Monthly archives for February, 2024

Ep6: Road to the 37th America’s Cup

Thursday
Feb 29
2024

Posted by XS Editor

Matt Sheahan and his PlanetSail team share the latest episode in a regular series of features about the road to the America’s Cup that will take us from the first official event in Vilanova to the Cup match itself in October 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. Here’s the episode synopsis:

Just as teams were getting used to the heat of competition and squaring up to their opponents at the two America’s Cup Preliminary Events, the Cup program sees no further racing until mid-August. In addition, the rules of the event as published in the AC37 Protocol prohibit teams from arranging informal racing between each other as well.

So, what happens next? We talk exclusively to Alinghi Red Bull Racing sailing team manager Rodney Ardern, Emirates Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton and his colleague Kevin Shoebridge about how they will tackle the next phase…

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Coville finishes second in Arkea Ultim Challenge

Thursday
Feb 29
2024

Posted by XS Editor

(February 29, 2024; Day 54) – Charles Caudrelier, winner of the 2024 Arkea Ultim Challenge-Brest, may have been granted dream conditions for his victorious finish but thousands of well wishers braved the Breton drizzle to welcome home second placed Thomas Coville and his Soldebo Ultim this afternoon.

The 55 year old, incredibly completing his ninth circumnavigation of the planet today, was rewarded for his passion and his sharing as well as his extraordinary seamanship and skllls, with a wonderful welcome home.

The French solo skipper of Sodebo Ultim 3 crossed the finish line off Brest at 13:42:40hrs UTC, to take second place, posting an elapsed time of 53 days 1hr 12mins 40 seconds. On this first ever solo multihull race round the world in 32m ULTIM class giants, Coville finished just 2 days 6 hrs 4mins 48 secs behind winner Caudrelier.

This is Coville’s seventh round the world on a multihull, his fifth singlehanded. The sailor, conclusively the most experienced in a multihull on this race, endured some of the worst weather conditions that any of the six skippers had, and also overcame number of technical problems, one of which required him to stopover for two days and two hours hours in Hobart, Tasmania…

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Maxi Class added to 2024 ORC World Championship

Thursday
Feb 29
2024

Posted by XS Editor

Soaked into the floorboards of this town’s saltier watering holes are stories from the 1980s and 1990s when the globe-trotting Maxi class would regularly call into the quaint New England port to contest a major championship…

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The first king of the Arkéa Ultim Challenge-Brest

Tuesday
Feb 27
2024

Posted by XS Editor

Blessed with a perfect sunrise, flat seas and a modest 15kts breeze as he approached the long awaited finish line off Brest this morning Charles Caudrelier took time to enjoy the final ten miles of his solo multihull race round the world…

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Foul Play Feared in Sailors Gone Missing

Friday
Feb 23
2024

Posted by deleteme

The Salty Dawg Sailing Association says that two of its members have vanished and their boat found anchored and abandoned off St. Vincent. Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, longtime members of the SDSA, were last anchored in Grenada; their 48-foot St. Francis catamaran, Simplicity, was found anchored and abandoned off a beach on the south coast of St. Vincent.

Officials believe their disappearance may be connected to three dangerous inmates who had escaped from a Grenada prison, the organization said in a media release.

“This is very upsetting event, and details are still unconfirmed by the authorities, but this does appear to be a tragic event–our hopes and prayers are with Ralph and Kathy and the family who love them,” said SDSA President Bob Osborn. “I have spoken to the families and have offered our deepest condolences and our assistance in any way possible. In all my years of cruising the Caribbean, I have never heard of anything like this.”

From the SDSA release:

On Wednesday, February 21, [2024] the Salty Dawg Sailing Association Executive Director Tatja

Hopman was alerted by a cruising skipper that a member’s yacht, Simplicity, was anchored and abandoned off a beach on the south coast of the Caribbean island of St. Vincent.

The good Samaritan had boarded the boat and noted that the owners, Ralph Hendry and Kathy Brandel, were not onboard and found evidence of apparent violence. Contact information for the SDSA was posted and the skipper contacted the association.

The good Samaritan contacted the St. Vincent coast guard alerting them of the situation; they in turn notified the local police. The Coast Guard took possession of Simplicity and the St. Vincent police are currently investigating with the U.S Embassy and the Grenada police department.

