Adjusting the trim of my rowboat for sea conditions
Written on August 6th
Day: 45 - Odometer: about 1,608M
Position: N25d23.4’ W141d53.5’
Distance from start: 1,316M
Nearest land: Point Kumuhaki 798M due 246T
Waikiki Yacht Club by my course: 916M due WSW
ETA: during the last week of August
RECORDS as running totals
Solo career total in days at launch: 845 now 890
Overall career total in days at launch: 928 now 973
Solo career total in miles at launch: 27,595M now about 29,203M
Overall career total in miles at launch: 31,083M now about 32,691M
==> Ralph Tuijn (NL) leads the last one with 35,635M
Actual distance rowed in miles until Waikiki will append to my career totals at launch in solo and overall categories; to become official, London based Ocean Rowing Society must review supporting GPX files from my chart plotter and YB Tracker.
—-oOo—-
Ever since Cape Mendocino where I first felt the full pressure of the NW winds, I moved my rowing position to the middle of my boat. This vessel is designed for two rowers with three rowing positions. When both would row together, typically on departure and arrival when more horsepower may be required, they would use the fore and aft positions. Taking turns on a 24-hour schedule while on the high seas, rowing would take place in the middle position while one rests in the cabin.
By moving myself forward, I changed the “trim” of the vessel, allowing the stern to rise and bow to settle. It does not take much. This reduced my “lee helm” which is the tendency of a vessel to turn downwind naturally. With all my efforts to turn the corner near Pt Conception and since then with persistent wind from my starboard, I used the middle position to keep gaining ground toward my starboard.
Four days ago on Monday, I finally received my significant ENE winds along with the accompanying ENE wind waves. Emanating from Tropical Storm Hilda which is diminishing into the Post Tropical Remnant Low Hilda, were also some ESE swells. The combination of these kept my rowboat directionally stable as I ran west.
What was the tropical disturbance 9-E accompanying Hilda to her southwest like two orbiting nebulae, picked up some energy and decided to move north converging on Hilda. National Hurricane Center renamed 9-E, what will be the short lived Tropical Storm Jimena due to pass south of me in its last throes.
They are both giving me a chase, latest forecast is that I will end up between the two dissipating systems, meaning chaotic seas this weekend. They will come close enough on Saturday to create some cross seas and moderate winds at my location. I may decide to remove my oars, tie them down on deck and wait it out. Such conditions are when I break equipment, oars, oar locks… So far the named storms during my row have been Felicia, Guillermo, Hilda, Ignacio, now Jimena (9-E). Watch this unfold on Windy or the Ocean Rowing Society tracking page linked on ours.
Climatological data by OCENS suggests that I may be on a favorable current at this latitude. Jason wrote that by holding this N25.5 course recently, I have been riding the north edge of one of the larger current streams in this area. These in theory should be upwelling thermohaline currents, e.g. cold water currents he says. The wonderful thing about this bit of information is that tropical storms are starved of energy once they start traveling over cooler waters. I am sharing surface temperature data with Jason for his own research… Today’s water temperature was 74.5F.
My goal over the last few days was to get beyond the reach of Hilda and Jimena, joyfully regaining my losses in westing since the beginning. An unusual summer it has been, I am told.
This time to help my rowboat track downwind more naturally in following seas (frankly to make rowing easier for myself and to reduce splashing), I changed my setup to use the aft rowing position thereby shifting my weight back. So the stern dipped ever so slightly and the bow rose, increasing my lee helm, improving my downwind performance.
I am making reasonable progress due west yet I do worry about my remaining course to Waikiki as I should. Not knowing how an unwelcome storm close to Hawaii may influence my course, just in case, I already marked waypoints to Lahaina Harbor on Maui, Kawaihae and Honokohau harbors on the big island, Haleiwa Harbor on Oahu and Port Allen on Kauai Island for good measure. I chose these leeward harbors with the thought that I must relaunch mid-September. None of these alternatives are easy, in fact could be downright treacherous in cross waves as I must tightly turn their respective corners then hug the shore to avoid being blown southwest as the descending winds accelerate on their lee side, hitting me abeam.
I am well positioned now to make my run to Waikiki. To remain out of reach of potential storms for as long as possible, my strategy has been to maintain this latitude. This proved wise with Hilda and Jimena. If possible I will continue like this for another week to get past W148 longitude. I will then commit over an additional two weeks toward the Kaiwi Channel between west end of Molokai and Oahu. Let’s cross our fingers that yet another storm will not make a run toward me in the latter segment before I turn Koko Head at the southeast corner of Oahu.
Erden.
PS - Jason is monitoring long range forecasts for the next tropical storm that will form south of Baja Peninsula then likely run north. Its name should begin with the letter K in sequence after Jimena. Letters L and M follow.