everglades challenge sailboat

Its nice to get some continuing update on their progress. Anyone see any irony about an "adventure race" stoping at Walgrens? Of course I would also, even if only in my dreams - not a chance I will do this one, even 20 years ago.

 

Each journey has it's own flavor and options of re supply. I have a 5 day canoe trip I did in the Adirondacks this past summer where I had a loop towards the end but the loop had some serious portages. I elected to strip everything down to the bare mins so I wasn't gonna have to hoof any extra ounces, yeah I was really turning into a gram weenie! I hung everything up in a tree and came back for it two days later and continued on.

It was ALL wilderness unlike some of my other trips that pass a store here and there. So that is a sort of resupply, at other times you can "stash" provisions at strategic locations. You gotta do what you can sometimes. On this trip everything had to be carried, sometime you can use wheels and carry more.





The UFC is an animal with different stripes, and believe me it's tough enough to stop moving because that's the only thing on your mind if you're not passed out. You always want to stay on the move, it's a really strange thing that takes over in you. I hope with "Bad Kitty" to limit my stopping to the point that I don't get off the boat for days! You'd think stopping at a walgreens or getting a motel room and shower might not be "roughing it" but you pay for it in time (kinda like that move "In Time"). Sometimes the only good place to camp is in a motel if you can't stealth camp somewhere in the city, but that is only as long as I can get my kayak into the room. With a bigger boat like "Bad Kitty" I'd be hard pressed to leave her somewhere without me!

And that's why one of the design requirements is to be able to sleep aboard, and that would be anywhere. Mud Flats, marsh, swamps, beached on a sandy shore, or pulled up on a sand bar, Tied to a pier, dock or piling, even a channel marker. The toughest is always in civilization because that restricts certain "personal activities" but then there's always the chance to get to "Walgreens" for batteries or a charge and for the most prized supply, drinking water!

 

Yes, the boat switch rule allows to change to a different boat and have your ground crew trailer the big boat while you cross florida's river and 40 mile portage in something much easier to handle. this is not part of the "original rules" that drew me into this whole watertribe thing. The rules were changed somewhere mid stream and really pissed me off. I've since gotten over it but still want to play by the original rules, one boat that does it all. The proa can do it as I'm starting to believe, there is just a lot of thought required to make it work.

A proa would fit right in on the starting line of strange and unusual craft, something I like to see!

 

As a compromise, can you not use a kayak for the outrigger and use just that for the portage? Leave the rest of the boat behind.

Then at least some of your boat gets all the way round?

BTW, I don't know how big South Padre Island is, but a Strike 18 trimaran has just started to be built there

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com

 

That is an interesting idea. At that stage in the race it's mostly done, supplies would be a lot less. Once back out into the gulf it's only 20ish miles to the finish. I'm not sure how that would fit any of the "rules" or fit into any class but it could make for an interesting way to complete the course. the main hull and cross beams can just stay "stored' somewhere til after the race and go and pick them up later.

SPI is a little place so I can make a guess on who it might be, the hovercraft guy? fourwings or something like that? http://www.4wings.com/ We emailed for a short time but I never got an invite to his shop.

edit: I got an email over to Michael to see if this is him. http://www.kite-sailer.com/

 

Mosquito

Mosquito the Tri is going inside today. I'm going to try to get a picture of them at the Pineda bridge at some point. Looks like they may have to tack up the intercoastal-I'll know more when I get there.

 

Thanks Doug! It must still be too rough on the outside for them. According to their tracks it appears that are tacking quite a bit. If the conditions ever go their way they will just fly!

 

Whale has got a new post on his blog

http://billwhale.wordpress.com/2012/03/14/race-day-10-and-11/
I subscribe to his blog so I get it when it happens.


Race Day 10 and 11
Posted on March 14, 2012
Guess I am behind once again!! Bill had another great visit along the shore and I can’t begin to tell you how much that means to him. The current made it too difficult to make his way to the seawall so he wanted those people to know that he knew you were there and wished he could have stopped. Talked to him last night around 1:00am and they were just stopping. I could tell it had been a long day and sleep deprivation was at its best. Completing a full sentence was difficult for him. He was getting very frustrated trying to remember something he wanted to tell me to bring. I was trying to help by mentioning different items I thought he might want when he finally blurted out, “grapes!!” Then he felt it necessary to remind me to make sure I “brought the truck.” Sure, hon, I will bring the truck (I literally have no other option). He then explained he needed the truck to drive over his rudder. He had my attention after that one. I can only assume somehow his rudder has gotten bent and he needs to straighten it. Bet you can’t wait for the next update!!

He was planning on leaving around 6:30am and should arrive at the checkpoint around 4:30pm. Going to resupply, download new data on the GPS, then get back in the boat and find a place to camp. That’s the plan anyway so I will let you know what really happens when I return.

 

The tri is thru the Eau Galle bridge and headed for Pineda at 9 knots! I thought they might consider going out at Port Canaveral but it looks like they're sticking to the intercoastal.

 

Did you get eyes on her, Doug?

 

===================
Not yet but I'm leaving shortly-should see her at the Pineda bridge or just after. I imagine they're shooting for the Haulover canal by sunset(just northeast of the railroad bridge at Titusville.

 

See if you can grab an image for us.

 

Mosquito

What a chase!!! Got to Pineda-nothing either way-went back to double check that they hadn't gone up the Banana River toward Port Canaveral-nothing. When back across Pineda and up US1 to River road along the intercoastal-no sign of them. Went to get some lunch and resumed the chase about midway between the 520 bridge and the 528 bridge-nothing again. At this point I was thinking they must have pulled off somewhere but the racer in my soul said NO! so I kept going. Went under the 528 bridge and nothing as far as I could see. Kept going along the river road until almost at Port Saint John and there they were! Looked so good and they were really moving.
The pictures are the best I could get-not too good-but thats the way it is.
I wish them well and good sailing!

click on image for somewhat better detail:

 

I heard they could do 18 knots. Any idea how fast they were going?

I see you got the VAB in the background. Now that's a landmark!

Thanks!

 

You're welcome-they were really moving-I'd say 12- 15 knots with about that much wind and no spin. They stopped while I was watching for about 10 minutes and they seemed slower when the took off again. Don't know if they were taking a 10 minute break or a break took 10 minutes to fix. Never did reach the speed they were going when I first saw them.