2014 Solo Trans Tasman Yacht Race New Plymouth to Mooloolaba

The multihull contingent this year is represented by Steven Arms on the Chamberlain designed 'Nitro' and Reini Gelder on the 40' Lock Crowther trimaran 'Shark Angels' The tracker is here:

http://www.solo-tasman.co.nz/live-map/#home

The Trans Tasman website:

http://www.solo-tasman.co.nz/

and the Facebook page is here:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/2014...olo-Tasman-Yacht-Race/432664080202186?fref=nf

 

It looks like Shark angels is the old Ian johnston, Cathy Hawans tri Verbatim

 

No it is the same design built in NZ in foam composite.

 

A gallery of photos of the start have been uploaded:

https://plus.google.com/photos/103276659753403367244/albums/6004927849614959521

 

Thanks for that Roger, I am happy to stand corrected

 

Reini Gelder on Shark Angels the Crowther tri is leading the fleet easily with about 500nm to go. The closest yacht is the monohull Hupane, Steven Arms on Nitro the Robin Chamberlain design catamaran took a gamble on heading North that didn't pay off. The record holder for the solo trans tasman is Ian Johnston, who in the 1986 race, sailed the trimaran Bullfrog Sunblock the 1280 nautical miles in 6 days, 8hrs 50mins, an average speed of just over 8 knots. The very light conditions after the start means that the record is not under threat this year.

 

98nm to go for Reini Gelder on Ave Gitana/Shark Angels and at last position check doing 12.4 knots. Nitro now on the rhumb line in second place overall travelling at 8.7 knots with 344nm remaining.

 

Reini has 22nm to go to Mooloolaba currently sailing at 12 knots. Nitro has 289nm to the finish.

 

I think you could describe that win as "comprehensive" !

 

Yep, doesn't get much more emphatic than that.

 

The long standing race record held by Ian Johnston on Bullfrog has been improved by 50 minutes. A great effort considering the less than ideal conditions.

Edit: The Mooloolaba Yacht club have put up a new post indicating that the record was broken by 1 hour and 37 minutes.

 

Is this race a regular event ?

 

Looking at the history it's fairly sporadic:

http://www.solo-tasman.co.nz/previous-race-entrants/

 

A slow slog for Nitro to the finish sailing at 4.4 knots in the recent update about 79nm remaining. There is also an update on mysailing http://www.mysailing.com.au/news/light-winds-stall-the-fleet-in-solo-tasman-challenge

 

Nitro has been overhauled by Krackatoa II. KII has about 32 miles to go and Nitro about 61nm