New Boat 4 Sled

[Gamayun]

Jackie would never try to catch a fish off Dura Mater. Slimy fish guts would cause her consternation and DM would not like it, either. Instead, the oceanic fishing kit will be donated to some lucky Transpacker at the Farewell Luncheon at the Corinthian Yacht Club on June 22, 2018. Potential fisherpeople (not only men, because Carliane is a Transpacker, too) will put their names into a hat and one will be chosen. Remember that the gift is from Skip, Jackie is merely the deliveryperson.

What an exciting raffle prize! I was just asking Michael Jefferson about fishing lures. One of my return crew is an Alaskan fisherman so I'm expecting mahi for dinner, fer shur....

Jackie, I'm also perfectly OK being called one of the guys. My dive team at the Sheriff's dept. (all guys and me) have learned it's just easier than "guys and Carliane." More inclusive, too

 

[sleddog]

What is this? An entry in the upcoming Race2Alaska?
Nope. Just a creative camping rig recently seen at Hole In The Rock, south of Moab, Utah.

The R2AK starts June 14 from Port Townsend, WA. Too bad our SHTP doesn't have bios of the entrants like R2AK...If you haven't read the brilliant hilariousness, check out the R2AK fleet here: https://r2ak.com/2018-full-race-participants/

Rumor has it both DURA MATER and Sleddog will be onsite in PT to review the R2AK fleet. Is this the year a mono-hull will win the $10,000 first place prize over the multi-hulls? A Melges 32 is certainly a potent weapon. But how is TEAM SAIL LIKE A GIRL gonna fit 8 women crew and sail 24/7 on an open boat with minimum interior? Something doesn't compute. But neither do most other entrants in the R2AK, where traditionally only 35-40% of the entries make it to Ketchikan. Even Snortin' Norton Smith, first winner of the SHTP in 1978 in his Santa Cruz 27, couldn't get to Ketchikan in the2015 R2AK before breaking on the rocks..

 

[sleddog]

If the all-women Melges 32 has boat speed to burn for the R2AK, the J-88 BLUE FLASH is the Space-X Rocket of the fleet.

BLUE FLASH's full throated bio of these kids is something else to read: Here you go:

Team BlueFlash

Team members: Sean Grealish, William-Patrick Blouin-Comeau, Maisie Bryant, Grant Gridley, Jack Holbrook
Hometown: Portland, Oregon, USA
Race vessel: J88
LOA: 29′
Human propulsion: Pedal drive
Connect: facebook, instagram

The Race to Alaska was started by sailors, and not the blue blazer, top shelf cocktail, valet park and a golf clap kind. We’re the kind of sailor that is usually preceded by “Swears like a…”—which was good practice for the race, because from the moment the applications come in to the moment the last racer finishes is a blue streak of epithets whose meaning is only understandable by the context, looks on our faces, and the pitch and cadence of “WTFs” we insert like tracer rounds just to keep track of the action. Slow and low with a shake of the head: disappointment. High and tight staccato: excitement. Wide eyed, open-throated on the inhale, with hang time on the last syllable: marveled disbelief.

We keep it PG for the public, but F-bomb for effect behind closed and heavily soundproofed doors. We’re not talking surgical strikes here—this is old school, Nixon-era “more is more,” scorched-earth obscenity deployment; we let them cascade out of the F-bomb bay doors like the things have an expiration date.

We swear at team’s race applications all the time, but usually in that decrescendo between disappointment and sad disbelief. If there was ever a team that had us swearing with enthusiasm as we read their bona-effing-fides, it was Team BlueFlash. We are so hooting excited about these motherflippers that it’s hard to calm down enough to type it out rationally and not just howl out the barbaric unprintable while we punch the keyboard until the buttons come off on our bloodied knuckles.

Let’s start with their boat. Team BlueFlash might have maxed the open source monohull supply chain with their choice of a J88, not just any J88, but as they describe it, “The most successful offshore racing J88 in the whole world.” The whole frictastic world. Over the last four years, the boat has campaigned 8 major offshore races and won 5. We read that and the skies opened: the H in Jesus H Christ stands for How in the Hell did they do tHat? This boat is slippery, pegged their GPS at 19.2 knots before the spinnaker carried away and they stuffed it. 19 knots on a 30-footer—fudging shoot!

