Bermuda 1-2
- Thread starter DPope
- Start date
Rail Meat
Super Anarchist
There is a loaded question....
I won't repeat my thoughts about the concept of a vote, but instead refer back to my prior post on that. However, I think that the fleet was worse off in waiting the day than leaving on time. The delay meant that
- Boats that might have been fast enough to avoid the low all together were hit by it instead.
- Boats that were in the next tier of speed that might have been hit while on the continental shelf were instead hit in the Stream which in combination with the normal convective forces at work in the stream mean even higher wind. I saw the worst winds by the time I was on the shelf and never saw anything over say about 36 or 37 knots. Others in the stream reported 45 knots.
- The system was given another 24 hours to build up the sea state, making it worse for all boats. Had we been in the low early on we would have had the same winds, but the wave action might not have been as severe. I frankly don't think the winds were anything terrible, but the seas made the last 36 hours pretty miserable.
- The back half of the fleet is now stuck with some really light winds that they might have avoided or at least limited if they left a day earlier.
Strangely enough, the vote to delay probably brought about many of the things they thought they were avoiding by delaying. A 'careful what you wish for'.
swaterhouse
New member
Looks like Drew and Katie left Bermuda - hopefully the race tracker will follow them the whole way back and they have a safe fast trip!
d'ranger
Super Anarchist
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So far so good - according to the tracker they are within a quarter mile of each other. This could be interesting - can't find a nicer yet more competitive couple anywhere.
d'ranger
Super Anarchist
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- 5,216
They are so close together (.4 mile) the map only displays Drew - if you go select each both it gives the data. Drew is still ahead but not by much and just now Eko is .1 knot faster than WAFI. I like them both but have to cheer for Katie. You go girl.
d'ranger
Super Anarchist
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- 5,216
Katie goes from being .4 miles behind and is now leading my almost 2 miles. Naaaahhh, nothing to see here, move along.
[email protected]
Member
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Well, the "results" might have been a LITTLE different had Drew not slowed WAFI down for the first two days while we were reaching in 15kts plus. I think he had one reef more than me most of the time... or was luffing the main or something! 'Course, you never know... The proto can't point (daggerboard re-design in the works!!) while eKo goes upwind like a champ- there was quite a bit of upwind sailing. I think she can point 10 degrees (or more?) higher than the proto right now... and, with weight forward, just powers through the waves. Add the enormous genoa in under 15kts, and there was no way WAFI was going to catch up while we were beating.
That said, the whole MISSION of the trip back was to stay together. Drew worked really hard at doing this on the first days, then I got impatient with the proto not going upwind. I just had to start aiming at Newport after days of letting the gulf stream take us to Europe.. and so I left him. Not my finest moment. It was definitely NOT supposed to be a race!!
This sail back was ridiculous. I have never seen such varying conditions over a relatively short piece of ocean! And what was UP with the gulfstream this time! We were becalmed in the gulf stream BOTH WAYS!! WTF???
The experience of bobbing in the stream while trying to "sail" against the current was possibly the most disorienting and frustrating experience I may have ever had. We had 5kts of counter current! This meant that unless the boat was going over 5kts... WE were going directly east.
So, If I was going 6kts, I was making good 1kt on a heading of 350 (or so). If I was going 4.9kts (light air, remember!), then I was going between 0 and 4.9 kts with a course over the ground of exactly 100, absolutely regardless of what my heading was according to the compass. FABULOUS!!! Especially exciting to watch on the GPS! WHERE THE HELL IS THE BOAT GOING!!
Finally, we realized that the only way we were going to make any way towards Newport at all was to sail a heading just barely north of east. (like 080... or, in fact, even due east).
Escaping that current felt like winning the lottery.
I swear, the gods thought it would be fun to see what we would do with every condition possible. No wind from behind, 30 kts from behind, 40-50 kt squalls, becalmed, 25kts upwind, .9kts upwind, becalmed, 20 knots reaching, etc, etc. (and all within a 24 hour period!!). Unbelievable!
