A Brief Glimpse Into The Gulf Stream

Anybody going to Bermuda?

One of the aspects of distance sailing that truly interests me is navigation.  And although Abilyn will not be sailing to Bermuda in 2015, I'm still very much drawn to how the ever-changing Gulf Stream current is shaping up for this year's Bermuda 1-2 competitors, and how it will impact the course to Bermuda.  For the uninitiated, Frank Bohlen of the University of Connecticut provides a great primer on the Gulf Stream here.  It's definitely worth a read.  

Frank, and anybody else with experience navigating to Bermuda, will advise that the prudent navigator studies the Stream's evolution months in advance to develop the most optimal strategy for crossing the thermal boundary.  To that end, I created the video below, which compiles NOAA images of near-realtime satellite altimetry derived surface currents based on the OCCAM XBT model for the period of February 2, 2015, through April 11, 2015--spaced out in 4-day increments.  In my view, the altimetry data provided by NOAA is one of friendlier ways to observe the changes in the Gulf Stream.

You can clearly see in the video the development and movement of various eddies in and around the main stream feature.  Some of the more interesting features, at least to me, include the large meander shown in the February 18 image located west of the rhumb line, which appears to bring the Stream nearly back on itself for about 200 miles (to the SW); and the eddy-ridden region west of the rhumb line in the March 26 image, which appears to show no semblance of a major stream feature.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing how the Stream develops in the 53 days between now and the start of the Bermuda 1-2.  For comparison, here's how the Stream looked around June 19, 2014, for the start of the Newport-Bermuda Race versus how the stream looked around April 11, 2015.

Bermuda 1-2 Update: Abilyn a No-Go (This Year)

After much internal debate, and discussion with my wife, co-skipper, and friends, I've decided not to pursue the Bermuda 1-2 Yacht Race this year, despite qualifying this past September with a 205-mile, 29-hour solo offshore voyage to the edge of the Continental Shelf and back.  Although I am certainly apprehensive about taking a 21-foot pocket rocket across the Gulf Stream, I am not deterred as I'm confident enough in my sailing, safety and survival skills such that the reward of undertaking the adventure greatly outweighs the risks based my assessment.  Some will certainly say (and have said) that my calculator must be broken--e.g., my mother.  Nope.  It rivals the TI-86 and is working just fine.  But fear is not why I'll be watching the triangles of the Yellowbrick tracker this go-around rather than being one of those triangles.  Neither is my autopilot, although I've previously written about my efforts to exorcise the demons from my tiller ram and course computer.  I'll be sitting this one out for the same reason why many of us aren't able to get out on the water as much as we'd like...work. 

In two weeks time, I'll be transitioning companies, and my instinct is telling me to set the adventure aside for a brief period of time to focus on solidifying myself in my new role and building the same level of trust and goodwill that I have built over past 5+ years at my current company--elements that will be essential when I inevitably say--"Hey, so I'm going to take off the month of June to sail my 21-foot sled to Bermuda and back."  Indeed, taking into account planning, sailing both legs, and the fundamental dedication of your cognitive faculties to engage in the pursuit both safely and effectively, the time requirement for the race is about four straight weeks.  Unfortunately, this is far more than I can dedicate right now (even if I fly back to NYC between the first and second legs).  It's just not the right time.

That said, Abilyn will still sail this season and will get some more miles under her hull.  We are hoping to pursue a schedule that includes some weekends of offshore training, local day races, and the following local longer distance races:

  • Storm Trysail Club Around Block Island Race
  • Storm Trysail Club Block Island Race Week
  • New England Solo/Twin
  • Seacliff YC Around Long Island Regatta
  • Ida Lewis Distance Race
  • Stamford YC Vineyard Race

Plus, I'll be participating in Larchmont Junior Race Week in July to give a presentation on the Mini Transat 6.50 boat and some of my experience, and hopefully give some of the juniors a pretty cool ride.

I'm of course saddened that Abilyn will not be participating in this year's Bermuda 1-2, especially given that four other Mini 6.50s are committed to the race:  CAN 175 (Pogo Logo), USA 806 (ex-Open Sailing), USA 702 (Frogger), and USA 837 (Wichard Ocean Racing).  Although it's a long shot, we're going to try to gain entry to the 2016 Newport-Bermuda Race.  If that doesn't work, we'll fly the Jolly Roger and sail the course anyways. And then, banking on the prospect that the 2017 America's Cup doesn't actually happen on account of other competitors taking Luna Rossa Challenge's lead, we'll plan on the 2017 B1-2.