Kathy Brandel and Ralph Hendry are veteran cruisers and longtime members of the Salty Dawg Sailing Association from its earliest days. Warm-hearted and capable, they both contributed to building the SDSA, and Kathy sat on the association’s board for two years.

Kathy and Ralph had sailed Simplicity in the 2023 Caribbean Rally from Hampton, Virginia, to Antigua and were spending the winter cruising the Eastern Caribbean. The SDSA has a live member’s tracking map where boats can be followed as they cruise, and Simplicity’s track shows that Kathy and Ralph were anchored in Grenada and then the boat moved directly to its last anchorage off St. Vincent.

Shortly after the incident was reported to police, news came out that three dangerous inmates had escaped from a Grenada prison and were at large. It is speculated that the escapees boarded Simplicity. Wednesday afternoon, St. Vincent police reported that the three suspects had been detained.

The Salty Dawg Sailing Association is a Rhode Island registered 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to fostering seamanship, safety at sea, passagemaking, and the camaraderie of the cruising community. www.saltydawgsailing.org

Arkéa Ultim Challenge-Brest day 48

Friday
Feb 23
2024

Posted by XS Editor

Every Friday we debrief the last week and look ahead with the routing cells. Both third placed Armel Le Cléac’h and second placed Thomas Coville have been dealing with the Doldrums recently and go into their final week…

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Leopard 3 Declared Overall Winner 2024 RORC Caribbean 600

Thursday
Feb 22
2024

Posted by deleteme

The Royal Ocean Racing Club has announced that the Farr 100 Leopard 3 (MON), skippered by Joost Schuijff is the overall winner of the 2024 RORC Caribbean 600…

Evil welcome for Arkea Ultim Challenge

Thursday
Feb 22
2024

Posted by XS Editor

(February 22, 2024; Day 47) – 2024 Arkea Ultim Challenge-Brest race leader Charles Caudrelier and the ULTIM Maxi Edmond de Rothschild have been in the Azores port of Horta since yesterday morning waiting for Storm Louis to leave the Bay of Biscay and a weather window to open to allow him to complete the final 1200 miles of the 24,400 nautical miles solo multihull race around the world which started on January 7.

Louis is the name given to a very large active Atlantic depression which is currently sweeping Europe, from the south of Ireland to Lisbon. Louis is more 1000 miles wide and almost 2000 miles from west to east.

The leading edge of the depression has been buffeting Finistère, Morbihan and inland Brittany while Louis’ tail is still smacking the coasts of Greenland. Winds are averaging 35-45 knots at the front of the system – more like 45-55 knots towards its center and the waves are between nine and 13 metres.

“The problem was I already had a big sea of 8-9 meters from the North-West, but it was quite long and quite beautiful,” said Caudrelier. “So we thought about going on – at 8-9 meters it’s not so very serious, especially if there are gaps between the waves.

“The problem was that I couldn’t go fast enough to stay in front of the second depression, I had to go at more than 30 knots and we weren’t sure I could do it in these sea conditions. So that means if I was caught by the other depression, the wind would change direction 180° and could really, really build. This is often what causes the big storms we can have. It creates a very strong wind against the sea, situation with two seas crossing each other, and that is very dangerous for boats.

“So we are moving more towards a consensus, a great wisdom even – even if we are all impatient – to wait for Saturday (Feb. 24), when we have the completely right window. We can afford to wait because we obviously looked at (second placed) Sodebo and the boats behind, and the weather situation means that they will be behind us, not very far, but between Thomas (Coville) and me there still will be an anticyclone so there is no possibility that he can overtake me in terms of boat speed performance.”

The expectation is now that Caudrelier aboard his Maxi Edmond de Rothschild could set off sometime Saturday again to finish in Brest on Monday, February 26, one day before his 50th birthday.

Thomas Coville, who has got out of the Doldrums, is now just 1830 nm from the leader, sailing upwind in weak trade winds, forcing him to sail quite some way west to enable the Maxi Sodebo Ultim 3 to advance at around fifteen knots this afternoon.

Armel Le Cléac’h, who slipped to third during his latest pit stop, is 500 nm further back and leaving the Doldrums behind. They have spread out, but should enable the skipper of the Maxi Banque Populaire XI to get away fast. Both of these chasing skippers are obviously looking at the leader, who has stopped. How much ground will they make up during his stopover?

