446 replies to this topic

[Matt B]

donnybrook retired

Wes! What did u do to make them retire? You are pretty annoying, but I thought you'd make it 24hours.

[Flying Wasp]

I'm going to guess a canting issue...

Donnybrook is having a rough go of it lately... hit the rock, retiring from this one... bummer.

[btbotfa]

Poor Wespy......cursed.

[Murphness]

Anyone else getting the "playback delayed by 6 hours" message on yellow brick?

[Flying Wasp]

Anyone else getting the "playback delayed by 6 hours" message on yellow brick?

Intentionally been that way from the start. They don't want real-time tracking until Sunday.

[Dixie]

Meanie is also back at the dock. Battery issues.

[Sailing My Cubicle]

Couple of other boats have retired too. According to the race website, Oakliff lost their rudder and are headed to Montauk. Wonder what happened?

[btbotfa]

Race Update 0800hrs Saturday
Sixteen hours into the 48^th Newport Bermuda Race, the northeast wind that sent the fleet off at high speed under spinnakers on Friday has strengthened offshore and held up all night. Four boats have retired from the race due to damage, with no reported injuries. The races elapsed time records are under attack by a pack of five boats making 15- to 20-knot speeds one-third of the 635-mile distance from Newport to Bermuda.Four boats have withdrawn from the race and turned back toward shore. Cannonball (Charles Robertson, Class 7) has a damaged mast, Donnybrook (James Muldoon, Class 16) has a leak, and Meanie (Thomas Akin, Class 10) has unknown damage that the crew hoped to repair before restarting the race. The fourth boat, Oakcliff Racing (owned by Oakcliff Sailing, Class 16), lost her rudder and is making her way under emergency steering and a jury rig to Montauk, Long Island, on a 30-minute communications schedule with the U.S. Coast Guard. One entry did not start the race on Friday. This was Kiva (Mark Stevens, Class 14).There are no reports of injury on these boats or any other entries. In fact, there are very few reports at all from the boats, whether by Twitter or by email. This is an indication that the conditions are rough, the sailing is demanding, and the sailors are preoccupied with their chores and holding on.The lead boat as of 0730 is George Davids Rambler (Class 10). The Yellowbrick tracker (on a 6-hour time delay) shows her very close to the rhumbline with a 2-mile lead over Hap Fauths Bella Mente (Class 10). Less than 10 miles behind them are Shockwave (George Sakellaris, Class 10) and Team Tiburon (Mark E. Watson, Class 10, with a crew that includes many midshipmen from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy). Several miles back is Kodiak (Llwyd Ecclestone, Class 8), and then theres a big gap to the next group.Class 10 is for larger boats in the Gibbs Hill Lighthouse Division, which is for boats with predominately professional crews. Class 8 is for big boats in the St. Davids Lighthouse Division, the races largest division reserved for boats with amateur crews.
Any boat that finishes before mid-afternoon on Sunday has an excellent chance of breaking one of the races two elapsed time records, approximately 53 hours for the two Lighthouse Division boats and 48 hours for the boats in the Open Division (Class 16) with canting keels or water ballast.Its too early to form any judgments about the race standings, but if the weather behaves as has been predicted, with the wind fading on Sunday afternoon and evening and shutting the door on the smaller boats, the early finishers may very well also be the corrected time leaders. That would make this the first big-boat Bermuda Race in many years.

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[fetzer24]

All I want is Billy Willman interviews.....if he ever isn't sleeping.

And make it a drinking game. A shot every time he says "dude"!

A shot EVERY time he says dude? Seriously?

My poor liver...

[Heriberto]

I completely do not get why Decision is in the class they are (Class 8) with the TP52s and Kodiak (a 65-footer!). Why isn't it racing in the same class as Ptarmagin (Class 9)? Is it the crew thing? They are definitely kicking ass against all of those boats (including class 9) but with the forecast and a big waterline split from Kodiak it will be tough.

[Jonathan Green]

Holy crap is this a fun ride. I can only imagine what it must be like on the big boats but Seabiscuit is moving well in the 8-9 knot range double headsail reaching. We blew out our A2 this morning, no chance of repair in route, so our speed's a little off but still making good time.

[Bodacious]

I completely do not get why Decision is in the class they are (Class 8) with the TP52s and Kodiak (a 65-footer!). Why isn't it racing in the same class as Ptarmagin (Class 9)? Is it the crew thing? They are definitely kicking ass against all of those boats (including class 9) but with the forecast and a big waterline split from Kodiak it will be tough.

It's not how big you are but how fast you can (theoretically) go. Some of the new, light planing designs, like Decision and the Class 40s, will be able to go just as fast (if not faster, in some conditions, like downwind in a breeze) as larger, heavier displacement boats. The rating/class system tries to keep them grouped according to speed potential, although there is also a "pro" class (Gibbs Hill) and "amateur" (St Davids Light) class split in this race.

[Rail Meat]

Reach o' Rama
and then big trouble

After last night's soft patch (150 twa and 8 knots in sloppy seas) the wind picked up and clocked to maybe 135, enough to get the kite going. We held that for a while, until it went to 110 twa and mid teens. After the 5th round up, the code went back up.

We spent most of the night reaching in mid and then high teens, headed for our chosen gulf stream entrance. Boat speeds were solid, and by dawn things were cooking at routine 12 knot averages. I took the helm at 0800 and by 0900 we were in the stream, making 2 knots of push and 75 degree water temps.

The wind had picked up to the high teens and gusting to 23. We were simply scorching it, with boat speeds exceeding 16 and SOG at 17 to 19. Water absolutely every where, with warm piles of gulf stream rolling across the deck.

