Hey Trey Alan,
Read your Eco 2007 race story. Sounds awesome 300 mile race through the Everglades. Is it possible for beach cats to join in the fun? Notice a lot of discussion on kayaks with sails on them what is your expert opinion?

Daddy, tell us a story!!!!

J.P.Ayers

Isotope 186

Alan is in Tybee500.
I may answer your questions as well, I have completed 2 Everglades Challenges and one Lake MIchigan. I've entered 6 times, but it's another story <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

There are steady presence of beach cats in the Challenge. G-18 did it quite well, as well as H16. I did it on my wooden A-cat once and on my inflatable cat from Russia twice.

I personally believe that properly driven cat with two person crew can be a winner, however it didn't happen yet in EC Challenge.

There is very difficult navigation. I have 40 possible routes stored in my GPS, and every year I did some stratch wich wasn't planned. Timing af tides, winds, etc very importand. There are three checkpoints beetween St.Petersburg and Key Largo. They are not easy to get to.

First checkpoint (Placida) located deep inside of the creek, about 1.5 miles from a Gulf. There is fixed bridge across the creek (span is 12 ft wide and 9 ft tall) there is no beach to drop the mast imidiately prior the bridge.

Second Checkpoint Chokolovskee (sp?) is next to Everglades City, in 10000 islands area. From open water to checkpoint is about 5 miles of channels and very shallow waters.

Last leg of the trip is across the Florida bay, from Flamingo to Key Largo - it is labiryth of very shallow waters and channels. Last 120 miles of the trip - complete wilderness, no routes, no mainland access, no cell phone coverage.

Challenge is running in early March. 5 ot of 7 challenges had strong cold front passing duoring the challenge with winds well over 20 knots (36 knots at the start of 1-st Challenge).

Requiered Equipment list is very big and expencive
Starting next challenge sailboats must have at least two reefs and ability to strike sails on the water(New rule, mainly because of lost of H16 to seas this year, crew airlifted)

It's very fun race, people are great. Do not underestimate competitors in "slow" boats.There are world's class paddlers and sailors racing.

Did I say "no support crew"?

Good Luck!

Vlad aka CrazyRussian

Reefing? who reefs? Kidding, but it does look like fun.

For the bridge, just flip the boat on its sidea and walk it under.

There is 12ft X 9ft bridge. Deep water. Oysters are everywhere.

Nevermind, I am not sure how, I didn't think about the boat not fitting once it was on its side.

How have guys done it in the past with cats?

Normally they are in a leading group. Typically finishing in top 10 out of 30-40 boats in overall. Top 5 in their class....

It is most painfull to be bitten by solo paddler in surfski <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

However most dropouts are in class 4 - sailboats and most of them - multihulls

BTW, Hobie AI trimaran from another topic did quite well this year, there were two of them.

Its not a race conducive to boarded cats with tall rigs. Even though they have straighline speed, the navigation and shallows keep them from stretching their legs.

Well. It can be done on "tall catamaran". Technically speaking, there is 7 miles of shallow water and channels only. Florida Bay can be by-passed - sail to Marathon and take intercoastal from there if conditions are not right. It would add 20 extra miles only.
I believe, problem is in really rougth conditions, typical for the challenge, and non-stop way of doing it. There is a limit of how long you can sail high performance cat in "interesting" conditions. Slower and more comfortable boats can stay out longer and cover greater distance at the end. Smaller and more maneuvrable boats can take less exposed routes. Plus that great "NOWHERE" called Everglades takes is toll too - you are so far from any civilization....

Tell us a little about the Lake Huron- Michigan trip. I have always wondered about that one. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

It was fun. I was sleeping on the beach when that front hit fliping big trimaran and making desaster in Chicago-Mac race.

There was not much interest in the race from paddling crowd. To much open water, to little protection. Class 4 boats were clear favorites. They run it twice, than discontinue.

Low budget, high guts distance racing for single handed sailors. I'm lovin it must find out more........

J.P.

Budget isn't that low. Entrance fee $300, Drysuit is mandatory for open boats - $450-$800, PLB -$550 (you can rent one) Lights, knife, charts, GPS, camping equipment, specific for the Challenge,etc - another $500-700. It good to have more than one GPS. Fitting oars and testing them prior to Challenge, it can be done relatively cheap, but amount of jokes from fellow catsailors should weight in.

Boat preparation - you will need to recut and fit reefs to mainsail. Get a furler, if you run a sloop.
All new rigging, all new hardware.
Drybags. It's better have best ones. I normally pack smaller bags into big ones.

Staying at the finish. There is great party starting with second finisher and lasting until last one gets in. Three-four days. Normally there a place to crash right after the finish, but for next few nights you will need to find your own place.
Logistic to get back to your trailer and car.
The price tag is getting big, then you put all this little things together.

Expirience is priceless <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Here is a video from the start. The Windrider team didn't make it further than 1-st checkpoint, but video gives a good idea of the different types of boats racing
http://www.windriderforum.com/stuff/EC2007.wmv