It's really shutting off now. The bay has gone completely flat and Hein Bank is showing 3 knots from the west. Looks like its going to be a long, slow, night.
Sun Sets On The Fleet - Another Night Of Dueling Under The Stars In The 2016 CYC Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race!
8:45 pm is sunset tonight (2045 PDT). Looks like it's going to be another classic night of finishing under the stars for Kinetic V & Rage in the Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race.
Sail towards the light!
Sail towards the light!
Hey Look! It's Sooke! It Won't (Shouldn't) Be Long Now!
The lead boat in the 2016 CYC Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race, Kinetic V, is heading towards winning line honors in this year's race. Rage is right on her heels, and if she doesn't win boat-for-boat, Rage is sure to give Kinetic V some discomfort when the time adjustments are made.
A lot can happen between now and the finish, but if this pace holds up, and the tides and winds hold, then we should see the first finishers to this year's race within hours!
Keep checking back to this race blog for moment-by-moment updates from the mothership and the on-site CYC Race Team, now on station at the finish line of this year's race at Victoria Harbour!
A lot can happen between now and the finish, but if this pace holds up, and the tides and winds hold, then we should see the first finishers to this year's race within hours!
Keep checking back to this race blog for moment-by-moment updates from the mothership and the on-site CYC Race Team, now on station at the finish line of this year's race at Victoria Harbour!
Max Flood! Time To Put The Pedal To The Metal!
Now is the time for the two lead boats to kick it into high gear. Maximum incoming tidal current effect (flood) in the Strait is now at 8:31 pm! They'll have just a couple more hours to get over the finish line until slack tide tonight at around 11:30. After that, a wicked ebb tide will rip out to sea at more than 4 knots. It can sometimes take boats with it!
Rain Drop & Hana Mari Now Making The Turn Into The Strait
As sunset approaches on the second full day of racing in the 2016 CYC Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race, B Fleet lead boat Raindrop is rounding the corner with A fleet contender Hana Mari. They're both clocking some great speeds, so either the wind has kicked up, or the engine has!
West Winds Filling In? Take A Look At What's Happening In Sooke!
Winds currently at Sooke are reportedly 8-12 kts, from 301 degrees, or WNW. That explains some of the big speeds and more easterly courses we've recently seen from the lead boats in the Strait.
Now, we just need the rest of the fleet to join the fun!
http://www.myweather2.com/Marine/Global-Ports/Canada/Sooke.aspx
Now, we just need the rest of the fleet to join the fun!
http://www.myweather2.com/Marine/Global-Ports/Canada/Sooke.aspx
When you've got lemons...
When you've got lemons...
We found what seems to be a pretty fair finish line and the best we can do under the circumstances.
We are now outside of the wall of cruise ships with a clear, square line to shore.
We will be on station with a 10,000,000 candle power light; hope the houses on the other side don't mind! We should be able to light the line as boats approach. We will be depending on the racers to give us a little warning of their approach since it's a 15-minute walk from home base. Wish us luck!
We found what seems to be a pretty fair finish line and the best we can do under the circumstances.
We are now outside of the wall of cruise ships with a clear, square line to shore.
We will be on station with a 10,000,000 candle power light; hope the houses on the other side don't mind! We should be able to light the line as boats approach. We will be depending on the racers to give us a little warning of their approach since it's a 15-minute walk from home base. Wish us luck!
Kinetic V Closing In On Shearingham Point & The Finish
Kinetic V is now approaching Sheringham Point, one of the first benchmarks on the course leading to the finish on the Canadian shore. Both Rage and Kinetic V are clocking speeds in excess of 8 knots; they'll want to finish the race before midnight, when the ebb tide will really start to take hold.
Photos Of The 2016 CYC Oregon Offshore Racing Action! Courtesy of Photographer Maria Swearingen!*
Maria Swearingen is a local Portland based photographer, sailor, and all-around great person.
Maria has captured some amazing photographs of the Oregon Offshore over the years, and this year is no different.
