Adventure sailing (Everglades Challenge?)

[Godot]

I'm planning on calling it a career on April 2nd, 2027, a few weeks before my 58th birthday. I'm done and can't (or at least don't want to) do it anymore.

Thinking about it I realized I have a great opportunity. I'll be relatively young for a retired guy, and if nothing happens over the next seven months I'll also be reasonably healthy. For the first time probably since I was a boy living on someone else's labor I'll have the magic trinity: Time, money and health, all at the same time!

I was watching videos about the Race to Alaska (R2AK) and that seems insane and awesome and worth dreaming about. But, a little closer and perhaps more reasonable is the annual Watertribe Everglades Challenge.

For those not in the know, the Everglades Challenge is an unsupported, expedition-style adventure race for kayaks, canoes, and small sailboats covering roughly 300 miles from Tampa Bay (Fort De Soto) to Key Largo, Florida, that must be finished in 8 days or less.

I've got the buy in from the wife. I didn't even have to fight for it (should I be worried?). So, I've been thinking of little boats to build or buy to do that race...

I'll most likely do the challenge in 2028, alone as I'm a bit of a grouch and I don't know anyone who'd be willing to deal with me on a tough adventure like this for a full week. Small boats only. The primary filter is that the boat has to be beach launched from above the high water line, by the crew. There use to be a bridge filter (ten foot high, 8 foot wide) but I think that has been done away with. Some manual propulsion when the wind is down, and from reading about past ECs, this is not uncommon, would seem essential.

I don't have a lot of experience with kayaks, and certainly not with long distance kayaking. Worth considering, but I'll probably lean towards the small sailboat side.

The 12' Welsford S.C.A.M.P. seems interesting.

The Windrider 17 trimaran is a cool option. Setup a tent on the trampolines if not camping ashore.

The W17 Mike Waters Trimaran also looks cool.

I think the Chesapeake Light Craft Northeaster Dory might work for me. It should be good to row and sail and holds quite a lot of weight. Maybe a little uncomfortable to sleep aboard, but I'm sure it can be managed.

The Angus Sailing Rowcruiser looks really cool with a little cabin.

So many other options, dozens, more maybe, that I looked at that I can't even remember right now. I thought convincing my wife was going to be the hard part. Instead the hardest part might be trying to figure out where to start.

I still have a niggling at the back of the brain, too, that if I can successfully get to the start line (and hopefully the finish line) that maybe I actually would to the R2AK someday as well. It would be cool to choose a boat that could do both, though they have very different conditions to deal with.

[CapnK]

I've long looked at that race and wanted to do it. Then, looking seriously into it a couple years ago, I found that they want $500 as an entrance fee for a solo skipper. (Bring a crew, that's another $500.) May be other fees as well (WaterTribe group membership? I dunno, stopped looking.).
For an unsupported race.
Why???

Cannot for the life of me, figure out what that crazy fee is for, other than to keep out the hoi polloi and other sailing rabble...

The Texas 200, as far as I know - no fee. Imagine that! ;) I'd *love* to do that one!

Closer to us, tho', is a similar race to the EC, but up in North Carolina, inside the Outer Banks. It may be a WaterTribe function. Not sure if there are fees for it.

Is there any law against starting from where and at the same time following the EC route and guidelines? I doubt it. We could start the PiratEC. or the FreeEC (pronounced 'freak' ;) )... ;D

I've got a great hull and spars for it, a '67 Canadian SailCraft Caprice 15. She's 14.5' loa, 6' beam, only 250#'s disp, nice fine entry and a smooth hard chine exit aft. Definitely a downwind planer. Light enough for the 1 manpower launch and/or rowing. Centerboard casing plywood replacement underway, then she just needs a rub n polish and a set of sails... Not mine in the pics, tho' it's in similar condition and same color.

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[wolverine]

There is a Wayfarer for sale near me. I'm tempted, but the timing is wrong. Just sold a boat and the wife would not be happy if I bought another. (still own 3)

Godot, look into the Florida 120. Fun bunch of folks.
Also the OBX130. I participated this year, but dropped out due to injuries and a lot of problems with my boat.

[Godot]

OBX130, Florida 120, Texas 200 and similar do look fun and I hope to do some of them in the future. But they are satisfying a different need, basically a sailing rally where the comradery is the important part. Worthwhile, for sure, and something I probably need. Not what I'm looking for here, though. For the EC you might hardly ever see another competitor for most of the race.

I want to do something hard. Grueling even. While I still have the youth to do it. Time is passing too quickly and I think if I don't start doing things now I will lose my window. I'd like to cross an ocean, not so much to see what is over in Europe (or the South Pacific, or whatever ocean crossing is convenient); but just to do the crossing. This is a big time requirement and expense and a difficult sell to the wife. I still hope to do it, preferably in Seeker and preferably alone. But we'll start smaller.

The Blackbeard Challenge is probably the Outer Banks event that CapnK is mentioning. That is also a Watertribe event with similar fees. It's interesting, and probably meets all the same needs, but somehow doesn't trigger the same emotional pull. I'll look into it further as maybe I'm just not getting it. I don't think I've seen the same kind of energy for it, and I understand they've had trouble getting enough participants in the past. I could be thinking of a different event, though.

The fees do seem kind of high, and basing them on crew size seems odd. I mean, there is a fair bit of organization going on, and I'm sure plenty of expenses involved with that. I don't know.  $500 bucks is a small sacrifice compared to everything else that is required to run the challenge and, to me at least, if that were enough to call it quits I really wasn't serious to begin with. And perhaps it is what keeps the challenge going year after year.

Could it be done independently? Absolutely. I read an article somewhere where a guy tried to enter in his Angus Sailing RowCruiser and was disqualified for not having reef points, even though he had a system of physically changing sails to conditions. He ran the race as a rogue entrant anyhow. Who's gonna say no? There are a lot of other rules they insist upon as well for equipment that an independent might skip.

But, you know what? Without the structure (and without an early commitment of money for the entrance fee) I'm not sure I'd ever get to the start line. I remember the abortive Scoot. I think one reason that sort of fizzled after a lot of initial enthusiasm is that there where so many complaints about the suggested structure, timeline, crew requirements, and all the effort that was made to accommodate everyone's individual idea of what it could be that it ended up being completely unstructured and lost it's allure. The time requirements, the checkpoints, the equipment mandates, the boat "filter", even the entry fee, these all generate focus. I want to be working on making a checkpoint to a deadline. Otherwise I'd just slowly meander down the course in the most comfortable manner. Deadlines have a way of focusing effort.

The Caprice looks like a fine choice for this. I like the Wayfarer, too. There are a lot of boats that would do well, which is the source of the difficulty I'm having with deciding on which direction to go. I am currently leaning towards building a new boat, though. I enjoy boat building and it's been a long time since I've done one. But I don't know. The price of the old classic plastics is so low right now I'm sure I can get one and outfit it for way less than the cost of building new. I also have no interest in spending years getting ready, so whatever I do has to be done in a reasonable time. Maybe I should start haunting Marketplace or Craigslist.

Enough rambling for now. I have the weekend to myself for once and I need to get to the boat.