And then the bow buried itself in the back of the wave as we ended a surf, going 18 knots. All the way up to the deck and then some. I heard a "snap" and when the bow came back up there was no sprit. Snapped clean off, right at the boat.

The code was attached at three points, but the sprit was only attached by virtue of the bob stay. The sprit was flailing around like a six foot carbon club. The sail would fill, the boat would come down momentarly and then rudders would be over powered and we would round right back up again. Badly wounded.

I woke up Chris and he suited up. Main out, dumped the code sheet and bow down until we were running 150 twa. Dumped the halyard until the head of the sail was in the water. Attached the spin halyard to the lines leading to the sprit (now in the water and dragging by the boat) and winched it on to the deck where I cut the tack free. Then to the stern, where the floating sail had shredded itself on the rudder. Chris and I letter boxed it through the stern life lines, and then pulled it free of the rudders.

We are still racing, because that is what we came out here to do. Genoa reaching and making good time over the ground and trough the water. I hope these conditions persist, because we have no codes and no spins now. The sail is stuffed forward (an unruly thing when unfurled), and the boat cleaned up. We actually did the entire recovery fast enough to maintain our position on the boats we had passed an hour earlier.

Both Chris and I are fine, and the only things damaged are the sprit, one sheet, the sail, our chances of beating Gryphon Solo, Chris' nap and my wallet.

Fight on.

[hdglightning]

KNow and like the Donnybrook guys. But they had to be joking to think they could do this race (safely that is). You don't buy a boat (an 80 ft canting keel), outfit it, and put it in the water couple weeks without sailing it, etc. The boat had major work, the crew largely has no experience with canters, etc. Frankly the RC should not have let them race.

They were kids with a shiny new toy. And the toy bites.

Now I sound negative towards them, but thats not my point. The owner should never had done this, the crew is out a LOT of $$$ for...essentially a practice sail, etc. I hate to say they should have known better...but I guess you can't discount ambition. But someone could have been seriously hurt on that boat, and they should have had 3-6 months of sailing it before they tried an offshore race, not 1-2 weekends of gentle practice.

Anyway...their boat is awesome and they will return in 2 years and kick butt...but for now it was just too early and too many teething problems that they didn't work out.

donnybrook retired

Wes! What did u do to make them retire? You are pretty annoying, but I thought you'd make it 24hours.

[vtsail]

+1
Unfortunately this program has seemed (from an outsiders perspective) to be dangerous and on the verge of a disaster for a while, and its a small miracle that no one has been hurt in their various follies....Skipper could barely handle his original boat, so when he runs that one up on the rocks he gets a bigger more dangerous one?...I don't get it.

KNow and like the Donnybrook guys. But they had to be joking to think they could do this race (safely that is). You don't buy a boat (an 80 ft canting keel), outfit it, and put it in the water couple weeks without sailing it, etc. The boat had major work, the crew largely has no experience with canters, etc. Frankly the RC should not have let them race.

They were kids with a shiny new toy. And the toy bites.

Now I sound negative towards them, but thats not my point. The owner should never had done this, the crew is out a LOT of $$$ for...essentially a practice sail, etc. I hate to say they should have known better...but I guess you can't discount ambition. But someone could have been seriously hurt on that boat, and they should have had 3-6 months of sailing it before they tried an offshore race, not 1-2 weekends of gentle practice.

Anyway...their boat is awesome and they will return in 2 years and kick butt...but for now it was just too early and too many teething problems that they didn't work out.

donnybrook retired

Wes! What did u do to make them retire? You are pretty annoying, but I thought you'd make it 24hours.

[Heriberto]

I completely do not get why Decision is in the class they are (Class 8) with the TP52s and Kodiak (a 65-footer!). Why isn't it racing in the same class as Ptarmagin (Class 9)? Is it the crew thing? They are definitely kicking ass against all of those boats (including class 9) but with the forecast and a big waterline split from Kodiak it will be tough.

It's not how big you are but how fast you can (theoretically) go. Some of the new, light planing designs, like Decision and the Class 40s, will be able to go just as fast (if not faster, in some conditions, like downwind in a breeze) as larger, heavier displacement boats. The rating/class system tries to keep them grouped according to speed potential, although there is also a "pro" class (Gibbs Hill) and "amateur" (St Davids Light) class split in this race.

Really? No kidding. Is that what all those numbers are for on the scratch sheet?

[btbotfa]

Selkie and Actaea heading back at 20 plus knots?

[spike]

and its a small miracle that no one has been hurt in their various follies....

KNow and like the Donnybrook guys. But they had to be joking to think they could do this race (safely that is). You don't buy a boat (an 80 ft canting keel), outfit it, and put it in the water couple weeks without sailing it, etc. The boat had major work, the crew largely has no experience with canters, etc. Frankly the RC should not have let them race.

They were kids with a shiny new toy. And the toy bites.

Now I sound negative towards them, but thats not my point. The owner should never had done this, the crew is out a LOT of $$$ for...essentially a practice sail, etc. I hate to say they should have known better...but I guess you can't discount ambition. But someone could have been seriously hurt on that boat, and they should have had 3-6 months of sailing it before they tried an offshore race, not 1-2 weekends of gentle practice.

Anyway...their boat is awesome and they will return in 2 years and kick butt...but for now it was just too early and too many teething problems that they didn't work out.

donnybrook retired

Wes! What did u do to make them retire? You are pretty annoying, but I thought you'd make it 24hours.

No...actually people have been hurt....

[Heriberto]

Racetracker going live ahead of schedule at 1400EDT! So RIGHT NOW!

