Skip to content
  • Home
  • Raku (J/111)
  • Shearwater (J/120)
  • Spadefoot (Schumacher 28)
  • Videos
  • About
  • Raku (critter)
  • Shearwater (bird)
  • Spadefoot (toad)
  • Subscribe to our blog!
  • Contact

Calendar

June 2025
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30  
« Jun    

Archives

  • June 2023
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • April 2022
  • June 2021
  • December 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • May 2018
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • January 2017
  • October 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • February 2015
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • January 2014
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012

Categories

  • Decisions
  • Environment
  • General
  • Maintenance
  • Racing
  • Safety
  • Travel
  • Underway
  • What If
Raku Racing (& Shearwater & Spadefoot)
  • Home
  • Raku (J/111)
  • Shearwater (J/120)
  • Spadefoot (Schumacher 28)
  • Videos
  • About
  • Raku (critter)
  • Shearwater (bird)
  • Spadefoot (toad)
  • Subscribe to our blog!
  • Contact

Pacific Cup Day 9 – Life on Board and Midnight Company

July 21, 2016

We are in the tradewinds for sure – lots of cumulus, and perhaps more telling, the cabin smells like wet clothes and people needing showers, mixed in with warm humidity.

Last night, we saw our first racing sailboat – saw their port running lights and they seemed to be a pretty big boat, so I tried hailing them on the VHF to make sure they saw us, then resorted to shining our spotlight on our sails. Being run down wasn’t of interest to us, and we were screaming along in 12+ knots of boat speed down waves, so weren’t wanting to stop or slow ourselves. Turns out we were going approximately the same speed as us on a nearly parallel course and that the boat was a Beneteau 45F5 – Ohana – in one of the fully crewed race divisions that started the same day as us. They hailed us back on VHF, and told me that they had been dealing with a round-up, that some of their chutes were blown, and that their SSB was not functioning. I think there will be many stories to hear when we get to KYC.

Life on board has been fine – we miss the space and dryness of Shearwater, as well as easy to use head accommodations. Our fancy “Porta Potti 735” appears to be measured in cc’s, so it gets old dumping it. Its antiskid lacks much antiskidness, so it’s also been a mean game to strip out of foulies and make the goal as the boat flies around. Our Jetboil with gimbal is amazing, and the canvas pockets I sewed to keep small crap together have worked pretty well – the moisture below is causing some adherence issues as the days wear on.

We’ve valiantly tried to save 100’s of flying fishlings that land on decks. I am sure we will discover their little bodies in the months to come. They are beautiful, and it’s something to see as 20-30 at a time fly out of waves. We’ve seen albatross (I think Laysan) and shearwaters – no dolphins or whales since the bay. No Pacific giant sunfish yet, but we’ve almost 400 miles to go so maybe I’ll get lucky.

4 comments

  • Malia Riddle July 21, 2016 at 11:43 pm - Reply

    Aloha,
    What an adventure. I sure like reading your blog. I imagine I have meet you all when I was
    checking you guys in at the pre race seminars. Perhaps I gave you a drink ticket, or your goody bag at the Bon Voyage party.. Hang in there, be safe and I can’t even imagine all
    these stories. I’m totally jazzed and watch the race via tracker daily. Keep the spirits, won’t be long and you will be sipping On a Mai Tai, having a nice shower and best of all
    seeing your families. Happy adventures sailing and God speed,

    Malia

  • Mike Dvorak July 22, 2016 at 10:11 am - Reply

    Hey guys, I have really enjoyed reading your blog and have been rooting for you all the way. I’ve been amazed that you’ve been able to write such nice and detailed blogs while steering manually 24/7! Hope to sail with you guys sometime soon in Texas. Best of luck in your final days of your big adventure.

  • Donna Parker July 22, 2016 at 11:47 am - Reply

    Quite a ride, Karl et al! Enjoy your posts and wish to have seen flying fishlings. Chilling champagne for group of your supporters to celebrate your crossing the finish this weekend.

  • Barry Bowden July 24, 2016 at 1:36 pm - Reply

    Great job. AYC’s A fleet salutes you both. Kind of makes us feel like a bunch of “wusses”.
    Hope to have you share your experience with the rest of us mortals.
    Barry Bowden

Leave a Reply to Donna ParkerCancel reply

Sign up to receive blog updates

Copyright Raku Racing 2025 | Theme by ThemeinProgress | Proudly powered by WordPress