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Celestra Race Blog

After a frustrating day of sail issues, lines wrapped on rudders, etc. We finally fixed everything including the leach line on the kite and have made great progress at night. We have lowered the main to third reef which has shifted the center of effort forward and reduced the blanking effect on the kite. The crew seems to be having a much easier time on the helm with the COF shifted. This is probably not the best VMG for this boat, but given the steadier helm, we will probably do better overall. 

Surf and turf Wednesdays made up for all the issues. 

P.S. We just saw Medicine Man pass by. Looking sharp.

2019 First to Finish: Jason Carroll’s MOD 70 Argo!

After a slow initial start on Saturday, Jason Carroll and his team of Chad Corning, Thierry Fouchier, Anderson Reggio, Alister Richardson, Brian Thompson, Westy Barlow were able to push their MOD 70 trimaran Argo into the lead among two other rival MOD 70's in this year's 50th edition of the LA-Honolulu Transpac. 

After several hours into the race and having to fight to get out of a wind hole on the first night, the team found the strong offshore breeze first to take a lead never seriously challenged during the entire race, playing a brilliant tactical game to also deftly stay ahead of their competition on the final approach to the finish.

Which was needed: Peter Cunningham's team on PowerPlay, a sistership MOD 70, finished just 29 minutes astern after 2225 miles of racing. 

Argo's official finish time was 20:50:32 HST on Wednesday, July 17th, for an elapsed time of 4 days 11 hours 20 min 32 sec ...a remarkable time considering their first day's slow start and only 5 hours behind the record pace set in 2017 by the ORMA 60Mighty Merloe of 4 days 6 hours 32 minutes 30 sec.

This translates to an average speed down the course of 20.7 knots.

Aloha!

Argo Race Blog

Tea time was interrupted last evening when the brain trust on board opted for multiple sail changes as we worked into the NW winds. The brits onboard were not happy. One of the Americans threw the rest of the tea over the side.

Paradox Race Blog

Amazing to get out of the hole yesterday evening. Gutted to get sucked in but thats how it goes a. Last race we had nuc'in winds this one nada for the start.  One extreme to another... drifting backwards at 1kt to 30kts reaching in flat water and full moon. What a great section of the race! A little damp but the boat loves being lent on hard. 

Now into glamour champagne sailing downwind with genak and staysail at 18-23kts. The full moon surfing downwind is superb! Spirits are high, water is warm and showers on deck about to commence:)

Thanks to our shore crew arthur for the amazing fresh cooked grub, its giing down a absolute treat.

Snoopy Race Blog

Friends of Snoopy!

Day two of TransPac!  Before I get started, many people have asked why we renamed the boat Snoopy.  Two reasons, really. Because she was originally Snoopy, and who in their right mind would sail to Hawaii on a re-named boat!

Being the second TransPac start, we got under way yesterday with classes 3-5 hitting the course.  After a good start, wind went left and one of our sister-ships, Velvet Hammer burned us off forcing us to go right early.  This turned out to pay as we were the first J125 to Catalina.  After Catalina, the synoptic winds slowly took over and we picked a slightly southerly compared to most of our other competitors.  With our killer J1/jib-top conversion sail, we set off into the building breeze and washing-machine conditions.  Not much fun, but after a long night of upper teens/low 20's and waves coming from six different directions we got to where we wanted to be this morning...just South and bow forward on our northerly competitors. We will see if this pays off mid-next week, but for now we are sailing in strong breeze, with fast sails and a nice line to enter the trades.  Fingers crossed!