Allure Day 3

Allure Day 3: Reaching for the Gateway Point. By Bill Megowan

July 11, 2011 1300 hours. Currently in 3rd place SC 50 class.

I have always considered myself a pretty good sailor. But when you make your first ocean crossing, especially in a Transpac Race, you learn that you still have a lot to learn. Trying to get the hang of steering this boat with all the variables of true and apparent wind angles and speed, mixed with the challenges of the wind and waves in the open Pacific is a real challenge. Add to that, doing it at night with the running lights and instruments being the only thing visible to your eyes. Trying to sleep with the water rushing by at 15 knots right next to your head. Trying to keep anything down with a 40 degree heel in pitching seas. You learn you're not as tough as you thought you were. I am indeed fortunate to be sailing this race with six Transpac veterans, who I also consider to be my good friends.

We spent yesterday afternoon and this morning reaching toward our "gateway" point: A spot on the chart that represents the optimal position for crossing the high pressure ridge and entering the preferred "slot". That being the track under the high which represents the sweet spot in the trade winds and the fastest route to Hawaii, given the current weather predictions. At first it was almost a beam reach with our sturdy 6A kite in 20-25 knot winds . A wild ride for sure with even the best helmsmen on board suffering regular round ups every half hour or so. As the winds have dropped and gone aft, we have progressively switched to our larger and lighter #4 spinnaker and then to our even larger and lighter #2 Currently we are enjoying a rather pleasant afternoon off the wind, but don't be fooled. Everyone is racing their butts off on this boat.

"Allure" is fast and furious on the race course. An E ticket ride for sure. The Santa Cruz 50 is famous for many things, including the fact that it does not go over waves. Instead, it punches through them like a hot knife through butter. The decks are almost always awash, and everyone on deck wears a safety harness at all times. Below decks, she is like most race boats: noisy, leaky, and somewhat smelly. But she is very well stocked and quite comfy.

Al, our navigator, works round the clock with the computer, iridium files, weather charts and Expedition software trying to get us to the right place at the right time. We have a couple boats ahead of us at the moment, but we have a strategy and with any luck, we'll reel them in.

The skipper, Jim Morgan, has more sea miles on this boat than you can count. Our watch captains, Jim Barber and Tom Jorgensen, are eagerly tweaking and working the boat, while taking time to coach the rest of us. Eric is our workhorse on the foredeck and without him, we would be up a creek.

I am dedicating my participation in this race to my late parents, who gave me the gift of sailing, starting with the first time they put me in a wooden sabot on Balboa Island when I was 5. And they loved Hawaii like no place else on earth. I know they are with me every mile.

Yes, Robbie, the stars are magnificent out here, when you can see them through the overcast. We'll have a full moon later this week. The open ocean is truly awesome. To all of my family, I love you and miss you.

Aloha, Gowie

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