Magnitude 80 running out of wind in Tahiti race

by Rich Roberts on 29 Jun 2008
The initial effects of the Intertropical Convergence Zone---the 'Doldrums'---apparently were about to fall with a thud on the four boats in the Transpacific Yacht Club’s 13th Tahiti Race. The leader, Doug Baker’s Magnitude 80, was running out of wind early Saturday.

The 6 a.m. PDT position report showed the sleek 80-footer sailing in only 10 knots of breeze, while Bob Lane’s Medicine Man, 267 miles behind in the 3,571-nautical mile race, still enjoyed 22 knots, while some 300 miles to the east near the rhumb line, Chris Welsh’s Ragtime and Jim Morgan’s Fortaleza had 18 and 17, respectively---but probably not for long.

Fortaleza reported: 'After setting new surf record, slow and bumpy night. Doldrums. As several of the veterans got themselves in dangerous spots, we've decided the appropriate term for the conditions was ‘humbling.’ Chuck [Cook] was overheard saying the conditions were ‘enough to [upset] the Good Humor man’ and recently professed his intention to take up goat herding.'

Ragtime (Friday): 'Light squalls off and on gave the crew a bath at sunset. Pretty lit up during the night, a few hours of 15+ knot [boat speed] averages. All eyes ahead to the Doldrums.'

Meantime, after resolving a satellite phone connectivity problem, Medicine Man broke a few days’ silence when navigator Mike Priest e-mailed Friday: 'We are listed in 4th of 4 but happy to be our farther west than Rags and Fortaleza, as we think (hope) they will have issues ahead with the ITCZ, and some pesky low pressure areas over to the east. We are chasing Mag 80 for all we are worth! Bob isn't sure but 346 miles in 24 hours may be a Med Man [all-time] best ... if not, close and fun! We've had the same spin up for 3 days (2A) and VMG running to work down the west side of the course. We expect to pass our ½-way point (mileage wise) Sat AM but really looking forward to getting thru doldrums and ITCZ to the equator. Only myself and Matt Bryant are 'shellbacks' having sailed across the equator before, and we'll have to see what King Neptune has in store for the ‘pollywogs’ on their first crossing!'

Mag 80 was 500 miles from the equator at 6 a.m., and indications later Saturday were that it had turned slightly left to head almost directly south on a course that would see it crossing the rhumb line at the equator.

From Ragtime's position at midnight Friday night, it appeared that she jibed back towards the rhumb line right after the 1800 position report, running on starboard pole, but the model suggests she should jibe back to the east, then back west again to stay away from a big wind hole on the rhumb line.

The westerly route looked a little tricky as they would have to work just east of a dead spot to get to the SE trades just above the equator. Playing the wind off squalls may be a big factor.

More from Mike Priest on Medicine Man: 'Hello all from the middle of the pond! Food has been fantastic. Davy Jones planned an excellent menu and a few of us added entrees that he puts out each evening. On a longer race like this we have added a treat of wine with dinner each night. It is getting warmer and stickier below decks each day ...but still civil. We had a failure on the boom vang but Mat [Bryant] was able to rig a wonderful cascade block system that is working very well! Otherwise just some regular wear and tear stuff. We did snag a 40-50 foot rope with a rusted shackle on it on the keel this morning; able to pull it off with some ingenuity! A few seabirds, just had large flying fish on deck 5 mutes ago, and I got nailed by a squid in the middle of the night.'

Tahiti Race 2008 standings
(boat for boat at 6 a.m. PDT Saturday)

1. Magnitude 80 (Andrews 80), Doug Baker, Long Beach, 349 miles daily run/1,651 nautical miles to go.
2. Medicine Man (Andrews 63), Bob Lane, Long Beach 324/1,918.
3. Ragtime (Spencer 65), Chris Welsh, Newport Beach, 275/2,016.
4. Fortaleza (Santa Cruz 50), Jim Morgan, Long Beach, 244/2,222.

www.transpacificyc.org/