Beyond choosing a race vessel that, to our knowledge, is the only unannounced contender for Space X that flies horizontal, it’s Team BlueFlash’s sailors that brought our obscenities to a level of volume and duration that, to this day, is peeling paint off of churches throughout the Midwest.

Let’s start with their age and experience. That all of them are more qualified than us to win this R2AFudgemuffin is one inspiring, annoying, and swearable offense. Navigator on ocean races, skipper on national dinghy campaigns, medical training, collegiate racing, etc. That all but one of them would need a fake ID to legally accept the beer we’d give them when they do win is another. 19,19,19,20 (but 21 at time of race) is insult to our ever-aging injury. When they party like it’s 1999, they blow out 1-2 candles, then smash cake on their face.

The most pants-impregnating truth of their entry is what they offered in their self-censored words:

“The Race to Alaska is something I have been dreaming about doing since I followed the first edition back in 2015. As someone who has been racing sailboats for his whole life, I’ve become disenfranchised with the money and snobbish protesting that takes place at regattas that are supposed to showcase the pinnacle of our sport. Race to Alaska represents everything that I wish sailing had more of: comradery, community, all-around badass people—even off the racecourse. I have raced across the Pacific Ocean, but as a teenage boy, there is nothing I can think of as a better use of my time than the 2018 R2AK. Our boat is solid, our team is the most knowledgeable group of young sailors put together for the R2AK, and we have what it takes to make it to Ketchikan as the youngest team to finish the race.”

Pound keyboard, pick a fight with internet, call a random number and unleash the unholy compendium from A-word to the yet-to-be-invented Z-word: this team is the schmidt.

Welcome to the R2AK, Team BlueFlash. At the request of your parents, your Ketchikan arrival will be heavily monitored by CPS, Liquor Control and the FCC.

 

[Philpott]

Yeah. That's why I'm going up, too.

 

[sleddog]

Cock-a-doodle-doo.

If this is your first time to Kauai, you will likely be surprised at the number of feral chickens. These ancestors of ancient Polynesian voyagers are everywhere, even nesting on the towel in the back of your rental car, as my sister recently discovered.

Why so many chickens crossing the road? Rumor is they are escaped refugees from hurricanes Ewa (1982) and Iniki (1992) that destroyed local chicken coops.

Local Kauai chickens come in all colors and sizes, and have adapted to eat pretty much anything.

The chickens are harmless, although they will lay eggs in unexpected places: in hotel lobbies, in rental kayaks, in snorkel masks. Did I mention Kauai chickens can and will fly?



I guess the chicken's worst offense is the one that pisses off tourists in their expensive hotels. Kauai chickens love to crow at all hours of the night, often right outside the window.

Kauai, the Chicken Isle.

 

[sleddog]

Arrived in Port Townsend yesterday afternoon, a 15 hour straight thru drive from Capitola. PT town and environs are humming, with 120 paddle, pedal, and rowing craft (no sails allowed) underway in the leadup to the R2AK, the Seventy48 race, which started at 5:30 pm last evening in Tacoma, finishing at Port Townsend, 70 miles north as the crow flies.

The $12,000 first prize was claimed this 3:09 a.m. morning by 4X Olympic medalist Greg Barton on his EPIC V10 surf-ski. Greg paddled the 70 miles straight through the dark night at 8 knots to ring the finish bell at the City Dock. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RswoODxPnXc

The rest of the diverse Seventy48 fleet, depending on weather, endurance, and speed, will be straggling in today, tonight, and tomorrow.
https://www.seventy48.com/race-explained/

I'm staying with SSS's Dan and Linda, both vets of the SHTP (Dan is a two time winner). Dan has a nice boat shop, where he specializes in exotic carbon fiber construction, including rudders, airplanes, and mega-yacht ladders. Presently he is building 9 carbon fiber rocket nose cones.

It seems satellite payloads for space launches are getting smaller. As technology improves and miniaturizes, satellites only have to be the size of cell phone to send back important information to Earth. With a backlog of 500 launches, there are currently not enough rockets available for these smaller payloads, the smallest the size of a golf ball. Here is one of Dan's carbon fiber nose cones under construction.

 

[Intermission]

Arrived in Port Townsend yesterday afternoon, a 15 hour straight thru drive from Capitola.