Maria works really hard to get into position to get great shots, and has a great eye for her subjects.
Here is a collection of Maria Swearingen's photographs of the start of the 2016 CYC Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race, with permission to share by the artist.
Thank you Maria!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sailingpdx/albums/72157667653893930/page1
*All photos contributed by Maria Swearingen, all rights reserved.
Awaiting the first finishers...
Hmmmm... So much for the RC's clear, unobstructed view of the finish...
We now have not one... not two... but THREE cruise ships in port between our lovely vantage point and the finish line.
Time to punt and scout out the fairest solution for all competitors before the first of them arrive.
We now have not one... not two... but THREE cruise ships in port between our lovely vantage point and the finish line.
Time to punt and scout out the fairest solution for all competitors before the first of them arrive.
Remember This?
It was just two years ago that not one, but three boats shattered the elapsed time record for the CYC Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race.
No records will be shattered this year - at least not for shortest elapsed time - but it's fun to look back and recognize the many different ways this race can challenge the fleet.
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2014/05/09/record-setting-oregon-offshore-international-yacht-race/
No records will be shattered this year - at least not for shortest elapsed time - but it's fun to look back and recognize the many different ways this race can challenge the fleet.
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2014/05/09/record-setting-oregon-offshore-international-yacht-race/
Wind Shift!
The wind at the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca has been easterly at about 9-10 knots ever since the lead boats made the turn in earlier today.
We just registered a new reading of winds from the WSW at 1 knot. Could it be that a new wind is blowing in to the Strait?
Rage and Kinetic V are currently short tacking the beach on the Canadian side working their way towards Sooke. They want to get as far as they can before midnight because they'll face an ebb current of 4.4 knots at Race Rocks early in the morning. Kinetic V has the lead, but it's not clear if Rage is saving their time at this point.
If the westerly establishes itself, it's kites up and a drag race to the finish for Panama Red, Anam Cara, and Time Bandit... This could get interesting!
We just registered a new reading of winds from the WSW at 1 knot. Could it be that a new wind is blowing in to the Strait?
Rage and Kinetic V are currently short tacking the beach on the Canadian side working their way towards Sooke. They want to get as far as they can before midnight because they'll face an ebb current of 4.4 knots at Race Rocks early in the morning. Kinetic V has the lead, but it's not clear if Rage is saving their time at this point.
If the westerly establishes itself, it's kites up and a drag race to the finish for Panama Red, Anam Cara, and Time Bandit... This could get interesting!
B Fleet Standouts - Rain Drop & Blade Runner Approach Cape Flattery
Neither of these classic boats is a stranger to the CYC Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race, but I'll bet they didn't plan to see AS MUCH of each other in this year's race... Both of these B fleeters have sailed consistently with A fleet for much of the race.
There's a lot of time to be given to these guys. If they can finish strong riding in on the westerly breezes predicted for tomorrow, they might just get lucky. It's happened before; SC27 Blade Runner won the whole shooting match for PHRF in the record year of 2014!
There's a lot of time to be given to these guys. If they can finish strong riding in on the westerly breezes predicted for tomorrow, they might just get lucky. It's happened before; SC27 Blade Runner won the whole shooting match for PHRF in the record year of 2014!
Position Updates* - 1800 hours PDT, 5/13/2016 - 2016 CYC Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race
Fleet - Racing
Class A1 - Inside the Strait of Juan de Fuca
1) Kinetic V
2) Rage
Class A2 - Inside or nearing the entrance to the Strait
1) Time Bandit
2) Anam Cara
3) Panama Red
4) Free Bowl of Soup
5) Night Runner
6) Hana Mari
Class B - South of Cape Flattery
1) Rain Drop
2) Blade Runner
3) Bum's Rush
4) Canard
5) Turnagain
6) Passepartout
7) Cantata
8) Aja
9) Cool Change
10) Thirsty
11) Blue Martini
Class C - North and south of Destruction Island
1) Wy'East
2) Makai
3) Lady Eileen
Fleet - Cruising - 1 boat north/1 boat south of Destruction Island
1) Yahtzee
2) Souffle
*These are simply rough position estimates with no time allowance corrections assumed.
