(Honolulu, HI)- What a difference a week makes! Even for something so
huge and ponderous as the Pacific High that spans thousands of square
miles of the northern Pacific and determines the "synoptic winds" (e.g.
trade winds) that spawns nightmares for navigators divining the "fastest
lane" around the southern part of the high. Friday's 34 Transpac starters made short work of clearing the west end of Catalina Island and cracking sheets for a track south of the rhumb line, Los Angeles to Honolulu. Already, theirs is a very different race from the one that started on Monday July 4th for the 10 smallest race boats, which include Charles Browning's J/130 BEBE. That race stalled on the first night and crews struggled for days to reach the synoptic breeze that blows down the coast and bends off toward the islands as a classic trade-wind, with BEBE in the lead for about nine days on a boat-for-boat basis!
The 46th running of the biennial Transpacific Yacht Race continues with 50 boats now on the course, sailing a rated distance of 2,225 miles from Point Fermin to Diamond Head. The Pacific High is (at last) nicely formed, growing, and pumping out the breeze that makes for a classic Transpac. And while that's tough for struggling Monday starters, it's better late than never. Keep an eye on how the 200-mile north-south spread plays out for Monday starters. Shown here is a NOAA projection of how the Pacific High will look as of next Tuesday.
By Sunday afternoon, it has been abundantly evident the Friday starters won the luck of the draw - a fast pass through the inner coastal waters and an easy launch into the synoptic wind on the ocean. Each boat's navigator will soon be showing their hand as they "pick a lane" for rounding below the calms of the Pacific High Pressure Zone. To that end, the smaller, slower Monday starters who worked north of the rhumb line, just to keep moving, are likely to be twice-punished. Nevertheless, of the Monday group, the J/130 BEBE is smoking downwind at nearly 10 knots still amongst the leaders of their fleet. And, the J/145 BAD PAK is the leader in their group south of the rhumbline playing a quick game of "catch-up" to the Monday starters.
As of Tuesday, July 12th, the prospect of lighter winds ahead means the north-south juggling act continues to be the great preoccupation. A well-formed High is pumping out some pretty nice trade-winds, but now it's time to adjust, and there is just no way to know until some point farther down the track just who is making the best bets. Farther north, closer to the High, is a shorter course but riskier. Farther south buys better breeze, probably, but at what cost in mileage?
One race navigator commented, "The real test is going to be what happens over the next 48 hours. The wind is predicted to go light, and whoever can keep their light-air concentration is going to make out like a bandit - especially at night. I'm expecting that we'll peel off to the 1A in the wee hours of the morning, and we'll be forced to head slightly north just to keep our boat moving."
More news again soon of this epic race and adventure of a lifetime for many! With contributions from Kimball Livingston- The Blue Planet Times. For Transpac Race Sailboat Tracking For more Transpac Race sailing information and Facebook link
