Watertribe Everglades Challenge 2013

For Sure ! I'm a big fan of their 2011 EC videos and was hoping to get Ocean Diva's (Penguin Man's wife) autograph

What if I can not find a camp site?

This year I will take the Everglades Waterway to earn the Gator Tooth Award. The greatest challenge will be the insects and making it to designated camp sites. I might have to spend some time in not so favorable locations. This is my on the water plan. Bug net covered with a tarp from my Hennessy Hammock.

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Paul
DogsLife
2011 Adventure Island


http://dogslifeadventures.blogspot.com/

That looks like a pretty good setup, Paul. Are you going to use 1 or 2 of the tramps? If you are forced to camp in that set up, I would be careful about camping too near the shore--gators/crocs may want to join you.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

Nice emergency shelter Paul. If you had hakas, you could place them in the center of the boat and have a comfortable level place to sleep. Of course doing the nightmare there is no way you could bring hakas. Do you have a waterproof sleeping bag?

I can't imagine doing the nightmare in an AI. Just hope you don't earn that gator tooth the hard way : )

Let's see, CaptnChaos suggested it might be necessary to "earn the gator tooth the hard way." If that is the case, careful attention must be paid to the rules for earning a gator tooth the hard way. They are
(1) All contestants must carry an id card so that they can clearly identify a gator from a croc at night. Croc teeth are not an acceptable substitute for a gator tooth.
(2) No weapons, e.g., AK47 or Bushmaster AR-15, are permitted. This is not to be construed as an attempt to abridge the 2nd amendment.
(3) You may spot light the gator as you approach within striking distance (actually, leaping distance.)
(4) You must leap from your boat directly onto the back of the gator. It is against the rules to jam a 2' 2x4 into the mouth of a gator before your initial leap.
(5) Once you have the gator subdued, you may place a 2x4 laterally into the gator's mouth in order to allow extraction of the tooth.
(6) Finally, and this is most important, the gator must be released unhurt.

These rules can be found in the bylaws Section 13.6.6.6.101.

Keith

_________________
2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

I do not need a waterproof sleeping bag. I have built up some of the areas with foam pad glued in. Then I use one of my dry bags at the foot area. The air sleeping pad levels everything out.

I have built up the gunnels with foam over two inches. That gives the boat some extra freeboard. How high can a Crock jump?

I will be using only one tramp, mainly to lay my things out on the port side. I leave the starboard side off for launching and to be able to jump out in case of grounding.

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Paul
DogsLife
2011 Adventure Island


http://dogslifeadventures.blogspot.com/

One Week to the start of the Watertribe 2013 EC

In one week at 0700 Eastern Time 107 small boats will launch on a 300 mile race from Tampa to the Florida Keys. There are enough Hobie Islands to have our own Island Class. You can follow all the tracks of the racers on the Hobie Watertribe Mapper site.

http://www.watertribe.com/Events/ChallengeGMapper.aspx

Event: EC2013
Class: There are several Hobie Classes. Standard Hobie OR Hobie IM (Modified - Jib)
Challenger: Note - Penguinman is Hobie's own Engineer;
Display Detail: "Show Track and All Waypoint" will show detail and speed. Must be a single Challenger;

MOST IMPORTANT: Push "Regenerate View" to redraw the map...

I will be on the starting line flying my DogsLife flag.

I am thinking about starting a Watertribe "Island Club". I will be on the right side of the starting line. The drop-off is a little better there. If we can get the Hobie's together in the same area then we can take a nice picture...

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Paul
DogsLife
2011 Adventure Island


http://dogslifeadventures.blogspot.com/

Love the flag ! See you in a few days. Looks like we'll have some howling NW winds to entertain us.

I hope this doesn't put you off, Paul!

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker

Jim,

you might want to leave all your Jibs and Spinnakers at home and join the standard Hobie Class.

I hear Chief wants to do the Everglades Waterway.

When there is a big Gator after you, just make sure there is someone slower than you...

I started loading my boat. Somehow she got heavy very fast.

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Paul
DogsLife
2011 Adventure Island


http://dogslifeadventures.blogspot.com/

I wish I could be in the standard class Paul but I put too much time and $$ into this to leave my jib system home. I made about 30 prototypes before I got one that I'm happy with. I guess you could call it an obsession. Ask my poor wife

To be honest, I don't gain much speed with the jib (no longer have a spinnaker). Pointing into the wind is a little better and wing on wing helps a tad in downwind. So I'll probably be at the back of the pack even with the jib system. Downside is extra weight and drag in some circumstances so it could possibly even slow me down. It looks like I may be in a separate class of one unless Jim from Hobie brings a jib which would be very interesting.

