ORCV Melbourne to Vanuatu (M2V)

So what does 0.7 of a knot look like?

Slinky Malinky still has her AIS transponder working and earlier on this afternoon, she was making just 0.7 of a knot. Now there's 1.852 km/h in a knot (which is a nautical mile per hour), so the answer is 1.3km/h.

We got this pic of Mirrabooka's kite (she's a Jenneau) as they went past Wilsons Promintory and all the creases in it, indicate that it was struggling to fill.

This, then, is what 0.7 looks like...

To find out who's where in the chase of the container full of humanitarian aid: Go to Sked information (Radio Schedules are when the fleet radios in to tell us where they are etc.), which is HERE and Tracker, which is HERE.

 

 

By John Curnow

 

 

ORCV Melbourne to Vanuatu (M2V)

Race leader charges in towards Gabo Island.

Straight off Scarlet Runner this afternoon comes this report, "Nearing Point Hicks at 5pm. Sunny but cold. Beating into a 9 knot SE. Will be at Gabo (Island) before midnight. Most asleep and dinner soon."

Pic © Teri Dodds.

Earlier on in the day, we received this information about a good run overnight and a lot of sunbaking during the day!

"38 deg 01min Sth, 248 deg 27min East coming up on 3pm, Monday 5th July. Beautiful sunny day out in the Paddock today, very flat, not a lot of breeze.  Spent the first half of the day sailing through the oil rigs in a dying Westerly. Almost no breeze for a couple of hours now heading towards Gabo in a 5-10kn breeze with a lot of south in it – will be pretty chilly tonight. All well on board, not much sleep had last night but there’s been some catch up time in the sun on deck today. Looking forward to turning the corner (Gabo) and heading North."

"Morning - We are at. 38.28.196S and 147.36.755E. Great night with up to 20 knots wind. Surfing all the way. Now off Paynesville. Out to sea in oil rigs. Doing 4.9kn in 4kn pressure from 333degrees."

To find out who's where in the chase of the container full of humanitarian aid: Go to Sked information (Radio Schedules are when the fleet radios in to tell us where they are etc.), which is HERE and Tracker, which is HERE.

 

 

By John Curnow

 

 

ORCV Melbourne to Vanuatu (M2V)

Getting warmer already!

Just in from The Secretary is this comment "JC. Off the Prom in straw hats and sandals!" and this pic: -

From onboard, Robyn Brooke also tells us, "Although I was thinking of somewhere like Vanuatu when I said, 'take me somewhere warm George', you certainly can't complain about 15 degrees at 6pm in Bass Strait, in the middle of Winter. As expected, we have a diminishing breeze and a very sloppy sea, both heading the same way we want to go, so it's a little bit rock 'n roll and very slow.  Thank goodness for the boom brake, (also known as a preventer), which is stopping any accidents."

Getting back to their Masterchef Division race with Ingenue, Robyn added "I whipped up some Kiev medallions for lunch, with a japanese red cabbage salad -  nice and light, so looking forward to a good italian fettucini with meatballs and shaved parmesan for dinner (and maybe a really nice glass of red)."

"It was a fun family night at Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron on Saturday, thanks to everyone who came down and the great send off from Portsea yesterday. It was wonderful to see such a big crowd."

Also abeam of the Prom (Wilsons Promintory in Gippsland, SE Victoria) earlier this morning, was Mirrabooka. Chris Tyshing sent this info and the pic through from husband Ray, who's onboard David Bingham's Jenneau. ".. the crew were thrilled to hear they had made it to the website news as winners of the start! They are all very upbeat – light conditions and a good spinnaker run."

If you find a term you don't understand, sorry - unintentional. However, you should fin all the definitions you could need HERE, at this great glossary I found.

 

As of Monday morning, Scarlet Runner leads the chase of the container full of humanitarian aid, from TevakeII and Samskara. Sked information (Radio Schedules are when the fleet radios in to tell us where they are etc.) is HERE and Tracker is HERE.

 

 

By John Curnow

 

 

ORCV Melbourne to Vanuatu (M2V)

Teri fic pic - or ten...

These © Teri Dodds pics are from the start and the journey out the Heads, as the 2010 M2V fleet got away on July 4. Thank you for the use of them Teri...

A sensational crowd for a Winter's day - thank you to everyone who ventured down - whether yachtie, family or just generally interested. The fleet all made comments to me as we went out the Heads with them about how much it all meant.

A very close start was what the crews turned on for them...

The 51st Project does a sail past to say farewell to friends. He of the loud shorts was he of the loud beannie on the day. Under that atrocious lime green thing, is Smithy...

The very enthusiastic junior supporters are Cheryl's kids and Mum. Erin Foster is holding Christopher, who is Phil (he's the one with the wheel and waving above) and Cheryl's boy. Erin was part of the Top Gun crew that recently won the AWKR, which you can review HERE.

Heading over to the turning mark off Shortland Bluff, with Samskara ahead and to leeward.

And this is mum Cheryl (with the wheel now), Phil signaling that all is set to go and our loud shorts man waving goodbye...

David Stoopman driving his Samskara over towards the turning mark.

Samskara got out the Heads in second place - and yes, that is my lighthouse in the background (Point Lonsdale).

Race leader cleared away like a gazelle with every leap...

Love the groovy 'just right for the press' over-shirts! Nice touch.

Lighthouses and beacons of Shortland Bluff over on the right. They are crucial to navigating Port Phillip Heads successfully.

Reminded me sooooooooooo much of the Marines on Iwo Jima and the flag hoist image, that I just could not wait to get this pic up...

This is certainly one way to get to vanuatu, but most likely, not very comfortable. No wonder the FDU whinge and moan...

FINALLY, the code zero was set and they really did take off. Dave Eichmeyer, who made all her Quantum sails, was out following Scarlet Runner and we thought he'd be having apoplexy and require an air lift!!! (I asked him later and he didn't, so that's a good thing...)

Angus Fletcher driving his Tevake II over to Shotland Bluff (Queenscliff). They were third out the Heads.

Graeme Radford, the boat's designer, will be happy with this image...

A lot less bumpy than the 2006 start. If you remember the image, you'll know why. Go HERE to see what all the fuss is about.

Going up!

Angus surveys the fleet behind and it is Scarlet Runner off in the distance.

Slinky Malinky were on to the kite thing pretty quickly, once they had cleared Point Nepean.

Then it was all about stabilising the kite and getting the headsail down.

ORCV Commodore, George Shaw and our Robyn Brooke (who started, ran and pushed the Vanuatu Humanitarian Aid Project), say goodbye.

Clipping along nicely.

Ingenue (a Jenneau) were over at the start and had to go back. David James and Rosie Collahan are competing with George and Robyn on The Secretary in the Masterchef class, as there is not a Two Handed Division in the 2010 M2V. Don't believe me, here's the rack of lamb from The Secretary during the Apollo Bay race. it's a little fuzzy, as boats tend to move around...

Once outside, Mirrabooka (also a Jenneau) was one, if not, the first, to get a kite up. Remember, they won the start too. Good work.

This is Garisenda, who I am hoping will do well (as they're my dark horse...)

 

As of Monday morning, Scarlet Runner leads from TevakeII and Samskara. Sked information (Radio Schedules are when the fleet radios in to tell us where they are etc.) is HERE and Tracker is HERE.

 

 

By John Curnow