2021 Trans Pacific Yacht Race!

[Photoboy]

It's the first start day! Today seven boats of Division 8 will start today at 1300 PDT off Point Fermin in LA. Track the boats online with YB Tracking at https://buff.ly/3i3JHjK
Teams starting today: Division 8 (Transpac - 7 Boats)


1. Ho’okolohe, Farr 57, Cecil/Alyson Rossi , Novato, CA, USA
2. Juno, Express 37, Dan Merino , San Diego, CA, USA
3. Knotty Boo, Beneteau 49, Brent Crawford / Jason Holloway , Kentfield, CA, USA
4. Macondo, Beneteau First 47.7, Mike Sudo , Marina del Rey, CA, USA
5. Mikmaks, Stevens 47, Justin Waite , Fairbanks, AK, USA
6. Nalu V, Cal 40, Mark Ashmore , Arcadia, CA, USA
7. Spindrift V, Express 37, Andy Schwenk , Pt Richmond, Ca, USA



Windy.com forecast for 1:00 PM


Photo: Ho’okolohe at 2019 Start

[Photoboy]

Start Dates And Fleet Break Down

A basic guide of who is starting when and forecast for 1:00 PM each day...






Tuesday's start







Friday's Start







Saturday's Start

[Photoboy]

Division 8 Blazes The Trail




Los Angeles, California – After over a year of careful planning, tremendous uncertainty, yet dogged determination to run this race, the Transpacific Yacht Club today unleashed the first wave of entries on their long westward journey to Honolulu in the 51st running of the Transpac. This biennial 2225-mile race from LA-Honolulu, first run in 1906, is an ocean racing classic.

Seven entries ranging from 37 to 57 feet in length were on the start line today, set one mile south of San Pedro’s Point Fermin lighthouse. Weather conditions early this morning were uncertain, with local thunderstorms in the area, but this stabilized by midday to provide an 11-knot thermal westerly breeze. Even in this initial upwind leg towards the first of only two marks of the course – the West End of Catalina, 25 miles away – the fleet seemed to split with some opting to head north and others choosing to take the closer tack towards Catalina.

As explained at the virtual Skipper’s Briefing last Saturday afternoon by veteran NOAA weather forecaster Joe Sienkiewicz, the large scale position and shape of the North Pacific High seems to be setting up favorably for a good race. The split High is due to merge and strengthen the classic northeast tradewinds that are a typical feature of the middle portion of the race track, while the normal coastal northerlies also seem to be in place to propel all the teams away from the coast quickly.

Mark Ashmore’s Cal 40 Nalu V was among the first starters today, and is riding a wave of enthusiasm coming off their overall win in the SoCal 300. He’s upbeat about the race, his first to Hawaii, especially considering what happened in the previous 50th edition of the race in 2019.

“We had a mysterious leak, or several leaks, that we were never able to pinpoint the source,” he said. “It was serious enough to have us pumping out the bilge four times a day. The conditions were rough, and we launched off a few waves, so it was difficult to track the source. At one point I was able to get my head into the bilge to see some water seeping in.”



Ho'oko ole


Juno


Knotty Boo


At about 200 miles out the Nalu team decided it was better to head back to the coast than face this situation further out and with fewer option. There were among several entries to that year that had to drop out due to various problems.

This year Ashmore and his team of four are determined to finish what they started two years ago, cross the finish at Diamond Head, and have tons of fun on the way. “We may be one of the slowest boats on the course, but that means we just have more time to enjoy the race!” he said.

The Nalu V team is also sailing for a cause: a good friend and shipmate on the 2019 race, Mark Buttermann, had recently passed from ALS, and the team has dedicated their effort this year to his memory. They have set up a donation fund to fight ALS and within a few weeks have raised an impressive $14,000.

Today’s starters are the first of three waves, with the second group of 15 teams in three divisions starting at 1:00 PM PDT on Friday, July 16th at Point Fermin, while the final group of the fastest 19 boats in four divisions will start at the same time and place on Saturday, July 17th.

YB trackers are on board all entries, with positions indicated on the YB website at this link: https://yb.tl/transpac2021. The positions have been delayed by 4 hours, except when within 200 miles of the finish, where they revert to real-time tracking.

[Photoboy]

Division 3 Start Photos



Selects from today's start of Division 8 courtesy Transpac YC !

[Photoboy]

Wednesday's positions looked bleak with boats seeking and escape from the low wind zone

Thursday's AM report looking much more favorable as the fleet leaders are finally into some decent winds and begin to
put some real miles under their keels




TRACKER

[IOR Geezer]

Go Cecil & Alyson!

Your mai tai's are beckoning!

