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ONBOARD CARD 08 - Bermuda Approach

Phase: Final 200 nm to Bermuda finish (St David's Head / Bermuda NE) Typical elapsed time: Race start +48–80h (varies widely by conditions)

UNFAMILIAR BOAT NOTES - READ THIS FIRST

This crew is racing Lupo Di Mare together for the first time. The following protocols are adjusted for that reality.

1. Do not attempt a sail you haven't used this race in the final dark approach Final approach at hour 70+ in the dark is not the time to deploy a sail that hasn't been set and trimmed at least once during the race. Stick to sails the crew has handled. A slightly slower sail executed cleanly is faster than a complex one executed badly when everyone is exhausted.

2. Layline commitment: make the call and hold it By 30 nm out, commit to the final approach angle. Do not allow tired crew to debate the layline for 30 minutes - the discussion costs more than any error in the initial call. Navigator and skipper make this call together; once made, it is not re-litigated.

3. Pre-brief the approach before you need it Before the final 50 nm, brief the entire crew on: the approach waypoint, the St David's Head finish line orientation, the VHF channel for race office, and the layline plan. Do this while conditions are settled and crew is as rested as they'll be. Do not brief this for the first time at 0200 in the approach.

4. VHF watch is mandatory in the final 50 nm Assign a dedicated crew member to VHF monitoring in the final 50 nm. Race office broadcasts, safety calls, and finish line instructions must not be missed because everyone was focused on sail trim.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE

Arrive at the finish with maximum speed, correct layline, and no unnecessary detours in the final miles. Bermuda approaches have killed many corrected-time results through late parking lots, misread final-miles conditions, and tactical errors on the layline.

DATA TO CHECK

At 200 nm to finish (post-Stream): - What is the wind forecast for the final 150 nm? (pre-loaded GRIB) - Is there a high-pressure ridge building south of the Stream (W-BS or W-PL analog risk)? - What is the SST in the final 150 nm - is there a warm core eddy in the path?

At 100 nm to finish: - Reassess with actual observed conditions vs forecast - Is the wind holding, fading, or building? - Are boats ahead (fleet tracker if permitted/available) parked or moving?

At 50 nm: - Bermuda's local topographic wind shadow and sea breeze - VHF range - listen for any race office or safety broadcasts - Final sail selection for the run in to finish - Layline: confirm you are not significantly below the layline with a wind shift risk

BERMUDA LOCAL EFFECTS

Bermuda sea breeze: - Develops on days with light gradient, typically SSE 8–14 kts by early afternoon local - Can provide useful pressure for boats approaching from the north or NE - May shift the optimal approach angle by 10–20°

Bermuda wind shadow: - Light and variable wind within 5–10 nm NW of the island in southerly flow - Approach from the E or SE can avoid this shadow - Do not get caught in the shadow late: it can cost 1–3 hours at the worst

Typical Bermuda pressure grid: - The island tends to block and deflect wind; approaching from slightly windward (upwind of the island relative to gradient) is usually faster than running dead downwind into the shadow

TRIM / SAIL IMPLICATIONS

Final approach conditions Preferred sail
10–18 kts reaching (typical) A2-1 / Code 65
6–10 kts light Code 65 / A1-1
18–25 kts broad reach A3
Upwind final approach J3
Light air drift (<6 kts) A1-1 + patience
Building following sea Consider GS over asym for control

TACTICAL OPTIONS

  1. Favor the windward layline - in reaching conditions, be slightly above the layline; Bermuda's sea breeze or local shifts can make you work extra if you arrive below layline
  2. East or west of dead downwind - if running, figure out the jibe that leaves you on the favorable layline for the final approach to St David's Head
  3. Avoid the wind shadow - approach from the E or NE quadrant if the wind allows
  4. Don't park: if the forecast shows a pressure band ahead, route to the windward edge of it, not the center

RED FLAGS

  • Wind dying below 5 kts with no forecast improvement for 6+ hours: you are in a park - accept it and conserve crew. Do not burn the crew on frantic sail changes chasing 0.2 kts.
  • Boats you were ahead of in the Stream are catching up in the light: either you parked and they didn't, or they found pressure you missed. Reassess your angle.
  • Any indication of a warm core eddy near 31–32°N: you may be in its adverse limb. Check GPS/log current vector.

DECISION THRESHOLD

The layline decision: By 30 nm from the finish, commit to the final approach. Jibing back and forth in the final miles in light air is a crew-killer and rarely recovers much distance. Make the decision and hold it.

The parking decision: If wind drops below 4 kts for more than 2 hours in the final 100 nm, recognize that corrected-time results are now largely out of your control. Preserve crew, sail cleanly, and accept the conditions. Don't manufacture a crisis.

WHO GETS WOKEN UP

  • Navigator: wind drops below 5 kts for more than 60 min, or any unexpected current reading
  • Skipper: within 50 nm of finish, and at layline decision point
  • All watch: within 20 nm for final approach

PRE-RACE RESEARCH - NOT race-period routing advice