Dueling It Out in the Strait

Does this look like fun to you... after doing it for more than 100 miles?!?

Rage and Kinetic V battle it out down the Strait of Juan de Fuca in the 2016 CYC Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race

Kinetic V Steams Towards Clallam Bay

Kinetic V is holding a decisive lead - boat for boat - over Rage as they duel down the Strait of Juan de Fuca towards the finish of the 2016 CYC Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race. Riding the flood tide until 8:30 tonight will be a breeze for any boat in the Strait,  but what will happen when the tide shifts?

Remember, Kinetic V has a time allowance to give Rage upon finishing. Sometimes close enough is good enough...!

A Class Boats Rounds the Cape!

Here are some interesting screen shots of A Fleet making the turn at Cape Flattery (at approximately 1540 PDT, 5/13/16); notice the boatspeeds. Anam Cara and Time Bandit appear to be very close with Time Bandit holding a slight edge. Panama Red is either in their own wind, or motoring...

Stay Away from Neah Bay!

It looks like Kinetic V is leading Rage in a tacking duel, staying just south of the shipping lanes in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and beating upwind towards the easterly finish at Victoria. A quick wind check at Neah Bay shows lighter easterly winds of just about 6 knots. The good news is that it looks like these two leaders are riding the flood tide into the Strait until about 8:30 tonight. Let's just hope they don't sail into another hole on the other side of the Cape.

Destruction Island Update - This Is the Approximate Midpoint of the Race

Here are the boats that have passed north of Destruction Island (as of 1440 PDT 5/13/16):

1) Kinetic V
2) Rage
3) Time Bandit
4) Panama Red
5) Anam Cara
6) Free Bowl of Soup
7) Night Runner
8) Rain Drop
9) Hana Mari
10) Blade Runner
11) Bum's Rush
12) Canard
13) Wy'East
14) Turnagain


Here are the boats that are currently positioned south of Destruction Island (as of 1440 PDT, 5/13/16):

1) Yahtzee
2) Makai
3) Cool Change
4) Passepartout
5) Cantata
6) Thirsty
7) Aja
8) Souffle
9) Blue Martini
10) Lady Eileen

Not Catching Any Breaks in the Strait

The wind gods are certainly fickle on this year's 2016 CYC Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race.

After punishing the fleet with light winds dead on the nose for most of the race up the Washington coast, you'd think the wind angle might change with a 90 degree change in course. Unfortunately, winds at the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca are easterly! Keep those genoas up Kinetic V and Rage; it looks like it's going to be a sloppy beat to the finish.

Fleet Update:

According to the race tracker, some boats seem to suddenly be making great progress directly upwind. No confirmations yet, but we may start to see some retiring boats.

Kinetic Video

Here is an on-board video update from the leader Kinetic V:

Tight Racing At The Turn!

Kinetic V is first to the turn, with Rage close behind! Now, the real racing begins. Do you cover your competition, or sail your own race? Do you sail down the middle, Vancouver Island, or Washington side? The winds are ENE at the turn; no one's catching a break with any spinnaker work yet.

Wy'East is Back on Our Radar

Wy'East's tracker appears to be transmitting normally, for the first time during the race. Let's hope it stays that way!

History of the Makah

The point of land known as Cape Flattery has a colorful and interesting history. Besides being a major turning point in the race, and the northwesternmost point in the continental United States, the area is also known for many other reasons. Long inhabited by the Native American Makah tribe, this point of land and its people have remained relatively remote for decades. While the winds are light, it's a good time to learn a little bit about the history of the people that inhabit this historic and significant point of land that the 2016 Oregon Offshore International Yacht Racing fleet passes by.

Waatch Out for that Hole!

Kinetic V and Rage sailed into a hole in Makah Bay just South of Waatch Point on Cape Flattery, and the other A fleet boats are coming up fast! With boat speeds under 2 knots, both Rage and Kinetic V are parked for the time being. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the fleet responds.

Neah Bay is showing NE winds at 1.2 knots, but the southern boats are riding up fast on the leaders with a nice westerly breeze. It looks like the leaders just cut it a little bit too close and ran out of wind. Beautiful place but it would probably be nicer with a little wind!

Lead Boats Fight for Dominance at the Turn - Tight Racing Continues!

Tight racing continues throughout the fleet in a number of notable match-ups.

Kinetic V and Rage are locked in a tight battle at the turn, both are located just south of Cape Flattery... It's going to be interesting to see who gets in the Strait first.

Fleet A2 is still a toss-up; Panama Red, Anam Cara, and Time Bandit are all locked in a tight battle just south of the leaders, with Time Bandit still commanding the lead.

The next group, consisting of class A and B boats, is also tight! Rain Drop leads the pack, with Hana Mari, Blade Runner, Night Runner, and Free Bowl of Soup all within striking distance.

Canard, Bum's Rush & Turnagain have a tight race going on just south of Destruction Island with Wy'East and Makai not far behind, exchanging tacks.

The entire Oregon Offshore fleet is now north of Gray's Harbor, and the southernmost group, consisting of Thirsty, Cool Change, Cantata, Aja, and Passepartout, are making good progress up the track with today's more westerly breeze. Souffle & Yahtzee are also having a fine cruise and staying up well with the rest of the fleet... You're never losin' when you're cruisin'!

Wy'East Tracker Troubles Continue

We are still having some technical issues with the tracker on Wy'East. Skipper Frank Colistro has confirmed that everyone is fine, although they have not transmitted in nearly an hour.

