If his offer doesn't pan out though, I'd still like to participate in the crate operation. I don't want to coordinate it, but I'll help. Rob (Tiger Beetle) has coordinated this in the past but isn't going this year. Maybe Alan could head it up?
Setting up the shipping crate requires a certain amount of coordination, takes a day to construct and load the crates, to be delivered to Hawaiian Express in Hayward the next day via pickup truck. The single most difficult thing to find is a way to lift the crates up into the bed of the pickup truck; if a forklift is available that's the best. In 2004 and 2006 we built the boxes in a friend's shop and used a chain hoist on an overhead beam to do the same thing.
I will happily supply phone numbers and info to whomever would like to take on coordinating the shipping crates.
Other requirements: a street address in Hanalei to receive the crates, possibly Race Committee might volunter their place this year as a drop-off point.
The boxes are built on top of pallets (we built the pallets directly into the crate floor, the crates have been 1/2" plywood and 2x2" vertice nailers into which the plywood floor, sides, and top, are screwed using drywall or decking screws. A 4'x4'x4' cube seemed to work well for size, outboard motors should go on the bottom layer, with inflatable dinghies stacked like sausages on top of the motors. Outboards must have all gasoline and oil removed from the engine - bring replacement outboard motor oil with you over on the race.
The crates go over on the Matson ship to Honolulu, then barge to Lihue, then by truck to Hanalei. A word of caution on crate delivery in Hanalei - do not let the fork lift drive over the front lawn - it will leave enormous ruts in the lawn that require repair afterwards! Hawaiian Express will supply the truck company name/number in Lihue.
Talk with Hawaiian Express in advance to learn the Matson sailing schedule, and plan on having the crates at Hawaiian Express 2 weeks before race start.
If anyone would like further information, let me know. A bunch of the racers had fun working on the box project, and it wasn't that big a hassle to drive the crates to Hayward from Alameda.
- rob