I’ve been in Ottawa on a work trip the last little while, and pretty much had no time to do anything else – though I leave tomorrow, YEAH! I hope Gudgeon is ok.
Anyway, blowing off the dust off this blog to talk about the Race to Alaska, the website can be found here
The basics is that it’s a race from the bottom of the inside passage (Port Townsend) up to Ketchikan, Alaska, starting June 5th. That’s 750 nautrical miles, through storms, 20knt tidal currents and killer whales.
There are very few rules, basically:
– No engines. Not even allowed to have one in the boat
– Must be self-supported.
The first prize is 10,000 and the second prize is a set of knives.
Unsurprisingly, these fast and loose rules have lead to quite the eclectic collection of entrants, ranging from fast powerful trimarans, to beach cats, to kayaks, to some dude doing it on a standup paddle board. Each team has to carry a spot tracker, so you can follow their progress on the website. It’s like the cartoon Wacky Races, but with more drowning.
My friend Phil and his friend Joanna have entered, on a Nacra 570. This is an 18 foot long catamara, which is basically a glorified net over two hulls. It displaces 375lbs. A 17′ canoe can carry more stuff. Hahahahahaha.
In the right winds though, it is blazingly fast and they have designed a pedal drive for light winds. How are they going to sleep you may ask? There is no cabin! On the deck in drysuits apparently. They are eating powder all race to save weight. Godspeed, idiots.
Their website is here. Go Team Mau!
My god for a minute there I thought you were going to say that you’d finally lost it completely and were going to compete yourself!! Glad to see not, but good luck to your friends, sounds as if they’ll need it.
I would definitely expire shrieking with my current skill set! One day maybe.
Matt this is awesome! Thanks for your support! And please, the 2nd prize is a set of steak knives, not just any ol knife set
Hah, my mistake! Behold the riches!