[MR.CLEAN]

I think the tracker is real time now, anyway Ptarmigan is racing pro-driver class, with Anthony Kotoun coming aboard specifically for that. We are amateur driver only, drivers are me, owner Stephen Murray, Tyler Bator, and Will Gammel, and ok I'm getting sick now,. sorry to Rail Meat about the sprit, the rum will taste as good. this boat is like armageddon all the time...

story and vid coming to front page.

Vid will be here shortly.

[Great_lakes_racer]

Nice battle going on with Bella Mente and Shockwave

[StayinStrewn]

nice vid...throttle down Clean!

[Bodacious]

I completely do not get why Decision is in the class they are (Class 8) with the TP52s and Kodiak (a 65-footer!). Why isn't it racing in the same class as Ptarmagin (Class 9)? Is it the crew thing? They are definitely kicking ass against all of those boats (including class 9) but with the forecast and a big waterline split from Kodiak it will be tough.

It's not how big you are but how fast you can (theoretically) go. Some of the new, light planing designs, like Decision and the Class 40s, will be able to go just as fast (if not faster, in some conditions, like downwind in a breeze) as larger, heavier displacement boats. The rating/class system tries to keep them grouped according to speed potential, although there is also a "pro" class (Gibbs Hill) and "amateur" (St Davids Light) class split in this race.

Really? No kidding. Is that what all those numbers are for on the scratch sheet?

Hell if I know what all those numbers on the scratch sheet mean! That is way beyond me, I'm afraid...

[Friggin' in the Riggin']

Nice video Clean. It looks just comfortable below to justify a 60 hour race at speeds in the teens. Would not want to do the delivery back. Stay safe go fast.

I think the tracker is real time now, anyway Ptarmigan is racing pro-driver class, with Anthony Kotoun coming aboard specifically for that. We are amateur driver only, drivers are me, owner Stephen Murray, Tyler Bator, and Will Gammel, and ok I'm getting sick now,. sorry to Rail Meat about the sprit, the rum will taste as good. this boat is like armageddon all the time...

story and vid coming to front page.

Vid will be here shortly.

[Serge A. Storms]

and its a small miracle that no one has been hurt in their various follies....

KNow and like the Donnybrook guys. But they had to be joking to think they could do this race (safely that is). You don't buy a boat (an 80 ft canting keel), outfit it, and put it in the water couple weeks without sailing it, etc. The boat had major work, the crew largely has no experience with canters, etc. Frankly the RC should not have let them race.

They were kids with a shiny new toy. And the toy bites.

Now I sound negative towards them, but thats not my point. The owner should never had done this, the crew is out a LOT of $$$ for...essentially a practice sail, etc. I hate to say they should have known better...but I guess you can't discount ambition. But someone could have been seriously hurt on that boat, and they should have had 3-6 months of sailing it before they tried an offshore race, not 1-2 weekends of gentle practice.

Anyway...their boat is awesome and they will return in 2 years and kick butt...but for now it was just too early and too many teething problems that they didn't work out.

donnybrook retired

Wes! What did u do to make them retire? You are pretty annoying, but I thought you'd make it 24hours.

No...actually people have been hurt....

Anyone who has sailed on that boat will agree that the owner has generated some bad karma over the years.... I heard people mention that when they got T-boned by the old maxi down in Antigua in the 90's.

Serge

[Desertrider]

Racetracker going live ahead of schedule at 1400EDT! So RIGHT NOW!

Anyone else experiencing difficulties with YB tracker. I get a This application is temporarily over its serving quota. Please try again later. error message. Haven't often seen that with YB.

[Dixie]

Rail Meat, real shame about the sprit and spirit. Glad you were able to to hold your spot with the others.
Clean, looks like a wet, wet ride. Hope you're having fun. Sounds like those holding it together on course are enjoying a wild and wooly ride.


As for the release of the tracker to live time, great news, but you can bet that none of the boats on the course are spending time and bandwidth to see this from Yellowbrick.

Over Quota
This application is temporarily over its serving quota. Please try again later.


--------------

[Nick Farrell]

As for the release of the tracker to live time, great news, but you can bet that none of the boats on the course are spending time and bandwidth to see this from Yellowbrick.

Over Quota
This application is temporarily over its serving quota. Please try again later.

--------------

Hi - we're really sorry about the above. It's been rectified and it won't happen again on this race.

We're investigating what happened and why we hit a quota limit - because quite frankly it should have been set high enough not to be hit.

Nick @ YB

[whiskey]

Tracker is working fine for me now. Any way to look for individual boats?

[Boatcake]

Try the teams tab. On the left. Cherry pick, then refresh.

[2Newts]

Meanwhile, back amongst the smaller boats, FINESSE reports having lost all primary nav electronics but is showing in 4th place for the class. Keep it up!
Years ago we installed a backup gps and wind sensor off the stern ... Granted it's not an ideal place to judge the wind but at least they have something...
2N

[2XD]

I think the tracker is real time now, anyway Ptarmigan is racing pro-driver class, with Anthony Kotoun coming aboard specifically for that. We are amateur driver only, drivers are me, owner Stephen Murray, Tyler Bator, and Will Gammel, and ok I'm getting sick now,. sorry to Rail Meat about the sprit, the rum will taste as good. this boat is like armageddon all the time...

story and vid coming to front page.

Vid will be here shortly.

looks pretty tame clean. could have spent a little more time sealing the mast collar :-)

[USA190520]

donnybrook retired

Leak in keel box
Damage to sprit

Unknown as to cause(s)

Speculation begins in 3...2...1.....

[Sailing My Cubicle]

Loving the updates being posted here. Keep up the good work RM, Clean et al.

So bummed that my usual ride is cruising in Canada this year. But with the new job not sure I could have gotten away from my desk anyways.

