Race status

Gained a cell signal now at Bella Bella.

Race is going well, a bit of everything. Every Headsail has been used except the storm jib (edit: it did get used for the Dixon Entrance crossing). From no air in the Strait of Georgia, with awful timing for a strong ebb, to fast broad reaches in the channels. 55 miles upwind in Johnstone strait. And perfect conditions for the Cape Caution rounding. Team is doing well and working together. Not too sleep deprived now after our Queen Charlotte Strait stop.

Today had a 7.5 knot asym run, and a symmetrical run in Fitzhugh sound. Saw a young humpback slapping and breaching during the run, quite a highlight.

Some out-of-order photos:

This large barge, at the end of Johnstone Strait, was dubbed the water zamboni for plowing over the waves and leaving an extremely smooth wake to tack across.

Rowing at the start, outside of Victoria.

Second night sunset in the Strait of Georgia.

Not the water surface you want to see when attempting to race across long distances.

Rowing and paddling through Seymour Narrows, before a peak ebb of -7.8 knots. Which made for a fast run up the remainder of Discovery Passage.

But the wind died and more rowing was required.

Some fog and rain came further north.

Life on the boat, Mark having dinner before coming on watch to relieve Linda.

Our perfect Fitzhugh Sound run, after a frustratingly light morning.

Port Townsend and Leg 1 qualifier

The arrival in Port Townsend was busy with getting the boat launched and loaded, with of course some final jobs to be completed that did not quite get finished before.

The excitement of the other racers and race fans at the docks definitely added to the pre-race buzz. The people of Port Townsend and surrounding area definitely turn out to support the race and NWMC events.

Adding to the atmosphere was that the new race for this year was finishing before ours started. The 70-48, human power only, cover the 70 nautical miles from Tacoma to Port Townsend in under 48 hours. All manner of paddle and row craft competed, from 6 person outrigger canoes much longer than our boat, all sizes of rowing shells, and an ocean rower, to solo kayaks and rowboats, and SUPs. The turnout was huge, well over 100 boats. The winners finished in an amazing sub 10 hour time, on a two person racing surf ski.

The Seventy 48 finish dock, where there was always plenty of people to cheer for finishers at all hours.

Ready for the 0500 start prep horn.

The brand new and very fast looking Corsair 970 before the start.

After the race start, exiting Admiralty Inlet. Great start conditions, ebb tide building. Tablet navigation was helpful to avoid the Coast Guard imposed no-go zone of the VTS traffic lanes inside the entrance precaution area. Entering it would get you a disqualification. We cut fairly close to one corner and had a service member coming our way in a zodiac, but he turned away when we tacked.

In the Juan de Fuca Strait, the Olympic Peninsula behind us. Only two tacks the entire 40 miles, to get around the no-go zone, then riding a southwesterly the entire way into Victoria Harbor on a port tack!

JT and Mark enjoying near perfect conditions. Just a few lumpy spots over some shoals from the wind against one of the strongest tides of the month pushing us in the direction we wanted to go. 

Vancouver Island ahead. 

Into the no sailing allowed zone at the middle harbor of Victoria Harbor. Just too busy and tight for the seaplanes landing, large ferrys, and recreational traffic. No we were not special to get a Canadian Coast Guard escort, they just happened to be docking their cutter as we came by!

We finished at 11:06 after a 5:05 start, just barely over six hours, in 15th place. By any measure we are quite pleased with that time for what is about a 40 NM crossing. Only made possible by a favorable tide, great wind, calm sea state, and good work on the helm, sail trim, and decision making. Unfortunately some of the smaller boats got caught with reduced winds that didn't allow them to power through the waves as well, and then get caught by the turn to flood that would work against them.

We will see what the weather brings for the start of the full race. So far the forecast looks like headwinds.

More boat prep...

Some additional final boat prep. Just a few of the bigger items on an 80 item punch list that didn't include plenty of smaller items. Others include water storage and pumping system, heavy equipment securing and tie down points, replaced various worn items and running rigging, new wire runs, sewing projects,

Final solar panel install, port side, courtesy of Mark. The unused motor mount is a convenient point. No new holes in the boat drilled for either panel.

2018 race prep

Testing the next iteration of the rowing setup, at Seagull Bay on American Falls Reservoir. Thank you to the club for the short term slip rental to practice and train.

Fifteen foot long oars! Working out the geometry for the rig with the realities of the cockpit size and interference points has been an interesting challenge.

Final oarlock mounting option is not pretty, but hopefully sufficiently strong and reliable. Quite the mishmash of materials. UMHW plastic, stainless hardware, 6061 aluminum square tube, vinyl backing, and bronze oarlocks.

Dedicated jackline mounts.

The new solar panels definitely make the boat look more ready for a long voyage. 50 watts each. When you can't have an engine at all, the motor mount becomes a convenient out of the way place to mount a solar panel.