[Photoboy]

Tuesday 14:30 Update


Friday morning update shows Cecil and Allyson Rossi's Farr 57' Ho'okolohe leading the pack of Tuesday starters
while making a pleasant 6.8 knot. She also is currently in 1st in ORR and Line honors at this point, with a 69 nm
advantage over the nearest vessel, Mike Sudo's Beneteau 47.7 Macondo while Andy Schwenky Dank's Express 37'
Spindrift V is correcting out in 2nd place in division 8





TRACKER




Today's fleet is enjoying much more robust winds and are sprinting out toward Catalina Island
With the following speeds:

Bretwalda 8.1 knots

Triumph 7.6 knots

Lucky Duck 7.7 knots

Trouble 8.2 knots

Oaxaca 7.1 knots

Neried 7.9 knots

Horizon 7.6 knots

Rufless 7.2 knots

Riva 7.6 knots

Cazan 7.2 knots

Favonius 6.7 knots

[Photoboy]

TRACKER


July 17,, 2021 - Los Angeles, CA - Powered by the best breeze of the week – 10-15 knots at the start off Point Fermin – today’s final 19 entries in four divisions vaulted off the start line towards Honolulu, 2225-miles away, in the 2021 Transpac. These are the fastest boats in the fleet entered in Divisions 1, 2, 3 and 4, and vary from 52 to 77 feet in length, with all expecting a speedy passage ahead.

The current monohull course record set by the VPLP 100 Comanche in 2017 is 5D-1H-55M-26S, an average speed of over 18 knots. “A few days ago we got excited when the weather models lined us up for what looked like could be a record run,” said Peter Isler, navigator on Roy Disney’s turbo Volvo 70 Pyewacket (inset photo - Sharon Green/Ultimate Sailing) “This is less certain now, but it still looks like a fast race ahead if we can get off the coast tonight.”



So far this is looking good: the latest report on the YB trackers has Pyewacket heading west at close to 0 knots VMG with more speed expected as they reach the stronger coastal breezes offshore late tonight or early Sunday morning.




Regardless of record pace potential, everyone in today’s fleet was upbeat about the race after months and sometimes years of planning and preparation. Chris Sheehan’s Pac52 Warrior Won is from Larchmont, NY and has been planning for this race ever since acquiring his boat from the West Coast in 2019.

“The Transpac is the must-do race for ocean racers,” he said. “I’ve done many 600-milers – Fastnet, Middle Sea Race, Bermuda and Sydney Hobart in my prior boat – but yet to do a truly long distance ocean race. It's a beast of a race in terms of distance but enjoyable in terms of conditions.”

Warrior Won is one of several Pac52 and TP52 entries, a high-speed, offshore-capable design concept developed by the Transpacific YC for this race some 20 years ago.



In contrast, George Hershman and Mark Comings’s Reichel/Pugh 63 GoodEnergy (inset photo right - Taggart Lee/Ultimate Sailing) is local-based in Cabrillo Beach, and pulled together their boat and team quite quickly, just in the past few months. Helmsman Chuck Clay explained “This boat was Loki, the Australian 2011 Sydney-Hobart champion, that became available and was bought on the East Coast, trucked out here and assembled quickly enough for us to qualify. We had a lot of work to do, like switching the winches from hydraulic to electric-powered, but its come together well. Our team is a lot of friends who have tremendous experience in this and other ocean races, so we look forward to doing well and having fun.”




On a similar theme of racing with friends but also family as well, David Dahl, CEO of Transpac Heritage Sponsor Whittier Trust, is racing with his two sons Michael and Sean in a partnership arrangement with other owners of the aptly-named Andrews 77 Compadres (inset photo left - Sharon Green/Ultimate Sailing) based in Newport Beach. Saying that they’re doing the race because of “too many conversations in the Newport Harbor Yacht Club Pirates Den,” their goal is to have a race that will be safe, fast and fun. The team of 14 has been training for this race by competing in several distance races in Southern California and Mexico.

“Racing on the Pacific Ocean is a test of the human spirit,” said Dahl. “You never know what to expect – uncertainty reigns. You must be prepared to handle anything, with experts supporting you.” An appropriate analogy he makes to their client relationships at Whittier.



Out on the race course about 200 miles west, yesterday’s starters in Divisions 5, 6 and 7 are in a relatively tight group about 40 miles from front to back, charging towards Hawaii relatively close to rhumb line (right inset YB tracker image). Bob Pethick’s Rogers 46 Bretwalda is leading this pack, high-speed reaching at 10-11 knots in 20 knots of wind. This group will be closing the gap and likely overtaking the tail enders in the first wave of starters in Division 8 in a few days at the current rates of speed.

The boat closest to Hawaii now is Cecil and Alyson Rossi’s Farr 57 Ho’Okolohe, who is approaching the halfway point in about another day’s time at their current rate of about 10 knots in boatspeed. For them the wind is already starting to shift aft from beam reaching to broad reaching, and they are reporting weather this morning as “90% cloudy, 6-8 ft seas, 035° TWD, 15-22 knots TWS, 1020mb pressure. Rough, shifty night with one good squall this morning, Amazing full rainbow on the bow after and it looked like an arch that we were aiming for. We thought of Gordo (former shipmate) calling us through the gap.”
Soon enough there will be more rainbow-chasers in this year’s fleet, a group of 41 entries that has already navigated so many challenges to be on this race course this year and are being rewarded with outstanding conditions - “Classic Transpac” is what Peter Isler called this weather in his description of the forecast.

