2007 Doublehanded Leg Notes

• 30 JUNE  - I would like to thank those that have helped make this event a success:
In Bermuda:
Verna Oatley - Bermuda 1-2 Event Coordinator at St George's Dinghy & Sports Club (SGD&SC)
Brian Oatley - Vice Commodore & Dockmaster at SGD&SC, MC'd the awards in Bermuda, on Race Committee and came to Newport for the Skipper's Meeting and the start to Bermuda
Andrew Branch - Commodore SGD&SC who came to Newport, with his wife Helen, for the Skipper's Meeting and the start to Bermuda
Bernie Oatley - On Race Committee and is Brian's father
Lisa Fournier - On Race Committee and was past DH competitor
Vernan - Onwer of "The Admiral", Race Committee boat

In Newport:
Ted Singsen - Safety Checks Chair, Duty Station on return and Offshore Committee member
Jeff Spranger - Safety Checks and Offshore Committee member
Pat Clayton - Trophies, Duty Desk and Offshore Committee member
Muffin Dubuc - Offshore Committee Social chair, provided food for all the events
Ray Renaud - Skipper's Representative and Offshore Committee member
Kris Wenzel - Single handling drumming up sponsorship which helped completely pay for the iBoatTrack devices so that there was mo cost to the skippers, and the social director in Bermuda
Dick Bioty - Race Committee and Offshore Committee member
Bill Sauer - Duty Station and Offshore Committee member
Charlie Wright - Goat Island Yacht Club and Offshore Committee member
Tink Tysor - Duty Station, Race Committee and kept positions on the chart at NYC up to date
Mal Kaulls - Offshore Committee member and helped Muffin Dubuc with the food at Awards
Dave Del Nero - Race Committee
John O'Toole - Race Committee
Deb Logler & NYC Staff - For putting up with us for the month of June
I would also like to thank Horizon Marine and their wonderful iBoatTrack tracking devices and website which has made the Bermuda One-Two more of a spectator  and safer event.

Last but no least, all the sailors that participated to make this year's Bermuda One-Two a wonderful and memorable event.

Some highlights:
- Bugaboo loosing all power and taking 10 days to finish singlehanded leg
- Pegasus leaking water the first night  out from Newport and wisely decided to return to fix the problem
- Komera developing rig problems first night out from Newport and wisely decided to return to fix the problem
- First time the Open 6.5 Minis raced in the Bermuda One-Two and the conditions were pretty favorable, some of the boats passed many of the rest of the fleet
- Several boats actually lost their spinnakers off the boat and several blew out their spinnakers during the singlehanded leg
- Frog Kiss, who did extremely good on the singlehanded leg, developed engine problems just before the doublehanded start, gave up and started after with no engine and then lost the fore mast above the gooseneck the following morning
- Convergence and TRPXPRS lost power during the doublehanded leg; Convergence lost battery power and the engine wouldn't start for TRPXPRS

• 30 JUNE  1900 - Well, somehow most people made it to the awards party in Newport despite the Tall Ships in town at the same time.  We had about 80 people attend.  The awards went well and all enjoyed themselves.  Muffin Dubuc had a cake made with the Bermuda One-Two logo and the three club's burgees.  Many skippers expressed a very good regatta.  Many new skippers expressed the desire to come back in 2009 which was nice to hear.
Next event, Skippers' Forum/Party in November where the skippers vote on the Skipper's Representatvie.
I still have hats and Burgees.  I am also taking orders for T-shirts that are coming in this week.
     

• 30 JUNE  0500 - That's all.  Both Robin and Frog Kiss are in now.  Robin finished at 0237 this morning and Frog Kiss beat Robin into the harbor.  Robin is ready to do it again in 2009 but this time he will add a spinnaker to the inventory.  Frog Kiss's fore mast broke above the goose neck but was able to sail very well with a jury rigged staysail; couldn't go to weather but was hitting 7 to 8 kts in that configuration off the wind.  He beat Frog Kiss 2 into Newport.