Boy-oh, though, that eKo really is an amazing boat. The boat is SO well balanced it will drive itself in almost any condition. She's just really fast too... and forgiving. I might be "competitive", but as we all know it doesn't mean I'm a very skilled sailor. I definitely have a TON to learn about optimizing the performance of the mini. Hopefully we may have someone better than I sail her in a race summer, or later this year. I can't wait to show everyone what our little boat can really do. She is a BLAST to sail.
If anyone wants to sail that little eKo let us know! She'll be in Newport up until the fall boat show.
Thanks for watching our return trip home! It's good to be here!
kt
That said, the whole MISSION of the trip back was to stay together. Drew worked really hard at doing this on the first days, then I got impatient with the proto not going upwind. I just had to start aiming at Newport after days of letting the gulf stream take us to Europe.. and so I left him. Not my finest moment. It was definitely NOT supposed to be a race!!
This sail back was ridiculous. I have never seen such varying conditions over a relatively short piece of ocean! And what was UP with the gulfstream this time! We were becalmed in the gulf stream BOTH WAYS!! WTF???
The experience of bobbing in the stream while trying to "sail" against the current was possibly the most disorienting and frustrating experience I may have ever had. We had 5kts of counter current! This meant that unless the boat was going over 5kts... WE were going directly east.
So, If I was going 6kts, I was making good 1kt on a heading of 350 (or so). If I was going 4.9kts (light air, remember!), then I was going between 0 and 4.9 kts with a course over the ground of exactly 100, absolutely regardless of what my heading was according to the compass. FABULOUS!!! Especially exciting to watch on the GPS! WHERE THE HELL IS THE BOAT GOING!!
Finally, we realized that the only way we were going to make any way towards Newport at all was to sail a heading just barely north of east. (like 080... or, in fact, even due east).
Escaping that current felt like winning the lottery.
I swear, the gods thought it would be fun to see what we would do with every condition possible. No wind from behind, 30 kts from behind, 40-50 kt squalls, becalmed, 25kts upwind, .9kts upwind, becalmed, 20 knots reaching, etc, etc. (and all within a 24 hour period!!). Unbelievable!
Boy-oh, though, that eKo really is an amazing boat. The boat is SO well balanced it will drive itself in almost any condition. She's just really fast too... and forgiving. I might be "competitive", but as we all know it doesn't mean I'm a very skilled sailor. I definitely have a TON to learn about optimizing the performance of the mini. Hopefully we may have someone better than I sail her in a race summer, or later this year. I can't wait to show everyone what our little boat can really do. She is a BLAST to sail.
If anyone wants to sail that little eKo let us know! She'll be in Newport up until the fall boat show.
Thanks for watching our return trip home! It's good to be here!
kt
sharkbait
Member
Good to know that you had some of the same crazy weather as the rest of us! I agree, what was going on this year?
1. No marine life south of the stream - it was all north. I think the last whale we saw was all only 50 miles south of Newport.
2. We were actually becalmed in the stream at one point going home .. that has never happened before. Of course that was quickly replaces with a 30+ knot squall ..
3. More squalls on this trip that ever before. 0 knots, 20 knots, 5 knots, 30 knots, ... WTF??
1. No marine life south of the stream - it was all north. I think the last whale we saw was all only 50 miles south of Newport.
2. We were actually becalmed in the stream at one point going home .. that has never happened before. Of course that was quickly replaces with a 30+ knot squall ..
3. More squalls on this trip that ever before. 0 knots, 20 knots, 5 knots, 30 knots, ... WTF??
TPG
Super Anarchist
sailthebay26
Anarchist
I believe he is still dealing with the insurance company still. Once that all gets sorted where it will go will be determined. I'm ready to see the boat back in Newport so we can put it back together. From talking to Jay the hull is solid but everything else is shot. It needs rudders, electronics, mast, sails, some running and standing rigging.