[Rail Meat]

Soaked to the Bone

Despite all efforts, the ride of the past 30 hours has soaked the boat and its contents, including crew. Blast reaching in 20 knots of breeze is a wet, wet ride. It looks like a Volvo video.

We exited the stream yesterday evening, right on schedule. It was a nice 2 to 3 knot boost while we had it, but the meander was shorter this year than usual. Worth the 10 mile diversion, given the wind direction and speed. It took us 29 hours, 30 minutes to cover the first half of the race course, a pretty remarkable thing. I think we could have shaved another hour or so off that if we had not spent time fetching a code sail and sprit out of the drink.

We have been able to maintain some degree of position so far, reaching under the solent, but as the wind shifts our lack of sprit is going to become very painful. Regardless, our spirits are solid and we are still trying to figure out how to go faster.

In the past hour the wind has dropped to the low teens and it has been a while since the last roller came across the deck. The sky has cleared and dawn is coming. The good news is that we might get to dry out the boat. The bad news is that it means less breeze. Hopefully what there is comes from the forward end of the course to allow us to avoid regretting the unusable kite. The GFS gribs show tight reaching work in light air. The latest CMC file is so odd as to be unusable.

Time to nap.

[Dixie]

Soaked to the Bone

Despite all efforts, the ride of the past 30 hours has soaked the boat and its contents, including crew. Blast reaching in 20 knots of breeze is a wet, wet ride. It looks like a Volvo video.

We exited the stream yesterday evening, right on schedule. It was a nice 2 to 3 knot boost while we had it, but the meander was shorter this year than usual. Worth the 10 mile diversion, given the wind direction and speed. It took us 29 hours, 30 minutes to cover the first half of the race course, a pretty remarkable thing. I think we could have shaved another hour or so off that if we had not spent time fetching a code sail and sprit out of the drink.

We have been able to maintain some degree of position so far, reaching under the solent, but as the wind shifts our lack of sprit is going to become very painful. Regardless, our spirits are solid and we are still trying to figure out how to go faster.

In the past hour the wind has dropped to the low teens and it has been a while since the last roller came across the deck. The sky has cleared and dawn is coming. The good news is that we might get to dry out the boat. The bad news is that it means less breeze. Hopefully what there is comes from the forward end of the course to allow us to avoid regretting the unusable kite. The GFS gribs show tight reaching work in light air. The latest CMC file is so odd as to be unusable.

Time to nap.

Blast Reaching! Wow sounds fun, albeit wet wet wet. Best of luck for your third phase of the race.

[Dixie]

Anyone have their record books open? Rambler is inches away from the finish.

Nice work YellowBrick - tracker working splendidly.


EDIT: From the Newport Bermuda page, here are the standing records, both about to get beaten:
The Newport Bermuda Race has two records, one for Open Division boats at 48hr, 28min, 31sec set by Hasso Plattner’s Morning Glory in 2004 and the ‘official’ record for traditional designs set by Roy Disney’s 75 foot Pyewacketis at 53hr, 39 min 22 sec.

[Katydid]

Congratulations to the Rambler crew! 40 hours, 15 minutes to Bermuda will probably stand for quite a while!

[spike]

Anyone have their record books open? Rambler is inches away from the finish.

Nice work YellowBrick - tracker working splendidly.


EDIT: From the Newport Bermuda page, here are the standing records, both about to get beaten:
The Newport Bermuda Race has two records, one for Open Division boats at 48hr, 28min, 31sec set by Hasso Plattner’s Morning Glory in 2004 and the ‘official’ record for traditional designs set by Roy Disney’s 75 foot Pyewacketis at 53hr, 39 min 22 sec.

Shattered both of them. Nice job

[skew]

Shockwave FTW. Belle, what happened?

[Boatcake]

Congratulations to the Rambler crew! 40 hours, 15 minutes to Bermuda will probably stand for quite a while!

39:39:18

[Soley]

So did Rambler modify the boat to not use water ballast or did they just elect not to use it?

[MR.CLEAN]

Nick: Would love you to release stats for tracker views.

Paige: Hoping not to do delivery back without some serious waterproofing done to this boat.

Someone else: Mast collar was all Guiness, who conveniently is in Palma racing maxis. Cunt! Hatch design is all Carkeek - piss poor, needs redesign OR well fit hard dodger.

New vid loading up. We are still the only li'l boat out here at the front, still rolling along at 11-14 knots under jib top, genoa staysail, and full main. Wind 11 knots@ 60 or so, and a hundred or so to the island. If things stay more or less the way they are, this 40 footer will be in at last call on Sunday. Not bad.

Video live as soon as its loaded: http://youtu.be/dJHCMBovqzs

[MR.CLEAN]

[Nick Farrell]

Nick: Would love you to release stats for tracker views.

Sure - will need to do the normal checks with race committee etc, as I'm sure they will need to see them first, but will release here once given clearance

Dixie - thanks - 5 min updates at the end were definitely useful between Bella Mente and Shockwave!

[oddsailor]

Thanks for the update!!
Looks like the MCMs off the VORs should do a video 101 class for filming on boats

[Icedtea]

Isnt Left hook on donnybrook? Say he's pretty pissed

[Rail Meat]

High Noon

Just finished a bowl of ramen noodles. Wind is 10 knots and beam reach. Seas are very gentle, and we are creaming right along. Our polars are OK, although we would really like to be using the Code 5. Remnants of that sail are still streaming from our starboard rudder but it is not really slowing us down and I would have to dive it to clean them off which would be slower still.

We are playing around with ideas on what to do if the wind shifts in a way that calls for a kite or the remaining Code 0. I am a bit worried about causing any further damage to the boat, so we will see what can be done, if it needs to be done.

