The Tasman

Tuesday brought head winds in the afternoon a NW just were we wanted to head, must have been in the middle of the low. Later that night it started coming around to the SW then got very windy up to 40 kn. A bit of an exciting night reefing the main and the jib, getting thrown around on the foredeck and blasted by those waves, later dropping the jib, and then putting it back up this afternoon. The winds are down to 20-30 kn now, and we are making good time towards Mooloolaba. I have been just been taking catnaps when I can and otherwise just hanging on for the ride.

Bruce

Wet and Wild

Hi

Early morning Tue 6/4/2010:

Pos 35 57 s 169 08 e Wind 30-40 kn BS 10-15 COG 330
4 reefs no jib Sea 3-4 m Wet and wild out here rain and waves.
I think I am through the centre of the low now

Bruce

Solo on Water - Looking Good

Solo on Air

Radio Interviews for Bruce
Tuesday 6th April 2010 Coast FM (ABC Radio) John Stokes 0620 AEST (0820 NZST)
Radio Live (Radio NZ) Marcus Lush 0740 NZST (0540 AEST)

Start Day

Sunday morning. First off was a race briefing then clearing customs and a last good luck to all the sailors. You can tell that this is no ordinary yacht race with all the sailors shaking hands and hugging each other (with the lady sailors that is) and wishing each other the best of luck, we all know that if we needed help one of us would not hesitate to come to another sailors aid. Every one seemed a little bit nervous even me, I just wanted to get on with it. Start time loomed and there was only a 5 knot NE wind which soon died off to 2 knots so it was a bit of a drifter for the first 4 hours or so. BWR managed to wriggle her way around the first turning mark in first place and slip away slowly. Cousin Steve’s NITRO was the only boat to get close to me in the lighter winds of the early evening but as the SE wind and swell built BWR came into her own, got back onto those rails and blasted away into the night. The wind reached 28 knots but mostly sat on 24-26 knots. Early morning the wind started changing to the east then northeast at 15-22 knots. We are still making good progress towards Mooloolaba. BWR has already equaled the top speed that we reached on the way across the Tasman to the start - 21.3 knots this morning with 3reefs and the jib up on a great surf.
I would just like to thank all the solo committee and especially Lindsay who couldn’t make the start for health reasons, without these people this race would not happen. And to all the solo skippers as well, you need the sailors to have a race too. You make lifelong friends out of this race and have past competitors turning up to see you and watch the start, its just one big family. That’s all for now.
Bruce .

I'm off to Mooloolaba

Hi @17.45 NZST - Pos 38 58 S, 173 51 E, Wind SSE 10kn, BS 8kn, COG 280, Sea 1m, Cloud 70%. All is well, some wind at last .... Bruce

New Plymouth, New Zealand

Well, what a great week before race start day. First the new sails arrived on Saturday and they look awesome. A quick test sail in 15-20 knots and BWR hit 13 knots upwind and 21 knots downwind. Great stuff, thanks to Kenny from Fyfe sails. On Monday night the sponsor Fitzroy Yachts hosted a BBQ followed by a tour of a nearly-completed 50m super yacht, with a 59m mast. It is huge! On Tuesday night we had a reception at the mayor’s office - very nice. Wednesday saw a day of briefings on sea safety etc. Friday included another test sail, with not much wind. On Friday night we had the Solo Trans-Tasman race dinner - a bit of relaxing time, and a chance to catch up with the other solo sailors. Saturday saw the final top-up with water and food and another test sail. We have also been doing lots of little jobs all week and checking over BWR to make sure that all was ready to go. And of course we had a great time catching up with friends and family all week. One night to go before race start, one last full night’s sleep for a week.