RYU-JIN – fgi finishes Melbourne Osaka race

by Di Pearson on 29 Apr 2007 Against extraordinary odds, following damage to their keel and a subsequent pitstop to Bundaberg in Queensland for nearly seven days, Queenslanders Murray Bucknall and Jon Sayer have brought RYU-JIN – fgi home fourth on line in the 2007 Melbourne Osaka double handed yacht race tonight.

The new Sayer 12m from Mooloolaba, with her designer aboard, finished at 17 hours 58 minutes 44 seconds on April 29 (AEST) and 07h 58m 44s April 29 (UTC) with an elapsed time of 35D 04h 58m 44s, arriving in time to appreciate a beautiful Osaka sunset.

Like those before them, Bucknall and Sayer found it slow going once they reached the two land masses that lead them into Osaka’s bay. It took the quick RYU-JIN - fgi 10 hours just to cover the last 47 miles!

Bucknall and Sayer entered Osaka Bay at 0830 AEST this morning, but the wind died when they were off Kansai International Airport. One can feel especially Sayer’s frustration - all the way from Japan!

A beautiful Spring day in Osaka, with no wind ashore – or on the Bay! However, the Queenslanders selected the perfect day for an appreciative audience lining the shore, enjoying the end of a long weekend.

Leading Alex by 56 miles on the morning of April 1 – yes, April Fools Day, Sayer realised there was something wrong with RYU-JIN’s rudder. The Queenslanders pulled into Bundaberg and found squid ink on the rudder, leading them to believe they had hit a school of the creatures the previous evening.

On the morning of April 7, RYU-JIN’s crew re-entered the race. The only yacht behind them at that stage was South Australian entry, Southern Light, which had suffered rudder problems of its own and was around 190 miles behind.

Ahead, their nearest rival Esoterica was 162 away, while at the front end of the fleet, Tamagomalu and Dekadence were an insurmountable 767 miles ahead.

One by one Bucknall and Sayer picked off their adversaries, finally overtaking the Japanese and Victorian boats during the afternoon of April 25. The two now have 79.6 and 94.3nm to the finish line.

Constructed of infusion epoxy with carbon, Kevlar and epoxy glass laminates and featuring a centreboard, rather than a fixed keel, RYU-JIN – fgi, which sports a North’s Brisbane sail wardrobe, was one of two yachts Sayer designed specifically for this race, and one of three Sayer designs that originally set out on March 25, but the only one to finish.

Wasabi retired into Sydney early in the race with rudder damaged sustained when hitting rocks on the way to the start, while Sayers former winner, rebadged Runaway, retired into Bundaberg, the same time as RYU-JIN, after losing its keel. Both were performing extremely well at the time of their retirements, Wasabi leading the race with RYU-JIN.

This is Sayer’s fourth Melbourne Osaka, a record he shares with Jimmi Doherty, the co-skipper of the Japanese entry Tamagomalu, which was in a tight battle for fifth place with the Victorian yacht Dekadence this evening at 6.00pm AEST.

Sayer has not been off the podium since his first race to Japan 12 years ago and did not want to spoil the record. Grim determination, experience and a well-designed yacht have found the pair not only finishing the race, but on the podium – the only yacht from their Open Racer C class to finish the 5,500 nautical mile odyssey.

For owner Murray Bucknall, his first race to the Japanese city has been a long held dream, and with a Japanese wife, he has strong family ties to the country. A sailor of 40 plus years, Bucknall considers ocean racing 'a grand adventure.' Sayer, with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek, cites his reasons as: 'to promote my designs and to lose weight.'

On a more serious note, the 50 year-old designer says: 'the Japanese people are the most friendly, honest people in the world. I love the effort they put into the race in Osaka; they go to a lot of trouble for us.'

Dekadence and Tamagomalu are due to finish next, most likely during daylight hours tomorrow. The two have been as little as one mile apart today, but at 6.00pm AEST, Victorians Phil Coombs/Peter Walsh had a 14 mile advantage over Makoto Hisamatsu/Jimmi Doherty’s Japanese entry.

Both in the difficult light air stage of race, the two were pointing at Tanabe, the eastern shore which will take them to the entrance of Osaka’s bay and the finish line. Tamagomalu is the eastern most yacht and it remains to be seen which will get home first.

Southern Light (Tom Crabb/Trent Justice) leads the next group of three, 323nm from the finish line, sailing to the west of the Bonin Islands. Yamba NSW father and son team, Jim and Joe O’Keeffe (Hullabaloo) are 25 miles astern and Asadori (Shinsuke Nishi/Kyojun Fujita) a further 14 miles away. Asadori may come into her own when her crew sail into home territory - this group’s race is not over by a long shot.

From Asadori’s Shinsuke Nishi last night: 'The wind that started blowing on Friday evening, exceeded 25 knots at 2100 (AEST). Oh, my GOD! Did I do anything to make him angry? Is this his last test for us? I was complaining to myself.

At 1900 AEST, we reefed the main by 2 points and reduced the jib to 30%. A blow at 1930 completely knocked us down mentally. Asadori couldn't move facing the wind – we were out of control.

'We put another reef in the main and the boat still sailed at 9 knots. Raining cats and dogs and no visibility. From time to time it gusted 35 knots and more. We changed the watch into two hour shifts to handle the situation quickly and save our energy.

'I felt flat last night. Our buoyant mood that our goal is not far was crushed. We have just passed the latitude of Chichijima in the Ogasawara Islands.' Mr. Nishi will, by now, know what tomorrow and Tuesday’s weather has in store for them, and it isn’t pleasant.

Leading up the rear, this afternoon Wild Boar (Shozi Yoneda/Jun Kanda) 787 miles from the finish line, led ‘the cruisers’ with a 20 mile break to Ingenue (David James/Rosie Colahan) which is sailing furthest west of north, but the Japanese crew is taking no risks, and this morning took a more westerly course to cover the Victorian couple, which has slowed both down.

Esoterica (Campbell Reynolds/David Best), which has furler problems, is a further 121 miles astern, travelling the more direct northerly route. The top two of this group, on approach to the Volcano Islands, should cross into the Tropic of Cancer late tonight or early tomorrow morning, leaving the Northern Mariana’s behind them.

According to Roger Badham’s latest weather forecast, this group and the three in front of them are in for a rough time with south-east and south-westerly winds of 30 to 45 knots expected on Monday and Tuesday – at least it won’t be on the nose.

From David James this morning: 'Around 1.00am (AEST) we sighted a large tanker ship approaching from behind. It was obvious on the radar screen it would pass close by, so a quick radio call to the ship confirmed our location and we passed with half a mile between us.

'Wind has eased to 1-2 knot southerly. We are doing 1.3 knots. Seas are calm with small swell – skies are a little cloudy.

'The main halyard is showing slight chaffing on the outer casing. Rosie will go up to check soon. It's not a huge concern, as it's only the outer casing, which is non-Spectra.

'We ate our last steaks yesterday, along with eggs and smoked oysters, although we still have plenty of supplies. Must go chase some wind...'

Note: Murray Bucknall and Jon Sayer (pictured here at the finish line) were required go and fill out paperwork at Immigration. We will bring you and interview with the two tomorrow.

Weather from Roger Badham:
070429 0525Z
Winds are average winds at 10m – no gust.

GALES
TUE 01 - A region of gale force SE-S-SSW winds are expected with a fron