The sun is out, so the best news is that we have got ourselves and the boat dried out a bit.

174 miles to go.

[Heriberto]

No reason a properly designed mast collar/partner should leak. Yeah, they should be pissed.

Compainionway: you might try putting the hatchboards in, they tend to help.

Beyond that, you buttercups need to HTFU, I don't see any ice, so what are you complaining about.

[Heriberto]

Huge bummer for you RM. Tons of respect for the updates and keeping it moving.

[~HHN92~]

At least you won't need a 'shower' when you get there.

Good luck and keep-up the good work.


(thank goodness the kid had her headphones on)

[couchsurfer]

...any better after the first 39 seconds?...just couldn't bear t'watch any more,
,,,,waste of bandwidth

[Ballast Technician]

Isnt Left hook on donnybrook? Say he's pretty pissed

Nah, it probably was him who pulled the bung once he realized what kind of 'program' (using that term very loosely) he had gotten himself into...

[Sailing My Cubicle]

Nick: Would love you to release stats for tracker views.

Sure - will need to do the normal checks with race committee etc, as I'm sure they will need to see them first, but will release here once given clearance

Dixie - thanks - 5 min updates at the end were definitely useful between Bella Mente and Shockwave!

Nick,

Am curious to know how many people paid for the ability to follow the race on the YB iPhone app. Who makes the call to charge for race tracking on the app when it's free online?
No hat in the game. I ponied up the 3bucks bc I'm away from my laptop.

Cheers,

SMC

[Icedtea]

Isnt Left hook on donnybrook? Say he's pretty pissed

Nah, it probably was him who pulled the bung once he realized what kind of 'program' (using that term very loosely) he had gotten himself into...

Oh and what kind of "program" would that be?

[Ballast Technician]

Isnt Left hook on donnybrook? Say he's pretty pissed

Nah, it probably was him who pulled the bung once he realized what kind of 'program' (using that term very loosely) he had gotten himself into...

Oh and what kind of "program" would that be?

Many people wonder...

[gybe-ho!]

...any better after the first 39 seconds?...just couldn't bear t'watch any more,
,,,,waste of bandwidth

Nope, thought Clean had got away from the crass frat boy reporting...sorry 'Gonzo Journalism' he started out with, so much good stuff in his VOR coverage all shot to shit with this effort.

[Heriberto]

...any better after the first 39 seconds?...just couldn't bear t'watch any more,
,,,,waste of bandwidth

Nope, thought Clean had got away from the crass frat boy reporting...sorry 'Gonzo Journalism' he started out with, so much good stuff in his VOR coverage all shot to shit with this effort.

Should have had Billy do this....

[Icedtea]

Isnt Left hook on donnybrook? Say he's pretty pissed

Nah, it probably was him who pulled the bung once he realized what kind of 'program' (using that term very loosely) he had gotten himself into...

Oh and what kind of "program" would that be?

Many people wonder...

That bad?
You'd think a boat that awesome would have a pretty good campaign lined up

[couchsurfer]

...any better after the first 39 seconds?...just couldn't bear t'watch any more,
,,,,waste of bandwidth

Nope, thought Clean had got away from the crass frat boy reporting...sorry 'Gonzo Journalism' he started out with, so much good stuff in his VOR coverage all shot to shit with this effort.

Should have had Billy do this....

...it's too bad,,kenR tried soo hard to drag Clean's journalistic butt out of the trashbin,,
,,,,didn't think it would last long

..'Lord' save us from further broadcasts

[mtnman]

+1

[Rail Meat]

When You Can't Tie Knots
tie lots of them

So after we snapped our sprit off Saturday around lunch time, the wind picked up to low twenties and stayed in the 110 range for the next 18 hours, until 9 AM this morning. Then the winds died and clocked a bit forward. The forecast also predicted dying breeze Sunday night, with a full rotation to blow out of the westish regions. That meant we wanted to get a bit east so post shift we could have a better angle than running, something that is not much of an option without the sprit. It also provided the benefit of covering on Icarus, Toothface and Amhas who were already east.

We got where we wanted to go, faster than expected and with the wind holding on. So.... time to figure out how to go deep.

At first we tried to jam the broken bit of sprit back into the forward bearing. No luck - the remaining aft end is jammed up in the bearing and all I got was a hand full of carbon splinters. If any one knows how to deal with those, I would be greatful.

Then, we lashed the broken bit of sprit to the deck. We had to set up a tensioning arrangement on the aft end to force the sprit into our surviving bobstay, which was in turn put on a lashing and snatch block to shorten it up for our stubby remaining sprit. Then lots of dyneema to lash the front and aft ends on the deck to keep it from sweeping from side to side or from lifting up.

There are pictures on Dragon's facebook page (link below) since I am too impaired to figure out how to post here. Meanwhile, we are running down wind at about 150 true wind angle and 13 knots of wind speed. Our polars are back up to flirt with the 90 percent range occassionaly, and we are keeping an eye on our jury rig to make sure she does not punch through the deck.

Looks like a rainy night. Lots of storm clouds as it is getting dark out here.

RM

[Heriberto]

Dragon Ocean Racing

Doing an awesome, awesome job RM. And still posting too!

[Jonathan Green]

2/3rds of the way there - fastest run I've ever been on. The Biscuit performed like a champ last night, smashing through the gulf stream with 10+ knots of boat speed and another couple knots of current. Wild ride. Today was much more of a leisurely sail and tonight looks like there may be some soft spots so who know when we'll finish, hopefully Tuesday. I can only guess that the Class 40s are done or close to it so hopes are not high of a miracle correction above them. Those were some damn fine conditions for those boats. I'll hold off my congratulations until the fat lady sings but I imagine it'll be a win, place and show for the three 40s in our class.

