Just the right blend of calm and confidence!
Nanaimo Yacht Club Plans Gala Send Off Celebration
Today they lifted the boat to polish the underwater hull to a fine lustre one last time before departing.
But here at Narrow Escape World Headquarters we are already counting down until Chuggy and Dougie's start next Monday at 1300 PDT.
The Nanaimo Yacht Club is hosting a Dock Reception on Friday afternoon and a Sailing Regatta this weekend honouring our doublehanders. Because of the festivities this may be my last post until next Monday morning where we will watch or team get away with near real time reporting.
In reply to "Enquiring's" question below I didn't forget to publish the computers time on course estimate I did not publish it on purpose because; I have been sworn to secrecy, I don't want to jinx things and I may use it for my guess in the Arrival Pool Draw - check back here later to be involved.
When that Optimum Course was developed the weather window was positive and so I will say that the time estimate was faster than Narrow Escape has ever crossed that patch of water before!
Technology Part no.3
And now we are getting to the good stuff!
If you have done your home work you now know that for every wind speed and angle there is a matching boat speed target.
We know we can get plenty of reliable, far into the future, weather predictions on the boat which include wind speed and angle estimates.
So based on these two known components is it that big a stretch to ask the computer to develop an optimum route for us based on a from here to there course? It is not.
The picture you are looking at above is such a route. This is a moment in time and that moment was NOAA's estimate for conditions prevailing across the course at 1300 PDT on the 4th of July - Narrow Escape's start time. The Optimum Route, all those little red dots represent the best course in 6 hours increments, was output yesterday and the little yellow dot, about 1/2 way across is where Narrow Escape was supposed to be based on all the weather up to that point if she had started then.
Now to pull it all together the computer can direct the autopilot to steer the optimum route and Chuggy and Dougie could be sipping Mai Tais the whole way across.
But in reality the software is just another tool - another point of view. The weather forecasts can be vastly wrong, the instruments could be out of alignment or the targets could prove to not be completely accurate. But it is all roses when it confirms the course the sailors have decided!
Still in 2013 I propose pushing the boat away from the dock in the direction of Diamond Head with no one on it as the penultimate weight savings measure!
Technology Part no. 2
But wait there is more.
As you may know a number of government organizations publish weather forecasts based on predicted weather charts developed by meteorologists. These predictions go a long way out into the future (12 days currently) in 6 hour increments. Naturally the further out you try to predict the less accurate is the estimate.
NOAA is a biggy in the Excited States of Merica and our boys will be relying on them all the way across. You might wonder how they will access these and I'm glad you asked.
In the old days these could be received by a weather fax machine and interpreted by Dougie or Navigator on board. More lately they can be bundled into a number of 6 hour segments called GRIB files that can then be animated by compatible software. Doug has two, different, compatible softwares' to compare. It used to be that these GRIB files were sent automatically by an e-mail responder service like Saildocs and downloaded by a pactor modem connected to a Single Sideband (SSB) Receiver. Because of serious bandwidth restrictions SSB had size and online time limits.
In the modern age GRIB files are received by Iridium Satellite Phone and I am led to believe this is a marvel compared to the old way.
The now animated weather forecasts are displayed on the same chartplotter screen which also shows the GPS reported boat's position.
Having weather predictions, including wind speed and angle, onboard is helpful when trying to develop the shortest course while avoiding bad weather and calms.
Technology part no. 1
It was not that long ago that you had to steer the boat and figure out where you were and where you wanted to be long hand. Those days are a fleeting memory for our dream team however!
First off they have a comprehensive set of integrated instruments that record and output, back and forth, all sorts of environmental and boat generated information.
By integrated I mean that several different components are connected and talking to each other.
For instance there are myriad sensors and transducers onboard that record wind speed and angle, depth, boat speed, heading, speed over the ground, course over the ground, water temperature and the boats actual position on the face of the earth. The instrument system generates a tremendous amount of secondary information based on the sensor information - things like true wind speed and true wind angle, velocity made good.