Class A1 - Inside the Strait of Juan de Fuca
1) Kinetic V
2) Rage
Class A2 - Inside or nearing the entrance to the Strait
1) Time Bandit
2) Anam Cara
3) Panama Red
4) Free Bowl of Soup
5) Night Runner
6) Hana Mari
Class B - South of Cape Flattery
1) Rain Drop
2) Blade Runner
3) Bum's Rush
4) Canard
5) Turnagain
6) Passepartout
7) Cantata
8) Aja
9) Cool Change
10) Thirsty
11) Blue Martini
Class C - North and south of Destruction Island
1) Wy'East
2) Makai
3) Lady Eileen
Fleet - Cruising - 1 boat north/1 boat south of Destruction Island
1) Yahtzee
2) Souffle
*These are simply rough position estimates with no time allowance corrections assumed.
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Race Rocks Is Here - Including Cameras!
Did you know that Race Rocks is an ecological reserve with some of the greatest biodiversity of marine life and seabirds in the world? I didn't...
I did know it's one of the last points the fleet will pass by before the finish of the 2016 CYC Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race!
http://www.racerocks.ca/home/
I did know it's one of the last points the fleet will pass by before the finish of the 2016 CYC Oregon Offshore International Yacht Race!
http://www.racerocks.ca/home/
Tidal Predictions for Race Rocks
When racing in the Oregon Offshore, timing is everything. Hit the winds and the tides and currents right, and you're a hero. But if you don't, it could be a long trip!
Here are some predictions for the tidal currents near the finish of the race, a place known as "Race Passage" or "Race Rocks":
Here are some predictions for the tidal currents near the finish of the race, a place known as "Race Passage" or "Race Rocks":
Race Passage, British Columbia Current 48.3067° N, 123.5367° W 2016-05-13 Fri 5:09 PM PDT 0.0 knots Slack, Flood Begins 2016-05-13 Fri 8:30 PM PDT 4.1 knots Max Flood 2016-05-13 Fri 8:45 PM PDT Sunset 2016-05-13 Fri 11:43 PM PDT -0.0 knots Slack, Ebb Begins 2016-05-14 Sat 3:55 AM PDT -4.4 knots Max Ebb 2016-05-14 Sat 5:34 AM PDT Sunrise 2016-05-14 Sat 8:00 AM PDT 0.0 knots Slack, Flood Begins 2016-05-14 Sat 9:35 AM PDT 0.7 knots Max Flood 2016-05-14 Sat 10:58 AM PDT -0.0 knots Slack, Ebb Begins 2016-05-14 Sat 2:42 PM PDT -3.0 knots Max Ebb 2016-05-14 Sat 6:13 PM PDT 0.0 knots Slack, Flood Begins 2016-05-14 Sat 8:46 PM PDT Sunset 2016-05-14 Sat 9:33 PM PDT 3.7 knots Max Flood 2016-05-15 Sun 12:34 AM PDT -0.0 knots Slack, Ebb Begins 2016-05-15 Sun 4:51 AM PDT -4.5 knots Max Ebb 2016-05-15 Sun 5:33 AM PDT Sunrise 2016-05-15 Sun 8:39 AM PDT 0.0 knots Slack, Flood Begins 2016-05-15 Sun 10:44 AM PDT 1.5 knots Max Flood
Pick a Side!
The lead boats Kinetic V and Rage have made their way north to the Canadian side of the Strait. There is no doubt they plan to both maximize the favorable tidal flow for as long as possible, and maybe seek some wind or current relief near Sooke later this evening...
We mentioned Clallam Bay in an earlier post; just to clarify, neither boat ever got that far south. They both tacked north right after that was posted!
We mentioned Clallam Bay in an earlier post; just to clarify, neither boat ever got that far south. They both tacked north right after that was posted!
These Guys Have a Lot Of Extra Time on Their Hands!
