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Stand-up paddleboard finishes Race to Alaska (750 miles). — Parallax Forums

Stand-up paddleboard finishes Race to Alaska (750 miles).

What did you do today?

https://www.facebook.com/racetoalaska/videos/1198737866920549/

Me? I painted some boat parts and cut my grass. I'm an underachiever.

-Phil

Comments

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Who, me? Took my girls camping & hiking, natch!

    20170624_192844.jpg

    ARRL field day in the same park:

    1600 x 1200 - 348K
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    What did you do today?

    Today? Not much, but last week Lance and I ended our Race to Alaska adventure in Campbell River. We didn't agree with the skipper on some things, so got stranded there. It was very much a last minute thing that we went, literally four days before the race start is when we joined, and not one of us, not even the owner had ever sailed the boat before we left Port Townsend. Team SailPro if you want to check the tracker.

    We were working on our own boat for the race but were not able to complete it in time for this year. Next year for sure!

    Here's a pic taken somewhere in the Straight of Georgia,
    19030407_1419048034818648_8629401380796822874_n.jpg?oh=2775a11348cc621c465716c13b0fd88a&oe=59CA7124
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    Quite an adventure, Rich! Yes, even big boats get small and personalities get big after a few days. Glad you got a taste of racing, my money is on you next year.
  • Wow, Rich, I'm very impressed! Congrats on making it that far, and best of luck next year!

    -Phil
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    Boo. Can't view it. It's locked away in Facebook.
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    Heater. wrote: »
    Boo. Can't view it. It's locked away in Facebook.

    I haven't yet gone through the photos and video yet, but here are a very few taken with my phone;
    https://modelstation.smugmug.com/Race-to-Alaska-2017
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2017-06-27 06:20
    A little background about this event. This year was the third annual running of the race. It starts at 5 a.m. from Port Townsend -- the date chosen to correspond to an ebbing tide in order to give everyone a running start across the straits to Victoria, B.C.

    The race begins with a recording of the Russian National Anthem being played over loudspeakers on the dock. In case you missed the last Winter Olympics, here's what it sounds like:



    Why that particular tune? Dunno. It might have something to do with the fact that Russia owned Alaska until we bought it from them in 1867 for $7 million. Whatever, it's pretty stirring stuff -- especially when you're standing in a light drizzle in semidarkness, only half awake, and a flotilla of wind-and-human-powered craft suddenly lurches into action.

    The prize for reaching Ketchikan, Alaska, first is $10,000 in cash nailed to a tree. Second prize? A set of steak knives. There's some history there, which you will recognize if you've ever watched the movie Glengarry Glen Ross, based upon the Pulitzer prize-winning play by David Mamet. In the movie, Alec Baldwin excoriates a group of underperforming real estate salesman and, urging them to do better, offers prizes for better performance. Watch here (embedding omitted due to adult language):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrhSLf0I-HM

    The whole thing is a quirky, yet well-contrived and organized event that attracts participants from around the world -- and now one of our own, it appears!

    -Phil
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
    Also new this year was the buy-back program. Each finisher is given five minutes to decide if they want to sell their boat for $10,000. It is something like a first prize for the smaller budget boats. Offer only good for the first taker. Then there is the $1,000 prize put up by Small Craft Advisor magazine for the first boat under 20ft to finish. That's the one we will be going for next year.
  • W9GFOW9GFO Posts: 4,010
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    Awesome achievement. Crazy but awesome.
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