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Race to Alaska Podcast

Thursday
Feb 22
2024

Posted by XS Editor

The Race to Alaska will hold its 8th edition in 2024, continuing with its 750-mile course from Port Townsend, WA to Victoria, BC. And now there is a podcast series prior to the June 9 start. This episode questions how two of the entrants could be in the same race. Meet the soloist of Team SKOFTIG as they chat with Jake and the quad-ists Team Juvenile Delinquents who caught up with the Race Boss.

Team SKOFTIG
This team is either amazing, or just a dirty trick. Find out which as you listen to R2AK Lead Instigator Jake chat with Derek Desaunois of Team SKOFTIG. Derek tells us about getting rescued somewhere off the Australian coast and makes a handshake agreement with Jake that could lead to considerable discomfort come race time.

Team Juvenile Delinquents
Race to Alaska has existed for the majority of the lives of the members of this team, and that gives them an edge. What edge? Who knows. The Race Boss was curious about what sets this team – Dagny Kruger, Else Ranker, Bryce Lutz, and Willow Gray – apart from other high schoolers still content racing around plastic buoys.

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Ocean Globe Race arrives in Uruguay

Sunday
Feb 18
2024

Posted by XS Editor

The 2023-24 Ocean Globe Race fleet is finishing the penultimate leg which extended 6500 nm from Auckland, New Zealand to Punta del Este, Uruguay. The 73-foot Pen Duick VI (FRA), skippered by Marie Tabarly, was the elapsed time winner when they finished on February 13, while it was the Swan 53 Triana (FRA) with skipper Jean d’Arthuys which claimed overall honors.

As one of the smallest yachts in the fleet, Trina’s finish on February 17 after 34 days and six hours took the coveted first in IRC and fifth in line honors.

“It’s incredible, one year ago I was allowed to enter the race after registration had closed and I was the last entrant,” said d’Arthuys. “Back then I couldn’t imagine this. The first goal was to be on the start line and I never dreamed of winning the Cape Horn leg. It’s the Sayula story all over again, winning against the big fish. But I have an amazing crew. Just amazing. They are perfect.”

The overall standings have been shuffled when race leader Translated 9 retired from Leg 3 after being forced to divert to the Falkland Islands due to cracks in the hull of the Swan 65. The team is hopeful they can make repairs and start the final leg from Punta del Este, Uruguay to Southhampton, UK on March 5.

Event information – Race rules – Entry list – Tracker

No longer racing:
• Swan 51 Godspeed (USA) – retired after Leg 1

The 2023-24 Ocean Globe Race (OGR) is a fully crewed, retro race, in the spirit of the 1973 Whitbread Round the World Race, marking the 50th Anniversary of the original event. Racing without computers, GPS, and high-tech materials, they navigate with sextants and paper charts. Seven of the fleet are former Whitbread competitors.

Starting in Southampton (UK) on September 10, the OGR is a 27,000-mile sprint around the Globe, divided into four legs that passes south of the three great Capes. The fleet is divided in three classes with stop-overs in Cape Town, South Africa; Auckland, New Zealand; and Punta del Este, Uruguay before returning to Southhampton in April 2024.

2023-24 Ocean Globe Race:
FIRST LEG: Start 10 September 2023. 7800 miles. First boats finish 9-21 October 2023.
SECOND LEG: Start 5 November 2023. 7250 miles. First boats finish 14-23 December 2023.
THIRD LEG: Start 14 January 2024. 6500 miles. First boats finish 9-14 February 2024.
FOURTH LEG: Start 5 March. 6550 miles. Finish 1-10 April 2024.

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18ft Skiff Australian Championship Race 6

Sunday
Feb 18
2024

Posted by XS Editor

Despite finishing in fourth place today, the Yandoo 18ft skiff team of Micah Lane (skipper), Fang Warren (sheet) and Lewis Brake (bow) officially became the 2023-24 Australian champions…

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Arkéa Ultim Challenge-Brest day 43

Sunday
Feb 18
2024

Posted by XS Editor

After a little more than 48 hours of technical stopover in Rio de Janeiro, ARKÉA ULTIM CHALLENGE-Brest skipper Armel Le Cléac’h and his ULTIM Maxi Banque Populaire XI have returned to the race track…

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America’s Cup: Brits catch fire in AC40

Friday
Feb 16
2024

Posted by XS Editor

INEOS Britannia, Britain’s challenger for the 37th America’s Cup, has suffered damage to one of their one-design supplied AC40 training boats, Athena, after a fire onboard…

