Everglades Challenge 2010

Well, Randy Smyth apparently capsized and was rescued by the Coast Guard. The Tornado guys won for-I think-the third time.
Great thread with pictures on SA: http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?showtopic=105512&st=0

See correction and final results ,post #8


Smyth's boat on the beach 2010 just before the start:

 

There is nothing in the posts of this years race that shows that Randy was picked up by the Coast Guard. I have checked all the posts and the last one said Randy was leaving Checkpoint 1. No news was posted after that.

 

Post #36 at SA will confirm what I just said.

 

That'll learn me to quote posters on SA-the results page shows the Challenge in progress and nobody finished the first leg. Somethings not right.

http://www.watertribe.com/Events/ChallengeResults.aspx?RaceID=EC2010

http://www.watertribe.com/ says Everglades Challenge is finished?

 

Perhaps a bit of background would help to undertand the nature of the Watertribe...?

Steve Isaac, the originator of the Watertribe and it's webmaster, head ringleader, is involved this year in one of the three competitions, Ultimate Florida Challenge. He's out on the water doing his thing. Almost all of the stuff getting posted is coming from the various and sundry racers, interested family members and beach-bound enthusiasts. Some of it is going to be innaccurate, simply becasue of the sheer size of the course, the logistics of tracking everyone and a dozen other issues.

It's probably best to limit comments as to the fate of a particular entry until all the marbles have been gathered and the person speaks for themselves. Over the last three years, Randy has developed a colorful way of presenting his various experiences and they range from Spring Break footballers rescuing him one year, to being captured on a lee shore by a band of roving lesbians. Randy came close to having his man-essence drained, escaping only when the Coasties dispatched an all-male crew to save him.

Few actually know that there is another Isle of Lesbos... this one in the Caribbean along the Florida coast.

 

The Watertribe web site is ambitious but badly designed; I think the post about Randy you saw was left over from last year and somehow got mixed in with the current event. Chief ought to hire someone to redo the site; at present, extracting info from it is painful.

But the events themselves are great. I've been on the beach to see the EC racers off, and it's quite a spectacle. This year has been pretty rough. A number of boats have come to grief in the heavy seas. A Sea Pearl capsized, Meade Gougeon's flats boat broke, a Wayfarer was lost, I believe a Weta tri sustained enough damage to force its withdrawal. Quite a few others have had to withdraw, I understand.

So far as I've heard, there has been no loss of life or serious injury.

 

Some of you guys may find this collection of images to be of interest.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58781034@N00/sets/72157623568431074/

The two pages of boat photos here were shot last Friday and early Saturday morning on the beach at Ft. DeSoto State Park, Florida, the launching site for all of the Watertribe events that are being held this year. The photographer is John Bell.

I'm especially keen on the shot below, as it is one of my designs, the XCR. There are four articles about the XCR here: http://www.lunadadesign.com/index.php?s=xcr The boat shown is the central, canoe, hull of the component element trimaran. The owner/builder of the boat, Ben Algera, completed the canoe hull over the summer last year with the intention of entering the Watertribe Ultra Marathon (UM) event this last weekend with he and his Dad, John Algera, set to paddle the XCR the distance.

The UM is a 67 mile, paddle/sail powered rush down the Florida coast, ending at the first checkpoint for the greater, 300 mile Everglades Challenge (EC) and the full-on small craft test of design and personal will held every other year, the Ultimate Florida Challenge, which circumnavigates the state.

Ben and his Dad completed the event in 23 hours, 35 minutes for an average speed of 2.8 miles per hour. Pretty good when you consider that they only had one chance to paddle together before the nasty Michigan winter set-in. Their effort is further elevated when you consider the number of DNF's in their particular race due to cold weather. Their time turns out to be the best posted for what is a Class 1 double crew entry this year. Class 1 denotes stock, non-racing dedicated canoes and kayaks, with either single, or double crew.

Ben's next target... to complete the build of the full XCR design with amas, akas and a sail rig and enter the EC next March. I have no doubt that he'll meet all his goals and turn in a terrific time for the 300 mile test. He's just that kind of guy.

.

 

Well, Randy Smyth got second and the Tornado guys won for-I think-the third time.
Great thread with pictures on SA: http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?showtopic=105512&st=0

Difference between Smyth and Tornado at various checkpoints:
CP-1 Tornado ahead 6m
CP-2 Tornado ahead 6h 32m
CP-3 Tornado ahead 12h 45m
CP-4 (finish) Tornado by 23h 38m*
*this may be a misprint here: http://www.watertribe.com/Events/ChallengeResults.aspx

 

Earth to Meade...


Should be a picture of Yello Thing, but I got this stupid red X instead

I have great respect for the man, but WTF?
This looks like an extended aquaplane ( hollow wake board of the 1930s for those who don't know) with sort of flat iron skiff topsides sort of stuck on top in order to pile gear behind.
Particularly troubling are the squarish extensions beneath the "bow."
I cant imagine any circumstance other than flat water that those things don't act like snow shovels.
I understand the lee boards and the weird executive chair/ sliding seat, and the dock box on he back for keeping extra stuff in. I mean if you are going to be stuck out there for a while it makes sense to have a nice place to sit and a supply of dry sammies, but this doesn't look like it would sail or paddle worth a damn. What are you thinking Meade? Are you just being weird for the fun of it?
SHC

 

Got it this time.
Wow.
Someone please explain.
SHC

 

Maybe Meade's most important philosophy of Yello was skidding it across mud - to hell with sailing.

 

From what I've read, the boat is a flats fishing machine! thus the completely flat bottom profile. The "bow" was added to keep the decks a bit more clear of water. The rig and rudder are from his sailing canoe.

yes it was wet. He did capsize and right--but broke the rudder somewhere along the way and had to drop out. He's a serious multihuller from back in the day with a lot of designs to his credit--so I'm sure he had some ideas rolling around.

http://www.watertribe.com/Events/ChallengeViewer.aspx

Dan