Spyhop

First time for this team sailing the VanIsle360. Credit to Dennis Lussier for the photos.

Leg 3 Report (Campbell River to Kelsey Bay)

- Exciting start with gusty wind coming down Johnstone Strait. Lulls as low as 10 and puffs clocking 25-30. 

- Pretty much spent the whole day in 18-25 with gusts 25-32 kts. We sailed with 2nd reef and J4

- topography and Currents kept bringing new changes. First Van Isle 360 for this crew and it's living up to it's reputation! 

- Finish was the bumpiest with 3 kt current against the continued breeze and a big knock on starboard required crossing on Port in a nasty wave direction.

- WOW! Another memorable day. Spyhop Inside crew: David Schutte, Calla Ward, Brandon Saimo, Nic Wayand, Dennis Lussier, Cara Kuhlman

Wednesday, June 11th report from Marcus Reichert at 2100 (Ucluelet to Victoria)

Greetings from the Strait of Juan de Fuca!

Wind on the nose most of the day. Once we started to get into the Strait it slowly veered to the NW and we finally got to set the A 2.5 (aka Charlie Brown). It is a quarter till 9 and have about 11 knots of breeze and the sun is just now getting blocked by clouds that stretch to Vancouver Island. 

Nice swell still present. Current flopping over soon sadly. 

Great day to be on the water!

Saw some orcas just bit ago as well. 

Found some wind and dropped Charlie Brown and put up the A2. Wind built and up went the A4 around 2200. We flew that till about two miles from Race Rocks. 30 knots of breeze and then some with some crazy current waves!  Super fun. 

We went to letterbox the kite and with the additional weight of our bow guy Brandon getting all that ready, the nose dug in and several things conspired at once to have us wipe out. Twice I think. 

Recovered that and dropped the chute. We rested with just the main up. Full main might I add and just took stock. 

Went through Race Passage and hoisted the J4 and cruised on in to Victoria. 

One thumb injury and many bruises. No boat damage. Kites all in good shape. 

For a J109, we had some extended surfing sessions that one could almost call being on plane. I could feel the bow digging sometimes putting an end to an notion of this boat being a planing boat. I think 16 knots boat speed was max. We hit 18.something on the WH to Ucluelet leg. Again, briefly. 

I have to leave the crew here and return to Seattle and work this weekend.  

Great emailing with you!  Love your website and the interaction!

Cheers 

Leg 9 Report from Cara after the finish in Nanaimo

Leg 9 delivered another entirely different set of conditions. Pretty light at the start and about 5 miles from the finish but otherwise the wind stuck with us almost the entire time. Had several head sail changes including through Porlier Pass (A2, Genoa, A2 again!)

We finished around 10:30 pm. Our first full 360 complete for four of us! And 2.5 times around for Trevor (we sailed with 5 this leg).

Awards were yesterday AM and we got 2nd in our division. It was fun to be in the mix and push to stay competitive! Still explaining what "corrected time" is to our friends and family though haha

I believe Joy Ride won overall with 17 points. And Smoke was recognized for "fastest" time around the island (but the courses have varied over the years so they hedged) which was a record previously held by Westerly (heard it's up for sale)

Jeff did announce there will be a 2027 race.