Melbourne to Osaka Double Handed Race 2013.

Optimus Prime Day 30 – Tuesday evening and into the night

The kite stayed up until about 6 when it was getting a bit tight and we were not quite heading to where we needed to go. Kite down and number 1 jib up for a while. Cruising along until the breeze dropped out a little and we ran out of horsepower so we decided to throw up a spinnaker. When we pulled the big kite down earlier on we took a nick out of it so opted for the smaller reaching spinnaker. Just as well!

Apparently at about the same time during the evening ORCV had sent out an email suggesting that we were in for some gale force southerlies. Unfortunately we didn't read that message and before we knew it the breeze was strengthening and was soon in the 20 knot range. We can live with that apart from the fact that we are heading for land and need to either jibe or take it down. After a couple of hours of nice downhill scooting along the decision was made for it to come down as jibing may have been a bit too tough with just the two of us with the breeze still getting stronger. We got it down without too much fuss and gybed across to head into the entry of Osaka Bay

By now the breeze is still getting stronger and eventually got to 35 / 40 knots. That was OK as we only had the main up and by going deep we were comfortable enough with what was happening. Then as we got closer to the gap that leads you into Osaka Bay the screen started to light up with AIS identified shipping. There were ships everywhere! Some seemed to be coastal and where heading in and out along the coast but there was also a whole swag that were coming our way and heading in with us. In the meantime the breeze was getting stronger to the point where first Daniel hit the race, boat speed record of 16 8 knots and then I had a go and kicked it up to 17 4 and then 17 .7 knots only to have him kick it up again to 18 knots and that was just with a main up!

One advantage we had for a while though, was that the Sun Princess had come in at about the same time on our left. Now she must have had every light they had switched on because she was lit up like a christmas tree but once she had crossed in front of us she became a beacon for us to follow as we powered down waves at 14 to 18 knots.

Given the number of ships and the strength of the breeze, which was still getting higher, we decided to both stay up for the duration. It was probably just as well too as one of us steered whilst the other was downstairs tracking ships through the AIS and occasionally getting through on the radio to them to check that they knew we were in the area. Not a lot of them answered though, so all we could do was dodge them and hope that they could see us either moving through them or on their screens through the AIS system. At one stage we did get through and the guy on the other end said yes, he could see us and I thought that he had said that he would pass us to port. Apparently, he said that he would turn to port which actually headed him towards us. Well, with 35 knots of breeze and having to sail as low to the wind as we could there was no where for us to go, so I got onto the radio to let them know that they where heading straight for us ……… no response. So the next best thing I could think of was the torch which I frantically waved around towards them in the hope that they could see it and get some idea of what was about to happen. In the end he kept turning to avoid us and finally did a 360 degree turn and was on his way again. Whoa, that was close.

The next trick was to gybe back again to head for a small gap called Yurasito which is perhaps a mile wide at most and leads into Osaka Bay proper. The trick was to find a gap between the boats heading out to sea. It sounds weird but there was that many of them and they were so consistent that you had to actually pick a gap to get across the flow of the traffic. Well we had heard in Melbourne that they let 4 boats out and then 4 boats in and so on because of the amount traffic involved but even at 3 o'clock in the morning? Well I tried everything to get in touch with Osaka Port Radio but just couldn't get anywhere. In the end we decided to just go for it as we would be unable to stop and wait anyway. It looked clear so we just headed in only to have a ship suddenly appear at the top of the screen which looked like it would be coming through about when we would be but in the opposite direction. Thankfully they responded when I called them up and they had a pilot onboard with them and after checking our position and identifying where we were they agreed to let us through. I suspect that they could hear the relief in my voice as I thanked them for making the allowance and letting us pass through before them.

Day 31 – Wednesday 24th April 2013
Well once we got through and the Bay opened up and the traffic was a little less in your face we decided to put in a couple of tucks in the main and get a jib up. So the number 4 came up and the number 1 went down into the cabin after spending the night on the deck. That is about when the breeze started to clock forward and drop out. OK. Take the tucks out and bring the number 1 back up and have another go. Before we knew it we were tacking to the finish line in 5 or 6 knots of breeze. How can it go from 35 knot southerlies to 5 knot northerlies in the space of a few miles? Amazing. The downside of course was that we had to tack for the last 15 miles or so and arrived at the finishing line about an hour later than first expected.

Eventually and at about 10 o'clock AEST – 9 o'clock local – we crossed the finishing line. We had made it.

After getting the sails down we were escorted into the marina by one of the local yachts to be met by a hand full of club members who helped tie us to the dock and then Quarantine and Customs officials. These didn't take long and I suspect that may have had something to do with the pong coming from us and our wet weather gear. When we asked if they wanted / needed to go downstairs for an inspection they took one look and told us that it wouldn't be necessary. Once the formalities were concluded we were escorted down the jetty by the Osaka Hokko Yacht Club Commodore and other club members to a resounding round of applause by still more local club members, family and friends of other competitors and some of the gang from Melbourne that had put the event together. It was really quite strange to receive this sort of welcome but much appreciated by Dan and I.

Next step was to head into the Clubhouse for the announcement of our result, a welcome from the Commodore along with a presentation of a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of Champagne to us both. It also included a small question and answer session which again was special but strange as we never have this sort of fanfare at the end of a race at home. Once the official side of things were completed we were led to a small two story building that they call Melbourne House. Apparently this was built specifically for the event somewhere along the line and becomes the centre of all things to do with the event. This is where they party.

