday wind model with the SE's moving North. Race Management will be happy with this. Huey must have read the order..

Saturday wind model and everyone, from front to back of fleet gets what they need - winds from abeam or behind! Yahoo Baby and I'm off to see Doc now. Foxy, who originated the saying, we'll just have to hook up another time...

To see where the fleet are located after the latest sked, please go HERE.

By John Curnow and Simon Dryden