• 29 JUNE  0900 - Bugaboo arrived at NYC about 2045 so all that is left is Robin who is about 64 nm out.  Frog Kiss is about 90 nm out.  Frog Kiss is not racing but wants to get back for the awards party Saturday at 1600.

• 28 JUNE  1830 -  Sorry about no updates since yesterday morning.  We have been extremely busy with the boats coming in.  Because of Tall Ships in Newport there is no room for boats in slips so we have been hot bunking the boats to be able get them all in NYC for customs checking.  So I apologize to the boats that would have liked to have stayed in slips; we just didn't have the slips available to keep boats for any length of time.  At this time we have all the boats finishing except for Bugaboo and Robin.  Bugaboo is due in about 2000 tonight and Robin is due in Saturday before the awards.  On a side note, I enabled the iBoatTrack for Frog Kiss who is expecting to come in early Saturday and hopes to make the awards.  Tristan has set a staysail forward of the rear mast and is sailing fairly well.  The preliminary results are posted under the Results menu on the left.

• 27 JUNE  0800 - Valkyrie reports 17 kts SSW with boat speed in high 7kts with 60 nm to go to finish. Flash of Beauty, ER Tape and Myrna Minkoff are in the vacinity.  Nimros reported wonderful breeze and having a nice sail with the dolphins.  Convergence still has no batteries and plans to have SeaTow meet them after finishing to get their engine started.  Perseverance called to say he is sailing along in 17kts of breeze and 92.6 nm from the finish.  His tracker is not working.  His and Myrna Minkoff 1130 pm update should be on iboattrack.com.  Spirit emailed me that he is 40 nm from the finish and should finish around 2pm.  ER Tape as are the rest of the fleet as they approach the mainland are getting very thick fog.  Today is Jan Brandt's 39th birthday!

• 27 JUNE  0400 - Wildeyes reports finishing at 0400 with Wazimo a few miles behind finishing at 0506.

• 26 JUNE  2000 - Email from Curlew; almost out of the Gulf Stream, flew the chute all night doing 6+ knots, beautiful Gulf Stream, flat. Indigo, Valkyrie and Nimros say that they are flying nicely with SWerlys 14-20 kts.  Valkyrie also reports that Warrior's Wish  is hand steering; the auto pilot died however they are sailing nicely.  Spirit of America called twice with a weak connection, no information.  ER Tape also called to say they are doing nicely.  Right now it looks like 22 boats will finish on Thursday.  Expecting Wildeyes and Wazimo to finish Wednesday morning and Spirit Wednesday evening.  We had another position report from Myrna Minkoff at 1100 today so he is doing fine.

• 26 JUNE  0800 - Ariana, Pilgrim and Indigo report 4-7 kts SW.  Pilgrim says the Gulf Stream was flat.  Indigo reports talking to Palangi, Convergence, Mini Red Dress and Perseverance.  Ariana reported that the wind held until they got out of the Gulf Stream before it went light again, thankfully.
Convergence called to say he still has no electronics but has hand held VHF and GPS.  Still moving along hand steering.

• 25 JUNE  2341 - Gryphon Solo finished tonight at 23:41:30 and will pull into the Newport Shipyard.

• 25 JUNE  2000 - Convergence reports 10 kts W.  Valkyrie reports 5 kts N for the whole day been moving 2-3 kts and in the Gulf Stream.  Indigo however reports 7 kts W.  Pilgrim who is west of Indigo reports 8-12 kts S with Aggressive just East of him. (she hailed him while I was talking to Pilgrim).

• 25 JUNE  1905 - Tristan on Frog Kiss emailed me to say that they solved the fuel problem and are planning to leave Bermuda at 2100.  He will be sailing Frog Kiss singlehanded back but Frog Kiss2 will be shadowing him.

• 25 JUNE  1900 - Another drama is unfolding.  Convergence called to say that both batteries got drained early this afternoon even though both were supposed to be isolated.  They are sailing fine and can continue since there are two of them.  They have the batteries disconnected hoping for some recovery and will try again to start the engine later.  Otherwise they should be able to finish fine and we would try to get a booster pack to them after finishing to start the engine.