All this information is shared into an onboard laptop computer. The computer crunches the numbers constantly and using wanded averages develops optimum speeds and courses for various wind strengths and angles. Upwind and downwind we call these speeds and angles targets. They represent the best angle to sail in the prevailing wind to get upwind or downwind the fastest. If you are making the angles but not the speeds then sail adjustments are indicated. Even when not sailing upwind or down wind the computer will still estimate how fast the boat should be going and these are called polar speeds.
In the plot above the wind direction is from the left side of the screen and each roughly modified circle represents a different wind speed and the computer's estimate of the boat's speed on each of those angles. This information is useful in a racing situation because it tells you pretty quickly how close you are to getting all the performance out of the boat.
Sailing tomorrow!
Apparently your correspondent has been unduly concerned about the quality of the race boats bottom for Chuggy and Dougies upcoming junket across to Waikiki.I am now assuming that this problem has been resolved since they are out testing equipment and sailing in Hurricane Gulch - what local sailors call the northern area behind the LA Harbor Breakwater.
Hurricane Gulch where testing and sailing will occur is noted on the chartlet above. Also indicated are Rainbow Harbor where the Transpac fleet stages from, the starting area and the Historic Angel's Gate Lighthouse.
Perspectives (part two)
This is how it looks from Chuggy's point of view.
"Hello Helen? Can you please transfer another $ 20,000.00 from my Chequing Account to my Visa?"
Perspectives (part one)
Race preparations continue in the LBC.
Here is how it looks from Doug's point of view.
Comms staging,in Rainbow Harbour
1337PDT-33.45.500N, 118.11.500W-, BS=0.00, Heading=315, Pressure1016, Cloud Cover=50 percent (comments: marine layer - burning off), Sea State=Rippled, Calm,
"This is an e-mail from the boat. We are using an Iridium Product called XGate - which is slicker' n snot. This email is being sent using MarinaNet Internet connection but the next one you receive should come from the Iridium Phone itself."
"All's good down here. Chuggy is dropping of the trailer. We picked up the raft this morning and should get our Safety Inspection from Roby tomorrow afternoon."
"More to come Doug"
Here is the translation: In the old days we used to send e-mail in "packets" using the SSB radio and a Pactor Modem. It was slow like an old 2400 rate fax and you could not send much either. Now a days they use Iridium Satellite telephones that do the job about 4 time faster and you can send bigger files too. Iridium use costs more however but there is not budget for this endeavour so full speed ahead down the Technology Superhighway I say!
They need to move the trailer over San Pedro Harbour on the industrial side of the LBC. Shipping company Matson will ship the empty (well except for a change of clothes, a mickey of Fireball, and Chuggy's acceptance speech) trailer over to Honolulu and Greg and Chuggy will load the boat on it for shipping back to the mainland after the race.
Life Rafts are like Cell Phones. It is a safety requirement that the life raft needs to be certified by an accredited life raft inspector every two years (at the longest). This usually costs about 20 percent of the value of the new raft! So like Cell Phones they might as well give you the raft because they make it on the service!
Roby is the head of the Safety Committee and every boat is inspected for compliance - before the race - what a concept huh? We became fast friends with him when we began racing across to Hawaii in 2001. That is him on the right in the picture above next to Pacific Alumni, Roscoe and current candidate for greatness Doug at the Kanehoe after party.
Mai Tais are an important component of Transpac racing. Among many other wisdoms Roby taught all of us the fine points and where to find the best Mai Tais. Patron Benefactor Emeritus Alf Tait bought for all of them that year I recall!
Barnacles!
Many things develop more quickly in the fertile growing environment we know as Southern California. Not surprisingly under the water as well as above.
Some paint is fast and some paint is poison. Unfortunately there is no such thing as fast, poison paint.
Does anyone remember what it was we used to call Barnacle Blaster that dissolves the barnacles right off the bottom of the boat?
So much for spending the afternoon on Venice Beach!
