That’s a wrap! Well almost…

[everydaysailor]

That’s a wrap! Well almost…

SHTP
Welp, the wife and I delivered our Express 27 to Honolulu Sunday and Monday put it on the trailer bringing a close to a pretty amazing and challenging sailing chapter. I couldn’t be happier the way it all unfolded; a fast passage (7 knot ave for actual miles sailed) for The Pork Chop Express, zero breakage or drama and an incredible experience in Hanalei. After 8 races to Hawaii double handed and crewed this solo effort was the best. Much of it for me was there was only one soul to worry about- previous passages were with my spouse, friends or clients. Lots of freedom to do what you want, when you want and a chill, no frill regular gathering of like minded folks and some incredible sailors.
I gybed once - 750 miles out? just after falling into a very deep sleep while the AP steered 290m for 4 hours- not fast! Set for a true wind angle I slept through its alarm(s). I let the EV 100 paired with a Pelagic ram drive the whole damn course. I figured if it ain’t broke… No round ups or accidental gybes—Ok one on night one, believe it or not, but the EV AI was just getting acclimated. Left some hours on the course with no hand steering but there were really no epic surfing days.
I carried a poled out Quantum A5 in a sock for quite awhile then shifted to bigger symmetrics during the day and twin headsails at night. The last 48 hrs was all twins with one pole to weather. Top speed 17.5 knots.
Norton Smith on Solitaire, McDonald’s Nina and the J88 Ventus are the only under 30’s I could find that broke the 14 day barrier. Forgot about Jerome on the mini!
PCX came at 13:08 so I’m happy with the time. Not super breezy - pretty consistent with no real dead zones but I did have a couple 7-12 knot days.

The prep and logistics were hard on my amazing wife and myself and the money flies out the door but it is done and damn well worth it. Thank you SSS for making it all come true. Also thanks to my friends, family and fellow sailors (shout out to Solo!) who encouraged and helped along the way.
And of course to DH and his amazing volunteers- thank you again.
Delivering Tortuga back beginning Friday so will have plenty more time to contemplate the journey (and edit a shit ton of video).
CJordan
PCXpress

Side note: We buddied up with Gwendolyn for the crossing to Hono following Skip’s amazing and detailed sailing directions. Synthia and Todd smoked away from us and handled it nicely. We were underpowered with the 4 until sunset then cranked along with 2 reefs til the lee of Oahu. I was thinking it would be dead in close to shore but should have stuck with Sleds instructions. We were 10 miles out at Barbers point and it took some work to claw back in. So it wasn’t terrible but I’d rather just get a bigger boat and sail back if I repeat the race. Not sure if I could ever beat 13:8 in the Express anyways!

 

[sleddog]

SHTP
Welp, the wife and I delivered our Express 27 to Honolulu Sunday and Monday put it on the trailer bringing a close to a pretty amazing and challenging sailing chapter. I couldn’t be happier the way it all unfolded; a fast passage (7 knot ave for actual miles sailed) for The Pork Chop Express, zero breakage or drama and an incredible experience in Hanalei. After 8 races to Hawaii double handed and crewed this solo effort was the best. Much of it for me was there was only one soul to worry about- previous passages were with my spouse, friends or clients. Lots of freedom to do what you want, when you want and a chill, no frill regular gathering of like minded folks and some incredible sailors.
I!

Lest we forget, Congrats to Chris and PORK CHOP EXPRESS for winning the Grover Niebauer award for fastest passage by a small ULDB. Well done!

 

[Philpott]

Hanalei Bay was full of Jordans. They came en masse and Charlotte drove them around in a big SUV. The kind of car the FBI would drive, if the FBI were a crowd of joyous people waiting to hug their quarry rather than arrest them.

At the Awards Ceremony in Nawiliwili everybody in the place thought their sailor was the most important, but nobody was as insistent than the nice man with the white hair and glasses who buttonholed me: Charming person, very polite, insistent that his family needed another copy of the program. Seems they were politely squabbling over the single copy. He had come hunting a member of the RC and had found me. So persuasive. The US should send him over to deal with North Korea.

Chris? Charlotte? Tell that nice member of your family that I have copies of the program for him. Keep peace in the family.

 

[Philpott]

Hanalei Bay was full of Jordans. They came en masse and Charlotte drove them around in a big SUV. The kind of car the FBI would drive, if the FBI were a crowd of joyous people waiting to hug their quarry rather than arrest them.

At the Awards Ceremony in Nawiliwili everybody in the place thought their sailor was the most important, but nobody was as insistent than the nice man with the white hair and glasses who buttonholed me: Charming person, very polite, insistent that his family needed another copy of the program. Seems they were politely squabbling over the single copy. He had come hunting a member of the RC and had found me. So persuasive. The US should send him over to deal with North Korea.

Chris? Charlotte? Tell that nice member of your family that I have copies of the program for him. Keep peace in the family.

 

[everydaysailor]

I see you met my brother and law John - not a Jordan! He means well but is a bit insistent at times. Thank you for your patience and consideration. I will come fetch it in late August at your convenience.
Meanwhile back in Lihue it’s beginning to feel a bit like Groundhog Day and time to slip those lines- we’ll, tomorrow morning anyway.

 

[Philpott]

Chris, you misunderstood. He was very nice about it. Charming, even. It is an endearing quality, I think. Like Randy's steely-eyed Dani, who was worried about how we planned to help him disembark w his injured knee. She told us: "Make no mistake. Right now? I care only about MY sailor"