Offshore strategy

Navigator Conrad Humphreys reports from on board the VO70 Ichiban in the Rolex Sydney Hobart

At 1300 local time we put the bow down onthe start of the 2007 Rolex Sydney Hobart race. We got a little pinned at the starboard end of the line, but once clear we moved through the 60s towards Sydney Heads. The spectators would have loved it, watching the fleet round the final harbour buoy before setting gennakers for a fast run south.

Throughout the afternoon the breeze built to 20-25 knots from the northeast and slowly backed around to the north andnorth west. On Ichiban, Matt Allen's Jones-designed Volvo 70 I was happy to see us work little further offshore from the main pack, opting to put a couple of gybes in through the night to remain in better pressure.

The anticipated southerly change worked its way north up from the Bass Strait and by 0300 local time, the breeze off Gabo Island was showing a southerly 4-5 knots. To the east, we maintained a position well offshore to avoid the light cell with the aim to stay in the old north-westerly for a little longer.

At 0400 (on the 27th) we met the southerly change, at this point we were 40 miles further east than the fleet. It seemed that most boats had gybed inshore to meet the southerly and pick up the favourable current running down the continental shelf. While offshore we had a little adverse current, at times setting us east with 2-3 knts, we still maintained good pressure and the boats inshore all slowed dramtically between 0300-0500.

We are now hard on the breeze with the A2 and full main. The wind should continue to build to 20 knots before the front will arrive, heading us and swinging the breeze through SW-SE and back the north. I still favour the stronger pressure to the left of course and once the breeze clocks back round it should give us a nice angle to come into Tasman Island at full tilt - time will tell.

Cheers
Conrad
Navigator
Ichi Ban