Memo: Chuggy will be having a conversation with Mookey the diver who was supposed to be keeping the bottom in pristine racing trim this last month!
Free Chuggy
In light of recent travel difficulties, and in contemplation that Chuggy may not be allowed back into Canada, Helen has established a new Foundation for the assistance of "Not Fully Documented Travellers".
Contributors of $ 50.00 or more will receive a tax deductible receipt and this tasteful tee shirt depicted above.
(Yes it's been a slow news day so far and sometimes your correspondent has to make it up!)
Over the Wall and on to Freedom!
This report filed by an anonymous source in Richmond:
As dawns early light bathed the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel Detention Facility, with the aid of an accomplice, Chuggy slipped out a service entrance and made good his escape.
He has now joined Doug in the LBC.
As dawns early light bathed the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel Detention Facility, with the aid of an accomplice, Chuggy slipped out a service entrance and made good his escape.
He has now joined Doug in the LBC.
Interdiction
This news in from YVR Security.
As predicted previously - see *ALERT* below - Chuggy, the leader and spiritual mentor of team Narrow Escape, has been detained by Border Services while attempting departure using someone else's Passport. It turns out that Chuggy looks nothing like his Daughter and then there was the whole age discrepancy thing too.
As predicted previously - see *ALERT* below - Chuggy, the leader and spiritual mentor of team Narrow Escape, has been detained by Border Services while attempting departure using someone else's Passport. It turns out that Chuggy looks nothing like his Daughter and then there was the whole age discrepancy thing too.
Chuggy's Bag (his luggage that is!) Tagged
I have received this report from Doug (who is presently alone - see following post) in the LBC.
Doug is concerned that Chuggy's bag tilted the overweight alarm just getting on the seaplane to YVR!
Doug Says: "I thought this trip was all about taking weight off!"
Doug is concerned that Chuggy's bag tilted the overweight alarm just getting on the seaplane to YVR!
Doug Says: "I thought this trip was all about taking weight off!"
A message from the Commodore:
"Cap't Billy,
Please pass on my kind regards and best wishes to Chuggy and Dougie on behalf of all the members of the Nanaimo Yacht Club.
The Transpacific Ocean Race can be a demanding test of endurance for both man and vessel and the NYC is very proud to support these sailors.
Most of us can only dream of doing this race, these guys are living it!!
Good for them and Godspeed them on their journey!!
Regards,
Basil Hobbs
Commodore NYC"
Please pass on my kind regards and best wishes to Chuggy and Dougie on behalf of all the members of the Nanaimo Yacht Club.
The Transpacific Ocean Race can be a demanding test of endurance for both man and vessel and the NYC is very proud to support these sailors.
Most of us can only dream of doing this race, these guys are living it!!
Good for them and Godspeed them on their journey!!
Regards,
Basil Hobbs
Commodore NYC"
**ALERT**
In less than 24 hours Homeland Security are expected to raise their Threat Assessment Level.
Tomorrow around 1500 Chuggy and Dougie will begin their trip to Diamond Head - via a short stop in the LBC and a more extended splash in the Pacific Ocean!
Just 11 sleeps now before they push away from the dock and point Narrow Escape towards the heart of the Pacific and sun soaked paradise Hawiian Style!
First ever Narrow Escape "Caption Contest"
I am going to post a picture of on location reporter, SoCal Ben, that defies description to see if my loyal Blog Followers can come up with a suitable caption in their "comments".
Here you Go!
Race Prep Three
But it wasn't all play either (just most of it).
Even from miles away Chuggy still has to keep the big machine running or Helen will close the funding tap that makes these Ocean Junkets possible.
Race Prep Two
But that kind of work is child's play from Roscoe and in no time the boat was as good as new and ready to go!
Race Prep
After racing to Cabo last spring our intrepid crew just dumped the boat at the storage lot in the LBC and forgot about it. This form of care is what has become known as Twammer maintenance.
