Kaneohe Bay, HI, Saturday, July 23, 2016 – Windy, wet, wild. The skippers and crew who crossed the finish line Friday, July 22, in the 2016 Pacific Cup race all gave similar reports of intense conditions with frequent squalls, record boat speeds and confused seas. Thirteen boats finished on Friday, July 22, keeping the leis and trays welcoming committee, as well as the harbor and dock hands busy.
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We've been providing updated weather information to the fleet as we receive it and are continuing to monitor conditions closely. The good news is that with each forecast, Darby's strength over the race area and finish area has been decreasing. Many boats have chosen to slow down or change course to allow Darby to pass. However, boats finishing later today will see stormy conditions.
Kaneohe Bay, HI, Friday, July 22, 2016 – In a year when strong winds made for record crossing times, the double handed team of Mark English and Ian Rogers on the Moore 24 Mas! have become sailing rock stars. Their elapsed time of just 10 days 14 hours 30 minutes gives them provisional honors in the overall Pac Cup, division honors in the Kolea Double Handed Division 1, and first overall for the PHRF group. It also breaks the previous Moore 24 Pac Cup record of 11 days 9 hours, 48 minutes, 25 seconds that stood for 18 years.
We're watching tropical depression Darby which has not dissipated as originally projected and is now forecast to cross the track of the fleet, potentially becoming an issue for those boats at the end of the fleet. We have consulted with Rick Sheema, The Weather Guy, and Commander's Weather and have provided their input to the Pac Cup communications boat. We have authorized all boats to consult with any professional weather routing service without penalty.
Kaneohe Bay, HI, July 20, 2016 – Strong winds propelled Manouch Moshayedi’s super maxi Rio 100 across the Pacific to set a new Pacific Cup Fastest Passage record. Crossing the finish at 13:51:13 local Hawaii time (16:51:13 PDT). With an elapsed time of 5 days, 2 hours, 41 mins and 13 seconds, Rio 100 knocked three hours off the record set in 2004 by Robert Miller, whose 139-foot Mari Cha IV finished with an elapsed time of 5 days, 5 hours, 38 minutes and 10 seconds.