ORCV Melbourne to Vanuatu (M2V)

BULLETIN: 2135hrs 7 July - Ingenue retires from 2010 M2V.

Thankfully, both Rosie Colahan and David James are fine and the vessel is OK, but as a result of a spinnaker wrap around the forestay, sheets and all, Ingenue have retired. They are just 30nm off Eden on the Southern NSW coast, to where they are now heading and will assess it all in daylight. It has been blowing consistently around the 25knot mark and they have shredded the kite. In the dark they have not been able to resolve the issues satisfactorily, hence the retirement. David and Rosie are exceptionally well-campaigned sailors, with many Melbourne to Hobart, Sydney to Hobart, Melbourne to Osaka and the last M2V under their belts.

"We're terribly frustrated having to retire from an ocean race. This is something we've never done before", said Rosie to Race Director, Bob Tanner.

Sydney Water Police, based in Eden, are listening out for Ingenue and her arrival into the port of Eden.

Rosie and David are very good friends and I feel for them, very much, at this time - as I sure a whole bunch of people do. Glad you guys are OK!!!

More soon.

Pic © Steb Fisher.

To see where the fleet are located after the 2130EST sked, please go HERE.

By John Curnow

ORCV Melbourne to Vanuatu (M2V)

A certain James Cook...

...wrote in his logs (after standing atop the hill on Lizard Island, which went on to be known as Cook's Look), something along the lines of, "..those insufferable SE winds". Today, we know them as the Trade Winds and if you're racing to Vanuatu, they are very handy indeed, as they set you up for a lovely reach across the South Pacific. All of that means you get to your destination quickly and do not spend vast amounts of time trying to dispatch of the horse latitudes that lie between the tropics and the more temperate zones of Southern Australia.

I'd like to make a big thank you to Richard Mollard, whom we refer to as the Admiral, for showing me Cooktown and Lizard Island, which brought all that wonderful history to life, in the most magnificent fashion. Cheers to you, sir.

Now our very good friends at PredictWind are in the Beta test phase of their new routing software and have kindly passed on some very interesting models for us to review, as the situation in Tasman and South Pacific continues to develop and unfold, with the significant low pressure system operating in the area.

The first route looks at the two wind models for a 52footer, much like our race leader, Scarlet Runner. The second is for a Beneteau 44.7, which is just a little bit smaller than Samskara (she's a 47.7).

52Footer: Importantly, the different models go either side of New Caledonia in this one and whilst the distance travelled isn't hugely different, the seven hours you could be in front by, is very, very important!

Beneteau 44.7: As the slightly smaller, more cruisier boats will experience a different phase of the wind, the two models have both chosen the same route around New Caledonia. The distances are effectively identical, but there's the matter of the six hours difference in elapsed time that remains crucial to making your choice. Nothing like a bit of seamanship to help you with that one...

To see where the fleet are located and to look at the sked positions, please go HERE.

By John Curnow

ORCV Melbourne to Vanuatu (M2V)

Ship's biscuits and weevils.

The threat of converting ORCV Commodore, George Shaw's diet to something far less palatable, has certainly worked onboard The Secretary. With new breeze and fully re-invigorated after their time in the sun, Robyn was reminded of the long-way-to-go syndrome and the sewing machine that was gifted to the Vanuatu Cruising Yacht Club in the 2006 M2V. Here's what has been occurring in the last little while.

Coming out of Port Phillip Heads. Pic © Steb Fisher.

On Tuesday morning, Robyn awoke and was concerned that George had not been completely looking after the business of sailing. Perhaps he'd been somewhat more in holiday mode, which was why another boat had slipped past them under the cover of darkness. She's a lovely person, but you would not want to be in her bad books and she told me that, "I'll change his diet to ships biscuits and weevils - that might make him motivated to get there faster!"

"The sun warmed us all the way through to the bones yesterday and after a glorious sunset behind The Prom, we were treated to a brilliant night sky. With no moon until around 2am, I was expecting another seriously dark night, but the still water reflected the stars to amazing effect and as we ghosted along, the ripples from the boat were edged with fairy lights from the bioluminescence in the water. Simply spectacular."