See you out on the water soon enough.  It feels like Spring.

This just in...

Abilyn Racing is officially qualified for the 2015 Bermuda 1-2!!!

The race committee recently informed me that my 206 hard-fought, solo, offshore miles coupled with nearly 500 miles of additional documented sailing aboard Abilyn was sufficient to gain entry to the regatta.  

This is definitely great news, but I need to remember that I still have some important training before being able to cross the start line and aim for 165 M. 

Abilyn Racing To Participate in Leukemia Cup Regatta

Tomorrow, I will be racing single-handed in the Leukemia Cup Regatta hosted by Larchmont Yacht Club, not only to get in some needed practice, but to support a worthy cause--helping to raise money and awareness in an effort to cure cancer.  

If you have the means, please donate to the cause here.  Every little bit helps.  

According to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society:

"Nearly 1,012,533 Americans currently battle blood cancers.  Every four minutes, someone is diagnosed.  They are men, women, children, of every race and every age.  Every ten minutes, someone dies from these cancers."  

"An estimated combined total of 156,420 people in the US are expected to be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2014."

Also known as the Fall Edlu, the race is relatively short--about 32 nautical miles from just off the LYC breakwater to Eatons Neck and back.  However, according to the sailing instructions, the RC could choose instead to have the boats go around one or more of 17 government marks.  So I'll be sure to have those plugged into my iPad before Saturday, which will allow my DMK Box to help me to optimize my course and maneuvering with iNavX and iRegatta Pro using my onboard instrument data.

According to PredictWind, the breeze is forecasted to be from the SW.  Assuming that I'll be racing the traditional Edlu course, I expect a downwind start and broad reach down to the mark with the big kite and genoa followed by a close-hauled course back to the breakwater.  I'm excited to use my new outboard lead and tweaker setup to open up the clew and tighten up the leech on the genoa downwind, which hopefully will give a little more punch to our downwind speed. To plot my track, I'll be using my Bad Elf GPS Pro module.

The overall goal of the regatta is to focus on boat management (including proper weight distribution), and limiting maneuvers, just as I would do if I were offshore.  

See you out on the water.

Three Minis Set To Compete in 80th Vineyard Race

NA Mini Vineyard

Tomorrow afternoon (Eastern time), three Mini Transat boats based in the Long Island Sound will challenge the 238-mile "Vineyard Course" in the 80th running of the Vineyard Race, hosted by Stamford Yacht Club.  The Vineyard Race is a perennial classic in the northeast United States, and is the last major distance race of the season--until my idea for a 300-mile late September-early October offshore race finishing in NY Harbor takes off.  Unfortunately, Abilyn will not be taking part this year because a friend had the indecency to dedicate herself unto the bonds of Holy Matrimony this weekend.  Just kidding, Danna.

So while I'm being a good friend in Portland, Oregon, the three Mini crews will no doubt be primed and set for the long haul from just off Stamford, CT, out of Long Island Sound, up to Buzzards Bay Tower, around Block Island (leaving the island to starboard) and back into the Sound to finish in Stamford Harbor.  

Each of the Mini crews will be sailing in the PHRF double-handed class, along with some notable Class 40s, one of whom is skippered by Jeffrey MacFarlane, the former #1 ranked Mini sailor--in the world.  (I gotta get him on Abilyn for a few practice sessions).  I don't believe that any of the Mini sailors are going into this race thinking they can beat the Class 40s, since Minis lose upwind due to waterline, and lose in reaching and running conditions because Class 40s are just bigger/faster versions of Minis, and--just like Minis--excel off the breeze.  That said, I've done the math...for the Mini, USA 806 (111 PHRF rating), to beat the Class 40 Dragon (-9.0 PHRF rating), USA 806 would have to finish no more than 7 hours and 59 minutes after Dragon.  Hey, it's possible.  Just this past July in the 350-mile Route Halifax St. Pierre Ocean Race, a "series" Mini corrected out against an Akilaria Class 40 and a Volvo 60 to take the overall PHRF win.  

