Pictures from the WaterTribe Everglades Challenge and UFC

Hobie Tandem AIs in the WaterTribe Everglades Challenge 2010 and Ultimate Florida Challenge 2010

For personal reasons, I’ve been unable to get a “picture story” together. However, since the Hobie tandem AIs will likely finish the 300-mile Everglades Challenge today (Wed, Mar 10), I’m putting up a few pictures of pre-race preparations (Friday, Mar 5) at Ft Desoto Park in St. Petersburg, FL. This was an excellent year for sailors, but some paddlers have also finished as of today. Many paddlers are still on the water and will finish within the next few days. All finishers must do the EC by 7 pm, Sunday, March 14. Any participants arriving after that time are considered “DNF.”





Jim Czarnowski (PenquinMan in WaterTribe EC)—Hobie engineer. Jim and wife, Elena, are doing the EC.


Nick Hall, university professor, AI adventure sailor. Nick is doing the UFC.


Akas and bow—note forward positions of the amas relative to the bow. Jim did say they had eliminated bow diving on the tandem AI.


Jim attaching aka to cross bar.


A few other boats in the EC/UFC.
Matt Layden’s Elusion.


Meade Gougeon’s “Yellow Thing”



Bill Fite’s Sea Pearl 21


Kayaks


That is all for now. Much more later.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

HEY MATT...its Polecat again...

Keith and I spent a couple hrs with Jim Czarnoski last Fri while he and Nick Hall were readying their TANDEMS for the race. We told him we were the two who started the AI hull diving fuss, he smiled and didn't have to say a word...SEEING THE TANDEM SAID IT ALL... its obvious the new ama length/placement and added volume in the bow will either elliminate pitch-polling, or reduce it to where a spray-shield takes care of it.

Things I liked:
A lot of boat...and upgrades...for the money.
Some people will ride as a passenger that aren't comfortable going alone (my wife).
Hull/amas store in garage (Anyone want to buy a good used AI).
Extra Mirage Drive available when going single on expeditions.
Jib to help with low summer winds here on the South Forida Gulf Coast.

Things I would have liked:
Cockpits: Square-off into one long rectangular space with click-in, fold-down, easily removable seats to make space to hold a cooler and multi-day expedition gear, OR at night (with gear on trampoline) can support a cot/tent (fore-aft) across xbar/tramp area.

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Polecat
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Hobie AI & WS Tempest 180 Pro
SW Gulf Coast: Sarasota to Keys

I'm not completely useless. I can always serve as a bad example.

Thanks for the photos and the info

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