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Arkéa Ultim Challenge-Brest day 42

Friday
Feb 16
2024

Posted by XS Editor

Every Friday we talk to the ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE – Brest routers who work round the clock on-shore to provide the optimum routes to keep their respective skippers fast and safe…

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2024 Star Midwinter Championship

Monday
Feb 12
2024

Posted by XS Editor

The 2024 Star Midwinter Championship attracted 40 teams for the 8-race series on February 8-11 in Miami, FL. Paul Cayard and Frithjof Kleen won the first race and led throughout to build a 17-point winning margin over Jack Jennings/ Pedro Trouche with Will Stout/ Parker Mitchell two points back in third. – Details

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2024 Snipe Midwinter Championship

Monday
Feb 12
2024

Posted by XS Editor

Bradley Adam and Thomas Walker topped 21 teams to win the 2024 Snipe Midwinter Championship on February 9-11 in Key Largo, FL. Posting bullets in four of the 9 races, Adam and Walker beat out Ivan Shestopolov and Lexi Pline by 15 points with Watt Duffy and Trevor Davis two points back in third. – Details

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Saying good bye

Monday
Feb 12
2024

Posted by deleteme

I have accepted an offer to sell Shiva. It’s less than I expected but at this point I want to make a clean break and free myself from the financial and other obligations of owning a boat. I had thought once that with a partner I could ease out in a way that I might still sail the boat. Not happening.

I had a fabulous almost 40 years with that boat and did everything I wanted to “sailing wise”. Maybe luck, but it was/is a fabulous boat for cruising and living aboard… and a delight to…Saying good bye

Entering the Pacific Cup Race: Fort Worth, Texas, to Hawaii With a J/105

Monday
Feb 12
2024

Posted by deleteme

We’ve been reaching out to sailors signed up for this year’s Pacific Cup to learn a little more about who they are, and why they signed up for the race. Matt Arno from Fort Worth, Texas, shared a little about his sailing life and his plan for his first Pac Cup race.

Matt has owned the J/105 Blue Flash for 15 years, mostly focused on one-design racing. Before that he crewed on a variety of smaller J/boats, and has been adding offshore racing to the schedule, one step at a time.

“We started out doing the Harvest Moon Regatta (150 miles Galveston to Port Aransas), which we’ve done several times,” Matt told us, “then did the Chicago-Mackinac race (330 miles) twice, then two years ago the Newport Bermuda (600 miles there and then 600 back).

“The next step is Pac Cup. It’s been on my bucket list for quite some time and represents the biggest race I’ll be able to do on my own boat. Going to do Sydney Hobart or Fastnet will have to be as crew for someone else.”

There’ll be fewer bodies aboard when Blue Flash crosses the Pacific in July…

Half of Arkea Ultim Challenge in Atlantic

Monday
Feb 12
2024

Posted by XS Editor

(February 12, 2024; Day 37) – The 2024 Arkea Ultim Challenge-Brest has half the Ultim Class fleet around Cape Horn as Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild) led on February 6, followed by was Armel Le Cléac’h (Maxi Banque Populaire XI) on February 10 and third early the following morning was Thomas Coville (Sodebo Ultim 3).

They are now continuing their climb up the Atlantic, while fourth placed skipper Anthony Marchand completed his second technical stopover yesterday at Dunedin, New Zealand. Marchand had to make repairs to the system which hoists and lowers his remaining foil. He removed the port foil in Cape Town after it was damaged…

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Simpson rescued in South Atlantic

Monday
Feb 12
2024

Posted by XS Editor

(February 12, 2024) – The fatigue by boats and skippers in the 2023-24 Global Solo Challenge is mounting, with the biggest news coming from American Ronnie Simpson who was dismasted today at 0200 UTC. His Open 50 was approximately 650 nm due east-southeast from Buenos Aires, with the breakage occurring as the boat landed hard off a wave crest.

Due to a developing storm in his area, a rescue was initiated, with the Bulk Carrier Sakizaya Youth of Taiwanese ownership redirected from its course to Necochea, Argentina, after a voyage from Australia to India and Pakistan. The carrier, under the coordination of MRCC Argentina, successfully reached Simpson and brought him aboard, leaving his yacht Shipyard Brewing adrift in the South Atlantic.

