RACE TO ALASKA 2017

Thanks for "translating" from Facebook for me. There are times I feel I must be the only one in the world who does not have Face(plant)book. I spend enough time here, and that's about all the computer time I can do.

The race has been a blast to watch, but I really missed being up there on the water, and seeing the boats, crews and the real deal.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Harvey, I am not a social media person--but do have a Facebook page: " Sam Jones" When I first joined, there were no other "Sam Jones"--now a few. My concern was for personal security, and felt it was better to not use my real name--as my children and many friends do...Before I ask to be "friended" I try and explain who this crazy "Sam Jones" is...

I have found Facebook a wonderful way to follow my children and grandchildren's adventures.
 
hardee":86htn861 said:
Thanks for "translating" from Facebook for me. There are times I feel I must be the only one in the world who does not have Face(plant)book. I spend enough time here, and that's about all the computer time I can do.

The race has been a blast to watch, but I really missed being up there on the water, and seeing the boats, crews and the real deal.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Harvey, make that two of us without a Facebook acct. I tried it using a phoney name (Ezra Peabody) to follow the grandkids and a few of my Marine Corps friends, but I found it too irritating. I didn't want to have friends of friends of friends suggested to me every time I signed on. I know there's some neat stuff out there, but I guess I will just have to miss it.
 
hardee":sq9oxuh3 said:
Thanks for "translating" from Facebook for me. There are times I feel I must be the only one in the world who does not have Face(plant)book. I spend enough time here, and that's about all the computer time I can do.

The race has been a blast to watch, but I really missed being up there on the water, and seeing the boats, crews and the real deal.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Harvey, make that two of us without a Facebook acct. I tried it using a phoney name (Ezra Peabody) to follow the grandkids and a few of my Marine Corps friends, but I found it too irritating. I didn't want to have friends of friends of friends suggested to me every time I signed on. I know there's some neat stuff out there, but I guess I will just have to miss it.
 
The first race or two were really exciting. It has become a sort of 'meh'. The technology and skill going into an advanced sail boat is impressive. The race, if it is to gather a large following, needs to be recast. Those rowing should be arriving in Alaska about the same time as those sailing. But the race may be doing what it is designed to do, and nothing needs changing.
 
RobLL":2dkwyxmf said:
The first race or two were really exciting. It has become a sort of 'meh'. The technology and skill going into an advanced sail boat is impressive. The race, if it is to gather a large following, needs to be recast. Those rowing should be arriving in Alaska about the same time as those sailing. But the race may be doing what it is designed to do, and nothing needs changing.
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Be great if we could really predict the weather for 3 weeks in advance. As it is we are lucky to get 3 days of accurate weather.....Then there is the different speed of the various row boats, as well as sail boats (which there are handicap formulas for--but so many of these boats are unique, that PHRF or Portsmouth numbers are not available...

This started as a lark--in some ways a take off of the established Florida Water Tribes races. But still not really sponsored, or organized beyond starts and finishes.

For me it is still fun, and challanging.
 
The weather forecast today by Bruce Hedrick, suggests that with some fast rowing/paddling (to get favorable currents in the passes) will favor the rowers at least as far as Johnston Straits...(assuming that forecasts are valid).
 
thataway... This started as a lark--in some ways a take off of the established Florida Water Tribes races. But still not really sponsored said:
Agree 100%. R2Ak's "success" as a highly publicized event may ultimately be its downfall. Such is the way with many things. Having been over these waters many times, I'm just fascinated and impressed by the effort and ingenuity exhibited by people willing to take this on. If I were younger . . .

As has been noted many times, the weather and sea conditions over the course of this race are largely unpredictable. That unpredictability, coupled with some serious tide flows (the kind people in most places just can't really imagine), make it unlikely that the same kind of boat will do best every year. Most importantly for me, it's not primarily a "race." I absolutely do not care who wins. I want to live vicariously through the experiences of those engaged in it. I want to see how various boats and crews deal with places and conditions I'm familiar with. It can be awe inspiring.
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Looks like Whisky Golf (military test range) is active for the next several days. As if wind and waves aren't enough to worry about! A big chunk of the middle of the Strait of Georgia is now going to be off limits. (Check out the tacking paths of last year's race if you have any doubt about this being a potential problem.) In effect, this creates another long narrow passage to contend with.
 
The second leg is on. Yes, with Whiskey Gulf, no wind, big wind, tidal currents in some places in the 2 digit range, narrow passes, flotsam the size of VW buses, fish nets, and log booms, Cruise ships and kayaks out there and liable to be there anytime of the day OR NIGHT, it is going to be more than "Interesting". As we know each boat has advantages over the others, but over such a long course, much of that can be averaged out.

