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30 August 2007 • Pacific Ocean - Onboard Loe Rael

Okay, just so you guys know everything is fine out here on the trimaran, Loe Rael. We are about 580 miles from San Diego averaging about 13 knots and well underpowered. I had a significant moment at the helm last night just as the sun wassetting. For the first time since leaving the Pacific High (which is huge by the way) we were in a steady 13 knots of wind with a genoa and reefed mainsail. I took the helm and locked the boat on a wind angle 75 degrees off the wind and the boat just took off. 15, 18, 20 and finally 23.5 knots of boatspeed! After that I just kept her at a steady 20 knots and it's the happiest I've been in a long time. I wanted to stay there forever, but the skipper, Lia, eventually came on deck to give me a speeding ticket. I said "I'll drop the traveler a bit", but she was thinking more like a sail change, and we put in another reef and furled the genoa for the staysail. Yuck! 13 knots has never felt so slow, and it really hurts me to sail so far below the boat's performace potential, but it's not my boat so...

It's amazing to me that we were doing those speeds in 13 knots of wind on a much de-tuned 60 foot tri that is about 4,000 lbs heavier than the newer French boats. Yes, these are the best sailing boats in the world and yes, I am hooked. To fill you all in a bit, we left Hawaii heading due North to get the Pacific High. We averaged about 13 knots upwind all the way there (up to 41North) and then BAM, no more wind. We motor sailed East for over 4 days with little or no wind the entire time and just escaped yesterday. Now it looks like we'll be in some time on Friday, which is good because we are almost out of food.

Since leaving Hawaii I've been considering the Transpac course a bit. Doing it in reverse is a good way to review some of the strategic problems. Anyway I've decided to confront some old demons and sail Myrna Minkoff in next summer's Solo Transpac if they have a Mini class. I'm 80% sure there will be a Mini class. I've already got a list of little go fast things for the boat that I'm sure will make her competitive enough to retain her crown. The objective here is to make this a "routine win", if there is such a thing, and I think Myrna's got one left in her.

Take care everyone, and see you soon.

-Ryan