• 25 JUNE  1830 - You may have noticed that we are not getting updates on iBoattrack.com for Myrna Minkoff, Ryan Finn.  Evidently his tracker is no longer functioning.  Just received an email indirectly from Ryan with a position report for 1100 today.  The iBoattrack.com website will be updated with this position. 

• 25 JUNE  0800 - Ariana called in to say that he feels all alone way east however Valkyrie reports WSW at 5-8 kts and has been flying his code 0 all night ghosting along.  Valkyrie heard from Flash of Beauty who is doing fine whereas Arian hasn't heard from anybody since he is so far East.
Indigo reported hearing from Strummer who reported hearing from a lot of boats this morning (like WAFI, Reality, Mini Red Dress, Rubicon).  Strummer was having ham and eggs breakfast at the time! Indigo says light SW winds.
Pilgrim reports light and variable all night with very slow progress.  Pilgrim also talked to Strummer this morning.  There appears to be a bunch of boats grouped together.

• 24 JUNE 2000 - Those calling in reported 3-8 kts NE.  Curlew reported very light conditions and is on starboard tack heading east.  Ryan on Myrna Minkoff reports that ER Tape is faster than them in the light conditions but that they are faster in the heavier conditions.  ER Tape is creeping up on them from behind.

• 24 JUNE 0800 - Valkyrie, Perseverance, Pilgrim and Indigo report NW to NE winds, 4-10 kts however Nimros reports 10 kts out of the SW so him and Strummer are trying get back to the rhumb line.

• 23 JUNE 2000 - Back in Newport.  Steve Perry, Pilgrim, reports W at 10kts and much calmer seas than last night where he had 20 kts and 8 foot seas.  Steve has heard from Spanky, Aggressive, Perseverance and Dirigo.
Indigo, Mike Hennesey, reports 4kts variable and not making progress.
I am also receiving emails from Curlew, Brian Guck, who reports similar status but NW winds and he is East of the Rhumb line not like his plan.

• 23 JUNE 0900BDA - Tristan, Frog Kiss, called to say they were withdrawing from the race. At 0600 today they lost one of their masts and had to cut it away.  He was going to meet up with his parents on Frog Kiss2 and return to St. George, Bermuda.  It was reported that last night Frog Kiss was flying trying to make up the head start he gave his class.

• 22 JUNE 1700BDA - We just heard that Frog Kiss is leaving with no engine functioning.  Maybe they can fix it on the way to Newport; suspect bad fuel from the Caribbean.
        

• 22 JUNE 1600BDA - Well, they are off, again, towards Newport this time.  The first class (5) started at 1400 BDA and the last class (6) went off at 1450 BDA.  It was a downwind start and many of the boats put their chutes up and went through the Town Cut with the chutes up. The Race Committee was on "The Admiral" which is one of the first Chris Craft fiberglass power boats. The following people helped out on Race Committee: Irwin Heyward ("The Admiral"), Brian Oatley, Bernie Oatley and Lisa Fournier (flags).  Frog Kiss had fuel problems and did not start with the fleet but started after solving his fuel problem (very nice of him to spot his fellow class 3 folks some time).

• 21 JUNE 1300BDA -Everyone went through customs, paid their dockage, listened to the weather brief from Bermuda Radio personnel then the Skipper's Meeting.  A front is going by tonight which should leave lighter south west winds for a down wind start.  So we are expecting to start at the West end of the harbour and sail through the cut.  A cruise liner is leaving at 1200 so we moved the start back to 1400BDA.  The Race Committee boat will be the Admiral which is one of the first Chris Craft fiberglass power boats.
A bunch of us ate at the Cafe Geo and had a wonderful meal as well as Bermuda One-Two and OSTAR stories from Murry Danforth and Ed Sisk.

• 21 JUNE 1000BDA - Two new gel batteries were received at the St. George's Dinghy and Sports Club for Bugaboo.  They took them out to Bugaboo on a community skiff, loaded them onto the boat and jumpered them to the starter.  The engine started.  So it looks like Bugaboo is ready to go.