I had been told of the Japanese hospitality but to actually see it in action is quite humbling. Remembering that this happens for every boat that finishes, Dan and I were sat at the main table, that was full of all sorts of tucker, both Japanese and western and even included two pieces of minced steak for both of us. We were again welcomed and cheered and the festivities got under way proper with the rum, beer and wine flowing freely. We learnt later that members are rostered on to prepare the meal for each boat and that the produce is supplied by the members and it just keeps coming. Once we had finished the feed a couple of members drove us to the immigration office where we showed our passports had our finger prints and a photo of our eyes taken and we were officially accepted into Japan.

6 hours later Wasabi finished and it all started again – announcement, flowers, champagne and interview followed by another feed and party. 6 hours after that Escapade arrived and same again. Unfortunately, I missed this one because by about 9 o'clock after not having slept for nearly 40 hours and with a belly full of rum and beer, I hit the wall, lay down on the sofa right in amongst it all and slept through party number 3. Dan missed this one too. Whilst he had been up as long as I had his reason was more rum induced as he had well and truly given a bottle of Sailor Jerry rum a hiding during the afternoon. Max, a member of Hokko Yacht Club and the guy that has apparently put in a lot of work at the Japan end for the race, went looking for Daniel as he was concerned that he might fall in. Anyway he found Dan sound asleep at the nav table on OP with his head on the desk and his hand on the computer keyboard. Perhaps that was one email that didn't quite make it out into the ether.

Thursday and Friday

We had a clean up and dry out of the boat and packed up sails etc. Cadabarra 8 finished so we had another party before being kicked out of Melbourne House so that it could be cleaned up ready for tomorrow’s party when Spirit of Downunder is due in.

Sure enough another party, which finished when Laurie, the skipper, who is 74 by the way and also did the trip with his son, had had enough and headed off to his accommodation for a well-earned sleep. By now the locals where getting ready to pack up for the day but apparently the restaurant at the hotel a lot of us are staying at had closed and as the area we are in is basically and industrial area, there wasn't anything else to choose from. So what happened? The members dug into the fridge and freezer, I went and got some of the microwave meals we had left over and we had another party!! Gusto was due in tomorrow but have apparently hit some horrible headwinds so now may not get in until Sunday sometime. I guess the locals will not be too upset to have a day off remembering that they, along with the ORCV contingent, are all volunteers and are covering their own costs.

Reflections (ramblings really)
Whilst this race isn't something I had ever thought of doing until Daniel ask if I would like to, I am glad that he invited me to join him and that we managed to get here in one piece. It was always his gig and I suspect that I only got the invite because I had a boat that could do the race. He did the research that came up with Plan A although, he did discuss the pros and cons with me as to why we should go where we did which were sound in my opinion and in the end worked out as he had hoped. I thank him for the opportunity and for putting up with me and my dithering.

We should also thank Lynnath for helping Dan improve his weather routing and Expedition skills and her advice on which weather sites gave good information to enable him to plot the course that got us here. I would also like to thank Jess who gave him the heads up about crossing the equator at 160 E because we didn't in fact have to deal with the transition from equatorial to trade winds by going that way, as there effectively wasn't one for us. The breeze simply clocked from ESE to ENE without really dropping out. That came later!!

During the nights especially, there is plenty of time to ponder and some of that was my thoughts on what doubled hand racing was all about. Now racing around the buoys on a Saturday afternoon is about tactics and how you deal with the opposing boats along with the need for good boat and sail handling skills in order to save valuable seconds here and there over the yachts around you. Offshore is a little different again as it requires a different set of skills given there is often a change in the weather during a race so changing spinnakers or jibs in a seamanlike manner is all important as is being in the right position for that change to give maximum benefit. Double handed racing seems to be a little more relaxed and whilst being able to put a tuck in or out or get a jib changed and a spinnaker up and own with just the two of you are all important skills that you must have, strategy and weather routing seem to me to be more important. The big picture if you like.

For instance most of our steering was done by the auto pilot, a machine, and we simply kept the boat trimmed so that Otto could do his job properly. This means that you do not have to concentrate as hard which in turn means that you don't get as tired either. When we did our first double hander to Naturaliste and back Dan called it care taking. I think it is a bit more than that and reckon it is more about managing the things you need to, so that Otto is steering the best he possibly can and so enable the boat to go as fast as it can. From talking with some of the current and passed sailors in this event it is about an even mix of those that do most of the steering themselves and those that let the auto pilot do it. I will stick with our method although, it does come at a cost with the amount of power that you need to produce. Had we not put in the generator I suspect that we would have had to hand steer a lot more as running the motor to charge the batteries would have used up too much fuel.

The other interesting part about double handed sailing is that you do not have the manpower you need to make sail changes and the like as quickly as you would with a full crew. Therefore, things are more about process rather than speed so that you avoid the sorts of things that can end in disaster. Fortunately those processes evolved to the point where we both knew what was required to carry out whatever it was we needed to do as efficiently as possible even if Daniel had to train and remind me more than he might have liked.

We should also give a big thanks to the volunteers that have not only put this thing together, effectively without sponsors, although with some support from Sandringham and Hokko Yacht Clubs and the ORCV. It is the people that have made it happen though and they deserve all of the praise that can be heaped upon them for making sure that this unique event continues to be a part of the sailing calendar. A special thanks is included for the members of the Hokko Yacht Club that have welcomed us so openly and with such vigour. We thank you all.

Finally I thank those of you that sent congratulatory emails both during and at the end of the race . I hope you enjoyed my coverage of the race and will again be sending out a report of our travels as we head to other destinations and some regattas and races along the way as I get to fulfil my ambition to sail around the world over the next few years.

That is it for now. Jon Sanders and some of his crew from the Bali Race will be here towards the end of the month to sail OP to the Cocos Islands for me where a few of us will take over and get it to South Africa ready to compete in the race from Capetown to Rio in early January. Jon flies back to Bali to pick up his boat and follow us to Capetown as he too is doing the race to Rio.

Thanks again. Be good

TT and Dan