Melbourne Osaka Double Handed Yacht Race 19/4/13 –0600

At this mornings 0600 sked, Cadibarra8, Optimus Prime and Wasabi have all broken through the 1000nm to go mark and Spirit of Downunder probably also by the time this is posted. Of course Escapade is alredy through 750nm to go. She still has a lead of186 nm but there are plenty of unpredictables yet. For example, in 1999 it took Yoko 2 days to traverse Osaka Bay, just 9 miles, while Spirit of Downunder had 40 kts and took just hours. In the synoptic situation below I have shown three yachts as E-Escapade, W –Wasabi and KGMS- Kiss Goodbye to MS so that you can see their place in the broader synoptic scheme. Will Escapade meet the fog patch? In these northern parts, the fog can persist with up to 15 kts of breeze such that yachts can be charging at full speed with very limited visibility!-interesting! Tonights sked should be very interesting also as strategic maneuvers become more limited closer to finish-RFH

Osaka Cup. Onboard update from Cadibarra 8  Co-Skippers Paul Roberts and Martin Vaughan, Thursday 18 April, 2013. A consistent story as the light patch mother nature served up, engulfs another yacht:
"Flop, flop wallow wallow.
Flop, flop goes the sails as we sit becalmed. Its been almost 24hrs of this incredibly frustrating nothingness. Everything we try comes to nothing, the best option appears to be code 0 and try to point to where we want to go. 

Its important to keep motivated but when you are barely making 2 knots on average its really hard. Our opposition appear to be handling the conditions better or by fate are experiencing slightly more favorable conditions as we noticed from the last sched Wasabi have blitzed us being almost 60Nm in front and we lost time to both Spirit and Optimus Prime. 

Need to keep motivated, need to keep pushing ourselves. Its hard when you are so tired though."

Melbourne Osaka Double Handed Yacht Race 2013 0600

Robin Hewitt

Thank goodness for the 0600 and 1800 skeds! The tracker is a wonderful tool but with the tracker reports at varying times it can be sometimes difficult to make detailed analysis, but certainly a picture is worth a thousand words as the saying goes and it all levels out at these two skeds. Funnelwebs position is updated manually on the tracker at sked times and has to be taken with a pinch of salt in between.

Kiss Goodbye to MS reports at this mornings radio sked that they retired at 0200 and are heading to Truck (sic-read Chuuk) island. They have been dogged by light weather for a long time now and require further supplies. Shelley reports that they would like some assistance if anyone has knowledge of supplies, fuel etc.

Light winds as the center of a weakish HP system centred about 20° N, 132°E passes through the fleet creating mixed fortunes and reports of ‘lovely day’ to ‘cloudy, overcast’ and ‘rain’, all the while low pressure near Japan giving good winds a little further North. Interesting that the winds shown on the tracker are ahead of this 24 hr forecast map from Japan which should be valid for 6am today  but the features are clear. As always the slight differences in forecasts are race winning stuff and it requires experience and knowledge to interpret plus a sixth sense from local observation.

17.4.2013 1800hrs Melbourne Osaka Double Handed Race

What is building excitement is not so much where everyone is placing racewise but rather with the staggered start how everyone is coming together. Escapade is still comfortably leading the charge and has broken the 1000 mile to go mark at the 1800 sked 17/4/13. Meanwhile Optimus Prime reports they found Escapade’s windless hole and paid their dues moving just 39 miles since 0600. They practiced some of the dreaded 360s and have battled hard to keep moving. Wasabi meanwhile is now 140 nm from Escapade. At the other end Kiss Goodbye to MS managed just 39 hard earned miles for the 12 hours but is advancing having reached 3°N which in the conditions he is encountering is welcome. In terms of progress Gusto has again moved up well with 90 nm but is well short of what she can do wind willing. Turbulence is right there making 86 nm for the 12 hours. The weather pattern ahead is changing but I suspect not record breaking and the possibility of something dirty much later, but may be losing it’s sting. Here’s hoping for them all-RFH

Melbourne Osaka Double Handed Yacht Race. Latest from the 0600 sked 17/4/2013

Escapade has shaken off the calms to record a credible 71 miles overnight. Most of the yachts have had reasonable breeze of 8 to 14 kts but light weather still plagues Kiss Goodbye to MS and Southern Cross as Yasu sadly reports later of engine use. Optimus Prime is now just 93 miles behind Escapade-seems Escapade is the marker-Wasabi 132 miles, Cadibarra 146 miles and Gusto now 496. Comments have a definite feel for the finish is in sight and it seems to be developing into a thrilling finish. Really! just two Sydney-Hobarts to go!-RFH

Lozza from Spirit of Downunder reported early this morning (0130)"they were having problems with internet and email access so were using sms. "After a good three hours kip we are approx 130 miles NW of Guam which we passed about mid-day yesterday and enjoyed US-style FM radio. Tonight is a gorgeous starry night with 10-13 kts NNE. Mr moon has been and gone but is balmy with a warmish breeze and considerably reduced humidity making for very pleasant conditions.

Soon be there, only 1245 nm to Osaka Bay entrance." Laurie.

Yasu from Southern Cross reports 

"Yesterday the wind we’d been praying for had not arrived.
So at 00:35 this morning I’m afraid I started the engine. We are still in the Doldrums, yet to cross the equator and looking at the forecasts these current conditions appear to continue.

We’ll head north under power until we find the trade winds and once we find them we’ll commence sailing again.
Please continue to follow our progress."

Melbourne Osaka Double-Handed 2013  1900 16/4

A few jottings from the positions at 1900 which I am sure many others are playing with. I selected just three boats as representative of what is happening.

Escapade seems to have a bad day. At the 0600 sked she was 202 miles ahead of Optimus Prime, 228 ahead of Wasabi and 708 ahead of Gusto.

  At 1900 hrs she was 108 ahead of Optimus Prime, 151 ahead of Wasabi and 586 ahead of Gusto. The weather ahead in the next 3 days looks very interesting for the leaders and the systems are changing rapidly. Lots of technology on board but only as useful as the accuracy of the forecasts!  and this is Spring there! Longer term Spring forecasts here have a lesser reliability and similar in Japan with the added Continental influence. The closer to Osaka, the less options available! Very interesting-RFH