Unpredictable Pacific Cup
The 2018 Pacific Cup has continued to be as unpredictable as it is long. While our last report was filed just before the Friday starters departed the Bay and sailed into a forecast hole, the big boats in fact slipped away from the coast unscathed and relied on their long waterline lengths to put up big numbers and quickly make their way to the trade winds. With their better-than-expected departure and quick entry into the moderate 15-knot trades, the fastest-rated boats in the fleet have worked their way well up through the fleet, and on the leaderboard, to now assume most of the top positions.
As of this writing, the Mills 68 Prospector — the fleet’s fastest-rated boat — has assumed the overall lead for the Pacific Cup, and very well may be the first boat into Kaneohe. Around 770 miles from the finish as of this writing, they are currently 300 miles behind the Beneteau Figaro 3 A Fond le Girafon, which is still the closest to Hawaii. Prospector is scooting along at close to 15 knots, while A Fond le Girafon is making about half that speed, setting up a thrilling race to see who actually gets into the barn first. Roy Pat Disney’s famed Andrews 68 Pyewacket leads the BMW of San Rafael E Division over Prospector, but is not eligible for the overall win due to carrying a specialty reaching sail that is legal under ORR, but not under PHRF, which is the rating system used to calculate the overall rankings.
In addition to Prospector’s meteoric rise up through the ranks, there has been a major shuffling of the leaderboard due to many of the top boats in the first wave of starters getting caught in light airs well north of the rhumb line. Most notably, Jim Quanci’s Cal 40 Green Buffalo, which led the race overall for much of the first week, slowed to below 4 knots of boatspeed for more than a day and a half, and tumbled down the leaderboard as a result. As of this writing, they’re quite literally tied with Bob Horton’s Cal 40 Highlander, with the two sisterships set to cross jibes at around the rhumb line and almost certainly within sight of each other.
Most of the major navigational and weather-based decisions are behind the fleet. This late into it, it’s merely a drag race to the finish in moderate trades. By our math, every single division in the race is still up for grabs, something that this writer can’t quite recall seeing this late into a Hawaii race. Even in the divisions that looked to be somewhat firmly wrapped up a few days ago, the rankings have been compressed in nearly every division.
The first finishers are due in sometime on Friday, and we’ll be on the scene to bring you all of the action in upcoming reports. Grab the popcorn and tune into the tracker, as the best part is yet to come.