In other news, David Linger rounded Cape Horn today on his Class40 Koloa Maoli despite a broken boom, with his plan to stop for repairs in Ushuaia, Argentina.

Pavlin Nadvorni has decided to retire as his left arm needs to be immobilized for at least a month, following the knockdown incident while having the kidney stone issue. He had already stopped his Farr 45 Espresso Martini in New Zealand due to problems with his mainsail mast track.

Also tapping out is Édouard De Keyser on his Solaire 34 SolarWind who had stopped in Australia for repairs, and has determined that he will be unable to depart before the race deadline to round Cape Horn.

Race details – Entry list – Start times – Tracking

Attrition List:
DNS: Peter Bourke – Class40, Imagine
DNS: Ivan Dimov – Endur37, Blue Ibis
DNS: Curt Morlock – IMOCA, 6 Lazy K
DNS: Volkan Kaan Yemlihaoğlu – Open 70, Black Betty

RTD: Juan Merediz – Class40, Sorolla
RTD: Dafydd Hughes – S&S 34, Bendigedig
RTD: Ari Känsäkoski – Class40, ZEROchallenge

The inaugural Global Solo Challenge 2023-24 seeks to be a budget-friendly solo, non-stop race around the world. Using a pursuit format for the 2023-24 race, 20 entrants from 34 to 70 feet have start times between August 26 to January 6 from A Coruña, Spain, with the first boat to return deemed the winner.

Source: GSC

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its scary under there

Thursday
Feb 08
2024

Posted by deleteme

Folks, we’ve got another missing submersible on our hands, but don’t worry. There aren’t any billionaires on board. In fact, no one is onboard the sub that was exploring underneath the “Doomsday Glacier” in Antarctica. You’d think we’d stay away from things with “doomsday” in the name, but that’s just human nature I guess.

In a press release posted on Sci Tech Daily, Sweden’s University of Gothenburg said its robotic submersible, called “Ran” after the Norse goddess of the sea, went missing during its second voyage beneath Thwaite’s Glacier – a.k.a the Doomsday Glacier – in Antarctica over the weekend. It got that name because scientists fear that if it melts entirely, it could cause the sea to rise to a devastating level. Not great! Read on.

Maiden Makes History Rounding Cape Horn in McIntyre Ocean Globe

Thursday
Feb 08
2024

Posted by deleteme

The all-female crew racing on the much-loved Maiden UK (03), rounded the infamous Cape Horn at 04:15 UTC, on 8 February 2024…

Weekend warriors in pursuit of history

Thursday
Feb 08
2024

Posted by XS Editor

Since the inaugural J/70 World Championship in 2014, the event has recognized the top Corinthian team, and in those nine editions, the best that team has done is fifth place overall. Alec Cutler wants to do better.

Cutler, who was the 1989 Finn US National Champion during the depth of USA activity, now hails from Bermuda and will be competing at the 2024 J/70 Worlds to be held September 17-21 in Palma, Spain.

He is also hoping to make history with his friends by becoming the first amateur crew to win the overall title.

Cutler is a newcomer to the J70 class after transitioning from the Melges 32 and has reunited with his former US Naval Academy sailing team-mates Brad Rodi, Charles Pucciariello, and Ryan Cox to achieve his ambitious goal. – Full report

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Swarm grows with one-design foiler

Thursday
Feb 08
2024

Posted by XS Editor

It is curious how the 11-foot foiling Moth continues to draw 100+ boats to its World Championships. For certain, it is a groundbreaking Class which attracts the stars of the sport. But as a development class in which new boats are well north of $20k, and new designs continue to be better than old, might the fun not be fun after a while?

That has happened in North America as interest turns to the more manageable WASZP Class. Launched in 2016, this strict one-design foiler was created to mimic the Moth without all the pricey and high maintenance features. While marginally slower, one could squint their eyes and it’s all the same at half the cost for a boat that works today and tomorrow.

The WASZP Class also chose not to apply to be a World Sailing Class, which comes with loads of expense and regulation for the right to have a WASZP World Championship. Rather, the Class hosts its annual WASZP Games, and without the World Sailing restrictions, can provide various formats to annually determine the best WASZP sailor in the World…

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Arkéa Ultim Challenge-Brest day 33

Thursday
Feb 08
2024

Posted by XS Editor

Some 2,700 miles west of ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE – Brest leader Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild), the second and third placed rivals are making good speeds in the Pacific Ocean just passed Point Nemo…

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pros and cons

Thursday
Feb 08
2024

Posted by deleteme

What is it about us humans (especially men) that makes us so competitive? The days of fighting to win partners, food, and territory ended eons ago. We are no longer on the survival-of-the-fittest treadmill. Yet still the urge to prove ourselves stronger, smarter or more skillful drives many of us to the edge of reasonable behavior. Even in such a rules-based sporting environment as sailing this motivation to dominate seems unstoppable.

