750 mile non-supported race from WA (Washington, USA) to AK (Alaska, USA) starts Thursday (6/4) at 5 am (8 am Eastern). Any vessel that does not have a motor is eligible. Lots of multihulls are entered. Winner gets $10k.
Burds are sponsored by Sperry and sailing an ARC-22 (I think). Waterlust, also a Sperry sponsored group, is following the race and posts some great pictures and videos. The Burd's have already been a part of their focus. Instagram, web and Facebook have a lot of their stuff.
The event web page is www.r2ak.com and has a tracker on the front page.
Anyway, seems like a tough race. It wil be interestig to follow it. A SUP is doing it
I'd think a Reynolds R33 or a ARC30 would be a pretty good weapon of choice. At least with those you could have a crew of four or five and push hard the whole time. Downside to the ARC, there's zero space out of the elements.
A lot of time has been spent on tides/currents in the pre-race chatter. Evidently, some "narrows" are impassable when the tide/current is going the wrong way. Could allow boats to catch up or boats to extend leads. Timing is everything.
I looked at the website and there are a lot of kayaks, dories and rowers. Here are the multihull types:
A F-27, a F-24, two F-25c, 38' Crowther Shockwave, Hobie 20, F85SR (28' Farrier Super Racer), Tiki 21, Nacra 570, custom rower + kite, L-7 trimaran, 19' beach cat (looks like it might be a Supercat) and a 24' custom cat (small cabin and pedal drive) and a ARC-22,
A lot of time has been spent on tides/currents in the pre-race chatter. Evidently, some "narrows" are impassable when the tide/current is going the wrong way. Could allow boats to catch up or boats to extend leads. Timing is everything.
Seymor narrows. Google it, interesting place and it used to be way worse before they blew up a bunch of granite. I hope there is good footage of the passages through this section.
"I said, now, I said ,pay attention boy!"
The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea Isak Dinesen If a man is to be obsessed by something.... I suppose a boat is as good as anything... perhaps a bit better than most. E. B. White
Why doesn't he just drop anchor and wait for the tide to change? All I can think of is all the fuel he is wasting driving around in that current.
Edit to quote Team Cat Fever: "I hope there is good footage of the passages through this section."
+1
Used to be WAY worse ,here's a cool history lesson of Ripple Rock that was in Seymor narrows.
"I said, now, I said ,pay attention boy!"
The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea Isak Dinesen If a man is to be obsessed by something.... I suppose a boat is as good as anything... perhaps a bit better than most. E. B. White
Well that's one way to 'fix it'! Wow! I loved the part about, "They didn't know if it would cause an earthquake...but they did it anyway." Too funny! I've never heard of this place but now I want to go fishing and float plane flying there!
Rule 2: Start in Port Townsend The starting gun goes off at 5 am sharp on June 4, 2015
The first stage of the race is the sprint across the border to Victoria, British Columbia- 40 miles away across the exposed and notoriously rough Strait of Juan de Fuca. We’ll have more of a safety structure in place for the first stage in case things get hairy. The second stage has no race specific safety net.
If you make it to Victoria without assistance then you’ve qualified for the second stage, which starts one day later.
Rule 2: Start in Port Townsend The starting gun goes off at 5 am sharp on June 4, 2015
The first stage of the race is the sprint across the border to Victoria, British Columbia- 40 miles away across the exposed and notoriously rough Strait of Juan de Fuca. We’ll have more of a safety structure in place for the first stage in case things get hairy. The second stage has no race specific safety net.
If you make it to Victoria without assistance then you’ve qualified for the second stage, which starts one day later.
That's a really good idea kudo's for the organizers.
"Do or do not. There is no try." - Yoda "Excuses are the tools of the weak and incompetent" - Two sista's I overheard in the hall "You don't have to be a brain surgeon to be a complete idiot, but it helps"
"Do or do not. There is no try." - Yoda "Excuses are the tools of the weak and incompetent" - Two sista's I overheard in the hall "You don't have to be a brain surgeon to be a complete idiot, but it helps"