But what will be interesting is not how the Minis fare against the rest of the fleet, but how they fare against each other.  Although all three boats are built to a box rule, one of the boats is quite different from the rest.  Two of the boats--USA 806 and Frogger (USA 702)--are "series" Minis.  As described in an earlier post, this means that they are built with a fixed keel and fixed rudders, and use non-exotic materials in the construction of the boat--i.e., aluminum and resin-infused fiberglass, no carbon.  The third Mini, Valkyrja (USA 415) is a "proto" Mini.  Although I'm not sure whether Valkyrja is made with any carbon, it does have a deep, canting keel, water ballast, taller mast, and carries more sail area than USA 806 or Frogger.  As such, Valkyrja can be expected to point higher upwind, and haul more ass downwind.  But there is no rule that "series" Minis cannot beat "protos."  This is supported by Classe Mini stats.  In fact, USA 806's Pogo 2 design has been tremendously successful in the Classe Mini circuit across the pond, even against "protos."  With the Minis, it will come down who sails the course more efficiently.

Abilyn (USA 829) under full kite heading out of Long Island Sound in the 2013 Vineyard Race.

Last year, Abilyn raced the "Vineyard Course" double-handed, and had an amazing downwind leg all the way out to Buzzards Bay Tower, seeing between 17 and 28 knots of breeze from the SW and hitting boat speeds of over 14 knots--enough to allow us to keep up with the big boys.  The big breeze continued as we rounded Buzzards Bay Tower--we saw 25 knots on the nose and 5-7 foot, steep waves until we rounded Block Island, and then saw between 15-17 knots on the nose until about 4 miles from the finish, where the wind died completely.  When it was good, it was good; and when it was bad, it was bad.  Ah, the Long Island Sound.

This year's race does not look like it will be serving up big breeze and big waves.  As Hurricane Cristobal moves farther and farther offshore over the next few days, an area of high pressure will develop, and move east off of Cape Cod, which, absent thermal activity, likely will bring light and variable breeze to the Sound early in the race.  

Using the routing feature at PredictWind.com, which has partnered with Abilyn Racing on its offshore campaign, the breeze over the race course will range between 3 and 16 knots, with an average wind speed of under 10 knots.  That said, PredictWind.com's models estimate that racers will be reaching nearly 60% of the race, which is a good sign for the Minis (get those Code Zeros ready!)  However, one model does show that racers will see 17-20 knots late Saturday night into Sunday from a tight upwind angle.  Since Minis do not sail fast close to the breeze, let's hope this model turns out to be the wrong one.  

Stamford YC runs a great regatta, and arms each boat with a tracker that can be followed using RaceQs.  You can track the Minis, and the entire fleet at http://raceqs.com/regattas/vineyard-race.

If you're racing, enjoy.  If you're not, maybe next year!

 

ALIR Starts Tomorrow - A Lone Mini (not Abilyn) Set to Compete

I'm unexcited to report that Abilyn will not be participating in this year's Around Long Island Regatta. I'd love to blame this on life and work just getting in the way, but that's simply not the case.  Up until a couple of days ago, I expected to be in California for "real work."  But that's not what's causing me to miss the regatta.  The issue is that I failed to plan for the contingency that my "real work" would be pushed off (more than a mere possibility in my line of work) and thus failed to plan for the race.  This included failing to give potential alternate co-skippers (Sam is out of the country) more than a moment's notice to decide if they wanted to come aboard as guest co-skipper for the race.

As they say, prior proper planning prevents piss poor performance.  But prior proper planning sometimes prevents you from even having the opportunity to perform, as is the case here.  Yes, I could probably get to the start line.  But I'm loath to rush.  And it wouldn't be safe.  So we learn from our mistakes, and move forward. It's all we can do if we want to get shit done, and be happy.  Yes, I quoted Kanye West.

I am happy to report, however, that Josh Owen, skipper of Frogger (USA 702), a Manuard-designed Tip Top Mini, will be representing the Minis in this regatta.  Frogger has a chance to do well considering the forecasted conditions, which call for relatively light breeze, but predominantly reaching conditions. I've personally slicked along at 6.7 knots of boat speed in about 7 knots of breeze at 100 degrees TWA with a reaching kite up, and I know Josh can do the same.  He also has the benefit of a Code Zero, which is a key weapon for cracked off, light air sailing.  We wish Josh well, and will be tracking Frogger along with the rest of the fleet at the Kattack Live site.  

As I mentioned to my wife (who was encouraging me to try to do this regatta, even last minute), the ocean doesn't close.  Being able to do something like the Bermuda 1-2 is about time on the water and miles, not how many races you enter.  Take VOR teams Alvimedica and Abu Dhabi as an example; while Team Brunel and Team SCA recently sailed in the Marina Rubicon Round Canary Islands Race, Alvimedica and Abu Dhabi squared up for an unofficial race across the Atlantic, clocking up another 3,000 miles of training and added experience.