YB trackers are on board all entries, with positions indicated on the YB website at this link: https://yb.tl/transpac2021. The positions have been delayed by 4 hours, except when within 200 miles of the finish, where they revert to real-time tracking.

For photos, videos, race analysis and more visit https://transpacyc.com.

[Photoboy]

July 18th Leaders Part 1

[Photoboy]

July 18 Leaderboard Part 2

[Photoboy]

Denali^3 Denied



Sometimes things do not go quite as planned.

Case in point, Case in point, William McKinley's beautiful Ker 46' Denali^3
Had hardly gotten off the starting line when the mast broke between the 1'st and 2nd spreader.
The crew quickly unloaded the sails and returned back to Long Beach to assess the damage.

2,218 miles short of their planned destination, the crew drowned their sorrows in some adult beverages
and made the best of a sad situation. The crew from Harbor Springs, Michigan had worked long and hard
to partake in this edition of the Transpac, yet it was not meant to be.

They were in the talent stacked, 7 boat Division 5, with Bretwalda, Lucky Duck and Rufless included.
Fortunately the rig buckled close to port, instead of days into the race, so the have that going for them!

Bill McKinley and his Denali3 team are accustomed to fast boats, first on his Nelson/Marek 70 Denali, then his HPR Carkeek 40 Denali2, and since 2018 on his new Denali3, a Ker 46+. Being from Grosse Pointe, MI, the team is best known for pursuing their racing prowess on fresh water: they are perennial competitors in the annual Bayview-Mackinac and Chicago-Mackinac Races.

In 2007, however, McKinley did come west to compete in his first Transpac Race on the Nelson/Marek 70, and now is back for 2021 to race to paradise once again. The race left an impression.

“Without a doubt the 2007 Transpac Race was the most enjoyable race any of us have ever sailed,” said McKinley. “When I built Denali3, running the Transpac Race was always on our "bucket list.” With our 2020 sailing season short-circuited due to Covid (we planned to do the 2020 Newport to Bermuda Race), we made the decision to pull up our timing and focus on something incredibly exciting.”

The Denali team has been tight over the years, and McKinley can already name the 8 crew to accompany him on the race: Norm Berge, Nick Diephouse, Nick Ford, Pat Gardner, Geoff Paine, Jim Offer, Dan Thompson and Randy Singelyn as Navigator.

The goals for this Midwest team are simple: “Champagne downwind sailing with a group of close friends.”

[Photoboy]

Quotes From Boats: Nalu V




July 18, 2021

It's day 6 and we have the spinnaker up at last! The wind is a bit variable between 12-20 knots - we like 20 better! Now we are starting to move south a bit more to live us up for the to-come trade winds.

The water maker has been put on hold until tomorrow. We aren't using that much water, so it's not an issue - and we do have a work-around (as well as a manual water maker, too).

The crew is in good spirits, especially when we look forward to our mile marker treats that Chris Tadock strategically planned. It did take us a while to receive our first 100 mile treat! Now the half way marker treat is really looking promising- sip of rum, klondike bars! (Yes,ice cream is on board). Once again, thank you!



July 17, 2021, Evening

Another day of great progress. Although the wind has been a bit up and down, last nights lasagne was fabulous. Apparently, we are more concerned with our stomachs than going fast. Based on our current performance, this may be a healthy area to focus on. Sort of a "don't worry - be happy" strategy.

Speaking of happy, we know what would make the captain happy - a working water maker! This is the issue du jour. While the machine does work, it's really picky about air bubbles in the sea water intake. Unfortunately, the current installation seems to produce more bubbles than water, so it doesn't work. After 2 long hours of trial and error, we landed on error. Mr. Fixit has a new plan for tomorrow. Not to worry though, this really is an issue in terms of having water to take fresh-water showers, not a safety issue (OK - maybe safety for our noses as the stink builds).

In terms of sailing, we are itching to get the spinnaker up. To do that we need the wind about 20 degrees more behind us. Per the forecast, the wind should be coming around, so it's just a matter of time.

Our crew is also starting to get into our at-sea rhythm - including being able to sleep better and getting used to the schedule. Spirits are high overall.

Once again, thank you and if you have not yet had a chance to donate to ALS research, please take a minute to do so - we would greatly appreciate it (see the link below). As we sail, we are flying our custom "In memory of Mark Buttermann" ALS flag.






July 17, 2021, Morning

Well it's day 4 and the wind is here. It's been 15-20 with gusts to 24, so it's starting to get exciting!

