The Pacific Cup fleet is starting to enter the full on sledding part of the game. Pyewacket will soon be finished and at last look was doing 21+ knots.
Thanks to alert readers, I was made aware of two other PNW Pacific Cup boats. We’ll start with those.
Mako (Jason Vannice/Kyle Reese-Cassal. South Sound Sailing Society, Sydney 38, Goslings Rum division) Mako has been on the southern side of the fleet and is now consolidating with those to the north. She is currently in third in division on corrected time, and her main competitors are quite a bit larger. It will be interesting to see how this develops, especially if the wind builds.
Perplexity (John Wilkerson, Sloop Tavern & Port Madison YCs, Express 37, North Sails division) Early on, Perplexity had a medical emergency and transfer at sea. See Latitude 38’s coverage: https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/2022/07/11/#navy-medevacs-pacific-cup-crewman. That all said, she’s been playing catchup on a southerly track and currently lies sixth in division with less than 1000 miles to go.
(Apologies to both crews and their fans for not covering them in the last post)
And now for the rest of the PNW fleet:
Moonshine (Marc Andrea Klimaschewski, Sloop Tavern and CYC Seattle, Dogpatch 26, Kolea Doublehanded division) I’m pleased to report that Moonshine is leading her division and must be driving the bigger boats crazy when they realize they haven’t passed her yet!
Alternate Reality (Ian, Mitchell and Darrel Jensen, Sloop Tavern YC, Express 27, Ocean Navigator class). Alternate Reality took a deep dive south and is making their way north to consolidate with the fleet. The boats ahead of her on handicap are all bigger and heavier, so it will be interesting to watch the lightweight Express 27 in straight line speed against waterline
Dash (Stephanie Arnold & Ken Machtley, Orcas Island YC, J/99, Mahina DH2) Dash remains fifth in her division. The doublehanded boats ahead of her are all capable of very fast downwind speeds, so it will be tough to find a passing lane.
Free Bowl of Soup (Erik Hopper & Douglass Schenk, Portland YC & CYC Portland, J/105, Weems and Plath) Ding ding ding, another PNW division leader. FBOS has sailed a conservative course and it’s paid with the division lead. The J/105 should have consistenltly high speeds on the run to Hawaii.
the Boss (Chad Stenwick, West Sound CYC, J/35, North Sails division) the Boss is showing that the venerable J/35 is still a good ride to Hawaii. Lying in second in division, she is trailing the Express 37 Spindrift skippered by none other than PNW transplant Andy Schwenk, who knows his way to Hawaii very well.
Lodos (Tolga Cezik, CYC Seattle, J/111, Goslings Rum division) Lodos remains sixth in a closely contested Goslings Rum division. No doubt all the Goslings boats will be pushing hard these last few hundred miles.
Such Fast (David Garman, SSS, One Design 35, Goslings Rum division) SUCH FAST is in the same class as Lodos, trailing by a fair amount.
Freja (Jonathan Cruse, Sloop Tavern YC & CYC Seattle, Aerodyne 43, Goslings Rum division) Freja has established some separation from her class, staying to the north. Currently standing fifth in division, she could move up if her northerly position pays.
Raku (Christina and Justine Wolfe, Orcas Island YC, J/111, Mahina DH2) The Wolfe’s made a bold move to the south has paid, and she’s leading her division by a good margin, and sailing in the same waters as many larger boats.
Hamachi (Jason Andrews and Shawn Dougherty, CYC Seattle & Sloop Tavern YC, J/125, BMW of San Rafael division) Hamachi is leading the BMW of San Rafael division. I have a lot of confidence they’ll close out the victory.
Blue (Michael Schoendorf, South Shore YC, Pacific Cup YC, Riptide 41, BMW of San Rafael) Blue is starting to really move, 13.4 knots at present, and I expect her to finish first in division on the water, but it will be very tough to correct ahead of the speedy boats in class. Currently she lies fifth.
Rage (David Raney, Corinthian YC Portland, Wylie 70, Alaska Airlines class) Rage is in her element, her narrow Wylie designed hull slicing up the miles at a high rate. It will be interesting to see if she can catch Westerly on the water in the approaches to Hawaii.
Westerly (Stuart Dahlgren, Royal Victoria YC, Santa Cruz 70, Alaska Airlines class) Westerly gave up the division corrected time lead when Pyewacket hit the afterburners. She is currently lying second and pretty much on the rhumb line.
Shadow II (Peter McCarthy, West Vancouver YC, TP52, Alaska Airlines class) Shadow II has made her way from the northern-most position in class to the southern most. She’s trailing the other division boats but should have a great ride into Hawaii.
Zvi (Alan Lubner, Seattle YC, Reichel/Pugh 55, Alaska Airlines class) Zvi is now in the conditions the team was hoping for, at last check going 14+ knots and looking solid for being the second boat into Hawaii.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.