In a couple hours (at noon) the intrepid R2AK adventurers will be starting from Victoria for Ketchikan. They might have it slow going at the start, but a northwesterly should develop later in the day for the sailors to take advantage of. And while there’s a certain amount of competition for the $10K first prize, and of course the steak knives second prize, this remains more of an adventure than a race for most of the fleet.
We’ll be following Andy Cross and Team Wild Card, a Santa Cruz 27. I’ve done part of the course with Andy already on the Van Isle 360 aboard Double Take. You can find Andy’s posts on Threesheets Northwest, but when he gets out of range of a good Internet connection he’ll be texting some reports out, which I’ll post on sailish along with a few words about how the race is going. And when there’s a Threesheets post – I’ll post parts of it here, and deliver a bit more info on the team, which basically took form on D Dock at Shilshole.
Also Bruce Hedrick is going to be watching the weather. Check out his latests “Briefs” here and here. He’s looking at doing an update for tomorrow.
Again, good luck to all the adventurers, and once again to Jake Beattie and his crew for coming up with this race and keeping it going!
Here’s part of Andy’s Threesheets post about The Proving Ground leg:
R2AK 2018: It’s go time in Victoria!
The first rays of sunshine trickle through the fleet.
Tucked into the port pipe-berth on Wild Card, our team’s spritely Santa Cruz 27, I woke quickly to the sound of seagulls saying good morning while cruising over Victoria harbor. Rubbing my eyes, I looked at my watch for the time: 6 a.m.
Six hours to go time.
After a couple lay days, we’re finally about to shove off and get this great big 750-mile adventure to Alaska rolling again. I’m ready. Our team is ready. From cruising the docks, checking out other boats and meeting the teams, it seems like lots of other competitors are, too. And if the smiles and laughter from last evenings impromptu happy hour were any indication, people are definitely having fun.
Right now the wind is supposed to be light at the high noon start time (weather brief here), which might suit paddlers and pedals until the sailors can hook into a breeze. Fortunately, as the day wears on and the fleet heads around the bottom corner of Vancouver Island, we’ll have a favorable current to do it on. From there it’s going to be anyone’s ballgame.
UPDATE, June, 15: The fourth incarnation of the Race to Alaska got underway yesterday on Port Townsend Bay and conditions did not disappoint.
A gorgeous sunrise greeted racers right after the start.
When the gun went off at 5 a.m., all manner of craft were on or near the line in a sort of dance that can only happen during this race. Standup paddleboards, kayaks, sailboats, row boats and home-built pedal boats jockeyed for position as a modest southerly wind and ebbing current coaxed racers out into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
For Team Wild Card, our start left a lot to be desired. A lot. I botched it. Fortunately, our team stayed cool and once out into the Strait we used the now westerly breeze to rocket northwest with focus. Our capable Santa Cruz 27 skipped over a building sea state that never fully soaked the boat, and we finished in 5-and-a-half hours in 11th place. It was one of those sails that you want to bottle, brand and sell — it was that good.
Team Wild Card sending it across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. (And yes, we put a trapeze on an SC27).
Meanwhile, other teams were crushing it too. Team PT Watercraft finished first with Team Sail Like a Girl coming in second and Team Strait to the Pool Room ringing the bell shortly there after.
As of noon today, some folks are still working their way towards Victoria’s inner harbor. Here’s an update from Race Boss Daniel Evans: “Mulig is trying to cross the straits but being swept West. Tri-Harder left out of Sequim Bay today and is expected to finish Stage 1. Fly Baby Fly after suffering mechanical issues late last night was towed into Oak Bay by C-Tow Marine Assist. Dock Rat completed Stage 1 after being anchored in the harbor. WaterWorld Impending has pulled out after losing a prop but is hoping to sail over to Victoria for the fun of it on Saturday. Way to make lemonade, WaterWorld.”
The race to Ketchikan kicks off again Sunday at noon — tracker is here!
There’s more here on Threesheets Northwest.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
Good lookin’ boat #SC27