everglades challenge sailboat

Here , on the other extreme of things, I once wrote Chief a letter proposing a sub-class to compete with the Class 3 boats, converted canoes and kayaks, (sail rigs added).

I thought row boats should be able to compete with Class 3 boats, if the sail area was progressively limited as the boat got longer.

Here is the formula/rule I proposed:

FORMULA:

The length of the boat, in feet, will be subtracted from 20.0. What is
left will be squared. And that, as these following three
stipulations are met, will be the allowed sail area.

STIPULATION #1

An absolute limit of 100 square feet will be imposed.

STIPULATION #2

A 'bank' amount of 20.0 sf of sail can be added until the the new sail
area either equals 50 sf, or the 20 sf bank is used up.

STIPULATION #3

The boat must be entitled to at least 4.0 sf on its own to be allowed
any sail area at all.

Chief wasn't at all interested in my idea, so I dropped it.

Here is a proposed EC pdracer I drew up a few years ago.

Unlike PlumCrazy's boat, the free board is higher, so I can get my legs under the fore deck and be able to turn over in my sleep, the mast is further aft, so I can get to the halyard more easily, and it is stepped slightly off center.

The sail itself owes a lot to the Chinese Lug, but isn't really one.

It is really what I call a 'stack sail', where each panel acts as its own sail.

There are only two reefing choices: 2/3rds and 1/3rd full sail area.

The reason for this is to limit the number of boomlets needed and to hasten the reefing process.

The two leeboards shown are really side centerboards, as they only swing fore and aft. Both are to be down at the same time, when under full sail.

Like the kick back rudder blade, they do not use ballast to hold them down, but use bunji cords instead. That way, if they hit an obstacle, they kick back, then automatically go back down after the obstacle is cleared.

Two are kept down at the same time to improve directional stability.

 

again, a UFC boat has to do this portage where as a EC boat does not. 40 miles! These expedition canoes don't have much of a problem ..... can your boat do this? or the better question can you do this?



http://youtu.be/ZbPcBvuGOqw

 

No! Not for me-ever...... Got to be on the water....

 

I love sailing, and I love hiking. But combining the two? Not so much...

Actually, I can't think of anything that would be less fun to do with my sailboat than to haul it 40 miles -- in traffic, and possibly in the dark.

No portages - not for this boy!

 

Then I guess this kind of portage is completely out of the question!
On the plus side there's not many roads to deal with ....
and no alligators ..... but there are Moose!
.... and there's only one race that I know of that has a bunch of portages like this in it, The Adirondack Canoe Classic, also known as the "90 miler", a 3 day staged race 35, 30, 25 miles.



and just so you can get a better idea of some of the trails or what's supposed to be a trail:


Here is a little bit more "established" route:


so if I can get the chance to use a set of wheels I'm pretty happy!



My plan for the ufc though is to use a bike.
I have a fold up bike but I don't like it,
too heavy and not enough low gears.
I'll most likely build a custom framed take apart bike.
the idea of turning the boat into a bike is novel but .....
I still like the idea of an independent fully functional bike,
one that can be used for re supply and towing the boat.

This was a quick test is see how it works out ....
it did a fine job, and it passed the first test, It's possible!
next, a better cart, more weight, and more distance.

 

Watertribe should consider having say..... a "Tampa Bay Challenge".....Emerson point just west of Palmetto,FL would be a great starting "point".....maybe a clockwise circuit around Tampa Bay over to South St Pete/ and up to the gandy causeway and then across to Macdill AFB and then back down the east side of the bay back down to Emerson point. If they ever do this... (and I think Emerson Pt. is a natural starting/finish point for such a race due to it's central locale in west central fla.)...the powers that be should consider making the race fairly affordable as far as entrance fees so more folks might want to enter... would be a cool race....a great primer for the EC or UFC... would be good for sailing...and sailing is good for the world...

p.s....tampa bay area is some of the best sailing anywhere...just not on the weekends...

 

this sounds like something you should start up, it would be easy, date, time, location, see y'all at the start and again at the finish. No unnecessary rulz, no classes, no trophies, have a few drinks at the end and tell stories, and pick up the broken somewhere along the way ........

 

Yes. Like a Florida version of the jester challenge. Great idea!

 

Yeah...there's so many sailboaters and kayakers...in greater tampa...there could be class-specific races every weekend for those who dont want to belong to traditional yacht/sailing clubs...could be organized by each respective class of sailors...week to week...word of mouth...and it could be short runs...though I think a race like I drew in the map would be good for future EC UFC folks... a average weekend race out of Terra Ceia or Emerson Pt. could be say..around a mangrove island twice or thrice...or up to this Channel marker...back around that little spoil island..and back to the finish..winner gets a new West marine flare gun kit,etc ...with say..a 10 buck entrance fee....etc..I know I would want to find race areas as far away from tight channels with stinkpotters as possible though...that's really the trick though...

 

Those are the "filters", otherwise it's just another buoy race and not very watertribe-ish.

Late yesterday afternoon I did a little loop in my kayak. I always thought it would make a nice mini wt-ish test run. Portage, Beach launch, skinny water, rough water, downwind, channels and marinas, a low bridge to go under, another low bridge to go under, then an upwind section back across the bay with a downwinder back to the channel for the landing, portage home.
btw, I was waiting for a windy day to do this to get the full effect.

this is my spot tracker from yesterday:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0EodMvhD87xYunPy1NNazzHAVvpa1SWzF

I also have it on my spot adventures page from an earlier trip:
http://www.spotadventures.com/trip/view?trip_id=261650

 

Here's a great video of Sizzors at the start of the EC.
That was a pretty quick and efficient launch off the beach!

http://youtu.be/pyKkYlVBPP4

 

--------------------
Great video-thanks ,Dennis. I didn't realize that Scissors(or SU sue?) had pivoting ama's-great revelation!

 

and interesting camera angle of the lineup at the start

http://youtu.be/UMIorfnbyc8

 

And here is Mosquito at the end. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYOv1ZK-lrs

 

Has anyone seen any comments by the crew on the race? Particularly about the boat and how it worked. Obviously well enough, but a little more in depth.

Marc

Hotedow, according to you my boats are not in danger of lightning strike!