Indeed it would have been, Robyn. It is often hard to describe the sights you see out at sea, so well done capturing the very essence of those amazing nights you get.

Happy faces off to warmer climes. Pic © Steb Fisher, taken outside the Heads, off Portsea back beach.

"Now I wish I could say the same about our progress during Tuesday, but hey, this is Bass Strait and I'm making real coffee, so I'm the last to complain. Besides there's a bit of a puff on its way, which should help to get us across the Paddock and around the corner. We're cruising along with the Multi Purpose Spinnaker (MPS) up currently and hitting our apparent wind speed of 7 knots in flat water and I've just spotted our first oil rig, so it couldn't be better really."

Up and over you go. Pic © Steb Fisher, taken in Bass Strait.

Very early on Wednesday morning, a 20 knot wind from directly behind The Secretary was enough to convince them to go straight out into the Tasman Sea and cross the current (East Australia Current running South) all in one go. "It involved a bit of gybing to clear Gabo Island and being dark, we decided to play it safe and drop the kite, in favour of a poled out headsail. Now, in the light of day, we've kept this same configuration, as the seas are messy and throwing the boat around a bit. We certainly don't want to risk a wrap (of the kite around the forestay or strong wire running form the bow to the top of the mast), at this early stage."

"The heady may not be as pretty or as fast as the kite, but it's a long race and in 2006, at least three of the boats, Runaway, Ingenue and Tevake, all arrived with shredded kites (See Scarlet Runner overnight). From memory, Mark Remington, of Ullman Sails, donated a sailmakers machine that year and the ORCV had it refurbished as a gift to the Vanuatu Cruising Yacht Club. It did have plenty of use before it was gifted!!!"

At around lunchtime on Wednesday, the wind had shifted South and Robyn left to go attend to sailing matters. Did you hear that George?

M2V and M2O (Melbourne to Osaka) - it's all been done before with Geo and Robyn. Pic © Steb Fisher, taken as the business of racing begins.

Catch you again soon. Pic © Steb Fisher, taken outside the Heads off Portsea back beach.

To see where the fleet are located and to look at the sked positions, please go HERE.

By John Curnow

ORCV Melbourne to Vanuatu (M2V)

Curries and wind, but not what you think!

From onboard Rosie Collahan and David James' Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 40, Ingenue, we learn of the return of the new breezes that were found and almost as importantly, the day's menu!

"Tuesday dawned bright and sunny, yet again. We were traveling well, having picked up a very welcome Northerly land breeze overnight and made up some good miles, after a woeful average for Monday. At first light, the wind clocked to the West, so up with our lightweight kite and off for a busy day hand steering in sunny conditions and a 10 knot WSW breeze until nightfall."

"Tag teaming between steering and lunching in the cockpit in brilliant sunshine, we enjoyed Penne with tuna, olives and fetta, served on a spinach and lemon salad, which was topped off with crunchy panagritta." Right oh. That does sound good.

"Another spectacular red sunset and it was time to take down the kite and run under a poled out #1 headsail. (Often when sailing short-handed, it is advisable to have a conservative approach in the very dark nights at sea or when there is some weather about). We gybed and took off to the East, speeding along the runway, flanked by brightly lit Bass Strait oil rigs and then turned again to reach towards Gabo Island. The clear open sky made for a cool evening and David made a truly inspired menu choice of Rogan Josh with rice, cucumber raita and a tomato and onion sambal to get us through the chilly night", Rosie informed us.

"Weather is looking good for the next few days, with S-SW winds in the Tasman, so we will see what tomorrow brings."

And so do we, Team Ingenue B88. Especially what comes out of that boat's larder!!!!

It's kinda lonely when you have to go back and do the start all on your own. Here, Ingenue gets underway for the second time on Sunday, after being over the first time and being called back. At least all the spectators stayed on the pier to wish them well - again.

To see where the fleet are located and to look at the sked positions, please go HERE.

By John Curnow