While the 1000-Milers and the crews in the Shetland Bergen Race are attending the mutual skippers meeting in the new clubhouse of the Bergens Seilforening in Hjellestad, let’s have a look at tomorrow’s events.
Early in the morning the joined fleets of the 1000-Mile yachts and this of the Pantaenius Shetland Bergen Race will head towards Marstein Lighthouse for the start at 1000 LT of the leg to Lerwick. The distance to be covered is about 150 nm.
The course is straightforward, except for the final approach of the finishing line: either the yachts can enter the Bressay Sound north of Bressay of straight into the sound South of te Island. The finishing line can be clearly observed from the Lerwick Boating Club.
“This is not going to be fun tomorrow afternoon…”
Why is that? Well, let’s have a look at the wind chart.
Litle wind at the start at 1000
When the gunshot sounds at 1000 there will be only little wind from the north but probably enough for the propulsion of the boats and that will not change in the hours to come. Wind will decrease steadily though until there is none left…
Calm… at around 2000
Calms or little wind demands maximum concentration of the crews. Especially when there is some swell the lack of pressure in the sails will rock the boat and slam the sails. Dropping them is no option in a race, so it’s a matter of mental stamina to keep the boats moving. No fun! 🙂
Later tomorrow a warm front will slowly move in from Scotland, which will bring back the wind, though from the opposite direction, SSE, around midnight. A view hours later it will start to rain. The warm front is arriving. When the rain dies out wind will increase again, probably even to about 20/25 knots.
Rain early Thursday morning.
When the front eventually passes on Thursday morning it’s interesting to see how the sailors will respond to it, for within a very short time span the wind will veer more than 90˚ from SSE all the way to W…
The warm front passes. 90˚ Windshift Thursday morning
Wind stays W and decreases gradually to 5/6 knts on Thursday night. Then the wind will back to S/SW, which might make the decision wether to go N or S of Bressay for he final approach of the finish easier..
These are just predictions.., let’s see how the 1000-Mile crews will handle the elements!
Good luck!