Kill Devil Hills, NC
5/19/2000, 5 PM
By Zack Leonard
Cape Hatteras lived up to it's reputation today. The Worrell 1000 surged on, completing the penultimate
leg from Hatteras to Kill Devil Hills in record time today. The race started in a 20-25 knot
Southwesterly. Brett Dryland and Rod Waterhouse of Rudee's Restaurant launched form pole position
and spent most of the 10 mile run to Diamond shoals trying to fend of Smyth and Struble who started
in the 2nd spot. Smyth and Struble, sailing for Blockade Runner, rolled over the Aussie duo about 2
miles out from the Cape and extended a short lead when the fleet hit the washing machine.
Cape Hatteras is the meeting point of the cold Northern currents that run down from Labrador and the
warm Southern currents that follow the coastline North with the gulf stream. The result is a 10 mile
spit of ever-shifting, sandy shoals that produce geysers of whitewater on windy days.
The fleet approached the Cape at terminal velocity, actually killing speed to avoid pitchpoling in the
short, steep chop. No one flew chutes as the angle was a little to tight and there was no room to bear
off in gusts to keep from flipping over. Smyth approached the whitewater and amazed the 1000-plus
spectators who gawked form the dunes by hoisting his spinnaker while entering the rapids. Blockade
Runner shot through the rough water with Smyth trapezing and Struble holding on for dear life. They
extended off shore for a while and gybed to parallel the beach. Rudee's, Team Holland and Alexander's
by the Bay all rounded close to the cape and gybed to tuck in to leeward of the shoreline and begin the
long, flat water reach to Kill Devil Hills.
At the Cape the shoreline turns to the Northwest and the leg became a beam reach with the wind blowing
off the shore. With spinnakers up the boats pointed below the layline to the finish, with the chutes
down they were somewhat underpowered. The trick was to set the chute for a while and then douse it and
reach back up, weaving up and down around the rhumb line but sailing higher speeds. Timing the puffs,
lulls, and shifts off the shore was important. Smyth held a 1/2 mile lead 10 miles after the Cape, but
Rudee's eventually passed him when they were positioned to windward and the wind shited ahead to the
West, turning the leg into a very tight reach.
At the finish it was Rudee's, followed by Blockade Runner 3:37 seconds later. Alexander's by the Bay,
sailed by Lambert and Livingston, was third, followed by Sunnucks and Self and the Dutch team of Loos
and Heemskerk.
This leg was extreme. On the run to the cape the waves were 4 feet and very close together and the wind
was 25 knots. After Cape Hatteras the water was as flat as a wishing well and many of the sailors
reported top speeds of 22-25 knots. "It was outrageous," said Mark Self, "I've never been so fast,
we did some pretty big nosedives." Jamie Livingston described a whistling noise that emanated from
the forestay bridle-wires each time the boat hit 25 miles per hour. Randy Smyth was grinning ear to
ear when he described the reach, "I don't think the hulls can go any faster, that was terminal velocity."
When asked how he was able to carry the spinnaker through the whitewater at the cape without falling
off the boat, Smyth explained his technique, "I'm hooked in to double chicken straps, one from the bow
and one from the stern. When I'm out on the wire I'm completely locked in. The technique worked.
Smyth and Struble shot through the rapids and held a solid lead until the last wind shift.
Still, Smyth must be happy with the leg. He remains almost 1/2 hour ahead of Dryland and Waterhouse
and sits in the catbird seat with one leg remaining. The Dutch are in a close battle with Alexander's
by the Bay for third and there are several other positions that will be hotly contested tomorrow.
Team P Yacht, sailed by Weaver and Deppe, lost their mast just after clearing Hatteras. This is the
second time this year that they have lost a rig to the cape. One month ago the two were aboard Chessie
Racing, a whitbread 60, while racing from Key West to Baltimore. The boat was dismasted off Hatteras
and ducked in to Moorehead City to refit.
Today Weaver and Deppe were not to be stopped by any sandbar. They jury rigged a small sailplan onto
their bow pole and carried on racing. Hatteras Rescue was dispatched, but Weaver and Deppe refused
assistance, preferring to carry on and finish the leg under their own power.
Susan Korzeniewski and Davis Murray were forced to come ashore when their masthead casting failed and
their mainsail fell down. They kept sailing under jib alone and are racing head to head with P Yacht
for the finish.
The finish was not as spectacular as usual due to the onshore wind, but the sailors were happy to reach
shore. Team outer banks was mobbed with friends as they hit the beach in mid-fleet. Peanut Johnson
hailed, "We're home!" as he was smothered with hugs and kisses from well-wishers.
Tommorow the fleet will race to the finish at Virginia Beach. The short 60 mile leg could be stormy
if the front on the weather map moves quickly. At ?????? both Smyth and Dryland have a shot at breaking
the course record of 75 hours 17 minutes set in 1998\7.
Tune in tomorrow morning for more news on P Yacht and Korz/Murray.
