From the fat fingers of the racers

[Philpott]

06.19.21 @ 1858 from Green Buffalo

The brisk breeze at the start carried well offshore... most of the way to the lightship.
Doing my best to stay on the south side of the course and fleet... where "maybe" the light air is "narrowest".

A wee bit past the Farallones as I write this.
There were a LOT of fishing boats around the rocks... a bit of weaving to avoid getting to close to them... and only some of them some of them show on AIS.
Passed about 3 miles south of the rocks...

Wind now 7k (changed from #3 to #1 just past the lightship)...

Wind oscillating from 185mag to 210mag. Hard to sleep when the wind has the big oscillations every 10-20 minutes.

Ate Mary's Peunut Butter & Honey sandwiches... mmm mmm good!

Anyone catch my needing to raise the main 3 times before the start? A long story... I had to raise the main 3 times just before the 2012 start too.
A story for Tree.

Cheers,
Jim
Green Buffalo

[Now&Zen]

Go Jim Go!

[bobwalden]

Is this where all the racer’s reports will be posted?

[Philpott]

Is this where all the racer’s reports will be posted?

Hi, Bob. It is where I will post the reports that come my way as a member of the race committee. As you may have noted from the luncheon, everything is evolving. That's what happens when you have a sailing club that is dependent upon the kindness of strangers. Good thing there is a lot of kindness out there.

[Philpott]

1414 from Reed Bernhard s/v Mountain on 062521

Hello from Mountain! All is well.

[Philpott]

3:22 pm 070221

from John Wilkerson beautiful day with lots of wind. starting to figure the squalls out but nights are a nightmare - can't see anything!

[Philpott]

1412 on 062521 from Jim Quanci s/v Green Buffalo

Whats up on Green Buffalo today Friday the 25th at 200 pm

Slatting, slatting, slatting.
With an occasional sail change and tack.

Saw Mountain on the chartplotter on and off (not sure why most entrants keep turning their AIS transmitter off... what's the point, its not like one is going to "cover them"... and two large ships have passed by in the last few days and I sure want them to see me).

Spinnaker hoisted and dropped 3 times last night as wind came, went, and came back again from a 90 degree different direction. So dousing chute in forehatch, waiting 10-15 minutes for wind to come in from other side, swapping spinny gear and poles, and rehoisting. Crazy? Yes crazy. Crazier yet, hoisted the #1 this morning beating to the southwest (had the #1 on deck for flaking so was pretty easy to just hoist it). But beating southwest going to Hawaii? Really?

Maybe another two days of this slatting/light variable winds to deal with before the High heads back north to where its "supposed to be"?

Finished last of tortellini for late breakfast, and then a sardine sandwich for lunch. Its getting warm in the afternoon... so maybe dinner tonight is cabbage salad with chicken (not use the stove)?

Chatted with Mary by sat phone... was good to hear her voice! And check how the tomatoes, peppers, and my "baby fern palm tree" are doing up in Napa (and what is up with the boys too). :-)

Cheers,
Jim
Green Buffalo

[Philpott]

1332 from John Wilkerson s/v Perplexity on 062521

This is the first 'race' report from Perplexity. I hope others have wind - well, not really! I haven't had it since I congratulated myself on having crossed the high without having to jibe south. Oops. I worked really hard to do that and then let my guard down when I thought I made it. Rookie mistake #12.

On the other hand, it is beautiful out here and I think I'll go swimming this afternoon.

The race itself has been a real adventure. The sail out the gate was marvelous and the first couple of days were also intense with so many boats in contact. The next few days were great in terms of ideal reaching conditions with a blast reacher, storm jib and reefed main.

Getting used to going with little sleep and taking an hour to change a sail because of all of the back and forth crawling on the deck were also new adventures. The light wind conditions since then have been less great -except I am no longer crawling and getting lots of sleep. But - yesterday 10 days to finish, today 10 days to finish.
Just checked my fresh water...

Big thanks to all of the volunteers who make this 'race' possible!

S/V Perplexity

[Philpott]

9:18 am 070221 from Green Buffalo

After a bit of an uncomfortable night with wind direction and velocity shifts, was run over by a day time squall this morning. Nothing dramatic but it was drizzly (flet good) saw 30k of wind - at the very upper limit of the autopilot when the big kite is up. Its a warning... time for me to shift down to the shy kite before sunset tonight (forewarned is forearmed). Now Siren is right on my tail... so gearing down may "hurt" but c'est la vie as I try to avoid any "night time dramas".

Two days and change to go... about the length of the LongPac. Will likely finish an hour or two after sunset Sunday - but I can hope its at sunset - or at least I see the island before sunset!

Sunday is going to be a busy one for the race committee... 3 or 4 of us finishing.

Cheers,
Jim
Green Buffalo

[Philpott]

1254 from Kyle
I am Alive! aloha is a bit worse for the wear but we will make it! cheers, Kyle