We're focused on miles, and are planning to crush some (phrase stolen from Josh Owen...not sure if I like it) in the next couple months--although nothing in terms of VOR miles.  Let's be real.  First on our list is what we hope will be a 300-mile training exercise that will combine legs from ALIR, Vineyard Race, Around Block, and the Offshore 160 in what hopefully will be a hell of a long-weekend training session.  Although we won't cross an ocean, we'll sail through three sounds and a small chuck of ocean, and will finish in New York Harbor.  See below.  

Abilyn Racing proposed 300-mile offshore training exercise

Maybe ol' Fortenbaugh will let us tie up on the cheap at North Cove upon our return.  After all, I was a decent fleet captain at Manhattan Sailing Club back in the day.  

As we build toward this offshore exercise, we'll be out on the water, continuing to practice and hone our skills.  Hope to see you out there (if you're not already sailing in ALIR).

Off to Bermuda!

Earlier in the winter when I hashed out a plan to race my Mini Transat next year in the Bermuda 1-2 Yacht Race, my wife said, "If you're gonna sail to Bermuda solo, you might as well do it once more crewed."  Smart. So I signed up as part of the crew of the Swan 56, King Daddy.  Later this morning, we'll drop the dock lines at the slip in Jamestown, RI, and head out to the start of the biennial classic--the Newport Bermuda Race, which is fondly known as as the Thrash to the Onion Patch.  Fun fact:  Settlers from England first introduced onions to Bermuda in 1616. 

The racetrack for Newport Bermuda is virtually the same as the Bermuda 1-2:  635 miles at approximately 162 degrees magnetic.  However, because the Gulf Stream current--the major obstacle between Newport and Dark 'n Stormies at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club--is constantly changing, each crossing can be vastly different. This year, the current is shaping up to deliver three significant eddies according to our intel from Jennifer Clark:  one warm eddy (clockwise current) straddling the rhumb line north of the stream; and two cold eddies (counter-clockwise current) south and to the west of the Stream--one large and one small.  These eddies will serve as conveyor belts.  Get on the correct side, and you'll get a bump to Bermuda at around two to four knots.  Get on the wrong side, and, well, suffer the consequences.  

The goal on King Daddy is to push through what is forecast to be relatively light breeze for the first two days to get to the first eddy and then break right, cross the Stream, and get to the western side of the next eddy, which is estimated to deliver a four-knot current.  Staying west is essential not simply because of the favorable eddies that exist on that side of the rhumb line, but because of the low pressure weather system that is forecast to pass over the racetrack on Sunday.  This system is expected to bring a fresh SW breeze of between 15 and 25 knots. If we can get out in front of that system and far enough west of the rhumb line, we'll be able to catch a nice reach to Bermuda.

Punching through the first bout of light air is going to be tough as King Daddy is very heavy, is carrying a crew of 16 (and necessary food and water for three days at sea), and generally hates light-air downwind sailing.  That said, the boat has been optimized to prevail in the St. David's Lighthouse (amateur) division of the race. I like to joke that race-optimized means we don't run the AC when the racing sails are up!  But, in point of fact, the owner and boat captain have made tremendous efforts to make the boat competitive, including by stripping all unnecessary weight, replacing the aluminum spars with carbon, and of course decking the crew out in a full kit of Helly Hansen performance sailing gear.

On top of dedicating substantial resources to getting the boat itself ready for the race, the owner and boat captain have also pulled together a crack team of amateur and professional sailors with substantial racing experience, both offshore and around the buoys.  Rounding out the 13 amateur (Cat 1) sailors, including myself, are three pros:  Gregg Griffin, Jack Slattery, and Pat O'Connor.  Gregg previously sailed with Privateer, a Cookson 50, and is cutting his teeth as boat captain aboard King Daddy.  Jack is a sales manager at North Sails in Salem, MA, and has over 20 Newport Bermudas under his belt.  Jack has coached the NYYC entry in the 2013 and 2011 NYYC Invitational Cup regattas.  Lastly, Pat came aboard from previously sailing with Spookie, Catapult, and a host of other high-performance race programs to serve as our second bowman. 

King Daddy and her crew have been up in Newport, RI since Tuesday staging the boat for the race.  We've tested all the sails, practiced safety procedures like man-overboard and the mechanics of setting the storm jib and storm trysail, checked the rig (and checked it again), and packed the massive kites into launching socks.  As we come down to the wire, we'll calibrate our instruments with the assistance of Jeff Udell at Custom Offshore and say goodbye to Newport as we hit the start line with 162 other boats spread across 14 classes under what looks like to be a perfectly azure sky.

