North Carolina Challenge - On an Isotope

Hello family and friends,

I must be going through a midlife crisis, getting close to forty, and want to do something that has never been done before. Race a sailboat in a Kayak race. I entered The North Carolina Challenge a 100 mile race starting and finishing comng in Ceder Island. Please check out the race at www.watertribe.com.

Or follow me Friday and Saturday on this google maplink:
The Route

My nickname for this adventure is HOLDYOURCOARSE named after a major sailing collision several years back.

Will filled out, double shot of scotch, suck in that gut, no turning back now.

Wish me luck,

J.P.Ayers
Isotope 186

Go get 'em Joleen! Represent us late 30's catsailors well!!!

I'm not doing it!! I'm pushing 50. JP's the nutter trying this one out.

you need to tell JP to get his own username!

Good luck JP, it looks like a blast. Make sure you give us a good detailed story afterwards.
We were going to do this on some WETA trimarans, but the new order of boats didn't make it to Jon(the dealer) in time.Plus he had to hold the Wave mid atlantics or ? this weekend.
Todd

I think JP has a Cat Sailor log in idea. Haven't seen JP use email in a few years, something about the Cub Scouts, work. This trip is a bit of a break out!!

Update - 4:44 - is he still moving, 1.44 nm, maybe...maybe not. I"ll check back at 8:00pm.

http://www.watertribe.com/Events/ChallengeMapper.aspx

Well, he made it to water, and looks like he might be taking a nap.....no post in 2 hours. winds and waves are up. He did add Reef points to his main, and he could sail with just the jib. I will check once more before I call it a night.

In checking out the discussion thread, JP did have a moment of fame mid afternoon. JP appears to be the only boat in class 5. Wonder if that means he's the only sailboat.

It means he is the only multihull. There are 5 more monohull sailboats. Weather is really nasty up there. It seems like one kayaker is taking a lead and rest on the leaders, including sailboats and kayakers hanging in tight group not far behind.

There is a big stretch of open water at final leg. Wind is blowing, it should be interesting to watch a dash to finish

There is another famous catsailor, Tybee veteran, Alan Steward a.k.a. SOS from Team Velosity in a challenge.His mom is a manager and organizer of this event. He is sailing home built fast beach cruising 20 ft monohull with his dad. They are in second place right now and I'd expect them to take a lead soon.

Designer of their boat, Worrell veteran Graham Byrnes a.k.a Roo in third position, sailing his 22 foot Cat Ketch planning mono...

You can watch the Challenge on this page
http://www.watertribe.com/Events/ChallengeMapper.aspx

Who is goind to be a winner? Solo kayaker vs Tybee/Worrell veterans double crews

Almost there

From the Watertribe board.





SOS is Alan Stewart.

This is such a cool race/adventure/challenge. I can't believe there was not publicity on this.. Thursday was the first I heard of it.. If they do it next year, I would love to do it.. Cool that Alan and his dad are doing it on a custom cat.. I loved some of those custom built cats that sailed the Worrell 1000 in the late 80s. I guess that answers my question about doing it single handed or not.

Are there photos posted anywhere?

Alan and his dad's boat is a shallow draft mono, pretty cool for a half boat.

http://sailnaway.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2007-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&updated-max=2008-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=50


Haven't seen any photos of the race, yet.

So, I was so worried about JP, that finally at just before 7:00, I called Shelly, his wife. Shelly had not heard from JP since the night before, knew about the hole in the boat. Shelly wasn't worried about JP. Shelly was worried that JP would damage the boat just now that JP has finished his internship and has Saturday's available for sailing again. What a wife!! (My call did not seem to worry her - smile)

Meanwhile, I'm gonna give JP a piece of my mind. It was great fun watching his progress, til he disappeared from the radar. At that point, it wasn't fun any more!!!

Congratulations to both Alan, Paul, and JP for completing the first NC Challenge.

Watch out Cat Sailors. If you thought JP had an ego about Isotopes before, I'm sure he will be insufferable after this event.

From Watertribe board


Thread: There will be stories
SandyBottom Sunday, September 27, 2009, 6:06:00 AM
Category: General Comment Keyword:
Four kayakers are still out, camping over night. JayBird and StripBuilder, and RunningLiz and KneadingWater. They are not all together but are each paired. All hoping the winds switch to the south to come on in.

Horrible internet and phone access out here, or you would have had much better commentary during the race. I'll encourage all to post some stories during the coming week.

There are many to tell. Like HoldYourCourse in his Isotope catamaran sailing full speed into the rusty hull of an old barge at night on the Newport River. PaddlePeddler having a hot chocolate at CP1 when the tide came in and his kayak started sailing away with the PAS. DancesWithSandyBottom sailing circles right outside the finish because SOS dropped his crock off the boat and had spent 2 months finding then in his size and refusing to leave the shoe floating, all while ArdieO an incredable paddling machine sprinted in to the finish.

Stay tuned,

Dawn


JP finished 4-th overall and second solo. It is very respectful result for first timer. Watertribe's challenges may surprise unprepared by their difficulty.

Holy **** is that JP?

Is he alright?

Just spoke with JP. He's fine!!

Boat's not in too bad shape, either. JP located an old Isotope and used its rudder/centerboards. Center boards got pretty tore up on the oyster beds.

JP says he wants to do it again next year, looking for crew!!

That sounds like Alan. I think I know what Trey would do if they were sailing together in this situation.......

Wow what a cool event!

J.P. Here:

Let's talk about this insufferable ego. I would like to make a general statement about watertribers unlike catamaran sailors that need a big trophy. All I have is a t-shirt, a few good stories, and a medalion around my neck.

It's a cool medalion.

As for the barge in the Newport river. The first five hours of night navigation was a disaster. The city lights blinded me so I went on a screaming down wind run for five minutes. I spent the next two hours in the dark in waist deep water finding a cut through the marshes. A huge shrimp boat with halogen lights totaly blinded me when I hit a 4ft by 30ft concrete barrier. I couldn't see the damn thing even after I hit it.

It was a long day 7:30am to 3:30pm fun sailing, 3:30pm to 7:30pm solid rowing, 7:30pm to 11:30pm night navigation the Hellen Keller method, 1:30am to 5:00am sleeping on a bench in my wet raingear 5:30am to 5:00pm sailing in 20 to 25knt headwinds.

By the way its a cool medalion.

J.P.
Holdyourcourse

"DUDE, forget it, I'll buy you a new one when we get in!"

and then never buy it for him? :P

1) Throw him overboard and tell him to swim to the finish line
2) Tell him that I'll buy him a newer, more shiney model with extra gadgetery
3) Tell him that girls laughed at his footwear
4) Call Tad, who'd be on his computer, and instantly order a new pair to be overnighted to the finish

Survey says.........option 4.

Hahahaha I just found this thread. Vlad, thanks for the updates and for the information about the race. JP, awesome job. We need to get more cats and cat sailors in watertribe. I'll be gone for the challenge next year but you can bet i'll be following it! Look for trip reports on watertribe.com discussion board soon. I'll also post mine on this thread.

Hey,Alan, you are welcome!
And fair winds with your next very big adventure.
To be honest, I awe you...
Catsailors, it is a time to be a part of Alan's adventure
http://www.eyeotw.org/