DaySailer.org Forum

If anyone follows the Everglades Challenge which starts Saturday March 7th (ends 8 days later). Looking at the confirmed roster there are two Day Sailers for the race this year. One is listed as a SLI Day Sailer sailed by "Bad Dog" (Water Tribe name for tracking) and a Day Sailer II sailed by "Grumpy Cat" and "Ancient Mariner" (Water Tribe names). The tracking map (if it doesn't get overloaded like last year) is at http://www.watertribe.com/Events/ChallengeGMapper.aspx

For those not familiar with the Everglades Challenge, it is a 300 mile small boat race on the west coast of Florida. Boats have 8 days to complete the race. This year there are about 120 boats (plus or minus) starting the race. There are several classes including kayaks (with and without sail assist), multi hulls, and mono hull sailboats (Day Sailers are Class 4, mono hull sailboats). As a filter to keep large boats out, the start is from the beach above the high tide mark. At the beginning all boats will push off the beach and sail to Key Largo stopping at 3 checkpoints. It's a no handicap race. The tracking map allows people to follow boats by their "tribal names". There is also a shorter 64 mile race called the Ultra Marathon which I think I read has 22 boats in it. I know that the Water Tribe has a site on Facebook where there will be updates as well as their web site. You can also find a results listing showing when each boat reaches the check points.

Personally, I'm interested to see how the Day Sailers do against the other boats. I know from following it last year "Bad Dog" sailed in the short race last year and did very well.

John

Saw posts and pics that unfortunately one of the Daysailers was one of the capsize victims in Tampa Bay, Father and son team, boat name 'Nemo'. Poster said both are OK. The pic showed the boat turtled.

I looked at pictures of the boats on the beach and there were three boats with that hull color, one being the DS II. From that picture the mast head must be on bottom since the boat isn't completely turtled. I see no rudder on it. What is strange is that the results show the DS II as reaching the first check point and the SLI Day Sailer with a "DNS".

John

I agree, strange. One of the posts I read somewhere on the WT forum was from someone who met the father son team on the beach after the capsize. I will look for it again. Either way somebody had a bad day. That water was cold!

In the second video of the start of the race, you can clearly see the DSII launching with full main and jib. The get some great air time about 3/4 of the way through the vid. They can clearly be seen walking the boat out past the first sandbar.

I looked at that video and another one that showed their boat and the sail head is a couple feet short of the mast head indicating that there was at least a first reef in. It is hard to see in the video, but if you look very close you can see mast above the sail head. The boat in the picture is also missing the rudder. Did it lose the rudder before the capsize or as a result of it?

John

I read several posts where someone spoke with the crew afterwards, but have found nothing about whether the boat was recovered, or how they made it to shore. In the videos it appears at times that the main may be reefed and at others not, may be the angle I don't know. It also shows that they were not in the 'land rush' starting group. They appeared to be taking their time. Glad the crew is safe. In the picture of the capsize it does appear the rudder missing. The roster shows that the captain 'Grumpycat' has competed in at least 2 previous events. So he must have been familiar with the bay. Either way they had a really bad day. One video I found of a kayak crossing the bay showed that at about half way across there was a drastic change in conditions, higher wind speed and breaking chop. Typical Gulf Coast boating. It would be very educational to here about the event from the captain.

If that is indeed the Day Sailer II, it would be interesting to hear their story. I think the problem in seeing how much mast is above the sail head is because it is the silverish aluminum color rather than the gold or black anodized color found on some boats. The pictures I've seen of the DS II show it to be fairly stock.

The Lightning class boat with the same hull color (converted to a schooner) had to rescued on Tuesday (I think) by the Coast Guard off the southern tip of Florida. They were swamped due to a leak and couldn't bail the boat fast enough. They tried to get the CG to tow them to allow their bailers to work, but the CG wouldn't tow them.

John

Yes, I read the account of the lightning schooner. I think by then the CG had had their fill of the WT and the EC. Lucky the boat was not impounded.

Not only was the Lightning schooner not impounded, but it was lost altogether, according to a post I read earlier today ...

Found some info on the DS II capsize. Swashbuckley, you were correct, they were not reefed at the start according to some reports. They capsized about a half mile from the start and could not right the boat (or didn't know how to right it). From reports, they had nothing tied down or secured and when the boat capsized all their stuff went in many directions, some of it getting picked up by other boats. I read one account of someone who talked to them pre-start saying they were very unprepared. A few other sailboats capsized as well including the i550 which pitch poled.

John

Thanks for the update John, as you know I am looking at this as a learning experience for June. My wife and I are already discussing how to perform a capsize drill for 'Tiny Dancer'. Tim I also read where someone found a drybag from the abandoned boat 60 miles offshore. Sorry they lost their boat. Lots of lessons to be learned from this debacle. With weather improving work on my boat should be getting in high gear.

Swash, if by abandoned boat you mean the Lightning, then I have a hard time calling her that, since the CG refused to provide the assistance that would have allowed her crew to stay with her (a short tow to get the bailers working), and left them no other alternative ...

Not surprised at all that a dry bag made it that far out to sea - most people don't realize how fast winds and currents can move objects floating on the surface. Sometimes faster than boats can be sailed! ;-P

Yeah, I guess 'abandoned' is not quite the right word.

Are we sure that it would have been possible for the CG vessel to safely deliver such a tow? I can conceive of several reasons why that might have presented practical difficulties in execution.