The plus side of a jib is it gives me something to play with on this long trip. More to trim and adjust.

Yeah, I also already have too much weight/gear and worried about playing submarine all week. Yesterday out in heavy weather I destroyed my mirage drive. The round piece (drum?) in front just disintegrated. Fortunately our great dealer in this area (Tackle Shack) took it all apart and redid it with new parts and all while I waited. Plus checked everything twice so I'm good to go with the mirage drive. I'm just relieved it didn't happen on the course.

Yes, Chief came over to the house the other day to check out my mods for his AI. He's already built a set of hakas and modifying them so he can do the nightmare. I think you and Chief are crazy for attempting that

Boy, I'm with you on that, Jim. I've done the about half the WW in a sea kayak. It is prettier then you might think. I've also done Nightmare 2-3 times in a sea kayak with friends. It was fun and not particularly difficult. BUT, doing Nightmare in an AI would take ALL of the fun out of it. Why, why, why would you do that? But, we each like to take the less travelled path. Maybe that is the explanation.

BTW, Paul, I've had an alligator jump at least 3 feet out of the water. He was about 20' away, and I don't know why he did it. He was submerged & I didn't see him until he jumped. Jump or simply climb up on an AI or Tandem would be no problem for an alligator or croc. I've never heard of such behavior--that is the one comfort, perhaps.

Since I built and started to use hakas, it just seems my AI does not deep-dive submarine as much. Yes, water flows over the bow & front hatch, but it just does not seem to dive as deeply. Perhaps, because I put the heavier weight on the windward haka, the boat is running flatter and that makes the difference. And, perhaps, I'm just not traveling as fast.

Since I began to use hakas, I am much more conscious of weight. My hakas weigh a total of a little over 22#. I no longer carry my table (use 1 haka) and that saves me 5#--still have a haka deficit of 17#. Water & water containers are a huge weight on a 6-7 day trip. Then, there is my cooler--it weighs 11# empty. When my wife travels with me, we can share some of this weight; but solo, it is too much. Getting rid of my cooler would get my haka deficit down to 6#.

Water containers can be a significant weight. Hard-walled plastic bottles, like the Hobie bottle, weigh 6-7 oz, and only carry a liter. A 10 liter Dromedary bag, which is not bothered by raccoons or rats, only weighs 9 oz.

Just random thoughts.

Keith

PS I'm sure Hobie's Penguin Man & Ocean Diva will be there in a tandem w/ jib.

_________________
2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

Ocean Diva is not coming this year so Jim is solo in an AI this year.

Speaking of gators .... I'm reading Rod Price's new book "Racing to the Yukon" (Rod did the ultimate Florida challenge last year). He trains all the time around Orlando on the rivers and once (this is a good lesson so listen up) he was coming down the river and a good size gator was in his path in the middle of the river. Normally they submerge and hightail it. Not this time.

So Rod decided to head towards the bank to give the gator a bit of room. Well to his surprise the gator charged him with his jaws wide open exposing a full set of sharp teeth and then struck his carbon fiber canoe. Two teeth punctured the bottom and one just above the water line. Fortunately he regained his balance and didn't tip. And then the gator took off. When Rod noticed water coming in he realized the teeth pierced his boat.

He later spoke with a ranger about the incident and said it was probably a female gator guarding her nest. Rod also said he had two other incidents of gators trying to overtake or charge him. So don't let your guard down.

Still thinking about doing the nightmare Paul?

Keith I agree with you about the beauty of the ww. On the Chok-Flamingo trip I did with you, while you guys fished I took a side trip up the Harney river and loved it. Wasn't the best for sailing but I understand the lure of the waterway.

Jim Czarnowski is using an AI. Boy, that is going to be interesting. Will it be the "AI 2", more sailing oriented? Dryer ride? Wave deflector/anti diving bow? Hobie has always used the WaterTribe EC as a prelim of things to come. I don't think Jim likes to do the EC just for the EC. It is a chance to showcase something. I would guess a jib is a sure thing. This will be interesting.

Keith

_________________
2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon