Der nächste Bericht von Rich über ein scheinbar entspanntes Transpac - Spinnaker und Truthan...
LOS ANGELES—Magnitude 80 and Medicine Man made their first tactical moves in the Transpacific Yacht Club’s 13th Tahiti Race late on Day 2 Monday when they crossed the rhumb line to start searching for the sweet spot to cross the Doldrums.
Race communicator David Lee said, “They are heading west, Mag 80 and Med Man already west of rhumb line. Routing predictions, based on current weather forecast data, indicate a jibe to port pole by this time Wednesday morning for the dive south towards the equator.”
As expected, Doug Baker’s Andrews 80 was leading Bob Lane’s Andrews 63 by 89 miles in the 3,571-nautical mile race after logging 363 miles over the 24-hour span between 6 a.m. position checks. Mag 80’s average speed was 15.1 knots for the day and 14.6 for the race.
For perspective, the Transpac record for a 24-hour run is 393 miles by Hasso Plattner’s Morning Glory when it set the record in 2005. There is no known 24-hour record for the Tahiti Race---until now.
Mag 80 navigator Ernie Richau reported Tuesday: “Another great 24 hours of sailing since our last update. Yesterday afternoon in about 17 knots of wind we had a little excitement when we noticed a small tear in the code 2a spinnaker. Fortunately, we got the sail down and hoisted the code 4a runner. A couple of hours later we were on to a small batten pocket repair on the mainsail. After everything was cleaned up and with the boat working well we had a turkey and mashed potato dinner.
“This a.m. we are heading more southwest than [Monday] and looking for a gybe to the south in another day or so. Everyone says hello to those at home. We are all enjoying ourselves.”
Meanwhile, Chris Welsh’s Ragtime, a 41-year-old wooden throwback to the race’s historic past, moved into the projected overall lead on handicap time, only 51 miles behind Medicine Man and 70 miles ahead of Jim Morgan’s Santa Cruz 70, Fortaleza.
Ragtime’s only problem, as reported: “Swerved for very large sea turtle late afternoon. Spinnaker up and headed downhill.”
Medicine Man: “Rumbling along, late nite moon, good food, nice wine. Jokes and bread are still fresh.”
Fortaleza: “Beautiful night on the water ... half moon, full main and kite, easy going.” (signed) The Yankee with his shorts on.
Mag 80 is targeting the record of 14 days 21 hours 15 minutes 26 seconds set by the late Fred Kirschner’s Santa Cruz 70, Kathmandu, in the most recent Tahiti Race in 1994.
Mehr Berichte und Positionsmeldungen auf der Seite des Transpacific Yacht Club.
