The Next Leg (however they number it) starts today Saturday 14 April at 1400 local time at the Golden Gate Yacht Club, San Francisco Bay (2100 UTC). Race Director Joff Bailey advises:
The big question facing crews is whether to take the inshore or offshore route. The Californian Current flows south but the helping hand this gives the fleet can be counteracted by heating effects from the North American land mass which might change the winds unfavourably.
This race down to Panama starts of fast and furious but as the temperature rises the wind start to drop as changeable conditions along the coast of Central America and as the fleet near the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone or Doldrums) take effect.
The last thousand miles will be sailed in light and fickle winds potentially requiring a shortened course as the Clipper Race fleet head towards a date with the Panama Canal.
Obviously, for the Virtual Fleets, a shortened course is never an option.
Except for instances where you crash into identified land masses, Doc!
ReplyDeleteGood luck to all
ReplyDeleteNice start, Fukitol. I don't know how you do it.
DeleteTrouble is it's the finish that counts and this year I'm not doing so well.
DeleteSome people wanted to establish an annual fleet perpetual prize for the best starts. I always fell out of my chair. That's why I prefer email meet-ups to sit-in-your-chair meetings. You can roll your eyes much more eloquently in email.
DeleteHow can your race nail clippers? I don't get it?
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the funniest definitions I read about "Clippers" :-)))))
DeleteHere's what I see:
ReplyDeleteFukitol: 16
Open Container III: 300
Yachts of Fun: 303
No Going Back: 808
Contiguous: 955
Belladonna: 3055
Me (in my boat of an undisclosed name): 3750
11,000+ competing.
Hi Doc. It's 20:30 my time, so 11:30 AM yours. I'm right in front of your favorite beach, with some islands in the way. What about a BBQ at your place ?
ReplyDeleteI'm 2,489th behind you 47th. Nice shot !
ReplyDelete18th @ 12:00 noon your time Doc. 1° port for 5 minutes, and you're in the top 10s ! ! !
ReplyDeleteI probably should'nt have tell that. You're certainly much more experienced than myself in Californian coast sailing.
ReplyDelete2012-04-15 21:43:18 UTC+2 and Doc is in 16th position - on home ground and right up there with the leaders! Guess you didn't have time to stop for a BBQ.
ReplyDeleteOtto gets all the credit. I was out this afternoon trying to defend my own trophy in an 18nm (real) race on the water. We turned back after five hours of no wind. Five boats out of 16 finished. I'm flat and busted and disgusted and I am going to get seriously drunk. Y'all stop off and join me!
DeleteHard luck Doc, I'll join you in the bar and share some of your pain... mine's a G&T please!
ReplyDeleteI'll have the same as hers. As long as I'm still behind NGB!
DeleteI'll join you all as well, I with have anything as long as it's alcohol, well it is my birthday, so drinks on me.
DeleteHappy BD, FKT !
DeleteFor me it's Bacardi&coke, AKA Cuba Libre. Cheers !!!!!
DeleteBelladonna you can have whatever you like on me, Cheers
DeleteI'm ahead of the ice cream man! Way ahead!
ReplyDeleteOh what fun this is, another speedy day.
ReplyDeleteYeah. I'm doing so badly, I don't even want to look. Take a peek, will you, and warn me what it's going to be like?
ReplyDeleteDoc, you must try harder.
DeleteEither that or have another drink and say "what the"
and then my name, he he.
Deletesorry all for that.
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ReplyDeleteOk Doc, in readiness for you (and so as not to offend people on this blog anymore) I have changed my name.
DeleteBut you still know who I really am.
Change your name back again, Fukitol. My comment had multiple typos in it and has been erased and replaced. I was trying to make a comment about Barcelona & Chelsea!
DeleteFukitol, you have summed up my sentiments, exactly. But how about Chelsea tying Barcelona with a man short? Huh? How about that? Did you see that last move by Torres? That can happen in any event. Even yacht racing. If I can do that, you know what I will be shouting? Fukitoooooooooooooooooooooooool!
ReplyDeleteI took a peek at your boat and, well, at least you are going in the right direction if a little slow... Maybe you are spending too much time watching football?
ReplyDeleteFootball was on the TV in our house last night. I was watching it but didn't see a thing !!
I'm talking about this play. That's what I'm talking about!
DeleteYep... we're talking about the same thing. Game was on 'live' but my eyes srifted back to my laptop. Maybe it's a girl thing but I just don't get it.
ReplyDeletePaula, I've always considered you one of the guys even though it's great that you don't look like us!
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ReplyDeleteDoc, come on, you can do better than this, pull your socks up, you are spending too much time watching British football teams who think they can play football!!!!
ReplyDeleteWe all know they couldn't play their way out of a wet paper bag
DeleteI've been watching baseball at the moment. LA Dodgers are 16-6! Wahoooo! But I may take tomorrow off so I can watch the Manchester Derby. The biggest Futbol match in UK in this young century. Thx for taking the offending "K" out of your name!
DeleteHi Doc, soccer is not my favorite sport, but I like to look at a good match on TV.
DeleteWhat do you think about "Vince the Prince" as they call him ? He's a former player of my home team, RSCA (Anderlecht).
If City is champion, it'll be thanks to him !!!
Kaptain Kompany played outstandingly. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get him on my rotisserie team. And I am guilty of obsessing over the EPL: I am two points from falling into 3rd place with two more games to play. Where the hell is my Open Container III? I am afraid to look!
ReplyDeleteFukitol finished 193
ReplyDeleteYachts of Fun finished 259
Contiguous finished 964
Belladonna finished 2024
No Going Back finished 2607
and
Open Container III still unfinished at 3533!
Congratulations to all. All I can say, is "What can I say?"
Stop watching rubbish football Doc and spend the time sailing, either real or game !!!
DeleteI'm good! After this Sunday!
DeleteComments re-directed to Current Leg.
ReplyDelete