Everglades Challenge 2021

[stumblingthunder]

Once more does the time of the year bring the sound of drums, calling the tribe together again for another adventure down the coast of Florida!

Stumbling

 

[sail10338]

AndyMan and NateDog have one more sail on our new to us G Cat 21, SuperFreak.

Huge thanks to Masthead Sailing Gear and Sunrise Yacht Products for custom fore and aft tramps.

Picked up a sweet 21sqm Hobie Tiger kite from Andy at the Tackle Shack, and the Freaks sprit is a slightly shortened Laser Radial mast.

Super Cat rudder castings and extended blades replaced the dodgy originals.

Keels ground down and replaced with fiberglass dowels.

Etc, etc....

Our goal is two days, fingers crossed. 

AndyMan 

 

[sail10338]

 

[justanothersailor]

I'm joining Stumbling Thunder on a Doveke 21. I sold the Windrider last year, it is being sailed in the Ec by the 2 Dave's.

 

[Steam Flyer]

I'm joining Stumbling Thunder on a Doveke 21. I sold the Windrider last year, it is being sailed in the Ec by the 2 Dave's.

The Dovekie seems like a very civilized ride for this kind of event. I've sailed one but never rowed one. Have you guys done anything to soup it up?

FB- Doug

 

[sail10338]

Southern Cross slipping across Chocko Bay

 

[Pertinacious Tom]

I aborted my plan to fly my drone around Stump Pass last year because it was too darn cold. Maybe this year. One way or another, from somewhere I'll be watching.

Speck Tater

 

[SCANAS]

Keep em coming. Love the idea of this race. 

 

[stumblingthunder]

I aborted my plan to fly my drone around Stump Pass last year because it was too darn cold. Maybe this year. One way or another, from somewhere I'll be watching.

Speck Tater

Looking forward to seeing you out there this year!

Someone else will have to do the play by play calling this time, as I will be one of Tribe on the move...

- Stumbling 

 

[Pertinacious Tom]

Looking forward to seeing you out there this year!

Someone else will have to do the play by play calling this time, as I will be one of Tribe on the move...

- Stumbling 

Keep an eye out for a 20 foot yellow Bimini top on a 'toon boat near Stump. If you hear what sounds like an angry swarm of bees approaching your boat, don't worry, that's just Tater Force One.

 

[justanothersailor]

The Dovekie seems like a very civilized ride for this kind of event. I've sailed one but never rowed one. Have you guys done anything to soup it up?

FB- Doug

I'm just the crew, I have not yet met the boat or the skipper. It will all be new to me at the start.

 

[stumblingthunder]

The owner prior to the Kiwis (Halfbaked) had a custom “Fattish” head main with a little extra roach made by his crew, Clacker (Bremen Sails.)  In addition, there is a screecher that fits the foretriangle, for a little more off the wind horsepower and to give a little balance to the low aspect main.

I took her out for the first time last week with my son, Gomong the Barbarian.   We will be out next weekend to test the screecher and do some rig tuning.   I’ll post some pictures once I get them off the camera. 
 

Stumbling   

 

[shavdog]

Does the race start march 6?

 

[stumblingthunder]

Heres a couple of photos from a couple of sails this past two weeks:

Two weeks ago:



And a little night sailing:











The drums are getting louder!

Stumbling

 

[stumblingthunder]

Does the race start march 6?

Race starts on Saturday, March 6, 7am.

Friday, March 5th is the setup and inspection day.   All the boats will be on the beach getting prepared to race.

Stumbling

 

[Pertinacious Tom]

Does the race start march 6?

Race starts on Saturday, March 6, 7am.

And the general answer to shavdog's question:

It's always the first Saturday in March, which also always seems to coincide more or less with the arrival of the last real cold front of the season. I'm hoping that's "less" this year. Last year I aborted my planned Speck Tater mission because it was too cold and windy. I did manage to tag along with another devoted Speck Tater to catch up with a few of the boats near Everglades City, including this one:

 

[MisterMoon]

I'm taking the year off racing. Instead, my wife Sunseeker and I are the Checkpoint 1 captains at Cape Haze Marina as well as working on set up a registration day on Friday. A little smaller event this year due to Covid, but the weather is looking nice and we're ready for spring. It all went to shit during the EC last year and we're hoping this year's event will serve as a milestone for turning the corner. 

 

[Pertinacious Tom]

Hmmm... That blue hump on Saturday grew.

And Sunday doesn't look all that great for running N up the length of Charlotte Harbor to get back home.

My backup plan at the moment is to launch one of my aluminum skiffs at Ainger Creek ramp and just play around in the area for the day on Saturday. No way I'm bringing the drone on one of those boats, though.

 

[sail10338]

I know,  it's too early.