I depart tomorrow afternoon for an adventure with Alan Stewart aboard his custom built 22' trimaran "Mosquito". We're taking part in the Everglades Challenge which is part of several challenge events run by the Watertribe (watertribe.com). The race starts just north of Tampa Bay in Fort Desoto Park and finishes in Key Largo. Other than requirements for safety and survival gear, the only real restrictions are that you must launch your boat from the high tide mark (restricts boat design somewhat) and there are three checkpoints we have to visit along the way. In years past, some of these checkpoints were behind bridges that restricted the boat designs (dropping masts, maximum beam, etc.) but this year there are no more bridges or other obstructions along the way. You don't have to do anything other than sign a log book and ping your Spot tracker while "presenting your boat" at the checkpoints. You can stay a while and reprovision if you wish...or just turn around and keep on trucking. Two of the three checkpoints are relatively easy to access but the middle one, Chokoloskee, requires navigating several creeks and over extended distances of shallow mucky water. The backside of the keys in Florida Bay can also be a real challenge and we will have a choice to either pick our way through the shallow Florida Bay or sailing around it and essentially take the Key Largo Steeplechase route back to Key Largo. This race has 144 entries (last I checked) that range everywhere from stand up paddle boards, kayaks, kayaks with sails, to our 24' trimaran and everything anyone can come up with in between. Boats are divided up into 6 different classifications for the race. We're in class 5 "small sailing multihulls" and we're hoping to present a threat to be near the front in Class 5. With regards to our sleep and rest plans...that all depends on how close to the front we are or how closely we're being chased . Every competitor has a Spot tracker and you will be able to follow the race here:

http://www.watertribe.com/Events/ChallengeGMapper.aspx?RaceID=EC2014

Here's a video from last weekend and a couple of pictures of Alan's trimaran we're sailing. We haven't had much time to test and tune since we made several changes to the boat. My early impressions are that we may struggle a little going hard to weather until we get a chance to work on some trimming techniques but the boat is proving to be a real monster on reaching angles (especially with the giant code 0 Alan has equipped it with). We're carrying sails on a recycled F18HT mast with a square top main, roller furling jib, roller furling code 0, and an F18 spinnaker. We were able to do better than double wind speed on Lake Keowee last weekend and we'll be able to figure some new things along the way.

Alan's blog will also have some information here and I'll probably be posting some stuff to my facebook wall (Jake Kohl).
http://www.sailnaway.blogspot.com/

Good luck!

Very cool looking boat, all the best!

Good luck, looks like a great adventure!
Is there a mandatory amount of sleep or can you sail 24/7?

No sleep requirements whatsoever. The race record is just over 28 hours on an Olympic Tornado (Jamie Livingston / Kenny Pierce). The center hatch on Alan's tri has a subdeck under it and it's sized to be able to crawl into and lay prone to do something resembling sleep.

Alan and his dad currently own the monohull record of just over two days and he and his mom own the current 1,200 mile Ultimate Florida event record as well.

St Pete to Key Largo on a SUP?????

Mike

good luck, I hope to be out there fri afternoon for a walk around to look at all the cool designs.

Good luck you guys!

Jake, if you're going to attempt a "modicum of sleep like behavior" in that tunnel berth I'd suggest those little foam earplugs. They'll deaden a lot (but not all) of the noise.

I suspect that inside that berth will sound like a wooden barrel rolling down a rocky slope.

and what's your team name? I think I see SOS, which I think is Alan, right?

Uh, hello?.... It shows you still in Wilmington. Isn't that a bit far from the start? Or did you not turn on your spot?

also, remember. You don't play "Hide and Seek" with Kenny (MachoMan), you play "Hide and pray he doesn't find you"

Jake,

I wish you and your skipper the best. Ron White and Mike Fahle on the former 1992 Olympic sailed Tornado, Jamie and Kenny aboard their Tornado, Randy on his homebuilt tri, and Meade Gougeon are names worth mentioning. The talent in the tribe, and the spirit of the Challenge will last a lifetime.

Enjoy the journey,
Bert

Good Luck Jake and Alan!!!

Have heard nothing but great things about the Watertribe events.

Looks like there off to a good start. Appears to be a moderate beam reach conditions off Bradenton beach.

I'm on a boat. I'm not going to tell you how, but we have technology baby! We are making good time on a straight line down the coast. Smyth is slowly getting out of site. Alan and I are leaving the tornados behind and have about lost sight of them. Jamie and Kenny had some sort of problem and headed back. I can't get to the tracking site to see if they're back out or not...hope so.

Mike fahle didn't make it for some reason. I gotta get back to sailing before Alan yells at me.

Yes...SOS

Keep it coming. Seems like the tracking site is overloaded at the moment.

The tracker worked for me for about 2 hours, Looked like Jake and Alan had a early lead. Couldn't see Smyth on there, is he not in class 5?

Good luck Jake and Alan. I'm jealous, as every year.

The tracker is overloaded. Discussion and FB said Jamie and Kenny are "out with a busted rudder." I hope they have a spare at the beach if nothing else. Randy is notorious for "forgetting" to turn on his tracker.