The ghost of Transpac 2019 has reared its ugly head and we have been having the bilge fill up with sea water - just like it did then. Upon examination, Mark determined that the bilge line was actually draining the ocean into our boat - not good. After hours of trying, Mark could not get it quite right so plan B was enacted - plug the bilge pump exit hole. The hole was unusually sized, so the best "plug" was a GoPro handle - and that's how we are sailing right now (thanks Chris for the outside the box thinking). This bilge issue is a factor of our high speeds offshore - not something that happens near LA. We believe it's fixed and crossing our fingers.

We covered 175 miles in the last 24 hours - a record for us, we believe. With this wind and a gradually improving course (the wind will start to come behind us more), we should continually improve on that over the days ahead.

The nights have been chilly, windy, sometime rainy and we have occasional wave break over us - everything true sailors dream of. We're dreaming of a few days from now, with trade winds and warmer temperatures.

Food continues to be great - enchiladas last night and Hugh's famous breakfast burritos this morning were both hits. Once again, thank you!



July 16, 2021

It's the beginning of day 3 and things are looking better! After a long day looking at San Nicholas Island yesterday (the military was nervous and was certainly looking at us), the wind finally came up and we were able to get to better wind. Overnight, it was pretty variable but we made some decent time. Currently, the wind is ranging between 7 - 10 knots with it predicted to be 15 later.

Meals have been the high point so far, with an excellent Teriyaki Chicken last night (thank you Lynn!) and waffles with strawberries and whipped cream as well as bacon for breakfast. No freeze dried food for us!

The crew is doing well and still settling into our day-to-day routine. Watches are 6 hours starting at 8AM. Mark and Kathy are one team and Hugh and Chris the other. We split the night at 2AM, which we are all getting used to (sort of):-)

This morning, Mark saw a whale which we hope to be a good omen. There is also a lot of bioluminescence in the water and we have been seeing some unusual glowing blobs (possible alien life - Chris your dad says that you may be interested in these).

Also, this morning, our cruise director Chris Tadlock (official position being "Cat 3 Cooler Jockey" - really, look it up on Yacht Scoring) surprised us with a 100 mile treat - tasty balls (AKA M&M's). Apparently, there are more treats to come at future milestones.

We have about 2050 miles to go, so lots of adventures yet to come.vOnce again, thank you for your support!



July 14, 2021

News flash: we survived our first night. We had a great start and were first over the line! The wind was better than predicted and in a more favorable direction -- initially. Last night the wind mostly died, although not completely. Lots of weaving around, but some progress made. It was nice in a way that it was calm - the chili went down well - and stayed down!

In terms of our course, it looks like everyone else went north and we stayed south and right now are just below San Miguel Island. We think this is a better course - better wind (at least it was never 100% dead) and it's shorter - time will tell. It looks like the synoptic wind (consistent offshore northerly wind) is nearby and that will really get us going.

Spirits are high, meals have been great and we're pushing on. Once again, thank you!

The Nalu V Crew
Sailing for our Mark - In memory of Mark Buttermann
Donate here: https://donate.als.org/team/362851

[Photoboy]

Team Novato !st To Halfway Point



Cecil & Alyson Rossi's Farr 57' Ho'okolohe ( Hawaiian sex in Hawaiian) Sprinted out to a lead from day 1
a week ago with the starters in Division 8 and has not looked back. The only boat with 3 Fosters and a Corkett,
they passed the 1,000 nm DTF mark just a few hours ago and are holding onto line honors position like a fat kid with a
lollypop... so to speak...

Ho'okolohe has a nice steady pace, with a 227nm 24 hour VMG in latest update. While its quite possible the likes of Roy Disney's
turbo'd out Volvo 70 Pyewacket can catch her before Diamond Head, they are just 1/4 of the way as opposed to Ho'okolohe's 1/2 way mark.

Time will tell!


TRACKER





In Div 1, Pyewacket holds the baton, with Bryon Erharts's Judel-Vrolijk 72' Lucky in 2nd and
Tom Holthus' latest BadPak in 3rd



Raymond Paul's Botin 65' Artemis is in 1st in Div 2, with Doug Bakers' Kernan 68' Peligroso in 2nd
and Alan Luber's RP 66 Zvi


Div 3 has Chris Sheehan's Pac52 Warrior Won in the lead followed by sistership, Callisto owned by Jim and Kate Murray
with the RP52 Vitesse owned by Thomas Furlong




In what appears to be a double match race, the Sleds in division 4, have David Clarke's Grand Illusion
neck and neck with Jack Jenning's Pied Piper while some 20 miles back, Craig Reynold's Bolt
is in a virtual tie with the Sangmeister/Smart owned Rock n Roll




Bob Pethick's Rogers 46' BretWalda 3 is current front runner in Div 5, with James Partrige's Antrim 49'
Rapid Transit occupying 2nd and Dave MacEwen's new to him Lucky Duck, also a Roger 46' now in 3rd




The 5 boat SC50 fleet shows John Shulze's Horizon blazing the path with Steve Sellinger's Triumph hold onto 2nd and Michael Moradzadeh's
Oaxaca the 3rd place holder