So after a long haul up the Baha Peninsula and more than a years wait in the blistering SoCal sun the boat was a bit of a mess.
Getting the systems back up and the boat in shape for the upcoming Pacific Crossing was a concern. So Chuggy and Dougie pressed Roscoe and Evil into service for the tune up in late May.
So after a long haul up the Baha Peninsula and more than a years wait in the blistering SoCal sun the boat was a bit of a mess.
Getting the systems back up and the boat in shape for the upcoming Pacific Crossing was a concern. So Chuggy and Dougie pressed Roscoe and Evil into service for the tune up in late May.
Transition
To carry on and join up 2011 here are some excerpts from the last post of the 2009 version of this blog.
"A terrific amount of work and sacrifice goes into putting a boat from Nanaimo on thestarting line in Long Beach.
. . . measuring the experience and estimating the value of fulfilling a lifelong dream.
So I am not surprised to hear the race crew express how they have quenched their ocean racing thirst.
After all that work and time there is a bit of PRS that sets in and that is natural.
But about a month after completing the race - back home - the momentum started to grow. . .
As time goes the power of the experience and the wonder of the ocean grows in our memories. . . I will be surprised if we don't find each of our race crew back out there on that ocean seeking victory on the course and harmony in their world.
Since I wrote those words Doug and his family have sailed back from Hawaii to Vancouver (the hard way) on Kinetic a Beneteau 47 and Chuggy and Evil and Roscoe and Doug have raced Narrow Escape from Newport to Cabo in 2010. I'm keeping that story a secret for publication in my forthcoming book!
The crew has been shortened up this year with Roscoe and Evil relegated to the healthy reserve list. If the crew (and associated weight) reduction works out this time I'll suggest for 2013 they just push the boat away from the dock, in the direction of Hawaii with no one on it, and see how that goes!
I've already told them to expect Fireworks, Bunting and Fan Fare for their send off celebration. Chuggy and Dougie's excellent adventure begins on July 4th.
Check back here often for all the skinny!
"A terrific amount of work and sacrifice goes into putting a boat from Nanaimo on the
. . . measuring the experience and estimating the value of fulfilling a lifelong dream.
So I am not surprised to hear the race crew express how they have quenched their ocean racing thirst.
After all that work and time there is a bit of PRS that sets in and that is natural.
But about a month after completing the race - back home - the momentum started to grow. . .
As time goes the power of the experience and the wonder of the ocean grows in our memories. . . I will be surprised if we don't find each of our race crew back out there on that ocean seeking victory on the course and harmony in their world.
Since I wrote those words Doug and his family have sailed back from Hawaii to Vancouver (the hard way) on Kinetic a Beneteau 47 and Chuggy and Evil and Roscoe and Doug have raced Narrow Escape from Newport to Cabo in 2010. I'm keeping that story a secret for publication in my forthcoming book!
The crew has been shortened up this year with Roscoe and Evil relegated to the healthy reserve list. If the crew (and associated weight) reduction works out this time I'll suggest for 2013 they just push the boat away from the dock, in the direction of Hawaii with no one on it, and see how that goes!
I've already told them to expect Fireworks, Bunting and Fan Fare for their send off celebration. Chuggy and Dougie's excellent adventure begins on July 4th.
Check back here often for all the skinny!
You just had to know it would not take me that long to remember how to gain access and take right over control of this blog again!
So like you have probably already guessed it's Cap't Billy - I'm back - along with able, on location correspondent, SoCal Ben.
So stay tuned Sports Fans and check back often for some action on the water starting soon but more important some civil discourse right here starting now!
Visit the Transpac 2009 Archive Blog
To see the story of Narrow Escape's 2009 Transpac Race click here. In 2009 the crew included Ross 'Roscoe that Rascal' Cutler, Webster 'Evil' Kimmerly, Greg 'Chuggy' Constable, and Doug 'Barkmulch' Backhouse. The ups and downs of that campaign were relayed by our publist and mentor, Bill 'Grinder' Allan.
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