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Clipper virtual sailing race 15-16: Panama to New York

Start : Seattle to Panama: 28th May 2016 9pm BST

Places are going fast with over 60% of berths now filled for the Clipper 2017-18 Race."

So if you want to join the next real race, starting summer 2017, go to https://clipperroundtheworld.com/apply. Meanwhile you can watch a video of the last leg across the Pacific to Seattle below:

Here is a video to watch to give you an idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO5Wr-R3Og0

31st May 2016, in the evening: I somehow missed the start from Panama, setting off several hours after the others. Instead of following the general consensus of the leading boats, to go eastwards, I went north. The wind is extremely light, 1 to 3 kts., so progress is very slow. Just hoping no big ships come motoring up from the horizon as there is little chance of getting out the way at boat speeds of 2-4 kts - hardly moving and even steering needs to be done very delicately and slowly. After getting going, I an in 9500th place, almost at the back of the fleet !

1st June 2016: During the night managed to find myself at 271st place and after some ups and down now at 257th place. Two doubts about this, first I'm not sure how the distance to the finish is calculated? Does it assume going east of Cuba or is it a straight great circle line to new York? The line through the first 5 boats does not seem to be at right angles to the orange line. Maybe it is due to the lat/long squares not being not quite square, even though we are near the equator, Second the future weather forecast is for steady easterly trade winds. Going north though these it would help to start as far east as possible, so there is sense in what the other boats are up to.

5th June: Five days have elapsed and I'm now on the west side of the fleet and doing rather well at 997th, almost right at the front of the class of boats with standard sails.

7 June 2016 13:33 Lost 125 places. Now going north west.

7 June: Gybed too early, I'm now too far east and lost 144 places !

9th June: Gained 30 places in two days and finished!

9th June 2016: Approaching the New York finish. Minzapint, Lady Phyllis May and Mullionman, followed by Beowulf 1 and Snaggletooth.

My certificate of completing this leg. 10 days to go before next start.

Congratulation to Kames Bay.

Next race, once through the Panama Canal: Panama to New York: Start 20th June 2016.

If you want to add comment or images here please send to me by email: eric@satsig.net