One of the interesting outcomes of this years race is that there is at least one media tech embedded for the race, and though we won't see it all in live action, there will be an impressive video resulting, and that will be fun to see.

If anyone saw the spot on the Sunday Morning show, (It lasted about 4 minutes) it was a compilation from 2016. There have been some other great videos produced too. I don't have the collection links or source but when I get back to PT and get some time I will try and get that for this thread.

If you are seeing some good coverage from someplace else on the I-net, please post links here so we can share. Thanks.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Wandering Sagebrush":9end0ru6 said:
For the Montgomery Sailboat fans, there are 2 M17s in the race. Rush Aweigh and Excellent Adventure. I believe there is a Sage boat in there as well.
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Thanks for noting that, I had seen them and just forgot to mention it but there are a few Monty sailors here so thanks again.

:thup GO MONTY'S :thup

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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As suggested by the light weather forecast the paddlers are in the lead at 2 hours..
As suggested by Harvey, the night fall will probably stop the paddle boarders--or at least some will take breaks--

However there are several multihulls, with enough crew to keep going 24/7---and most likely will pass the paddlers, even with the light breeze.
 
And one of the rowing boats got run into by a ($#vp!D) pleasure :shock: boater :x right there in Victoria. . . got it fixed and they are off and rowing again. It would be nice if that is the worst thing that happens in the next 710 miles.

Bob, you're right, there will be some game changing after dark, for sure.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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Just checked in to the Race Tracker. Most boats are still moving. The FaceBook sidebar seems to be working better, ant there are several "interviews" with racers posted from FB Live by Race Boss, Daniel Evans. Not sure what his schedule will be as the race progresses. He is on a 40 something tug, and I believe it will be the sweep boat out of Victoria down the calendar a ways, sometime after the stake knives are won.

The racers are spread out a bit more by now, as expected, and the SUP's now have competition close at hand. There will be some serious adjusting as Whiskey Gulf will take a big chunk out of the western half of the Strait leaving a narrow (1/2 mile wide) access on the western side. A bit of an unplanned choke point which may bring more traffic within shore site for anyone in the area wanting to watch from land, and bringing more non race traffic into the mix. Hopefully they will be more awake than the PB who ran into Oracle by Victoria.

Wishing them all a safe night.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

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OK, I'm sorry. That last link (CBS) is not working.

This one is and will. It is for the "clip of the Day" on the R2AK web site. There is a short, about 4 minute recap of some of the highlights. I think that is where I saw the clip of Roger Mann, "camping" on the beach below the sea wall, waiting for weather and tide change. 2 miles from the Victoria finish he hit an underwater log and disabled his steering and washed up on the only stretch of decent beach there was between two very rocky stretches.

https://r2ak.com/2017-clip-of-the-day/

The FB spots are running along side the Tracker Page and have some short interviews while the racers are running.

Team Pure and Wild/Freebird, a trihull is leading at 3.6 k for the moment (and about 25 miles up to Seymore Narrows,) with some good space back to Bad Kitty and Big Broderna both at 8.?+ K very close and making a race for #2 & #3 spot.

Running through the night and going through Seymore in the dark would be harrowing at best. Best wishes for safety through the night for all.

Harvey
SleepyC:moon

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Positions have changed dramatically in the last 24 hours. The 3 boats getting there Seymore narrows in the middle of the night, put them significantly ahead. But late last night the next competitor was Heart of Gold, a Stand up Paddle Board. His rest and sleep stop put him significantly behind the faster multiple hulls sailing.

Rod Price (Superior Expedition Canoe-looks like a Kayak) and Viz Reporter (Kayak) are only a few strokes behind heart of Gold. The two other Stand up paddle boards seem way behind--and may be out of the race. These guys are super athletes!

It looks as if some of the multihull leaders are going to get some heavy winds in the next couple of days.

Perhaps the "best vessel" would be a tandem stand up paddle board/windsurfer combo. After all wind surfers have been crossing the Atlantic for over 25 years--and the first SUP crossed not too long ago (but he had a rudimentary cabin on the SUP). Oh to be young again! With a tandem, one could rest while the other sailed/paddled. (This was the way it was done on the first tandem windsurfer to cross (but there was a support boat for supplies) Interestingly, the windsurfer sailed faster than its support catamaran, and had to slow down to get supplies. But Heart of Gold had been doing regular daily paddles of 50 miles to "warm up" for the event. One very impressive athlete!

I have to admit, I wake up several times at night to check the positions....
 
Just looking at live tracker and it looks like bad kitty is drifting south for some reason. Tide is running that way right now . Maybe not under wind power right now??
 
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