Everglades Challenge 2024

WaterTribe Everglades Challenge https://www.watertribe.com/Events/EvergladesChallenge/




Results: WaterTribe Results https://watertribe.com/Events/ChallengeResults.aspx?RaceID=EC2024

Everglades Challenge 2024 https://forums.sailinganarchy.com/threads/everglades-challenge-2024.244844/

The Everglades Challenge is an intriguing event. I would be interested in such a sail in my own 19 foot Mariner. I know other Mariner 19s have entered. From there, I've been considering a sail to Dry Tortugas. What an awesome adventure.

-Will

I wonder what the story is on the Tri shown in the first video at about 2:45?

It has a massive solar array which is strange considering it’s a sail/peddle/row race.

Wow, it's mostly multihulls. I spotted maybe 4 B&B boats, a couple of sea pearls...

SolGato said:

I wonder what the story is on the Tri shown in the first video at about 2:45?

It has a massive solar array which is strange considering it’s a sail/peddle/row race.

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Yes it is a real mystery. May be there is an internal race for solar energy?

I for myself miss Randy.

That solar boat may just be testing a proof of concept and non-competitive. Human power is allowed as I recall, and if the rules allow "solar" power whether it be wind or solar cells, it might be a competitor. OTOH, it may win the whole contest, in the very unlikely case that it is Dead Calm throughout the period of the race, ha!

Did they change the race to eliminate the portaging part? There used to be a lot of clever folding boats in past races, in order to gain advantage during the terrain part..

Ps. It looks like that solar cell boat also has a sail, so that might give it an advantage if it is allowed to use both for propulsion.

The design looks like a death trap to get out of the seating position with the low overhead, a high COG is more stable upside down, and instant flip over potential if the panels suddenly catch high wind..

portacruise said:

Did they change the race to eliminate the portaging part? There used to be a lot of clever folding boats in past races, in order to gain advantage during the terrain part..

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I'm of the view that the R2AK would be a lot more interesting with judicious placing of checkpoints that meant a boat that could be portaged stood a realistic chance of competing with the now dominant large boats with large crews

portacruise said:

Did they change the race to eliminate the portaging part? There used to be a lot of clever folding boats in past races, in order to gain advantage during the terrain part..

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How long ago was that? Last I'd read, it was a requirement that the boat and crew start on the beach and must launch with only crew power. I had not read about a portage point in the course. Larger boats, like the Marine 19 often utilize inflated beach rollers or fenders to get to the water under crew power.

But, they can't leave the equipment behind.

-Will

I watched about 1/2 of the video of the event taking place and didn’t see any footage of the Tri with solar, but have decided the array must be for powering a heater and a high volume bilge pump after learning of the temperatures and seeing the amount of water the small boats take on.

Will, Last message #15 in this link references the need to Portage, it is dated March of 2016,

Everglades Challenge: the Right Boat? https://www.boatdesign.net/threads/everglades-challenge-the-right-boat.55211/


I think the previous route went Overland and through part of the Everglades to get from the Gulf to the atlantic? It Was known as the world's toughest boat challenge at one time? Having to go over land stimulated a lot of very interesting creativity. That's just one time reference, they may have changed the route considerably after that posted date. Searching the links to Everglades challenge at the bottom of this page May turn up some pictures of the unusual boats.

portacruise said:

Gulf to the atlantic?

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Most likely from the Gulf into Florida Bay, through the Everglades.


-Will

waterbear said:

Wow, it's mostly multihulls. I spotted maybe 4 B&B boats, a couple of sea pearls...

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Yes, a lot of multis, mostly trimarans, but very rare were trimarans with cabin and overnighters like this tremolino and another one.

portacruise said:

Did they change the race to eliminate the portaging part? There used to be a lot of clever folding boats in past races, in order to gain advantage during the terrain part..

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The portage is part of the Ultimate Florida Challenge, not the Everglades Challenge: WaterTribe Events https://www.watertribe.com/Events/Default.aspx

Robert Biegler said:

The portage is part of the Ultimate Florida Challenge, not the Everglades Challenge: WaterTribe Events https://www.watertribe.com/Events/Default.aspx

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Thanks! That explains everything, ha!