Ron White trimaran for the Everglades Challenge

I know nothing. Sorry.

 

some years Tornadoes dominate the top ten places, this year not even one. I guess what type of boat that is best depends on conditions that day, and luck.

It will be interesting to see if someone comes up with a combination of craft that can consistently place year to year in various conditions. That would make the best adventure boat.

 

"Ditto!"

Edit: Look at that Petros, we posted at the same time.

(Well, you first actually.)

I was ditto'ing Hoyts post.

 

Two Hobie cats in the top ten.

A good Tornado would not be behind these boats.

Then again, a Torando is very demanding for this kind of event.

I doubt there was any serious attempt by a "fast beach cat" such as a Tornado.

 

Tornados have either won, or placed in the top 5, usually several in the top ten, for previous year's races in this event. So it appears to be the one to beat for this kind of race, but this year it was two mono-hulls that came in one and two. And there was no Torando in the top ten at all.

 

Were there any tornados in this years challenge? I cant recall seeing any in the photos on the beach?

 

The roster did not show any Tornados.
The guys who won previously didn't seem to have sailed, but I did not check the previous years rosters.

I would have liked to see last years Ultimate challenge winner in the race - the Mosquito trimaran. Last year they were not quite ready and waited a day to take off. It would have been interesting to see them compete for the top spot but SOS sailed with his dad on the winning CoreSound.

 

I hope Randy Smyth ruggedizes his boat w/o negatively affecting performance too much. I think he won the last race the Tornado was in? After
having lost to the T the year before.
He could wind up winning on a regular basis-which would be real cool...

UPDATE- it was 2011 and Sew Sew won(by 20 min!!) ,the Tornado was second: http://www.watertribe.com/events/RecordBook.aspx On the left, click on 2011....

 

Doug,

Smyth wrecked his boat last year also. The Tornado won.
They have complete information on the web site. Why did you just cherry pick 2011?

Winning once then failing to finish twice is a far cry from "winning on a regular basis". Perhaps you should introduce him to lifting foils.
It is interesting to see his amas getting bigger each year.

I have to give him a lot of credit, single hand on that boat is really hardcore no matter what the results.

 

Tornadoes are big boats. They have wide Beam and tall rigs. You probably have to take the mast down and telescope in the cross beams in order to get past some of the 'filters' (a bridge and two uprights about eight feet apart). Other than that, it is probably smooth, fast sailing.

 

I have to say the nicest thing for me about the event is the diversity of boats on the beach and looking at all of the different design solutions that are brought to the event. Private boats sailed by private owners, pretty cool.

 

Anybody know what happened to Ron White (Swamp Monkey)?
He DNF'd the first leg but I haven't found what happened.

To me some of the problems the competitors have is just as interesting as the winners who seemingly cruised to the finish. The problems tell a lot about what it takes to finish.

 

Sharpi,

This year the 8' posts and the bridge were not on the course.
The Tornado does not telescope. I believe the previous years there was an alternate path to the check point, it just made you sail a lot longer course.

 

I saw a photo on SA of Ron White's trimaran/kayak at the first checkpoint so he made it that far at least.

 

White might have gotten to the first check point some way but the results show he was DNF.
http://www.watertribe.com/events/ChallengeResults.aspx got to Class 5, right below SewSew. Third from the bottom.