[fetzer24]

...any better after the first 39 seconds?...just couldn't bear t'watch any more,
,,,,waste of bandwidth

Nope, thought Clean had got away from the crass frat boy reporting...sorry 'Gonzo Journalism' he started out with, so much good stuff in his VOR coverage all shot to shit with this effort.

Everyone's a critic.....

[couchsurfer]

When You Can't Tie Knots
tie lots of them

So after we snapped our sprit off Saturday around lunch time, the wind picked up to low twenties and stayed in the 110 range for the next 18 hours, until 9 AM this morning. Then the winds died and clocked a bit forward. The forecast also predicted dying breeze Sunday night, with a full rotation to blow out of the westish regions. That meant we wanted to get a bit east so post shift we could have a better angle than running, something that is not much of an option without the sprit. It also provided the benefit of covering on Icarus, Toothface and Amhas who were already east.

We got where we wanted to go, faster than expected and with the wind holding on. So.... time to figure out how to go deep.

At first we tried to jam the broken bit of sprit back into the forward bearing. No luck - the remaining aft end is jammed up in the bearing and all I got was a hand full of carbon splinters. If any one knows how to deal with those, I would be greatful.

Then, we lashed the broken bit of sprit to the deck. We had to set up a tensioning arrangement on the aft end to force the sprit into our surviving bobstay, which was in turn put on a lashing and snatch block to shorten it up for our stubby remaining sprit. Then lots of dyneema to lash the front and aft ends on the deck to keep it from sweeping from side to side or from lifting up.

There are pictures on Dragon's facebook page (link below) since I am too impaired to figure out how to post here. Meanwhile, we are running down wind at about 150 true wind angle and 13 knots of wind speed. Our polars are back up to flirt with the 90 percent range occassionaly, and we are keeping an eye on our jury rig to make sure she does not punch through the deck.

Looks like a rainy night. Lots of storm clouds as it is getting dark out here.

RM

...wow,,as much as it is exciting to get reports -while- the race is in progress,,
,,I am wondering what would happen if I posted some advice here and now
...wether it be about the carbon splinters ,,or your broken sprit,,,
,,could it be classified as 'outside assistance' if you utilized any of my suggestions,
,,,wether you read them here or not???

[MER]

[Heriberto]

Ok.

Not to be a critic, but this video has been posted already. Is there a new one? I'm sure it isn't easy to do while trying to actually race.

[dolphinmaster]

Looks like Decision is trying to finish but sailing away from the line. Is the tracker goofed when you magnify it?

now I see they have finished in the results.

[Footlong]

...any better after the first 39 seconds?...just couldn't bear t'watch any more,
,,,,waste of bandwidth

That was embarrassing. They sounded like idiots.I had to shut it off.

[Dixie]

They must be simply punch drunk after 48 hours of wet reaching topsides and torture drips below. Eventually they'll dry out, and then start with the rum....

Gotta give him points for trying and trying to do something different.

[Heriberto]

They must be simply punch drunk after 48 hours of wet reaching topsides and torture drips below. Eventually they'll dry out, and then start with the rum....

Gotta give him points for trying and trying to do something different.

+1

[Katydid]

Congratulations to the Rambler crew! 40 hours, 15 minutes to Bermuda will probably stand for quite a while!

39:39:18

Umm, yeah. Thought I had done the math on the leaderboard, but apparently not too good at arithmetic at six in the morning after a wedding reception. 39:39:18 should stand for a while too.

[Mexican]

When You Can't Tie Knots
tie lots of them

So after we snapped our sprit off Saturday around lunch time, the wind picked up to low twenties and stayed in the 110 range for the next 18 hours, until 9 AM this morning. Then the winds died and clocked a bit forward. The forecast also predicted dying breeze Sunday night, with a full rotation to blow out of the westish regions. That meant we wanted to get a bit east so post shift we could have a better angle than running, something that is not much of an option without the sprit. It also provided the benefit of covering on Icarus, Toothface and Amhas who were already east.

We got where we wanted to go, faster than expected and with the wind holding on. So.... time to figure out how to go deep.

At first we tried to jam the broken bit of sprit back into the forward bearing. No luck - the remaining aft end is jammed up in the bearing and all I got was a hand full of carbon splinters. If any one knows how to deal with those, I would be greatful.

RM

...wow,,as much as it is exciting to get reports -while- the race is in progress,,
,,I am wondering what would happen if I posted some advice here and now
...wether it be about the carbon splinters ,,or your broken sprit,,,
,,could it be classified as 'outside assistance' if you utilized any of my suggestions,
,,,wether you read them here or not???

Rail Meat's update was titled "when you can't tie knots tie lots of them".

You do know that the same doesn't apply to punctuation, don't you?

Mex

[MR.CLEAN]

I am at the hotel that thank christ stephen hooked us up with. Gash in my head, torn off fingernail, carbon splinter, and a big smile on my face to be tied up next to the next smallest boat - a TP52.

Report to come. Sickest sailing today of my life. Volvo ain't life at the extreme - this boat is...and beyond.

