2015 WaterTribe Everglades Challenge, Mar 7-14, 2015

Matt, tell Jim that 10-15 of us, mostly Hobie Island people (several were in the EC this year), are having dinner at 6 PM at the Bayside Grille, 99530 Overseas Hwy It is within walking distance of Bay Cove Motel, or we can pick him up.

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

Texted him.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

If you weren't at this table you missed a great dinner & even better conversations.

Clockwise around the table: me in lower left, Jim Czarnowski, Joey Cianciolo, Sharon Hutkowski, Debbie Turner, Tom Turner, Kurt Corcoran, Kristen Corcoran, Royd Whedon, and Alison Whedon.




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

Some of you look downright relieved that the race was called.

At that dinner, Jim said he thought the reacher sail would be in dealer shops by the end of the year. He also said you have to be very careful with such a powerful sail. You need to practice in light winds. Sounds like very good advice. Jim used it whenever possible in this year's cancelled EC. He was pinned down on one island all day due to winds. A number of boats did do the whole EC (cancelled) from Ft Desoto to Bay Cove Motel in Key Largo.

Another interesting historical comment Jim made. He said he took his wife, who did not know how to sail, and went sailing with 2 AIs in 2006, I believe. He ended up towing her back after she could not make any progress tacking her AI. At that point the light went on in Jim's head: "We need a tandem," he thought.

The EC celebration is this morning: 10:30 AM, Bay Cove Motel, 99446 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL. Anyone can attend, but lunch will cost extra.

BTW, in the picture above there are 2 former National Park Rangers in attendance--can you guess who they are?

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

Some final thoughts.

At dinner the other night, Jim Czarnowski told a funny story of his trip down from Ft Desoto to Key Largo, where we were having dinner. He said one evening he was going into a channel but the outgoing tidal current was impossible to fight, so he pulled over, put up a hammock in the mangroves, and went to bed. In the middle of the night, he was awakened by a "zzzzttt" sound. It was loud. He looked up at the top of his hammock because it looked strange. As he did that, the whole hammock split totally in half and dropped him onto the mangrove roots below. Shocked, he checked around, realized he was not hurt, and began to laugh. Another Everglades Challenge experience. He did say he left his hammock in the yard occasionally for his kids to play, and maybe it had suffered some sun damage.

Last thing about the reacher sail. I asked Jim if he got out on the tramps when he used the reacher. He said, no. Generally, he did his sailing from the cockpit when the reacher was up. He said you reach fantastic speeds, and the reacher actually lifts the bow and amas up.

Finally, it may truly be final. That is, Chief, of the WaterTribe, has decreed that the track mapper on the WaterTribe site will no longer be available to the public--only Challenge managers will be able to look at it. The mapper allowed people like me to follow individuals and the whole Hobie Island group very easily, and, for the last few years I regularly reported on their progress during the event. I complained that it could end my coverage of the event on the Hobie forum. Without the mapper, that is over, done. Others also complained, but that is where it stands now. Individuals participating in the event have SPOT pages which family and friends can look if they want to follow that person.

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 have not yet seen the decision on the tracker over on the WT forum.

Was a reason given?

Watching the tracker was great fun and in 2013 and 2014 it helped me to intercept boats near CP1 and CP2.

I haven't checked in here in a bit and I know the Weta post about Adventure Islands is old news but it's pretty funny to me. On a sailing forum, someone noted that AI amas are only held by bungees, usually doubled up for EC boats. The tone was the same that I remember encountering when AI's were new to the event. Hobie Cat consumer toy, this course will eat it alive, not a serious boat, what's that silly pedal thingy, blah blah blah.

I pointed out that my 7 year old single bungees still do a fine job of holding up amas, so it's likely double bungees could last through a week-long event. Also that the boat wouldn't fold as easily if the amas were lashed.

The fleet of AI's on the beach this year speaks for itself. It's obviously a great boat for the event. So good that it takes away some of what interests me about the Everglades Challenge. I wonder whether I could complete the course in a Class 4 boat. I also wonder whether I could do it in one of the paddling classes. I have no question about whether I could do it in my Adventure Island. I could, but won't. Too easy. Also, I don't want to change those old bungees.

The only explanation given was that "Sandybottom made some good observations...." SB's comments are on a different thread and no link was given to them. I believe her "complaint" was that people were using the mapper to see where people camped or what route they used to get through difficult places like FL Bay between Flamingo and the finish in Key Largo. I think that was the observation. Here is the link to Chief's decision to remove the mapper from public use. http://watertribe.org/forums/topic/spot-and-tracking

As I said on the WT forum, I can live with it either way. If it is discontinued, as it stands now, it will save me a lot of time.

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

This is the thread with SandyBottom's comment. It's right at the top of page 2:

http://watertribe.org/forums/topic/qual ... nts/page/2

I thought of posting that link myself. Unfortunately, on that page & elsewhere, there is a fair amount of bullying going on. I think it does not put the WT in a good light. A lot of circling of the wagons. But, like the weather, it is what it is. Emotions are still running quite high on the WT forum.