The 3 boat div 7 has everyone with a shot at the podium, with Greg Dorn's Dehler 46' Favonius in the lead,
with Scott Cambell's J 121 Riva in 2nd and Tim Jones's Olson 40 Live Wire in 3rd




As mentioned at the top of this brilliant piece of journalism, the boat from the new sailing capitol of the West Coast (Novato)
Ho'okolohe has a commanding lead with Andy Schwenky Dank's E-37 in 2nd and Mike Sudo's Beneteau Fisrt 47.7 Macondo in 3rd

[Photoboy]

Notes From Boats: July 20th

July 20, 2021, 0800

The best sailing in the WORLD is about 1,000 nm upwind of Hawaii... which makes the TransPac the best race in the world! Morale is high and the sailing sure is fun! Aloha!
VITESSE BOAT BLOG
*****************************

July 20, 2021

Ah, it's good to be back. The water hissing by the hull, the rhythmic rolling and surfing on the Pacific swells, the groaning of deck hardware as the sails are trimmed. We are off, heading West and South, Hula Girl has a bone in her teeth and couldn't be happier.

Friday afternoon, our fleet left California in the 2021 Transpac Race to Honolulu. One of the world's most renowned and revered offshore yacht races, it also happens to be one of our favorites. The course has exactly what a great event should: a healthy mix of challenges and rewards. The early upwind days in the colder coastal winds are soon forgotten once you cross the ridge and begin the many miles of surfing blue swells to tropical islands.

This year, the what the post-pandemic fleet lacks in numbers, it definitely makes up for in sheer competitiveness. The scratch sheet reads a list of some of the hottest racing sailboats on the planet. And the crew lists are virtual who's who of offshore racing. This year, our 14th year of offering racing programs to Hawaii, J/World is fielding two boats in the event, each comprised of three coaches and six clients. It's a crash course in a whole host of fields: yes, sailing mechanics, sail trim, helming, and boat systems of course, but also in team building, cooperation, communication, and and just plain ol' simple courtesy. After a couple of days 'rehearsal' in LA where coaches covered everything form how to 'peel' a spinnaker to where you should hang your foulies, we were excited to get sailing.

This year has, from our perspective, been remarkable in the fact that it hasn't (yet) been terribly remarkable. If that makes any sense. I mean, the departure from the LA coastal waters was easy and relatively mild. We got into the offshore winds smoothly before the first night. The winds have been idyllic, averaging maybe 18 knots, rarely below 14, and similarly rarely above 22. We spent the initial push away from the coast with our #1 genoa up, reached for a while with our Jib Top, and with the wind shifting around behind us are now sailing with the A3 Spinnaker. Really, conditions have been just superb.

While the sailing has been smooth, we have been taking some lumps on Hula Girl. Our 'young' team has been paying some speed dues to the seasoned teams out here while our crew learns how to sail this boat. We were a little off the pace the first couple of days, but I have to say I think everyone is getting the hang of things and I expect to start reeling in some of our fleet. Unfortunately, it's a pretty 'narrow' course this year, so there aren't s lot of passing lanes, so we'll have to see what we can do!

Hula Girl has been fantastic, as always. One exciting mishap: as we neared Catalina Island, the new steering cables must have seated/stretched under the high loads allowing one of them to slip off the steering quadrant in our first tack. So that made an exciting couple of moments, but we were able to quickly get the cable back into place, then tighten them both, and we were back in action.

Ok, it's a little after 1am out here mid Pacific, so I should sign off. Hah, quick side note, I almost titled this post "Hula Girl - Back in the Saddle" but my sleep deprived mind couldn't shake the image of a hula girl on a horse, so I had to scrap that one.

Anyhow, we have a super fun group on board this year, and with the spinnakers out and the weather warming, spirits are high!

Mare (pun intended) soon...

Wayne Zittel & the Hula Girl Team

**************************

ZVI BOAT BLOG

Posted July 19, 2021
July 19, 2021

After spending the night on the R2, genoa staysail, and a reefed main, we finally put up a soft kite at the 8 a.m watch change. It feels great to have the boat sailing a little flatter. We’re on a new Doyle A2.5, which is a purpose-built offshore spinnaker. We’re eager to see the next round of position reports because we really made some distance down the course. We’re hoping it was in the right direction! Other than the start, we have not seen the sun. We did have a pod of dolphins playing in the wake yesterday. The systems are all working well, and we’ve been making water and eating well.

July 18, 2021

With the first night behind us, we can still see most of our fleet, but it’s odd being the small, slow boat! We made a nice exit from the coast with a full main sail and J2. We added the Genoa staysail overnight. We’re on track to our first waypoint, and we will likely be on the R2 by this afternoon. Looking forward to the spinnaker, which will level out the boat. The crew is adjusting nicely.