Did you have spare fuel tanks and diapers? That's fast!

 

[sleddog]

It's pedal drive city here in Port Townsend in the leadup to tomorrow's start of the first leg of the R2AK. My guess is 50% of the 36 boat fleet has some version and sophistication of pedal drive.

Here's a Santa Cruz 27 that pedaled in Pt. Hudson yesterday:


Larry Olson, SSS's only representative in the R2AK, has modified WILDFLOWER's pedal drive to work on the stern of his Olson 30 TEAM DREAM CATCHERS.


Most impressive, the all-women crew on the Melges-32 SAIL LIKE A GIRL pedaled into town with two pedal drives, making an honest 4 knots. Their setup is gonna be a potent human powered engine when the winds go light. My prediction is Team SAIL LIKE A GIRL will be in the hunt to win this year's R2AK, the first mono-hull to do so.

SLAG's competition will be the J-88 TEAM BLUEFLASH, which has a pedal drive, two sets of oars, and the enthusiasm of youth to make it all work.

What of the multis? Russell Brown is going solo on his G-32, the fastest boat in the fleet. But fleet favorite Russell, even though an iron man, will be unable to sail/pedal 24/7, and unlikely a contender for the $10,000 first prize.

The rest of the multi's don't seem to have the racing chops to be competitive: I saw one tri yesterday with a dirty bottom, peeling decals and collision damage on the waterline, and a crew that have reportedly never sailed a multi before. Another tri, Team TSS, from Colorado, is impressively prepared, and carrying 15 gallons of gas for their cabin heater. They will be the only boat ever to race the R2AK with a cabin heater.

 

[Philpott]

There are so many very cool stories here at the R2AK that I can't type fast enough. Racers are currently standing around their vessels with rain dripping down their noses, waiting for the sky to clear. Here is SledDog showing off his new toy, a $15 DUI bike w electric motor attachment. The seat is either a living thing or something made of llama wool. The only thing wrong with this travel dream is that the dingaling doesn't work. Said Skip, "I've been riding around without a bell."

 

[JohnS]

That seat is some kind of scary. Reminds me of the first generation Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles." (And I hate to admit but for a moment there I thought you meant Skip when you said "the dingaling doesn't work" but that was just jealousy of the retired...) You guys are having too much fun up there.

 

[sleddog]

You guys are having too much fun up there.

We did the best we could. Jackie and I tag-teaming to help stem the bleeding of some of the R2AK fleet that seems predominantly ill prepared, unpracticed, and shaken down for the potential seriousness of what lies ahead. Comparatively, the R2AK makes the SHTP look a fleet of school teachers, with our Forum and participants posing and answering questions, seminars, qualifying passages, inspection, organization, etc. Little of that for the R2AK.

It was fun working with Jackie, whose goodwill and words of kindness helped sweeten my more "call it as I see it" approach. However, I think even Jackie may have been a bit taken aback when her new friends from Wisconsin pulled their spanking new sails from the bag to hoist for the first time.

Says Jackie, "they look beautiful!
Says me, eyeing the Precision sail logo, "Looks like someone mismeasured. They're two feet short on all dimensions...I hope you still have your old sails....."

Just some of what we saw today:

1) A Craigs List boat that seemed to be missing its spreaders. The crew had zero tools or spare parts. But had borrowed a hammer to cut a pallete

2) A trimaran whose newly purchased West Marine oars didn't reach the water.

3) An older IOR warhorse whose crew was building rough oars from 2x4's, and the glue wasn't kicking off.


4) A Tornado cat that had yet to have its deck hardware mounted. Here's Jackie helping:


5) A boat whose bow was damaged at the waterline, whose crew seemed unclear on the concept and were more attentive to proper arrangement of hors d'ouvres on their beautiful cabin table.

6) A missing entry eventually located as choosing to participate in a Reality TV show about his participation in the R2AK, rather than doing the real R@AK.

7) A singlehanded entry in the R2AK heading out with just the clothing on his back, intending to forage for food, water, and navigational positioning.

8) A multihuller who launched his trailer off the end of the launch ramp at this morning's minus low tide.

9) A prone (lie ontop) paddleboard "EXTREME SOBRIETY."

There was more, much more.

Good luck to all.

