WIND WAVES AND STILL TO CRAZY START

Another day in Douarenenz waiting for the start of the Mini Transat. The boat has been checked over again and again, and now there is not much to do but wait and try to stay in a racing mind set.

Half the problems with the continuous delays is trying to stay focused on the race and not become too relaxed. Every day I return to the race village to check on the boat, listen to radio skeds from Radio Monaco and check, check on the weather, and talk to race organisers and other competitors.

It is not supprising that the race organisers are delaying the start. Low pressure system after low pressure system continue to roar across the Atlantic, often joining together as they compress on the East Atlantic coast line. The winds at Cape Finistere accelerate past the coast, and are often recorded at up to twice the forecasted wind strength. One must remember that the forecast only shows mean wind and waves, and winds often exceed 25% of predicted strength and waves can be up to twice as high in open ocean, so you can imagine the effect a cape such as Finistere has on high winds and large sea’s and swells.

In the attached GFS from Passage Weather for this Saturday you can see forecasted winds of 30kts through the Bay of Biscay. By noon Sunday the wind droops of to a low 25kts, but then picks up again to over 35kts by Monday morning. Monday afternoon it drops off again, before the next low hits the coast on Wendesday. If we had a smaller fleet it may be possible for us all to squeeze around Finistere in the lulls, but with 84 boats (Similar size to a Sydney to Hobart or Fastentt Race) sailing at a variety of speeds it makes it very hard to find a safe window.

Fingers crossed the forecast will improve over the next few days and we will start.

I have been taking the time to check every inch of the boat and consistently review my race plan and waypoints. I have even found time to start my Sydney to Hobart preparations looking into new software to increase our performance in “The Race”.

Never a dull moment at Hewsonracing on or off the water, no matter where in the world we are!

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