July 17, 2021

Team Zvi is headed for Hawaii! Thank you to all our fans and followers. Track us on the Transpac website and YB Tracking. Special mahalo to sponsors, Samson Rope Technologies, CSR Marine, and Backpacker's Pantry. Video footage of start from Spitfire Film Co. and Mahalynn Koch.

****************************
July 19, 2021

Well it has been an eventful 24 hours - the best of times and the worst of times (but not too bad, though)! First, on a positive note, the water maker is fixed and showers are back on the itinerary - yea! Bubblemaster Mark figured it out and the tank is filling as we write this. The fix still really works only on starboard tack, which we will be on most of the time. We expect it to be warm enough in a couple of days to wash up.

Now, on the other end of the spectrum, last night at 11:15, we were steadily sailing along in about 22 knots of wind and suddenly the spinnaker afterguy broke (it broke at the splice to the shackle). For those less acquainted with the spinnaker - it's a triangular sail and you have lines at each corner - it was one of those that broke. We got it fixed pretty quickly, rousing Mark and Kathy from the beds to help. Unfortunately, about 3 hours later, the spinnaker itself ripped nearly in half. Our guess is that it got torn in the afterguy incident, but we didn't notice it. This time, Chris & Hugh got out of bed for the fun. We are sailing on spinnaker #2 (of 4) while seamstress and tape mistress Kathy tries to tape and sew the other (better) spinnaker back together.

Meals are still great. At Hugh's request, Mark made his fantastic avocado toast for a second day in a row - it's really good and we have lots of ripe avocados to eat. Dinner last night was enchilada pie - also really tasty.

Donations are doing great - around $22K so far, but we are below our goal of $50K. Please donate if you have not yet done so. Also, please share Mark's story with your friends and other who might be interested in supporting ALS research. We need to help stop this horrendous disease. Once again, thank you!

The Nalu V Crew
Sailing for our Mark - In memory of Mark Buttermann

July 18, 2021

It's day 6 and we have the spinnaker up at last! The wind is a bit variable between 12-20 knots - we like 20 better! Now we are starting to move south a bit more to live us up for the to-come trade winds.

The water maker has been put on hold until tomorrow. We aren't using that much water, so it's not an issue - and we do have a work-around (as well as a manual water maker, too).

The crew is in good spirits, especially when we look forward to our mile marker treats that Chris Tadock strategically planned. It did take us a while to receive our first 100 mile treat! Now the half way marker treat is really looking promising- sip of rum, klondike bars! (Yes,ice cream is on board). Once again, thank you!



July 17, 2021, Evening

Another day of great progress. Although the wind has been a bit up and down, last nights lasagne was fabulous. Apparently, we are more concerned with our stomachs than going fast. Based on our current performance, this may be a healthy area to focus on. Sort of a "don't worry - be happy" strategy.

Speaking of happy, we know what would make the captain happy - a working water maker! This is the issue du jour. While the machine does work, it's really picky about air bubbles in the sea water intake. Unfortunately, the current installation seems to produce more bubbles than water, so it doesn't work. After 2 long hours of trial and error, we landed on error. Mr. Fixit has a new plan for tomorrow. Not to worry though, this really is an issue in terms of having water to take fresh-water showers, not a safety issue (OK - maybe safety for our noses as the stink builds).

In terms of sailing, we are itching to get the spinnaker up. To do that we need the wind about 20 degrees more behind us. Per the forecast, the wind should be coming around, so it's just a matter of time.

Our crew is also starting to get into our at-sea rhythm - including being able to sleep better and getting used to the schedule. Spirits are high overall.

Once again, thank you and if you have not yet had a chance to donate to ALS research, please take a minute to do so - we would greatly appreciate it (see the link below). As we sail, we are flying our custom "In memory of Mark Buttermann" ALS flag.



July 17, 2021, Morning

Well it's day 4 and the wind is here. It's been 15-20 with gusts to 24, so it's starting to get exciting!

The ghost of Transpac 2019 has reared its ugly head and we have been having the bilge fill up with sea water - just like it did then. Upon examination, Mark determined that the bilge line was actually draining the ocean into our boat - not good. After hours of trying, Mark could not get it quite right so plan B was enacted - plug the bilge pump exit hole. The hole was unusually sized, so the best "plug" was a GoPro handle - and that's how we are sailing right now (thanks Chris for the outside the box thinking). This bilge issue is a factor of our high speeds offshore - not something that happens near LA. We believe it's fixed and crossing our fingers.

We covered 175 miles in the last 24 hours - a record for us, we believe. With this wind and a gradually improving course (the wind will start to come behind us more), we should continually improve on that over the days ahead.

The nights have been chilly, windy, sometime rainy and we have occasional wave break over us - everything true sailors dream of. We're dreaming of a few days from now, with trade winds and warmer temperatures.

Food continues to be great - enchiladas last night and Hugh's famous breakfast burritos this morning were both hits. Once again, thank you!