[Jonathan Green]

My buddy's condition deteriorated today so we rendezvoued with a boat called Flying Lady to retrieve an IV and some fluids. At first it seamed like I nailed the vein ok but it turns out I was doing it wrong. Luckily I had three needles left to try again. Fail, fail, fail. Plan B: transfer Nate to a passing cruise ship with proper medical facilities. I informed Nate it was in route to Malta and to be sure to collect his passport prior to disembarking Seabiscuit. The transfer was easily one of the most surreal experiences of my sailing life. Picture motoring up to a 990 ft long brightly lit ship in the middle of the Atlantic at night with the hopes my weaken buddy can hurl his body onto the pilot boarding ladder and scramble up to the opening. The cruise ship was slowing down so all thrusters were in reverse, churning the water along side. The 65 ft high mast swinging dangerously close to the poop deck, or whatever was above the pilot door opening. Good thing we had fenders out, now scared with blue paint from the ship's side. Nate made it and I'm sure he'll be fine but if anyone hears news of his condition, please let me know. I think the moment I'll remember most was the look on Nate's face as I made attempt after attempt to jab a needle in his vein while the boat was lurching about in the waves, never to succeed.

[spike]

My buddy's condition deteriorated today so we rendezvoued with a boat called Flying Lady to retrieve an IV and some fluids. At first it seamed like I nailed the vein ok but it turns out I was doing it wrong. Luckily I had three needles left to try again. Fail, fail, fail. Plan B: transfer Nate to a passing cruise ship with proper medical facilities. I informed Nate it was in route to Malta and to be sure to collect his passport prior to disembarking Seabiscuit. The transfer was easily one of the most surreal experiences of my sailing life. Picture motoring up to a 990 ft long brightly lit ship in the middle of the Atlantic at night with the hopes my weaken buddy can hurl his body onto the pilot boarding ladder and scramble up to the opening. The cruise ship was slowing down so all thrusters were in reverse, churning the water along side. The 65 ft high mast swinging dangerously close to the poop deck, or whatever was above the pilot door opening. Good thing we had fenders out, now scared with blue paint from the ship's side. Nate made it and I'm sure he'll be fine but if anyone hears news of his condition, please let me know. I think the moment I'll remember most was the look on Nate's face as I made attempt after attempt to jab a needle in his vein while the boat was lurching about in the waves, never to succeed.

Uhm......what?

[minstrel70]

My buddy's condition deteriorated today so we rendezvoued with a boat called Flying Lady to retrieve an IV and some fluids. At first it seamed like I nailed the vein ok but it turns out I was doing it wrong. Luckily I had three needles left to try again. Fail, fail, fail. Plan B: transfer Nate to a passing cruise ship with proper medical facilities. I informed Nate it was in route to Malta and to be sure to collect his passport prior to disembarking Seabiscuit. The transfer was easily one of the most surreal experiences of my sailing life. Picture motoring up to a 990 ft long brightly lit ship in the middle of the Atlantic at night with the hopes my weaken buddy can hurl his body onto the pilot boarding ladder and scramble up to the opening. The cruise ship was slowing down so all thrusters were in reverse, churning the water along side. The 65 ft high mast swinging dangerously close to the poop deck, or whatever was above the pilot door opening. Good thing we had fenders out, now scared with blue paint from the ship's side. Nate made it and I'm sure he'll be fine but if anyone hears news of his condition, please let me know. I think the moment I'll remember most was the look on Nate's face as I made attempt after attempt to jab a needle in his vein while the boat was lurching about in the waves, never to succeed.

Uhm......what?

This:

http://bermudarace.com/NewsCalendar/News/tabid/179/EntryID/319/Default.aspx

[umpire]

My buddy's condition deteriorated today so we rendezvoued with a boat called Flying Lady to retrieve an IV and some fluids. At first it seamed like I nailed the vein ok but it turns out I was doing it wrong. Luckily I had three needles left to try again. Fail, fail, fail. Plan B: transfer Nate to a passing cruise ship with proper medical facilities. I informed Nate it was in route to Malta and to be sure to collect his passport prior to disembarking Seabiscuit. The transfer was easily one of the most surreal experiences of my sailing life. Picture motoring up to a 990 ft long brightly lit ship in the middle of the Atlantic at night with the hopes my weaken buddy can hurl his body onto the pilot boarding ladder and scramble up to the opening. The cruise ship was slowing down so all thrusters were in reverse, churning the water along side. The 65 ft high mast swinging dangerously close to the poop deck, or whatever was above the pilot door opening. Good thing we had fenders out, now scared with blue paint from the ship's side. Nate made it and I'm sure he'll be fine but if anyone hears news of his condition, please let me know. I think the moment I'll remember most was the look on Nate's face as I made attempt after attempt to jab a needle in his vein while the boat was lurching about in the waves, never to succeed.

Uhm......what?

From the race website
Sailor Evacuated from Bermuda Race Yacht
A sailor has been evacuated from a boat racing in the Newport Bermuda Race due to his medical condition.

At approximately 3 a.m. (EDT) on Monday, June 18, Nathan C. Owen (Norwell, Mass.), who was reported to be suffering from complications from dehydration, was transferred from his 46-foot sloop Seabiscuit to a cruise ship, Enchantment of the Sea. The rescue occurred 200 miles northwest of Bermuda in rough seas.

Enchantment of the Seas was en route from Bermuda to Boston, Mass., when officials at Bermuda’s Rescue Coordination Center contacted the captain and requested that the ship be diverted to evacuate and treat Mr. Owen.

The transfer followed several hours of efforts by the race’s organizers and its medical advisor, by the Rescue Coordination Center, and by several competitors in the race to provide Owen with medical treatment and then to evacuate him from Seabiscuit.

Other vessels taking part in the effort were the racing yacht Flying Lady and the sail training vessel Spirit of Bermuda

[EaglesDare]

Wow, bummer for Jonathan and Nate. Good teamwork from all involved to help him out. And props to Jonathan for the shorthanded rendezvous with Enchantment in that sea state.

