Unfortunately the resurgence a new COVID strain continues to impact our lives and sailing, but thankfully not impacting healthwise.
The Solo Trans-Tasman Race Committee has made a wise decision to postpone the 2022 race until 2023. The delays in rollout of vaccinations and quarantine related to border crossings and international travel escalate the risks and costs, so a wise call to delay. The good news is that pictures of the old Rogue are now part of history as part of their main webpage. The sad part is, now the race will be in Apr 2023 I won't be available to compete, as I will be racing Roaring Forty in the Azores and Back (2023 AZAB) race from the UK in preparation for the big one.....2023 Global Solo Challenge.
However, the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (RSHYR) in Rogue Wave is still on the books and we have submitted our entry. Daz and I are getting excited about competing with the rest of the double handed fleet that will include some sailing rockstars keen to get some time together in preparation for the Paris Olympics where the chance of offshore racing may be realised....just to clarify.....not by the two of us lol!
We will be supporting two charities along the journey to Hobart and I will carry them through for the next 4-5 years as I take on the 2023 Global Solo Challenge in Roaring Forty, so keep a look out for that announcement.
Sail repairs were done after the 2018 Solo Tasman race, but the 2019 RSHYR pushed the #2 over the edge, and the mainsail had started to delaminate in areas. On my solo return passage, things took a turn for the worse.
An uncommanded unfurl at midnight as a 50+ knot southerly change slammed into a NE strong breeze created some interesting times. I was single handing back from Hobart having a great time and the plan was to close the coast on the nor'easter then just before the southerly front was forecast around 0200h, I would tack back offshore as the SW whipped up the coast and I would hopefully miss the full force of the front. Not so it appears. I was on starboard tack tracking NW south of Batemans Bay from out wide when the front came early. It was pitch dark, barometer dropped so I rolled away the headsail and had main fully reefed. My bad, I should have double checked I had a wrap of sheet around the forestay when I furled, but alas, it was quickly apparent when the front arrived with full fury.
Track home from Hobart - things started going pear shaped around location 118
The old Rogue was laid over to about 60 degrees as the SW wind hit us beam on port side. I eased the main so I could run down wind and that's when the headsail caught a big gust, dragging the furling line through the spinlock rope clutch with such ease it made it appear as if it was open.....which it definitely wasn't. End result was a lot of sail exposed at a very bad time! I can confirm that a tired 29sqm cruise laminate headsail exposed to 50+ knot wind takes 60 seconds before it flogs itself into complete destruction.
Gone in 60 seconds!
I had both the running backstay and inner forestay cranked on, so even though the boat was bucking like a bronco, I needed to action my recovery plan. I now had a triangle of spectra leech and foot lines attached to the luff tape, the mid section of the sail had failed so in essence I had three flags flying from luff, leech and foot and a very angry clew that was quickly sheeted in hard to prevent injury.
Next step was to get her back on her feet and stabilise the boat, so I dropped the main, lashed and centered the boom and then steered downwind, which by now blowing more from the south. I was about 5 miles off the coast and heading north so the immediate issue was that I needed to clear Batemans Bay, and my current heading did not provide enough safety clearance so I needed alter course quickly.
I steered her onto starboard and hoisted the main as by now the fury had abated to 35 knots and we took off doing 10+ knots. My best mate Eric Le Autopilot took over whilst I secured the boom preventer before grabbing a breather to get some water and food onboard the old skipper. Then I just sat in the cockpit and watched, torch checking every part of the rigging for signs of damage. I was drenched in sweat and the adrenalin was pumping. I checked my navigation and the course provided plenty of clearance room as we headed parallel to the coast.
I donned my trusty Gath Helmet with faceshield, gloves and knife and tripped the main halyard as I moved forward to drop what remained of the headsail. Tethered with my safety line it was a duck and crawl as the metal ring clew of the sail could still cause a lot of damage. I secured the clew and then started to cut away tangled lines and old sail and throw it down the hatch. To give you a visual of what it was like, imagine you are seated on the deck wedged into the bow pulpit, its pitch black except for your head torch (and spare in pocket) and every minute or so the boat would surf down a wave and hit the bottom of the trough cascading water all over you. I hacked away, dropped some sail and bit by bit the luff tape was finally clear of the foil. I tidied up the deck dropping the remains down the hatch and ran under main alone for the next couple of hours to get some rest.
About 0400h I hanked on the #4 heavy weather jib and we took off comfortably making 9-11 knots with Eric Le Autopilot doing a great job on the helm. The picture below was taken during the 2014 Solo Trans Tasman race in about 35-40knts with storm jib and fully reefed to give you a visual of what its like. Water comes over the top all the way into the cockpit.
Lesson learned: always cleat the furling line in high winds!
2014 Solo Tarans-Tasman Yacht Race from New Plymouth NZ to Mooloolaba QLD
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