Laying the finishing line - Napier

It is a beautiful morning in Napier. SSANZ team and hangeronerers going out to lay the finishing mark for the boats. 

Wellington to Napier - Leg 3

An idyllic day for ice creams and the start of the third leg of the RNI. Very light winds were spurred on by the sea breeze making for a good but slowish start by the fleet and a small park up in Kau Bay. Blink unfurled her code 0 and started to pick off the fleet in very light winds being just behind Bushido who got away in clear air a little sooner.

Several Wellington support boats followed the fleet to the heads wishing the fleet fair winds and safe journeys. 

A big thank you to Dave and Anna Roberts for taking out the good ship Jacqueline. Jacqueline used to be owned by the builder of Blink, Mr Craig Partridge. 

In the Blink of a Pie

In the last RNI, Rob told us that he got so tired and started to hallucinate that he was driving the Karma Police through a BP servo to buy a pie. 

On Blink's arrival estimated to be sometime around midnight, there will be a hot pie (TW is not a pie eater but a korma pie is very much acceptable), custard squares and rumbos. 

Blinking Close

It doesn't get much more exciting than this with the two leader boats!  The boys are now at the top of the Marlborough Sounds and flying along to Wellington at 13 knots of boat speed.  Bushido has been hauling them in for the last few hours with only 0.6 of a mile lead now by Blink.  Bushido will need to come out from the coast so that might slow them down a bit.

The south coast is blowing now and there is the welcome back to Wellington northerly snotter to look forward to.  No doubt the largest conditions they will have had will be sailing along the south coast and into Wellington.  Typical!

At this rate, Blink should be in by about midnightish.

 Defibrillatoring stuff!

Teams and their Boats

SSANZ through Dave Mason (Brand Group) have produced fantastic books for the 2014 RNI.  To find out about the teams and their boats, see:
  http://www.ssanz.co.nz/documents/eventsPDFs/SSANZ%20RNI%202014%20Brochure%20Latest.pdf

Hoofing it to Welly

The fleet reported in their scheds last night that they were having a decent time out there.   Champagne sailing reported by Notorious and Montego Bay III in the Tassy Sea.  Pepe landed a tuna for dinner - who needs Backcountry Cafe? Bushido said there were some big fish out there and they hit a whale.

The fleet are heading now for the Taranaki Coastline with Blink and Bushido abeam of Taranaki.

Cameron Thorpe Chairman of SSANZ went out in a plane and took some great photos (see SSANZ Facebook page):  https://www.facebook.com/ssanz.inc?hc_location=timeline

Cameron said "It was tricky finding the boats but when we found one, we found quite a few and they looked like they were having a nice sail."

It looks as though the first boats will be in early hours of the morning at this rate.  Keeping a close watch on progress from the trackers to greet them on the committee boats with something hot to eat and something cold and refreshing to drink.

Blink making great and speedie progress towards her home port.

Close Racing Overnight

Blink and Bushido have been tussling their way down the West Coast with a few miles separating them.

At this rate, it looks as though Blink will be in at a sensible looking time of around 8am tomorrow morning. 

Image below from YellowBrick tracker system.  http://yb.tl/RNI2014

Go like stink Blink!

Exciting Racing

Blink has covered just over a third of the way to Wellington (200 odd miles) according to the rhumb line but we know that with a southerly, there are more miles than just over 500 and the rhumb line is a bit of a moot point!  We are all glued to the tracker with hourly updates.  All credit to SSANZ and YellowBrick for having the trackers on board keeping the boys safe and also providing friends, family and colleagues with updates of their trip to Wellington.

As I flew back to Wellington, plane cam reported the sea state just like the forecast - a south westerly looking swell.  A usual welcome home to Wellington northerly blowing on arrival causing a bit of confusion by yours truly given southerly forecast and the plane landing to the north. I figured the pilots had it right and I should stop worrying.

Blink is doing well upwind with 9-10 knots reported boat speed from the trackers fitting with what we know she is capable of and is doing.

Sarah Ell (Mrs Shaw) is updating Shaw Yacht Design's Facebook page see:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shaw-Yacht-Design/43786178203

and also see the updated version of Shaw Yacht's own website:
www.shawyachtdesign.com

A good little article is also on Sailing Anarchy's front page...

And thanks Dean of RPNYC for posting an article as well on the club website:  http://www.rpnyc.org.nz/club/sailing/sailing-news/709-rni-race-rounds-top-of-the-island-with-blink-in-the-lead

At this rate, I'm thinking that the boys will be in on Thursday sometime.

Go Blink!

RNI Addictive

Following the boats around is addictive. 13 mins to next sched!!

And They Are Off - Leg Two

Great start to the RNI in some breeze and a gentle but warm little tropical shower with the sun poking through. Blink in clear air with a nice conservative start given 500 odd miles to Welly. Beaut day for a glamour sail to the Cape and down the west coast to Welly. Fantastic!!!!