July 16, 2021

It's the beginning of day 3 and things are looking better! After a long day looking at San Nicholas Island yesterday (the military was nervous and was certainly looking at us), the wind finally came up and we were able to get to better wind. Overnight, it was pretty variable but we made some decent time. Currently, the wind is ranging between 7 - 10 knots with it predicted to be 15 later.

Meals have been the high point so far, with an excellent Teriyaki Chicken last night (thank you Lynn!) and waffles with strawberries and whipped cream as well as bacon for breakfast. No freeze dried food for us!

The crew is doing well and still settling into our day-to-day routine. Watches are 6 hours starting at 8AM. Mark and Kathy are one team and Hugh and Chris the other. We split the night at 2AM, which we are all getting used to (sort of):-)

This morning, Mark saw a whale which we hope to be a good omen. There is also a lot of bioluminescence in the water and we have been seeing some unusual glowing blobs (possible alien life - Chris your dad says that you may be interested in these).

Also, this morning, our cruise director Chris Tadlock (official position being "Cat 3 Cooler Jockey" - really, look it up on Yacht Scoring) surprised us with a 100 mile treat - tasty balls (AKA M&M's). Apparently, there are more treats to come at future milestones.

We have about 2050 miles to go, so lots of adventures yet to come.vOnce again, thank you for your support!

July 14, 2021
News flash: we survived our first night. We had a great start and were first over the line! The wind was better than predicted and in a more favorable direction -- initially. Last night the wind mostly died, although not completely. Lots of weaving around, but some progress made. It was nice in a way that it was calm - the chili went down well - and stayed down!

In terms of our course, it looks like everyone else went north and we stayed south and right now are just below San Miguel Island. We think this is a better course - better wind (at least it was never 100% dead) and it's shorter - time will tell. It looks like the synoptic wind (consistent offshore northerly wind) is nearby and that will really get us going.

Spirits are high, meals have been great and we're pushing on. Once again, thank you!

The Nalu V Crew
Sailing for our Mark - In memory of Mark Buttermann
Donate here: https://donate.als.org/team/362851

********************************

July 19, 2021

Good morning Friends & Family of Triumph.

We have entered the "slot cars" section of the Transpac. We are riding the bottom edge of the weather pattern known as the Pacific High. For the most part, you will see all boats in their lane until the decision to gybe down to Hawaii. The good part is that the boat has flattened out and we can move about without holding on for dear life at 20% of heal - just imagine your house tilted up 20% in a light rain storm with the windows open.

David, Chris and I saw a whale jump 40-50 feet in the air, twice. We are glad it happened a second time as we were not sure it was real. Chris actually said it looked like something fell out of the sky.

Not much excitement other than a likely seal failure in the Backstay Ram - this is the device that increases or decreases tension on the backstay which in turn stiffens the forestay and the mast. This might sound trivial but it actually is a critical part and without it we are all but dunfir. This actually is a critical item when sailing upwind and reaching. The hydraulic repair was undertaken by the Navigator, who will remain nameless, for this report. My dad always said stick to what you know but when on board, everyone is an expert at many things 😊. The repair involved bleeding the oil under the backstay ram but rather than capture it, we drained it off the transom and we can't say where it went from there. We carry a quart of spare hydraulic but I was told we should always carry a barrel (i.e., 55 gallons) or fill one of the unused water tanks with it. We adapted and overcame - our on board Olympic hopeful and rigger extraordinnaire, David Leibenberg, worked his rope magic and so far she is holding. This kid is a bundle of energy.

Tonight we have the "Navigators Stew". Jeff (it is ok to use his name in this case). This meal is labeled "Hagis" on the boat menu as a place holder but this meal is reportedly a step above and would make the Scottish blush. The stew contains Pork Shoulder, poblano and jalapeno peppers, garlic with romano and parmesan cheese and beer. We are eager to report back on this delicacy.

A few brave soles are taking transom showers today. I am one of those. These sort of things should be mandatory but are not until day 5. The skipper will start adding labels in strategic spots on the boat to encourage this.

As the YB Tracker shows we are in a dual with Horizon. Nothing we haven't planned for. We have a secret weapon which we will share in the next communique. We also have the legendary Navigator, cook and hydraulic repair man onboard. We will previal!
**************************

“All is well onboard BOLT! The sun is out and boat is moving fast. Morale is high and conditions are great. Chef Craig continues to provide a 5-star dining experience as we continue our journey towards Hawaii. Today we leave you with thoughts from the crew....

"Easier to cook when the boat is flat"
"The sun is finally out!"
"Can't believe they let the bow guy drive."
"Are we there yet?"
"Finally surfing!"
"The coffee is working."
"Dave spoils good dreams."
"White sails are faster than dark sails"
"I like going fast!"
"I'm not grumpy!"

