2014 Everglades Challenge

[jeadstx]

If anyone tracks the Water Tribe Everglades Challenge, which starts Saturday March 1st, I think around 6am. There are two Day Sailers this year. One of the boats is entered in the 64 mile Ultra Marathon race, listed on the Roster as a "93 SL Daysailer", sailed by Bad Dog (tribal name). The other boat is in the 300 mile Everglades Challenge race, listed as a "Restored 1970's Daysailer", sailed by Knotsynced & Aleutian (tribal names).

For information on the event, the Water Tribe site is at http://www.watertribe.com/ The rosters can be found at http://www.watertribe.com/Events/ShowRosters.aspx The interactive tracking map can be found at http://www.watertribe.com/Events/ChallengeGMapper.aspx The "Tribal names" are what will be tracked on the map. There is also a discussion forum at http://watertribe.org/forums/ and they also have a group on Facebook (Water Tribe).

From what I have read, there will be about 140 boats of various types and descriptions starting this year. The race starts by the boats being "beach launched" from above the high tide mark at Ft. DeSoto, FL.

John

[jeadstx]

It appears that the "1970's restored Daysailer" is not a DS. I Did see a video of the S L I Day Sailer launching and starting off.

John

[GreenLake]

Can you post a link?

[GreenLake]

If the 70's restored isn't a DS, what kind of boat is it?

[jeadstx]

Their support shows the boat being readied at a company called CPERL Group / Sailing. I would type the address, except my Kindle keeps altering it, so the company name is best I can do.

The tracking maps got overloaded and they are trying to fix the problem. Last report I saw said one of the multi hulls has reached the first check point, checked in and left. That's 64 miles.

John

[GreenLake]

Looks like Buccaneer to me. 18' x 7'3". The forestay to the mast top seems aftermarket.

[jeadstx]

The S L I DS made it to check point 1, end point for the Ultra Marathon. From what I could see in the results, he was one of the fastest Class 4 boats for both races combined.

John

[jeadstx]

From looking at the results for the "Ultra Marathon", the shorter 64 mile race that the Day Sailer (Bad Dog) was in, it looks like he finished first overall for that race.

John

[Adams]

Fellow Daysailer's, I'm Heidt Adams, BadDog.

After researching The Challenge , I sought out a Daysailer to rig to compete. 3 months before cutoff for 2014 I found a 1993 Sl candidate in SC. Pressed for time , I tested, researched , bought, borrowed , begged what I thought it would take to be competive for the EC . I had to concede to start with the Ultra Marathon, but this was prob. all for the best.

The boat is proving to be a very capable contender. I hope to refine the rowing abilities and compete in the 2015 Challenge.

As we edit some video/ pics I'll post to share. The event is a Must Do, life changing event. The daysailer had such a following from the spectators & competitors. Seems everyone on the beach had a Daysailer story.

More to come, H

[K.C. Walker]

Congratulations Heidt! And… Welcome to the DaySailer forum!

I very much look forward to any and all information about your experience and your outfitting of your boat for the challenge. I searched a little bit trying to see if there was anything yet available. I found a short clip of someone else's with you and your boat in silhouette. It appears you have a bowsprit?

Anyway, thanks for posting here and I hope to read more, either here or links to other posts.

I have fantasized about trying the ultramarathon. I don't think I'm up for the longer challenge.

[K.C. Walker]

John,

Thanks for posting about this event and your links. It's been fun to do a bit of armchair sailing!

[jeadstx]

Congradulations Heidt on your good showing in the Ultra Marathon.

I was hoping you might post on the forum. I'm interested in hearing how your boat did. I have completed three Texas 200 events, but the Tx200 is not a race like the EC. The Day Sailer is very capable of distance events.

John

[Scott Mulford]

Congrats on the win Heidt and showing everyone what the Daysailer is capable of in the right hands!

I am curious about how you set your boat up for rowing and what you plan on changing.

[Adams]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/119420151@N02/
I hope this links to my flicker account.

Friday was setup, inspection and skippers meeting. The park mgr, a sailer, let us drive to the beach and walk our trailers down to the high tide line. This saved a lot of effort/ begging for help. The veteran Watertribers were very helpful, taking care of newbie inspections and offering advice. No one had seen a SL daysailer before and the boat had a crowd around it for most of the day. The other daysailer skipper had chosen to sail his buccaneer for some reason. Testing my push bar to move the Dog down the beach showed promise.

The beach launch at 7 went about as well as it could by myself. I had 2 fenders tied end to end and 12 half sections of pvc.
I'll get the video posted at some point. Ya have to gather up anything used to launch, an off we go. I can't imagine the freighter captain looking at 140+ diff. kinda vessels coming across the bay. Winds were light out of the southeast putting us on a 3.5k beam reach towards Egmont. Very few could carry a spinnaker, but the cats with screechers we're moving ahead..
The 2 man teams with 1 guy rowing,1 at the helm were killing it when the winds went light off the beach. I put up the asymmetrical spinnaker ( built for a Hunter 21, it's 2' from masthead) and headed west to get the predicted NW shift. It came and eventually built to around 15k. When I gybed to return to the beach there was only 1 cat that I had split from still in sight in front of me and several spinnakers behind me. As the breeze built the boat started surfing hitting 10kts then more. The mast and 3.5' sprint looked like they were handling the load fine so I just held on for the ride, gybing out for miles then back in. I only broached 1 time when I went forward for something. But other wise the boat was very stable and dry. By 4 I passed Venice and got down to Stump pass around 6. Glad to make it with daylight. There was a Seapearl that cut across the bar and got around me. Coming in the channel was a fetch so that was the only time the board went down all the way. Once inside it was wing n wing 3 to 4kts to the marina dock for sign in. 12 hrs 1 min. The laser and a scow had pulled in just before me and I knew there were a few others but I was real pleased when the lightning pulled in behind me.
I'm thinking one of my kids may help me next year. I'd like to rig the rowing seat to be a true slider and get some good sweeps. The chances of doing this again without touching the oars is slim.

[Adams]

Sorry guys , thanks for the congrats. Also wanted to say thanks for all the info shared on this forum. I spent hours researching rigging etc.

Heidt