Everyone likes to win on the water, but at what cost? To my mind, it is simplistic to view this problem only from the perspective of dollars spent on boats, sails, and rigs. Vast amounts were expended a century ago on America’s Cup campaigns equivalent to today’s obscene budgets for the same event. The crucial difference is that back then, at the more modest levels of club and national competitions, the prevailing ethic was Corinthian. It was assumed that a true ‘sporting’ contest where the only prizes were trophies was between amateurs.

Today, professionalism in sailing is so widespread that it is accepted in classes and regattas previously considered to be the natural preserves of those who competed for love, not money. The effect of this goes well beyond the impact of ‘hired gun’ rock star skippers and crew. Professionalism in sailing has become a whatever-it-takes attitude that purports to justify hyper-aggressive tactics and rule-bending.

Consider just one example. There seems little doubt that the J/70 has become the world’s most popular new sports keelboat class. They are terrific, affordable little craft and, as befits a good one-design, offer consistently close racing. That principle is reflected in the very first words of the current Class Rules of the International J/70 Class Association:

“The J/70 Class has been created as a strict one-design class wherein the true test while racing is between crews and not boats and equipment. The fundamental objective of these Class Rules is to ensure that this concept is maintained.”

A fine sentiment, and one with which we might hope that any decent sailor would agree. But here’s the reality: the major J/70 championships are now divided into ‘Open’ and ‘Corinthian’ divisions. (i.e. professional and amateur). There is even a ‘One Pro’ sub-classification, presumably for owners on limited budgets who don’t think they can sail well enough to compete with the hot-shots.

Jump in the thread to discuss

– anarchist David

Want to monitor rig health?

Tuesday
Feb 06
2024

Posted by XS Editor

Want to know you are sailing with the most efficient, safest settings? There’s an app for that…

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First private sale of an AC40 announced

Tuesday
Feb 06
2024

Posted by XS Editor

The AC40 Class Association announced that it has received its first built slot deposit from private owners. The target is to sign up four new owners to give the class some stability outside the America’s Cup team base…

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Record-breaking participation with 180 WASZP entries set for Norway

Tuesday
Feb 06
2024

Posted by deleteme

The WASZP Class is making waves with unprecedented growth and record-breaking participation…

got there first

Tuesday
Feb 06
2024

Posted by deleteme

Marie Tabarly at the helm of Pen Duick VI OGR 2023 Flyer Class Entry. Pen Duick VI FR (14) was first in McIntyre Ocean Globe Fleet to round the infamous Cape Horn at 04:51 UTC February 6th, in ‘perfect’ Southern Ocean winds. Photo Credit: Martin Keruzoré

Race to Alaska Podcast

Thursday
Feb 01
2024

Posted by XS Editor

The Race to Alaska will hold its 8th edition in 2024, continuing with its 750-mile course from Port Townsend, WA to Victoria, BC. And now there is a podcast series prior to the June 9 start. In this episode, Jake Beattie joins the Race Boss to help pry into the lives of racers. Meet Greg of Team Kuaka, the first OC-1 to attempt the full race, and Kayleen and Sylvia who seem to make more reasonable choices by racing as Team Orca.

Team Kuaka
Greg from Kuaka is about to make his second trip from Hong Kong to participate in R2AK. In 2023, he only capsized once on the Proving Ground. Who’s making bets on how many times he swims when paddling the full race? Race Boss Jesse and Greg chatted wakas amas and the un-slack-ness of the slack tide at Seymour Narrows.

Team Orca
The last Santana 20 in R2AK peeled open like the lid of a tuna fish can (they made it to Ketchikan anyway). Can Sylvia and Kayleen make it to the land of salmon, too? Race Lead Instigator Jake Beattie tried to find out and learned about seeing R2AK paddlers in Grenville Channel while working on the Prince Rupert ferry, being a grizzly bear guide, and flipping the wrong valves mid-pacific.

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