ORCV Melbourne to Stanley (M2S)

Placings.

Goldfinger leads from Calm by 5.5nm with Gusto in third place for Line Honours. The two leaders have knocked of half of the course, so far. The last three are Escapade, Independent Endeavour and lastly, but not leastly, Magic. She is just a little over one fifth of the way into it.

The Handicap rankings are not completely accurate at present, so please stand by for adding information on that and the Tracker. Thank you for your patience and understanding. At least Line Honours standings are up!

I reckon everybody would love a bit of this right now... Goldfinger working hard to hold her lead as they are over half way to Stanley. Calm, in second place, are just under half way.

Magic in the 2009 M2G race.

This is Calm on her way to winning the 2009 M2G. No such pace on at present, however.

Who, What, Where, When...?????? We'll get to that in a bit... In the meantime, the latest standings are up and current - see HERE. In terms of weather, the high South of NZ is still dominant, but the cold front to the West of Tassie is just itching to get into play and the latest information indicates that this may occur on Sunday with the 15 to 25kn NE going South at 20 to 30 - new information on all of that at just after 1600hrs...

© John Curnow, ORCV Media

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ORCV Melbourne to Stanley (M2S)

Retirements and stuff.

XLR8 regrettably went before the start with her rudder bearing leaking and at the midday sked, we also had retirements from Pretty Woman and Chikara Outlaw. All crews are fine and well. Chikara has had electrical/motor problems and is returning to Port Phillip Heads, thence onto her home at RMYS. Pretty Woman retired due to lack of progress and impending forecasts for areas West of the operating area. Caledonia have also retired for a very similar reason and are on the way back to RBYC.

In terms of the crazy weather scenario, it is Magazan53 are currently having their turn now at being becalmed.

Presently, as the 1205 sked finishes up, we have good breeze down here at Stanley and the rain has dried up for now...

Roger and Michelle Wale's Pretty Woman and I think it is John Spencer in the yellow...

Chikara Outlaw with Bill Trueman on the helm...

Who, What, Where, When...?????? We'll get to that in a bit... In the meantime, the latest standings are up and current - see HERE. In terms of weather, the high South of NZ is still dominant, but the cold front to the West of Tassie is just itching to get into play and the latest information indicates that this may occur on Sunday with the 15 to 25kn NE going South at 20 to 30 - new information on all of that at just after 1600hrs...

© John Curnow, ORCV Media

Please contact me for re-issue rights.

ORCV Melbourne to Stanley (M2S)

Where are they, then?

No record.

There won't be any news on that front this year...

What we can say is the following on from the 0605sked - Goldfinger was 28.8nm down the line form Point Lonsdale light, Calm was 28.2 and further East of the rhumbline. Gusto was 24.7nm and Spirit of Freya, to show what a slower type of vessel was doing, were 19nm down the line form Lonsdale.

Go The Finger! With thanks to Steb Fisher for the use of his © image of Goldie gybing after the top mark at the start of the 2010 M2G.

I think everybody would be loving it, if they were barrelling along like this today....

Who, What, Where, When...?????? Stay tuned... 1205hrs next sked...

© John Curnow, ORCV Media

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ORCV Melbourne to Stanley (M2S)

XLR8 retires and Tracker trying.

News from Burnie on Saturday morning is that it is blowing 25knots from the SE here and Sheryl Robson tells us that Stanley's very famous, The Nut, is not visible from her house. Of course, last year the sea fog was amazing and slowed the fleet down unbelievably, before the leaders emerged from the mist and flew to the line... Are we seeing the same again????

By way of explanation, if you look at the PredictWind charts in the previous article, which you can see HERE, the effects of the trough that is stretching down from NSW to Tassie as a result of the huge high pressure system South of NZ and the low pressure in the Bight, are very distinct. On either sidde of Bass Strait you have 25 to 30knots and not a lot in between. So at some time, one factor will change and as a result, the wind in the Paddock will also change.

Of course, there are always coastal effects here and if you get to within, say 20-30nm of Stanley, you will no doubt enjoy different conditions and yes, that is exactly what happened last year. So it is time to concentrate, make whatever way you can and keep the food and sleep all up-to-date. The breeze will come and likely at around 15-20kn when it does...

This is Matangi in the fog last year....

The other news is that XLR8 has retired with a leaking rudder bearing. All crew are fine and no doubt, a little disappointed. Also news from out in the middle of The Paddock from Caledonia is that they are bracing for a massive 3knots and have the brollies on deck, ready for the impending downpour. Official report - "At 1230am Before the start XLR8 has retired due to lower rudder bearing leaking badly - not safe to go to sea with bad conditions forecast ahead. Returning to SYC."

XLR8 on Port Phillip in 2009.

The Tracker is presently down and we apologise for that. it will be up later on Saturday morning. We have been implementing some additional features and the system is not fully functioning, just yet. Good news is that the skeds have been completed, everyone is well and soon, the tracker will be working fine. Click HERE to go there now.

As a result of our good friends at Toll Shipping and especially Adam Manders as well as Matt the Ship's Master and Dave the First Officer of Victorian Reliance, we are with the van and boats like Ice Fire, Yoko and Slinky Malinky were popping out of their pens around the same time too.

You cannot see it this morning, but this is what it looks like, normally...

What is Huey planning... All talk this morning during breakfast at The Captain's Table was on bets - $1.50 for a 50mm downpour seemed to be the odds on favourite!!!!!

© John Curnow, ORCV Media

Please contact me for re-issue rights.