We will update you when we know more.

Screen Shots

Here are some screen shots of the competition:

2016 CYC Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race Fleet Updates - Day 2

Positions are approximate as of 0750 PDT 5/13/2016:

Racing Fleet - Class A1:

1) Kinetic V
2) Rage

Racing Fleet - Class A2:

1) Time Bandit
2) Panama Red
3) Anam Cara
4) Hana Mari
5) Night Runner
6) Free Bowl Of Soup

Racing Fleet - Class B:

1) Rain Drop
2) Blade Runner
3) Canard
4) Bum's Rush
5) Turnagain
6) Cool Change
7) Passepartout
8) Thirsty
9) Cantata
10) Aja
11) Blue Martini

Racing Fleet - Class C:

1) Wy'East
2) Makai
3) Lady Eileen

Cruising Fleet:
1) Yahtzee
2) Souffle

A Fleet Breaks Away!

Well, it took an entire day to do it, but it appears that all of A fleet has now moved north of the B fleet.

Fleet A1 Update:
Kinetic V is still in the lead and moving well in the morning breeze. Already clocking speeds in the 7's this morning, Kinetic V is sticking to the coast and soon to round Cape Flattery. Still about 10 miles ahead of Rage, Kinetic V will need to keep her speeds up in order to save time on her competitor, who has closed a considerable amount of distance in the night.

Fleet A2 Update:
Panama Red, Time Bandit, and Anam Cara are currently fighting it out boat for boat, and have been exchanging tacks all night. Free Bowl of Soup, Hana Mari, and Night Runner are pulling away from Class B leaders Rain Drop and Blade Runner as the breeze fills in. Most of A fleet is at the mid-way point, and it already appears that the breeze is a little fresher this morning than yesterday. This will get interesting at the turn!

Halfway Point?

Destruction Island and the area around La Push are generally considered to be around the "halfway point" in the 2016 Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race. After 24 hours of upwind racing, many of the lead boats are currently north of Destruction Island or just approaching the island from the southwest.

As the lead boat closes in on the turn at Cape Flattery, the rest of the fleet is very spread out.
Winds today are predicted to be about the same as yesterday. Here's the weather forecast link.
Timing may become an issue as the race wears on; all boats must finish before the 10 am, May 15th time limit!

Day 2 - 2016 CYC Oregon Offshore international Yacht Race

Day 1 Summary:

The first day of the race saw predominantly light air  throughout most of the day, with some stronger breezes along the coastline in the afternoon. Due to tidal considerations, the race got off to an early start, which frustrated some wanting a later start with more breeze. The starting strategy turned out to be a key consideration, as those boats that trended right early got the advantage of some north and westerly tidal push from the ebb tide until 1:30 in the afternoon. Early leaders chose the right side of the course on day 1, sailing well inside of rhumb line and as close to the Washington Coast as anyone would dare.

This is truly a unique race because the fleet sailed closer to the coast than any other Oregon offshore in recent memory. It was a fight upwind as the boats searched for wind pockets and tactical advantages anywhere they could find them. Later in the day, the beat around the entrances to Willapa Bay and Gray's Harbor provided some great opportunities for tactical advantage but required strong crew work as the lead boats picked their way around the entrance.

Stepping aside from the racing action for just a moment, the biodiversity of this region is absolutely amazing. Some of the coastal areas covered by the racers includes a variety of sea birds, sea mammals, and other natural scenery that is truly spectacular. It looks like the fleet got a close up view of the coastline; I hope some of the boats have some good photographers with long lenses and pictures to share later.

The key to taking the day 1 lead for Kinetic V could be summed up in two words - boat speed. Kinetic V consistently sailed faster than most of her competition, particularly on the short starboard tack reaches out to sea. Kinetic V seemed to reach off slightly more, achieving speeds in the 7's and 8's while others struggled to keep up. Sailing it tight going right, and sailing it loose going left seemed to pay off in the sloppy seas.

Rage had a difficult start and went west early. After watching the rest of the fleet break for the beach later in the day, Rage followed and eventually took over the second position late in the evening.
There have been so many other accomplishments - Rain Drop, Blade Runner, and Night Runner leading the fleet right early.

We saw a classic Class A2 battle between rivals Panama Red, Anam Cara and Time Bandit - trading tacks all day and night now, still tightly packed, and the beauty and majesty of Night Runner leading the pack early.

The race sounds even better in the southern end of the fleet. Who doesn't enjoy an occasional Souffle and a Blue Martini? There's no doubt that everyone is having a great time, despite the slow winds!

24 (okay, 23.5) Hour Position Update - 2016 CYC Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race

Approximate (boat for boat) positions as of 0630 PDT, 5/13/2017:

1) Kinetic V
2) Rage
3) Time Bandit
4) Panama Red
5) Anam Cara
6) Hana Mari
7) Rain Drop (tied)
8) Blade Runner (tied)
9) Night Runner
10) Canard
11) Bum's Rush
12) Wy'East
13) Yahtzee
14) Makai
15) Turnagain
16) Thirsty
17) Cantata
18) Passepartout
19) Cool Change
20) Aja
21) Lady Eileen
22) Souffle
23) Blue Martini

Dawn Patrol!

Well, it looks like it's been a frustratingly slow night off of the Washington Coast. There is nothing more welcome than the sunrise after a long, dark night at sea.

We'll do a more complete update at 7 am, but conditions still appear to be light and variable. The first boats should turn the corner at Cape Flattery later today.... The question is, can they finish the race before the time limit?