Official Watertribe EC/UFC 2016 event discussion.

[Chick Ludwig]

Thanks guys for posting their positions in plain English. Some of us old-codger-not-techy types need to keep it simple. 

[Tom Lathrop]

Sure enough the tracker at 3:45pm shows Graham just north of Sanibel, Dawn just south of Sanibel and Alan down near Marco Island.

 

 

A Hard Chance at Stump Pass. Sounds like a B Western. Maybe we will hear about it around the campfire.

 

I sugar coated it a bit.  I think the Sea Pearl did not fare well at all.  Going into a rough pass with full sail in a Sea Pearl is not something I would want to do.  So some campfire tales are in order.

[Action Tiger]

I'm with Chick. Thanks for the plain language updates.

I also enjoy the blog links and scuttlebutt, too, because finding stuff like that on the computer is really beyond my ken, and who doesn't want some juicy grapevine nuggets?

Out of curiosity, and linked to the aforementioned lack of computer brinkmanship, because I'm a Left Coaster, what's the water temp?

I see lots of paddlers on all manner of paddling devices, so I just wondered.

[Joe Anderson]

Looks like Graham has just passed under the Sanibel Bridge. As near as I can tell he is only making about 4 knots. I presume the winds are light. I think they are suppose to pick up tomorrow.  Dawn is about 6 miles ahead of him.  No sign of them stopping yet. Alan is entering the Ten Thousand Islands area. Since he is in the Ultimate Florida I am not sure that he has to go into the Check Point at Chokoloskee, but we will see.

[Mike Vacanti]

Here is a photo of the Sea Pearl that rolled, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154002246717679&set=g.440773022707818&type=1&theater

[Mike Vacanti]

Looks like Graham has just passed under the Sanibel Bridge. As near as I can tell he is only making about 4 knots. I presume the winds are light. I think they are suppose to pick up tomorrow.  Dawn is about 6 miles ahead of him.  No sign of them stopping yet. Alan is entering the Ten Thousand Islands area. Since he is in the Ultimate Florida I am not sure that he has to go into the Check Point at Chokoloskee, but we will see.

 

The first stage of the UF is the EC so he will have to stop at Chokoloskee.

[Ken_Potts]

Robert - I think the surface temperature offshore is in the high 60s.  Maybe warmer than what you're used to but still cold enough for hypothermia.  I've heard that this time of year the weather there can be hot or cold so people need to be prepared for cold.

[Action Tiger]

Ken, thanks. I just worry about some of those paddling small boats, but that's not too chilly.

I am an open water swimmer, (when I can, otherwise it's blacklinefever!), so I'm pretty familiar with the effects of water on our body temp. And what a tremendous heat sink the big water can be. And how even "warm" water can chill you to the bone.

I was also curious if some of the more casual racers were enjoying daily dips. Boy, I would be. Nothing like swimming in saltwater...

[Steve W]

Here is a photo of the Sea Pearl that rolled, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154002246717679&set=g.440773022707818&type=1&theater

I've been sailing a Sea Pearl for 9 years. I've had it in some nutty stuff. One thing it took me awhile to figure out is that as its a displacement boat you can make hull speed often with far less sail than you think. Having up too much sail is a temptation that is to be avoided on a boat that can't recover. So far, knock on what little wood is in it, I have kept her on her feet. It will be nice when I finish the CS20.3 to have a recoverable boat. 

[Joe Anderson]

Graham is continuing south approaching North Naples. He is still offshore a bit so it doesn't look like he is planning to stop anytime soon.  Dawn may have stopped for the evening. Alan is negotiating Indian Key Pass on the way into Chokoloskee.

[Tom Lathrop]

 

Here is a photo of the Sea Pearl that rolled, https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154002246717679&set=g.440773022707818&type=1&theater

I've been sailing a Sea Pearl for 9 years. I've had it in some nutty stuff. One thing it took me awhile to figure out is that as its a displacement boat you can make hull speed often with far less sail than you think. Having up too much sail is a temptation that is to be avoided on a boat that can't recover. So far, knock on what little wood is in it, I have kept her on her feet. It will be nice when I finish the CS20.3 to have a recoverable boat. 

 

So right Mike,

 

My comments are not meant as a knock on the Sea Pearl, just recognition of what it is good at and what it is not best at.  I have sat helpless as a Seal Pearl slid by an EC 22 with much more sail aloft because of the Pearl's narrow beam and low wetted surface.  In light wind it kills the Core Sound boats.  When the wind picks up, its a different story as the CS picks up its skirts and moves away while the Pearl can get pretty cranky until reefed where its still limited by displacement speed. 

[Joe Anderson]

Well this morning I found Graham just slipping around Cape Romano and entering The Ten Thousand Islands. I guess he must have sailed through the night. Dawn stayed put north of Naples. Alan went in Indian Key Pass to Chokoloskee and then back out via Rabbit Key Pass. Looks like he may have stopped for some shuteye near Rabbit Key.

[Wetfoot]

Graham's version of just a cruise is pretty quick. He's closing on mistermoon and zerothehero who are off Hog Key in the Everglades. Though he needs to hit the checkpoint at Chokoloskee and, I hope, get some sleep. By my reckoning, mistermoon is in fourth place in Class 4 (monohulls). Alan and Jarhead are at the front of the Ultimate Florida Challenge, leaving the vicinity of Rabbit Key. Jarhead is a 73 year old ex-guess-what in a Sea Pearl. He departed on this adventure at the Alabama/Florida border. I have no idea how he's planning to handle the 40 mile portage...

[Mike Vacanti]

Jarhead is probably going to switch to a canoe or kayak for the river part of the Ultimate Florida Challenge. 

[Tom Lathrop]

Jarhead is probably going to switch to a canoe or kayak for the river part of the Ultimate Florida Challenge. 

 

This is one of two changes in rules that I am not in favor of.  Changing boats makes the UFC a totally different race and a big handicap for those that don't change.  The other change was to eliminate the requirement for taking masts down at a bridge at CP1.  Both make the race much easier to design or buy for but take out a couple of the greatest challenges in the original races.  Chief did not ask me of course.

[Joe Anderson]

It looks like Graham was just in and out of Chokoloskee. He is heading south down the coast with a breeze out of the east. He is a ways off the coast across from Lostmans River. Alan is a little further south in Ponce De Leon Bay. Dawn is back at Marco Island. Graham is in the Everglades National Park and out of cell phone range. The wind is forecast to build a little and veer to the SE. The next check point is at Flamingo. After Ponce De Leon Bay there is not much shelter around Cape Sable. Put in for the evening at Ponce De Leon or carry on through the night around Cape Sable?

[Joe Anderson]

Bill Fife in his Sea Pearl and John Bell in his CS 17 are at Cape Sable.

[Paul356]

Our favorite skipper-designer rolls into Checkpoint 2 about 1215 Monday (photo from Alan's site, courtesy Alan's dad):

 

 

[Joe Anderson]

Nice photo Paul and Paul.

 

This morning Dawn has moved into the Ten Thousand Island area. Alan is at checkpoint 3 Flamingo. At some point last night Graham anchored in the shallows off Cape Sable. The wind is forecast 10-15 knots SE with higher gusts. The wind continues from the SE but builds and with strong gusts on Wednesday and Thursday. SE is the general direction from Flamingo to Key Largo. Sail the longer outside route or cut through the shallows of Florida Bay? I think both Bill Fife and John Bell stayed at the Cape.

 

Lots of nice photos including the one Paul posted are at http://sailnaway.blogspot.com/

[AmosSwogger]

Thanks for all the updates; fascinating race.