Approaching the Islands--Woo-hoo!!!!!!

Rec'd 7/24 at 0930 HT
Good morning!
Radio transmission quality was very poor this morning. Few if any were able to contact either Diamond head or Alaska Eagle. A lot of relaying and missing info. Hopefully transmission quality improves so we can get our competition positions.

We covered 174 miles yesterday- good performance considering the wind speed and direction. With just over 200 miles to go, we should finish sometime before noon tomorrow. If the winds are favorable, we can make it as early as dawn. We are actually looking forward to seeing the islands as we approach. They are a beautiful site-would hate to pass them as ships in the night--However this is a race!!

More updates to follow
Team BS

Our second update today, also received at 0930 HT
We have just jibed heading for Kalapapa light house on Molokai (150 nm away). Winds are light right now, but look promising ahead with some cloud coverage- which will be a welcome relief. We will jibe near the lighthouse and be on our final approach to Oahu. We passed Ca-girl and are in 6 th --again.
More to follow
Team BS

A note to the BS Support Crew...

Rec'd 7/23 at 7:37 PDT
A note to the BS Hawaii Support Crew regarding arrival preparations:
We are moving along at a moderate pace (maybe 175 mile day.. it is about 8:00 pst and we have just over 300 miles to go. That puts us in wed afternoon=== Hopefully sooner! Enjoy yourselves with the science experiment--Mai Tai perfection.. I will send an update in the morning..

We are all excited about finishing--especially in the daylight..Beware of over analyzing your result ---A condition also known as--- analysis paralysis--In case this does happen ; take some Advil and slowly melt under the sun

Aloha
Team BS

Life at Sea...Driving

Of the topics we have discussed one that was missed was driving. What is it like to drive a 12,000 lb 37 foot surf board downwind? First we should outline some technical details. Two forces move boats wind and engines of course we use wind, as well there are two methods of directing that force a steering wheel or a tiller, each of which move a rudder. The easiest most common sense system is to use a wheel. That’s because for the most part we all drive a car (even a toy car) and its works the same as a boat - turn left go left. The second method is the tiller a more traditional method which for some seems counterintuitive to use, to go left you push right. If your trying to get your mind around that concept it is actually exactly like a steering wheel. Just drive to work tomorrow with one hand on the bottom (6 o’clock position) of the wheel you will find that the right hand turn you need to make will require you move that low hand left….simple. A true significant difference in between the two systems is that with a wheel there is often times some form of mechanical advantage built into the system either with cables, chain, hydraulics, pneumatics etc. This can often time leave the driver potentially disassociated with the rudder action which can be overcome with time and practice. On the other hand the tiller is attached directly to the rudder. What the rudder feels the helmsman feels, a very direct and immediate action and reaction feeling and response.

Learning to drive a racing sailboat is on to itself a skill as honed and necessary as all of the other positions on board. From the outside it seems to appear that the helmsman is not working as hard as the bowman or mast man or the trimmers and grinders, but the subtle actions taken by the helmsman are directly related to the efforts of the trimming crew and tactician, it is they that ensures the crews efforts reap the most out of speed and distance. So imagine you are in a larger following sea; looking outside right now it is a consistent 6 – 8 feet of ocean swell, the wind is almost directly behind us varying from 15 to 20 knots and shifting about 20 degrees left to right, the boat speed is ranging from 8 – 10+ kts. in response to the varying wind pressure, shifting angle and falling off or over the swell or actually catching a wave and surfing down the swell. Our navigator has set a course with a very narrow range of shift meaning that as the helmsman you spend your time chasing the wanted bearing back and forth on the compass. Responding to the wind shift, swell activity and speed changes caused by wind and surfing. A three hour watch with two persons requires the full concentration of the helmsman; it seems this is why we have happy hour, so that stories can be told without losing control. Thank goodness for six hours of sleep. And than of course you get the old salts on the tiller that make it look simple, subtle shifts of the tiller as if they know where the boat wants to go before it goes there, off that wave with the wind shift and the change in speed. As an analogy, take a 2 foot piece of line not too stiff but not too soft and with one eye closed PUSH it across the kitchen floor around a table leg and out the door. Of course if you try this at home ensure that the neighbors aren’t watching.

“WE” Brian Samuel Allott

A Wild Morning

rec'd at 0830 on 7/23
We had a wild morning playing in squalls. Winds would range from 4-25 knots and shift from 40-110 degree magnetic. At o'dark :30 while screaming along at 10 knots right toward the barn I was hit with a 25 knot gust that assisted me in a round-up. Followed shortly after by a near round down. I figured that if the round up had not thrown everyone on the port side to the starboard- well I'll try throwing them back.. it worked! Soon everyone was on deck sorting out the mayhem. It is a good thing we had up the 1 oz kite. Not many sails would have survived the abuse. Unfortunately, we were under-performers and are back in 7th...365 miles to go and running out of runway to make significant gains. We will continue to press hard.

I have just finished my 12th and final diet coke (each was allowed a 12 pack). Scott spent 40minutes trying to make cowboy coffee on the grill- very difficult especially during a squall-the rain was cooling things quicker than the fire could heat things up.. caffeine withdrawals persist. We still should finish on Wed. Linus and Steve repaired the 1/2 oz spinnaker last night and we will see how the make shift repair works. 12-bolts and few feet of spectra line and a stainless steel ring were used to re-create a head. Apparantly-20 kt max is truly the max! This kite is our work horse in anything less then 20 and needs to last another 365 mile. We will fly it only during the day and pay close attention to storm cells. Plenty of food items to eat. Eating mostly energy bars chips and munchy type stuff. Looking forward to finishing....

Team BS

Chili on the Grill

Winds are a bit lighter today an average. Yesterday we averaged 8knots and so far today we are at 7 knots. Five spinnaker changes so far since breakfast. Last night(3AM) we had our first round-up. A squall came through and brought 25+ knots of breeze and the guy shackle failed. The fire drill proceeded to get our 1/2 back on the boat in one piece. In the process we added one more 18" tear near the first. I can't believe we have sailed most of this race with this sail. Brand new in April: it has been a great sail for the light air Ensenada and now Transpac. Sure glad this was added to our selection. After 5 sail changes I am convinced that this sail was just what we needed to make gains in this light breeze.

500 miles to go and hoping we are out sailing our friends in front. Chili on the grill served with ice cold beer. The only thing better would be to pick off one more boat by 0600.

Cheers
Russ

Back in 6th and moving up in the fleet...

We did pick off ca girl again. BS is 6th. We did make our 200 mile day and matched Peregrines mileage We gained on all the other competitors. Brilliant and Inspired Environment is still in striking distance. If we have a repeat today of our performance we have a chance for 4th. A podium position would require some unlikely scenarios but we are looking for any advantages we can take.

Parties at the dock will start soon-- Pyewacket is going to arrive around 10:30 HT. Watch out for the flying Mai tai!!

Team Brown Sugar

Waiting for the boys...

The rest of the Brown Sugar Support Team (Go Brown Sugar!!!!) will arrive in beautiful Honolulu this evening. Those of us that are here already are doing the best to bide our time while we dutifully await the arrival of our guys. (Seen here patiently waiting on the beach at Duke's.)