HereB次元官网网址檚 hoping the crew aboard Big Ben can get her to Maui, considering neither the skipper nor first mate has ever been to Hawaii.

Despite holding decades of sailing experience (more than a century between them) neither skipper Jim McLauchlan nor first mate Tony Roberts managed to make it to those particular Pacific islands. Both bear accented speech (English and South African), indicating their seas have been elsewhere most of their lives.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been wanting to do this for years,B次元官网网址� said McLauchlan of the Victoria to Maui International Yacht Race they embarked July 5 from Victoria. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 from here to Maui which is a good place to go. Everything is governed for safety. B次元官网网址� You might skip on something (otherwise), now you have to do it.B次元官网网址�

Vic-Maui runs every second year starting in Victoria and finishing near Lahaina, Maui B次元官网网址� a 2,308 nautical mile trip. The co-ed crew of Big Ben B次元官网网址� two women, two men make up each four-person shift B次元官网网址� will swap off six-hour shifts as they aim for a two-week sail to Hawaii.

B次元官网网址淗alf our crew donB次元官网网址檛 even live on the water,B次元官网网址� Roberts said with a chuckle as a swift breeze swept across the Inner Harbour Tuesday afternoon. Two are from Calgary, one from Saskatoon.

B次元官网网址淭here are some situations when it will be all hands on deck,B次元官网网址� he added. Big Ben is among four in the B次元官网网址榗ruisingB次元官网网址� division. The racing division of 10 leaves July 7. By midday today the cruisers hope to be nearing the Oregon coast B次元官网网址� weather permitting.

The skipper and first mate share a concern over the winds, recounting a couple of races ago when some sailors were forced to bail at San Francisco after a month. You could run out of power, water and food, B次元官网网址渢hings you can mitigate,B次元官网网址� the skipper said. B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 mitigate for the weather.B次元官网网址�

Though you are allowed to use the B次元官网网址渕echanical sailB次元官网网址� or motor on occasion he noted.

Tsunami debris provides a new tangle on the minds of the eight sailors aboard Big Ben.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a big concern,B次元官网网址� McLauchlan said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got some ways around it and thatB次元官网网址檚 why itB次元官网网址檚 good to be in this group. B次元官网网址� ThereB次元官网网址檚 a good chance we may see these things and be able to report it.B次元官网网址�

Search Facebook for Oak Bay Sailing School to follow the crewB次元官网网址檚 views during the race. Follow all the .