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 commented over there that I understand not wanting to give away hard-earned course knowledge, but also that it's even more impressive to beat someone if he's able to go to school on your routes.

Needless to say, as a Speck Tater I really liked the group SPOT tracker. Individual ones would be of little use to me.

Thats kind of a shame that they are removing the tracker. I've been following the EC closely now for 5 yrs, and have been busy for the last 5 yrs designing the boat I need to complete the EC under my terms (within the rule structure under class 6). Every year I closely inspect pretty much every boat looking for clues and new innovations to help me with design. This year there was a unique entry in class 6, he has a windrider 17 which is similarly rigged to my Modified TI with about the same sail area and capabilities, he had a Torqeedo 1003 solar/battery setup that is worth mention (he knows his stuff). I got a chance to deep dive and study The new hobie reacher and discussed at length with Jim (I make it a point every year to talk to him). Every year I follow the exploits of guys like SewSew ,dogslife, kayakman7 and many others learning then tweaking my own designs so I can eventually complete the event under my own (self imposed terms). Since I already live in So Fl and the keys I have the oportunity to go out and practice and condition pretty much every weekend (weather permitting) in actual course conditions trying to keep my legs in condition for my eventual entry (I try to pedal/sail my boat between 15 and 60 miles every week average, conditioning,practicing, and testing my designs). I'm no athelete and never will be (too old) and have nothing to prove to anyone but myself.
This years event ended up kind of a mess, I'm hoping the event will continue in a similar fashion moving forward, It's been a huge inspiration to me to think thru how I can design my boat to be able to complete the challenge within my own abilities. I still need a couple more years to complete my designs, with the self imposed end goal to complete the course straight thru averaging 10-12 mph and completing in under 30 hrs (in class 6 expermental class only). This has nothing whatsoever to do anyone other than myself or with trying to set any records (I could care less about any of that stuff).
Everyone who knows me knows I'm big into human power crap. I know my own physical limits (not possible for me to pedal for 8 days straight). So by cheating by any means possible (within the rule structure) and being a fairly clever guy, I'm pretty certain I can design and build what I need. If I can provide 15% of my power requirements via human power (pedaling), 50% via my self designed wing tech, and 35% via solar/electric supplimental propulsion totally independent of natural conditions I'm done. Actually the way the boat is designed I don't need any natural wind at all (it makes it's own wind (apparent wind) and the best point of sail is almost directly upwind, with this being the fundimental design criteria of the the boat after studying many years of EC results and actual conditions. Actually the boat has been tested in pretty much all conditions and handily performs upwind in 20 mph natural winds (I was suprised by that). Of course the boat is pretty hardened and has been tested offshore a lot in pretty much any condition, and seems to hold up well even in 25mph winds and 4-5 ft seas offshore (where I spend a great deal of my time).
I for one hope the event doesn't change too much so I can eventually complete the challenge under my terms, otherwise all this thinking and preparation was for nothing (lol). Regardless it's been a fun mental challenge for me, and I have the time of my life testing and preparing with that goal in mind whether I actually do the EC or not It's been great fun for me. Personally I've learned a great deal about seamanship practicing and have become a pretty competent sailer and am pretty personally proud to be a close follower of Chief and his unique Watertribe.
Just thought I would get that off my chest... I respect all these people a lot.
Bob

Chief has modified a couple of his "decrees" which elicited pretty strong objection. It seems he may be bringing the tracker back too--we'll see. I bought my first AI back in Sep of 2007 with the idea of doing the EC. But, at that time the entry fee including a full dry suit (required then for SOT boats) plus SPOT & personal EPIRB was pretty stiff, I decided it was not worth it (remember, I camp all the time in the Everglades.) Since that time, Chief actually bought and used an AI, he relaxed the full dry suit requirement, but I have no interest in doing the event any longer. I was tempted this year when a friend last fall suggested we could do it together in our new 2015 AIs. But the AIs were delayed, so that thought was trashed. Still, I've had fun tracking the event using the Chief's mapper. Hopefully, he will bring it back.

Keith

PS Any of you thinking of doing the EC should consider having a full dry suit. If the weather is windy and cold during the event, a drysuit may save you from being miserable and dropping out. It is no longer a requirement, but it is a very good idea on an open boat like the Islands.

_________________
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

Data point: day two of the 2013 EC when I left here for CP 1 around dawn, the temperature was in the low 30s and there was frost on the grass. So yeah, you might want to consider Keith's suggestion of a drysuit. I'm inland a bit but at least some of the racers must have experienced 30's that night. Brrrr. I don't wanna be wet in that!

Here is a link to a very detailed description of the preparation for and execution of the Everglades Challenge 2015. Outstanding blog. Be sure to read it.
http://robert-finlay-kayaklakemead-journal.blogspot.com/2015/03/team-kayak-lake-mead-everglades-challenge-2015.html

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