Wish us luck and track us here.  Official race documents, including the scratch sheet, can be found here.

59th Annual Edlu Regatta - Race Recap

Last Saturday, Abilyn hit the start line with eleven other double-handed racing yachts in the 59th Annual Edlu Regatta.  Although Abilyn had a decent downwind leg, we ultimately got caught in a squall with too much sail up that caused a bit of rig "damage", and forced us to withdraw from the race.  Check out our recap edit (left) and photos (below).  

Co-skipper Sam and I learned a lot from this race--mostly what we need to do going forward.  We learned some valuable lessons about planning, communicating during maneuvers and in hairy situations (like a 40-knot squall), and the importance of REEFING EARLY!!!!  As the saying goes--if you're thinking about reefing, it's already too late.  

Today is an off-day for Abilyn Racing.  While the Pogo 2 USA 806 and the proto USA 415 will be racing in the Indian Harbor YC Spring Sprint, I'll be taking care of some repairs, calibrating some electronics, and hopefully taking Abilyn out for a spin to get familiar with our new storm jib made by UK Sailmakers and practice some reefing.  We'll be on the line again during for the Stamford YC Double Handed Regatta on May 31 and June 1.  

See you out on the water.

59th Larchmont YC Edlu - Race Preview

It's less than 12 hours before the start of the 59th Annual Edlu Regatta.  Abilyn is one of 16 boats in the PHRF double-handed class, and one of three Minis.  

Earlier this week, Abilyn sat in the yard about 70 miles to the northeast at Brewers Pilots Points Marina in Westbrook, CT.  Our plan was to deliver her in the easterly which was forecasted (and actually did) materialize Thursday night.  Getting anxious, Sam and I hopped on Amtrak for a night mission Tuesday night to catch a northwesterly, which would allow us to reach home down the sound at an average clip of about 7.5 knots.  That night turned into a comedy of fails.  Our jib hadn't made it up to the boat with the rest of our sails the week before, which caused us to make a pit stop in City Island, NY.  We managed to catch the last Amtrak of the night in New Rochelle, NY.  But, when we got off the train in Old Saybrook, CT, we were greeted by no cabs, and worse, no breeze.  Oh, and it was about 38 degrees F.  Then, when we left Pilots Point marina, our keel was greeted by some mud.  And down the Sound, our runner just happened to fall out of the mast; it literally just fell out.  Hearing the crash made me lose a bit of sleep on the off-watch.  And the 10-15 knot northwesterly that was forecasted to materialize never did, which left us motoring most of the time at a brisk 4 knots.  We're typically not known as a 4ksb.  

Yeah, that's not scary...We are sailing, right?

One of the few perks of a night mission delivery.

Home

Despite these frustrations, Sam and I had a pleasant delivery.  We got the Code 5 up for a little bit and managed to make 6.7 knots SOG in about 7 knots of breeze at a TWA of about 100 degrees.  Sam was bundled up in his balaclava (right, top).  We witnessed a brilliant sunrise (right, middle).  And after dropping Sam off in Greenwich Harbor, I was more than happy to arrive in Larchmont Harbor (right, bottom).

Not too soon after we got back, we attended to our to-do list to prepare for the Edlu.  Remove excess weight.  Re-install the runner.  McLube the blocks and cars.  Tune the rig.  Come up with a navigation strategy.  

According to the models (which fellow Mini sailor Josh Owen believes should never be trusted), the breeze tomorrow will be out of the southwest at between 7 and 15 knots.  We will be running out to Eatons Neck in favorable current, and then we'll be beating back to the finish line.  Our goal on way out will be to maintain VMG.  TWA to the mark is about 169 degrees, which will be too deep in the forecasted breeze.  So we'll need to make sure our gybes are impeccable.  Our goal on the way back is to limit our tacks.  Not only is our tacking angle far inferior to many of the other boats in the class, but our speed coming out of tacks is also inferior.  Luckily, the other two Minis in our class have the same problems.  That said, one has the ability to cant his 7-foot keel, which is why he gets a PHRF rating of 87 compared to our 111.

At the end of the day, we're not out there to win our class.  This is nearly impossible as a very well-sailed J/92, Thin Man, also has a 111 rating.  We're out there to get around the course as fast as we can, execute our maneuvers cleanly, stay safe, not blow up any kites, have fun, and beat the other two Minis!   

We'll let you know how it goes.