 

[BobJ]

Oh my. I suppose Stage 1 (to Victoria) will weed them out.
.

 

[dolfinbill]

Boy, all I can say is "what a circus"! Good for Jackie pitching in to help.

 

[pogen]

I thought a bit about this race -- for a singlehander, I think it is more difficult and hazardous than the SHTP. And as you show, people take it somewhat un-seriously. Like it is Burning Man on the water or some damn thing. Well it is interesting for those of us in the cheap seats.

 

[The Smokester]

"Comparatively, the R2AK makes the SHTP look a fleet of school teachers..."

All I can think of is the old saw: "Nothing goes to weather like a seven forty seven." Will we meet at The Tree this year?

 

[Howard Spruit]

Looks to me as though R2AK is two events running parallel.
One is to the bag of money, and the other one is the "Darwin award"

 

[sleddog]

The start of the R2AK first leg "Proving Ground" (37 miles) from Port Townsend to Victoria got underway yesterday at sunrise in light southwest winds and building ebb.

https://youtu.be/Ov_sw_LOA_M

Shortly after, I hopped the Washington State ferry SALISH for a 30 minute crossing to Whidbey Island. Then a 40 minute drive to Anacortes to visit good friends Gary and Ev.

By 10:30 a.m I was again on the road heading home, 970 miles south on I-5 through traffic in both Seattle and Portland. At dusk I dropped anchor at Yreka, near Mt. Shasta, rather than drive through the night. I was home this morning by 11 a.m., 18 hours for the drive.



As I pulled into the driveway, my neighbor Justin, a commercial fisherman who lives across the street, was surveying damage to his 15 foot outboard.

"Hey Justine, what happened?" I inquired.

"With all the baitfish in Monterey Bay, a feeding humpback whale accidentally collided with my two salmon lines, towed me around, and broke off all the rigging and gear," Justin replied.

 

[sleddog]

Is this the next Scamp? Encouraged by Small Craft Advisor magazine, I was able to get a close up of the 15 foot Skate prototype, designed and built by Brandon Davis of Turn Point Design at Port Townsend. The Skate is a smaller version of the Transat Mini.

Here is their prospectus:
Skate 15

Skate 15, a kit boat designed by Brandon Davis as a collaboration between Turn Point Design, Small Craft Advisor Magazine, and Duckworks Boat Building Supply. Skate is a lightweight, rugged, high-performance plywood boat designed for amateur construction that includes a host of modern features:

• Rotating wing mast (for cost savings Skate uses a Hobie 14 mast)
• Port and starboard water-ballast tanks w/simple dump valve for tacking
• High-performance sailplan carrying 200 sq ft upwind, 440 downwind
• Ultra-light paulownia plywood construction (+/- 350 pounds)
• Watertight cabin with Lewmar cabin and transom hatches
• Multiple sealed chambers for flotation or collision
• Retractable bowsprit (uses old windsurf mast)
• Twin kickup centerboards and rudders for beachability and performance
• Boomless and spreaderless rig with Spectra rope shrouds
• Huge cabin with comfortable cruising accommodations
• Designed around pedal propulsion

Although the above looks like a good idea, there may be issues. The wide stern is certainly going to be major wetted surface drag that the Hobie 14 rig isn't tall enough to overcome . Rumor is a Hobie 16 rig is next to experiment with. A boomless main might be OK for a high speed multi-hull where the apparent wind remains forward of abeam. But IMO not appropriate for this small of a boat. Stay tuned.

 

[Howard Spruit]

My first take?!

• Huge cabin with comfortable cruising accommodations

Obviously… A huge cabin on a 15 foot boat is questionable.

I think this boat can be sailed very fast in a wide variety of conditions.

It looks to me that keeping it healed to 15+ degrees in light air will be required to minimize wetted surface.

The advertised weight is similar to a 505, and it has more sail area, so it should have speed potential.

HOWEVER, when rowing or pedaling the boat will be flat in the water, dragging it's tail, so a good skipper will learn to optimize light air sailing, mabie even rig the pedal power to function at a 15+ degree angle of heal.

 

[BobJ]

Somebody did a lot of work to make that little boat happen. I respect that.

My OCD is reacting to the twisted jib sheets, and the dock lines.

What's the little dark-hulled boat nose to nose with her - Sea Sprite?
.