Meet David B Oborn
- Hometown: Huntington Beach, CA via Auckland, NZ
- How many Transpacs: This is my third
- Position on boat: Foil trimmer/Bar tender
- Favorite drink: Scotch Whiskey
- Favorite food: Rum

Meet Alex Steele
- Hometown: Newport Beach, CA
- Number of Transpacs: This is my 4th transpac
- Position on Bolt: Watch captain
- Favorite drink: Rum and coke
- Favorite food: Steak

July 17, 2021

Throughout their @transpacrace voyage, we’ll be featuring members of the Bolt crew as we cheer them on from the mainland.

Meet Craig L. Reynolds
- Hometown: Newport Beach, California
- Number of Transpacs: This is my seventh Transpac - one pacific cup trophy
- Position on Bolt: Owner
- Favorite drink: Mai tai at finish in Hawaii
- Favorite food: Breakfast at waffle house
- Instagram handle: Is that like a handle of rum?
- “I love this race!!!”

******************************
July 19, 2021, 0800

Yesterday was Skipper Chris Sheehan's birthday. He didn't even know we knew it was his birthday as he didn't mention anything and we all kept quiet. Imagine his shock at the surprise birthday dinner-party we threw him hundreds of miles offshore in the Pacific Ocean. He was super touched by laminated/waterproofed cards from loved ones that we smuggled on board. We each had a single Budweiser, the King of Beers, to toast him, which helped wash down the Freeze-dried Chocolate Pudding with Marshmallows. We all chipped in and got him wanted for his birthday-- the boat in "full send" mode with big numbers. Slingshot Engaged.

July 17, 2021

Meet the team:

Watch Captains Stuart Bannatyne, Hartwell Jordan
Navigator Christopher Lewis
Boat Captain Collin Leon
Trimmers Malcolm Parker, Morgan Gutenkunst
Grinder Scott Ewing
Bow Dylan Vogel
Helm /,Skipper Christopher Sheehan
Shore Team Dominque Tanton

*************************************
July 18, 2021, 1600

News Flash! Jason sends an update on the first 24 hours aboard Callisto:

The first 24 hours have been good. Callisto was able to have a good start despite a large armada of spectator boats. The wind was blowing 8-10 knots and then built up to 14 knots off Catalina Island. The fleet headed north to Santa Barbara Island before making the last tack onto starboard (which is the tack for 80% of the race). Overnight the wind remained in the 8-12 range with a heavy marine layer. The wind built to 15 knots but the crew is still waiting for the wind to shift to the northeast.

The boat is performing well but there are a few gear gremlins to deal with. Go Go Callisto!

July 18, 2021, 0400

Good night of sailing moving out of the Channel Islands past Santa Barbara and San Nicolas Islands in 12 knots of breeze. Nice shot of Catalina Island from the crew last evening. Still heading upwind, Division 2 and 3 boats beginning to spread out.

[Photoboy]

Wednesday July 21st Update



TRACKER

Fleet: As of 07:00 HST the fleet has congregated midway through the track and Ho'okolohe the breakaway
leader. All boats are currently enjoying good pressure , with winds in the low 20's, life is good.
Some boats are diving a bit south, Fast Exit, Patches, Lucky Duck, Lucky and Juno , apparently seeking a tad more
breeze from the remnants of a tropical storm.




Div 1:
BadPak remains in the lead on corrected time, with Lucky just one hour off the estimated pace,
Pyewacket has posted a 402nm VMG and is on pace to overtake Ho'okolohe for line honors


Div2:
Peligroso leads the division and posted a 354nm VMG over the past 24 hours! All boats sailing in the
12+knots rang and expected to arrive this weekend!




Div3:
The 52's are all humming along quite nicely, Warrior Won is division leader with a 4 hour
corrected lead over 2nd place Vitesse and 7.5 hour lead over sistership Callisto





Div 4

The Sleds are sledding along in the 11 plus knot range, with Pied Piper holding a corrected lead over 2nd place
Grand Illusion of 1.3 hours!




Div5
Things are much tighter in this division, with Bretwalda holding a 4 hour corrected lead over Nereid, which in turn , currently has a
20 second lead over Rufless which leads Lucky Duck by 40 something minutes!




Div6
Triumph is the current crown wearer in the SC50 fleet, possessing a 17 minute corrected advantage over Horizon
and just shy of 3 hours over Oaxaca. All boats surfing in the 9 plus knot range and are expected in late Sunday and very early Monday!





Div7
Favonius remains the lead dog in this 3 boat division, where all boats are still expecting podium slots!
They have staggered ETA's with boats finishing Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday!



Div 8
Still 1st in division and Line Honor, Team Novato, aka Ho'okolohe, can still pull this one off with good luck and
navigating for line honors. Expected in sometime Friday with a full moon, it will be a magical ending to a magical voyage!
Spindrift V is now in second on corrected, but still needs to make up 9 plus hours to overtake!




Line Honors
Pyewacket has an estimated finish time of approximately 09:00 Friday with Ho'okolohe's of 19:20 and Lucky's 22:15
but there are plenty of miles and gybes to go....