[spike]

My buddy's condition deteriorated today so we rendezvoued with a boat called Flying Lady to retrieve an IV and some fluids. At first it seamed like I nailed the vein ok but it turns out I was doing it wrong. Luckily I had three needles left to try again. Fail, fail, fail. Plan B: transfer Nate to a passing cruise ship with proper medical facilities. I informed Nate it was in route to Malta and to be sure to collect his passport prior to disembarking Seabiscuit. The transfer was easily one of the most surreal experiences of my sailing life. Picture motoring up to a 990 ft long brightly lit ship in the middle of the Atlantic at night with the hopes my weaken buddy can hurl his body onto the pilot boarding ladder and scramble up to the opening. The cruise ship was slowing down so all thrusters were in reverse, churning the water along side. The 65 ft high mast swinging dangerously close to the poop deck, or whatever was above the pilot door opening. Good thing we had fenders out, now scared with blue paint from the ship's side. Nate made it and I'm sure he'll be fine but if anyone hears news of his condition, please let me know. I think the moment I'll remember most was the look on Nate's face as I made attempt after attempt to jab a needle in his vein while the boat was lurching about in the waves, never to succeed.

Uhm......what?

This:

http://bermudarace.com/NewsCalendar/News/tabid/179/EntryID/319/Default.aspx

Holy crap, that couldnt have been easy....
so now he's singlehanding to bermuda

[Roleur]

If memory serves he did the Bermuda 1-2 last year, so at least he is familiar with single-handing to Bermuda.

[Sailing My Cubicle]

WOW

[Rail Meat]

Bitter Sweet
Awesome, we are almost finished...errr wait a minute.

Wow, had not realized Nate was in such a state. Very glad to hear that he is safely on board the cruise ship. Fair winds to Jonathan for the last run into Bermuda.

Any one else note the irony that for a sport that we all love so much, we work really hard to figure out how to make it end more quickly?

A little over two an half days ago, we were the 15th start out of 16. That made the first day something like a pursuit race as we chased down the fleet that started as much as 2 and a half hours prior to our own start. The first night out, the horizon was filled with stern lights from left to right as far as the eye could see, like a milky way of Aqua Signal and Lopo Lights. Then the second day and night - absolute solitude as we ran out of boats that we could catch up to.

Now, as we hustle down the last miles of this particular trip to Bermuda, boats once again come into sight both port and starboard, as the fleet compresses towards the finish line. We are 20 miles out of the finish line, near reaching under the solent after a very good night of reach and run with the jury rigged A5. Thank god we figured that out, otherwise the two boats that have been chasing us for the past 18 hours would easily have gotten past us. I have no idea who they are, but they are persistent.

The next post will be from land, probably sometime tonight. Chris is taking his last nap at sea... given that his wife gave birth four weeks ago, Chris is probably the only guy who is more rested after the race than he was prior to the race. In a few minutes I will roust him to when we finally can see the low smudge off the island, and then race the last 6 miles from Kitchen Shoals, the longest 6 miles of any race.

[gybe-ho!]

Nice work by the Ptarmigan to take their division and 9th overall on IRC.

[Sheethead]

How are my buds on Fearless doing? I cant get to the tracker at work...

[2Newts]

Anyone have their record books open? Rambler is inches away from the finish.

Nice work YellowBrick - tracker working splendidly.


EDIT: From the Newport Bermuda page, here are the standing records, both about to get beaten:
The Newport Bermuda Race has two records, one for Open Division boats at 48hr, 28min, 31sec set by Hasso Plattner's Morning Glory in 2004 and the 'official' record for traditional designs set by Roy Disney's 75 foot Pyewacketis at 53hr, 39 min 22 sec.

The way I read the results, we have the following traditional designs that broke Pywacket's record:
Shockwave
Rambler
Bella
Tiburon
Rima2
Kodiak
Invictus
Conviction

And that the following boats broke the overall record

Shockwave
Rambler
Bella
Tiburon
Kodiak
Med Spirit

[EaglesDare]

How are my buds on Fearless doing? I cant get to the tracker at work...

You need to get a new job!

Doing 8.6kts about 85 miles to go. 2 miles back of Zion. Rest of Class 6 is 25 nm ahead, but they give Fearless time I believe.

[Mr. Fixit's brother,, Mr. Fixit]

Any corrected results around yet?

[gybe-ho!]

Any corrected results around yet?

Current provisionals here, both IRC and ORR.

Bermuda provisional results

[DogBalls]

How much faster would Rambler 100 have made the trip give the conditions?

[Friggin' in the Riggin']

I was wondering the same thing....Guess we'll never know.

How much faster would Rambler 100 have made the trip give the conditions?

[duncan]

bout five minutes

[Friggin' in the Riggin']

bout five minutes

Maybe a little quicker than that not that the 90 footer isn't very fast.

[vtsail]

Noticeable absence from Wes....I want the story about Donnybroken

[dacapo]

Noticeable absence from Wes....I want the story about Donnybroken

He's at B.I. R.W trying to forget the whole thing

[VUSailing]

Yup, last seen he was stoked about getting a ride for Race Week, third time is the charm?

[DogBalls]

bout five minutes

Maybe a little quicker than that not that the 90 footer isn't very fast.

It would be very interesting to run a hypothetical based on windspeed on the racecourse vs where Rambler 100 would have been.

[Student_Driver]

Question: How do you explain to the: family, co-workers, significant others.. that you absolutely need to stay in BER till Sunday afternoon.. when you've hit the dock on Monday... there's a dark lining to the silver cloud of a quick bermuda race, methinks..

[mr_ryano]

Question: How do you explain to the: family, co-workers, significant others.. that you absolutely need to stay in BER till Sunday afternoon.. when you've hit the dock on Monday... there's a dark lining to the silver cloud of a quick bermuda race, methinks..

All the flights are booked, dear! And a nice little shopping gift. All good