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Post by fish on Apr 13, 2023 21:25:43 GMT 12
Featuring in this 14th Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht race are four septuagenarians, six previous finishers and two brothers. Malcolm Dickson remains at the front of the fleet with Sarau and has enjoyed a couple of lovely evenings mid-tasman. This is Malcolm’s third Tasman race and his second in his self-designed and built 50’ yacht. Today’s conditions have kept him busy with big light weather sails to maintain a steady speed of 4-5 knots. Alister Dickson, his younger brother is sailing 150nm behind him in Frontier. Frontier was designed and built at home by Alister and although it’s her first time across the Tasman, Alister sailed the race previously in 1998. Close by Frontier, Hullabaloo has sailed into second place under the skilful helm of Jim O’keeffe. Jim's first Solo Tasman race was in 1978, together with Malcolm Dickson. Jim in Yantha finished 15hrs ahead of Malcolm in Spindrift of Nelson. Jim brought the male mould for his Adams 13 and then set about building Hullabaloo to his own sailing style, launching her in 1994. Craig Ansley on Crocus also started his sailing and boat building adventures in his twenties. This is Craig and Crocus's first Solo Tasman race. For the last 12 hours Crocus has been becalmed. Just before dark tonight she caught some wind and has taken off again. I’m looking forward to the schedule from Craig this evening – he always has a story to tell us.
These four skippers have been sailing for 50-60 years so plenty of sea miles and global experiences between them, providing an interesting race for us to watch.
Mister Lucky sits 3rd with a distance to finish of 879nm between Hullababloo (868nm) and Frontier (884nm). Allegresse is a very close 5th with 889nm DTF. What will the morning bring?
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Post by fish on Apr 14, 2023 21:30:02 GMT 12
Today has seen a building breeze from 17-25 Kts, coming from the right direction to enable our skippers to make progress towards Southport. After five days the first boat has crossed the half-way milestone. Sailing speeds have improved, averaging between 7 & 9Kts. At lunchtime Sarau was clicked doing a top speed of 9.2kts. The closeness of the race between 2nd & 5th positions tonight is just 36nm.
The skippers have reported this evening:
“Today has been fabulous sailing with the assy (asymmetrical spinnaker) up for 6 hours straight, averaging over 8 knots”
“Lowered main, just yankee, expecting heavy stuff tonight”
“The tack line parted at the end of the prod due to a sharp edge on the Selden fitting, no drama though, the sock brought it all under control and stowed away”
“Now three sail reaching”
“very boisterous sailing, hard cooking tea and eating it”
Alan and Melting Pot have arrived back in Mangonui and are safely moored up and resting after a very tiring passage on the helm.
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Post by Fogg on Apr 17, 2023 15:31:10 GMT 12
Interesting video from Lucy covering the pre-race qualifier rather than the race itself. youtu.be/TfyilbuD4hI |
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Post by fish on Apr 17, 2023 21:46:28 GMT 12
This evening’s remarks of “Great Sailing, 15kts beam reach” and “Smokin” back up todays race statistics. Spirits are high, distances made good smashed 120nm and speeds crept over 9kts. The music playlist today; Val Doonican, Bob Marley and Modern Housework songs?! Great to hear our skipper’s sense of humour and sailing pleasure loud and clear. Out the front and back, Sarau and Crocus were frustrated in light winds. Finally at 1500 Crocus started to sail in a southerly wind of 13Kts. Mid-fleet there has been some leap-frogging. Mister Lucky and Hullabaloo have come close together again (12nm) – visible to each other on AIS and possibly close enough for a radio call.
Yesterday was reported as a ‘shorts and pina colada day’ whilst today with the southerly change out came the ‘merino and Goretex’. The wind looks set to remain with them overnight so it will be a chilly one.
In Southport, members of the race committee, sponsors Ray White New Plymouth, family and friends are gathering ready to welcome each skipper over the finish line with Southport Yacht Club and into the superyacht berth.
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Post by fish on Apr 18, 2023 21:58:45 GMT 12
Biggest day of the race for our six skippers, currently speeding towards Southport between 8 & 10 kts, having dropped their distances to the finish by 160+nm. In Line Honours position, Sarau has a DTF of 150nm. Hullabaloo, Mister Lucky and Allegresse are converging closer and with their progress today might now contest a very close finish with just hours between each other after 10 days of Tasman sailing. Mister Lucky made the greatest distance over the last 24 hours. This morning Mark commented “amazing how dark it still is at 0630 now that we are so far west!”
In the early hours of the morning Frontier sailed by Lord Howe Island and is running parallel to the rhumbline at present after a “very boisterous day”.
Crocus and Craig have been enjoying a “wild ride!”, maintaining 8kts in a 20kt SE. He’s expecting to “come up on the rhumbline soon”
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Post by fish on Apr 19, 2023 16:22:18 GMT 12
Malcolm Dickson has finished.
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Post by sabre on Apr 19, 2023 20:54:43 GMT 12
Malcolm Dickson has finished. And .4 of a mile seperating the next 3 boats! |
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Post by muzled on Apr 25, 2023 16:17:07 GMT 12
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