2014 everglades challenge

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After looking around, this is at the moment the most updated site for news about the EC2014.

 

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SOS is at checkpoint 1 per the tracker at 4:10 pm.

Swampmonkee* has suddenly scooted past Puma/Steerswithbeers.

*looks like they're a couple of hours behind SOS (my rough guess).

I don't understand Sewsew's situation, he's still off the north end of Siesta Beach. Has he had a breakdown and is dead in the water?

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20 minutes after I last looked, SOS is still at the checkpoint which seems to be in an awkward spot in a channel to a marina. Pretty stupid to have checkpoints that require long dead-end detours, if you ask me.

But I'll be interested to see if SOS continues down the intercoastal, or chooses to go back out Stump Pass. I'm guessing it's the intercoastal?

 

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SOS is going down the intercoastal, too much of a penalty to return to Stump Pass, I suppose. And their speed is given at under a knot.

Sewsew (Randy Smyth) is still in the same location, something major must have broken? Bump/Machoman are per the tracker still at Desoto. It is a disappointment because I was hoping to see where these guys sailed later on.

 

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Update on the Watertribe forum 20 mins ago:

Smyth is 1st, was at checkpoint 1 at 1425! His tracker function is faulty.

SOS was at the checkpoint 1545.

Bumpy/Machoman broke rudder parts and retired.

Crazy Russian? "Crazy Russian at Long boat key needs a ride back to fort desoto to his car. "

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Good. Now I'll hope Sewsew shows us the optimal route for the rest of the racecourse.

 

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So Sewsew, who is actually Randy Smyth, is far in the lead but his tracker is showing him at a standstill off Siesta Key?

Isn't it a bugger, that everyone else's tracker appears to be working, except for his, the leading boat.




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In the interests of their own self-promotion, I suggest that Chief (or whoever else represents the Everglades Challenge) gives Randy Smyth a brand new functioning tracker device at checkpoint 2.

This typical "I lost my homework" argument from Smyth is too cute.

 

Ec

Good news about Randy! So he's ahead of the Mosquito trimaran?
Thanks for the updates....

 

^^^

And what is all this endless, foil-relate drivel, that constantly (just now) surfaces in the forum?

Don't you have a boat to launch? That's when it might start to become interesting.



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It certainly looks like Randy is keeping his track hidden from SOS, who is the only threat. Maybe it will miraculously pop up again after Flamingo or thereabouts, when he has a safe enough lead.

 

Keep up the good work, Blackburn, appreciated.
I wonder if CrazyRussian's rudder broke?
But he was really pushing it racing an untried boat. But good on him for trying.

 

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Sewsew's tracker fifteen minutes ago (12:58 am) shows him almost at checkpoint two, after 18 hours of sailing. Behind him (by some 10-15nm? 9:12pm tracker update) is SOS. Swampmonkee (as of 12:42 am) in third between Marco and Naples.

On the discussion page (Watertribe.org) the guys at checkpoint two say the wind is from the East at around 10 knots, so good chance that there's been just a tad better wind along the route offshore. Flat water and good wind!

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SewSew is in at 0112. "Just made the good tide!"

 

Class 5 leaders

SewSew: Inland waterway leaving CP 2, at 1:18 am

SOS: Just off Marco Island, 80% from CP1 to CP2 at 1:12 am, 8.6 kn

Swampmonkey: Offshore, 60% from CP1 to CP3 at 1:13, 9.9 kn



Class 4 leaders

Samba Sailor offshore, 25% from CP1 to CP3 at 1:17 am, 5.9 kn

Chupacabra offshore, 20% from CP1 to CP3 at 1:17 am,

Ridgerunner and ZTH are a short distance behind Chupacabra best I can tell

 

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The tracker only shows latest updates if you specify class & boat and choose "show tracks and all waypoints", it seems.

The Kayak sub-tribe is camping in Gasparilla Sound, but SOS and Sewsew don't have that luxury.

Sewsew has his tracker on at the moment, was almost out of the mangroves half an hour ago. Here's the channel he took out of checkpoint 2:





SOS is about halfway in the channel towards Checkpoint 2. They are close enough to Sewsew that there's some suspense - Sewsew should be getting moderately tired about now!

 

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A screengrab showing most recent positions of SOS (left) and Sewsew (right).

Sewsew is now doing 9-10 knots.



I wonder if the trimaran 'Mosquito' even with two onboard, may be no quicker to paddle through narrow windless areas than 'Scissors'?

Photos of the two boats at checkpoint 1 were just posted on this page.


Weather forecast around Flamingo is for easterly wind 11-12 knots (Windguru) all day tomorrow.

 

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'Mosquito' is spending an eternity in the mangrove channels towards CP2, struggling with the current, perhaps?

The wind forecast (mph) for the Flamingo area, from the Natl Park Service, from 5am Sunday until Monday evening:

 

Photos

Thank you hoyt for the first interesting pics. Esp. SIZZOR and FINGER MULLET show remarkable modifications compared to EC 2013. EC is promoting small boat development. Did you see JOLLY ROGER and does he sail this trimaran: http://rogermann.org/blog/2013/12/08/triraid-560-splashes/ this year ? "2013 he was very successful with this boat: http://watertribe.org/jollyroger/2-days-16-hours-and-7-mins/ and http://watertribe.org/jollyroger/photos-2013/.

 

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Sewsew is at East Cape/CapeSable doing 8 knots.

SOS and his crewmate appear to have slept for a few hours, and just got underway again. Despite their rest, Swampmonkee has still not caught up to them.

Swampmonkee seem to have been hanging around out in the bay all night - maybe they are 'doing a Bourgnon', and navigating by sextant only.

lol

Ought to be some news from CP2 soon... their last entry was posted 7 hrs ago.

What are the mods you found on Scissor, Manfred?