It is Coming On to Blow
by Race Committee, July 20th, 2014
In the wake of the cold front that arrived on Maui last night as JAM and Turnagain were arriving bringing heavy rain, winds have picked up considerably for the boats still working their way in. Instead of the 15-20 kts in the NWS marine forecast, Kinetic is reporting they have struggling since midnight with winds consistently blowing 35 kts.
This is definitely not what the boats needed coming to finish in tropical paradise.
And the weather here in Lahaina looks more like the Pacific Northwest in November - the rain is steady, the trees are rustling and spindrift is blowing off the breaking waves. BIG BUT - the temperature here is still 80F and the rain is refreshing. No GoreTex required.
The cold front that is what is left of tropical depression Wali is slowly moving westward, but the high wind warning issued this morning (a little late) mentioned that high winds are associated with thunderheads moving through the area. They are forecast to abate as the morning progresses. After 2 weeks at sea, lets hope that it abates quickly and gives the remaining boats a reprieve.
As of mid-morning, conditions had abated to merely very windy. Kinetic and Family Affair reported all was well and that were starting to add a little more canvas having the weathered the worst of the squalls. Passeportout reported that they had previously blown up their sail inventory and were sailing along with jib only and had only minor issues getting a reef into the main. Turicum struggled a bit more and reports having blown out their mainsail and heading to the finish under staysail. All 4 boats should arrive this evening to a well deserved rest.
It appears that the other 3 boats further up the course, Bedlam II, Avalon and Losloper did not get the super-squally conditions, but are preparing for it in any case.
Featured Sponsor
Shackles & Cotterpins
Featured Yacht Profile
Annie M (2022)
Type: Amel Mango 52Skipper: John McCarthy
Port: Santa Fe, NM
Blog: 1 articles posted
The Annie M crew has a wealth of experience to contribute to the Vic-Maui 2022 race. John McCarthy, the captain of Annie M, is a lifelong sailor with experience racing Snipes and J24s, as well as cruising on a Swan 47 and, of course, an Amel 52, the Annie M. His boat has been beautifully restored and named after his beloved wife of 60 years.
Steve McCarthy brings years of racing and cruising experiences from sailing many seas. He’s also a sailmaker and, since 2004, owner of Hogin Sails located in Alameda, CA. In addition to working with sail lofts from Seattle to Santa Cruz, he has raced on Moore 24s and J24s and cruised on a Swan 47 across Europe. Our sails are in good hands with Steve as a sailor since he was a wee one.
Steve Summers is an instructor at Seattle Sailing Club, an Outward Bound teacher, and a National Outdoor Leadership teacher with experience sailing long voyages requiring an excellent ability to handle a variety of conditions and personalities. He’s also a Wilderness First Responder and a well-respected navigator in the Pacific Northwest. A calm soul called to the wild, Steve seeks adventure, and Vic-Maui is one of the adventures he’s ready to tackle.
Callum Hally is focused on sailing when the opportunity arises. In the past five years, he’s sailed more than 500 hours on a variety of boats such as a Catalina 22, J35c and an Andrew 53 to name a few. Through his previous job with Seattle Sailing Club supporting the customer’s experience, he became passionate about being on the water. He’s an excellent crew member with an insatiable thirst for reading, which makes him a fascinating conversationalist, wise beyond his years.
Bill Busch participated as “old goat’ status for Mackinaw races. He’s had a 1st place PHRf overall, 1st place in j105 class, 1st place j120 class. He’s looking forward to sailing a long ocean passage. He recently completed his International Offshore Safety program at St. Petersburg Florida Yacht Club. Bill is known for his kindness and patience.
Sarah Mackay, a lifelong sailor who learned at a young age the art of not getting seasick and never getting bored. She’s a crew member, communicator and, on occasion, cracker of jokes at which she’s the only one laughing. She has raced on J24s and J30s, crossed the North Sea and cruised throughout Europe on a Swan 47, and explored the Pacific Northwest on an Amel 52 named Annie M.
We are busy preparing the boat (and ourselves) for this epic journey. This year, Annie M will be entered in the Pacific NW Offshore Yacht Race and the Swiftsure Yacht Race leading up to our start date of the Vic-Maui International Yacht Race in early July.
