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RNI

More news and reports from Oracle

07 Mar 2008

Oracle2008

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 29

Spoke to Oracle at about 7pm and they are experiencing issues.  The new rudder is twisting between the gudgeons and has delaminated.  They have opted for the smaller kite so as to keep the pressure off the rudder.  This is a new rudder only fitted to the boat a week prior to the race and the old one is sitting in our back yard in Auckland!  Anyway they are going to play it safe getting to Wellington.

I had the pleasure of joining Flying Circus for the rum race here in Wellington and I thought it was very calm for my first sail on the Wellington Harbour.  The hospitality of the crew was great and topped off with a great welcome back at the club after.  Big ups to RPNYC.  Anyway while at the club I have had great offers for everyone in supporting the repair of the rudder so hopefully when the boys arrive it will all go smoothly and they will be able to continue on.  SSANZ are aware of the issues and are set if Oracle needs assistance prior to Wellington.

SATURDAY MARCH 1

Update from Oracle this morning via Rik: It was a rough night and they didn?t get much sleep but are enjoying themselves, they are hoping to keep up with Non Stop, who is just in front of them, and follow thm into Wellington hoping that Non Stop?s local knowledge will help.  They saw 12 knots on the clock last night.  They have the third reef ready and are enjoying the sail.  The rudder looks no worse but it continues to shudder.  They are half way from New Plymouth to Wellington.

So now we are waiting for them to enter back into cell phone coverage

TUESDAY MARCH 4

The boys had me running around Wellington I didn't have time to post. The start was great. Oracle was out there with their new Camo mainsail, gotta love sticky back.

Just spoke to them both and they are doing 8 knots with 3 reefs in the mail and the #3 jib up. They are almost at castle point having sailed 115 miles with they guess about 120 to go, with the tacking adding a few extra miles. The old rudder is working a treat but is very heavy. The main is holding up to the repairs but they have yet to take any reefs out. The weather is cloudy but not raining.

Zora reported a lost life ring last night if anyone finds it off Wellington somewhere.

I am camping out in Palmerston North until closer to their eta in Napier.

They just called back to let me know the laptop went flying during the night so they need a new one. They will be lucky to get a new one.

 

WEDNESDAY MARCH 5

Oracle arrived in Napier at 4am.  Glen called at 7:30 to say they had showered and were going for a sleep.  So I loaded the car and off I went to meet them in Napier.  Arrived at the boat around 11am to find both the boys sound asleep, managed to wake Glen and convince him breakfast was a good idea, and Bret slept on.  Back from lunch and Glen and I removed the mainsail off the boat as it sustained some small damage on this leg and carried it to the sail repair area, and Bret slept on.  

Some poking and prodding and jumping on the cabin top Bret finally stirred. 

 

Andar suffered on this leg reports are sketchy about why.  Also Insight II broke their boom and reported ?hitting something that caused us to go from 6 knots to 1 instantly?. 

 

THURSDAY MARCH 6

Well it?s so sunny here in Napier everyone is either hiding inside their boats or on the wine trail tour SSANZ arranged. So here is the news:

Escapology : Have issues with their engine, needed to replace the impeller and when they removed the old one they dropped it in the ocean so finding a replacement the correct size has proved difficult.

Insight  : Broke their boom on the way to Napier and have since fixed so nothing is stopping them.

Waka : Is still having battery issues

Second Nature : Is on the slip not sure why

Oracle : Are having a great rest with only minor repairs to do.

So all is looking good for starting at 9am tomorrow

SSANZ News