So they make great "real time" race videos! Thanks for sharing, guys!
https://www.facebook.com/SwiftsureYachtRace/videos/1035192236556615/
https://www.facebook.com/SwiftsureYachtRace/videos/1035192236556615/
Fleet A2 Leaders Time Bandit, Anam Cara, & Panama Red Make The Turn!
Three more boats have entered the Strait of Juan de Fuca and can now head east towards the finish.... or can they? Panama Red, Anam Cara, and Time Bandit are now making the turn, but winds at the entrance to TSOJDF are easterly at 9 knots so these lead boats will continue to be challenged by upwind tactics, currents, and fluky winds all the way to Race Rocks. Flood tide is in their favor until 8:30 tonight; then, they'll be bucking the ebb tide until about 4:30 am tomorrow. Positions could change...
What Happens When the Race Goes "Long"?
Frustration! Light air can be a real challenge - emotionally, physically, and even spiritually deflating at times.
You planned for one to two days, maybe two and a half, but now you're looking at a third full day on the water... What to do?
Batteries, food, water, patience, clean underwear... all potentially running low... You didn't really expect to be out here THAT long.
Well, to clarify, the race time limit does not expire until 10 am Sunday, May 15th. That gives the fleet a full 75 hours to finish the course.
That being said, we're now almost 34 hours into the race with much of the fleet still positioned south of the midpoint in the course. The decision to continue or to retire is a tough call for skippers and crew alike, and one each individual boat must assess on their own. Lots of preparation and planning go into competing in an event like this, and each individual owner, skipper, and crew know what is best for them.
Some diehards "never quit," while others are maybe a little more pragmatic, seeing the need to balance work/family/school commitments with weekend international yacht racing!
Whatever the case, there is still more than a full 41 hours left before the time limit expires and we expect that most - if not all - competitors will stay out on the course in hopes of more breeze. There is really nothing worse than firing up the engine and having the wind build suddenly... It happens!
COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR WASHINGTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 259 PM PDT FRI MAY 13 2016 INLAND WATERS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON AND THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL WASHINGTON COASTAL WATERS INCLUDING THE OLYMPIC COAST NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY SYNOPSIS FOR THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL WASHINGTON COASTAL AND INLAND WATERS...ONSHORE FLOW WILL RETURN TONIGHT AND INCREASE THROUGH SAT...WITH GALE WESTERLIES POSSIBLE IN THE STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA SATURDAY EVENING.
You planned for one to two days, maybe two and a half, but now you're looking at a third full day on the water... What to do?
Batteries, food, water, patience, clean underwear... all potentially running low... You didn't really expect to be out here THAT long.
Well, to clarify, the race time limit does not expire until 10 am Sunday, May 15th. That gives the fleet a full 75 hours to finish the course.
That being said, we're now almost 34 hours into the race with much of the fleet still positioned south of the midpoint in the course. The decision to continue or to retire is a tough call for skippers and crew alike, and one each individual boat must assess on their own. Lots of preparation and planning go into competing in an event like this, and each individual owner, skipper, and crew know what is best for them.
Some diehards "never quit," while others are maybe a little more pragmatic, seeing the need to balance work/family/school commitments with weekend international yacht racing!
Whatever the case, there is still more than a full 41 hours left before the time limit expires and we expect that most - if not all - competitors will stay out on the course in hopes of more breeze. There is really nothing worse than firing up the engine and having the wind build suddenly... It happens!
COASTAL WATERS FORECAST FOR WASHINGTON NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 259 PM PDT FRI MAY 13 2016 INLAND WATERS OF WESTERN WASHINGTON AND THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL WASHINGTON COASTAL WATERS INCLUDING THE OLYMPIC COAST NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY SYNOPSIS FOR THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL WASHINGTON COASTAL AND INLAND WATERS...ONSHORE FLOW WILL RETURN TONIGHT AND INCREASE THROUGH SAT...WITH GALE WESTERLIES POSSIBLE IN THE STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA SATURDAY EVENING.