RACE TO ALASKA 2017

hardee · Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2017 7:58 pm Post subject: RACE TO ALASKA 2017

The Race is on and the stakes are high. The winners get the $$$$$ and the rest get the experience. Oh, and the second place is still a set of stake knives.

https://r2ak.com

will get you to the home page. The race is running earlier this year, and this will, be the first one I have missed working the starting leg as safety boat. It's a great race, an exciting start, and a priveledge to get to meet the entrants and see their vessels up close.

Due to other responsibilities I will be away for this start, and will be relying on flakey I-net for coverage. I did get to see a piece on the "Sunday Morning" show this morning. Coverage from last years race.

Lots of fun, work, planning and pain going into this one.

Take a peek,

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

hardee · Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2017 8:27 pm Post subject:

To get a look at some of the challenges that present on this race take a look at this "Great Big Story - Hard Ship"

https://www.greatbigstory.com/stories/hard-ship-a-really-great-big-story?playall=774

These guys made it, many didn't.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

johnr · Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2017 10:28 pm Post subject:

A former student of mine is doing the race on a stand up paddleboard!

thataway · Posted: Sun Jun 04, 2017 10:56 pm Post subject:

One of the other sites I like to watch the commentary on the Race to Alaska is Sailing Anarchy: Race to Alaska 2017, page 3 is the most up to date right now. There are often some very interesting and colorful comments.

Sea Wolf · Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2017 12:07 am Post subject:

Since motors are not permitted and human power so miniscule in comparison to the task, I can'tsee anything other than sail power being adequate to the task, and a multihull boat being safer, faster, more stable, and otherwise better suited to the task if you really wanted to be competitive. Any foiling cats this year? Considerations of driftwood and deadheads might rule them out, though.

Joe. Teeth

hardee · Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2017 11:28 pm Post subject:

Joe, there have been foiling cats in the past, at least there was one last year, and it failed to finish. I don't remember the exact reason, but it was a structural failure of some part. There was also a BIG (I think 70ish) foot cat or tri that was on it's way to the race and had a catastrophic failure of the CA coast. I believe it was a foil boat as well.

You are right, no power so sail is pretty prime, BUT they have to be able to get into the harbor at Victoria, something like a mile or so, and that is a no sailing zone, so they also have to be able to provide manual propulsion of some kind.

Here is the link to the list of teams with info about crew and boats.

https://r2ak.com/2017-full-race-participants/

Some fun and informative reading there.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

hardee · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 10:08 am Post subject:

It's Race Day. The boats are off and running, with only a few that are having trouble at the starting gate. It looks like there are a couple who just couldn't get past the Point Hudson buoy, and one who got around the corner at Point Wilson and is heading back for a second crack at the PW turn.

Not having Face(plant)book, I don't have any live feed where I am, but the R2AK Tracker page has the live show, with lots of links.

http://tracker.r2ak.com/

If you click on the boat icon, you can get speed, status, position and direction as well as the team info, and in the screen to the right, there is info about the teams or other race info with more links.

It is not like being on the water with the racers, but it sure is great to know there are folks like these who love being on the water and have the guts it takes to make this kind of a trip.

Enjoy.

Harvey
SleepyC Moon

thataway · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 12:09 pm Post subject:

Harvey, thanks for the links--lots of information this year. The list has been laminated and I'll be referring to it every hour until they finish (OK i'll get some sleep".)

Looks like very light air--those who have good human power plus sail, seem to be dong the best right now.

Not sure I fully agree with Joe. There are a number of boats which did finish under only oar power--and some of these were solo. Pretty hard to "win"--but anyone who finishes this challenge, is a winner in my book! Some of the peddle power rigs can get good sustained speeds. Some of the rowers have sliding seats and are very serious and in good condition.

As for foils--if a foiling boat were entered, it would be one which could foil and run at displacement speed. Tain't going to be like the America's Cup boats. however.

hardee · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 12:33 pm Post subject:

NORO LIM · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 1:50 pm Post subject:

I spent a little time wandering through the boats at Port Townsend yesterday. I've posted a bunch of pictures here:

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album2670&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

NORO LIM · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 2:05 pm Post subject:

thataway · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 3:56 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the great photos! The first to finish at Victoria, was a traditional oar boat--basically a scull. I doubt that they will do well overall, but a fantastic row!

chromer · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 4:10 pm Post subject:

I went over to PT yesterday to see things. The Strandberg bros on Big Broderna built my house in Anacortes. I see they are real close to Victoria harbour already!

MikeR · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 7:36 pm Post subject:

thataway · Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2017 9:25 pm Post subject:

Mike there are a number of paddle / row boats entered into the full race. Consider the fastest row boats beat some very fast sailboats on a 35 +/- nautical mile course today. There are a number of these other boats either bouncing around in the middle of the night, in what turned out to be 30+ knots of breeze--at least one boat damaged and on the beach. One capsize and I know of 3 which have called for assistance, so far.

My point is that human powered boats should not be considered non- competitive. In the first Race to AK, one of the few boats which finished was a full paddle boat in a respectable pace of over 60 miles a day. In the 2016 race the 1st and 3rd to finish today completed the entire race to AK. (They wised up to just do the Victoria leg this year.) There could be certain conditions where the rowing boat could win first overall.

This year should be a very interesting and competitive race--what we don't know is what weather will bring all along the course.