Hobie Cat Forums

The Watertribe Everglades Challenge starts Saturday, March 3 @ 0700.

This year there will be 8 AI/TI boats in the three races, UM, EC and UF. Pelican will be doing the Ultimate Florida Race in a AI. The UF is a race around the entire state of Florida that lasts ~ a month and includes pulling the boat ~40miles down a road.

You can follow all the Challengers on the Watertribe Mapper:
http://www.watertribe.com/Events/ChallengeMapper.aspx

The mapper can be slow to load with lot of a traffic during the race. My personal SPOT page is:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=05oPen9XT2MHPvVYQaF9sfFv0AshAsq81

Do not expect me to be the front runner. After putting my self into a Hospital last year I have set my sites much lower. I am aiming to finish and enjoy the ride.

I will post some pictures during the race on my BLOGGER site as long as I have cell phone coverage:
http://dogslifeadventures.blogspot.com/

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Paul
DogsLife
2011 Adventure Island (Little Dog)
2010 Tandem Island (Big Dog: "We keep a leg up on the competition")
2001 Wilderness Systems Woodsman Kayak 14.5 (Blue Dog)

http://dogslifeadventures.blogspot.com/

Good luck Dogslife!! Sorry I couldn't make it this year. I would have enjoyed sailing in your company.

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Randy
"Honu-Pulelehua"
2012 TI Dune
"When the going gets tough, the tough drink tea." Jon Turk

Good luck Paul... and enjoy!

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http://KayakingBob.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2007, 2009 & 2010 Hobie AIs and a 2010 TI

Hi

I'm hoping to share a campsite with someone at Fort Desoto this Friday night. I want to see the Watertribe start but didn't want to steal the campsite of someone actually competing by reserving my own.
It's just two of us, a small tent, and a TI. We could bring a favored beverage and/or pay the site fees...
Worst case, we sleep at the unimproved sites on the island nearby.

Thanks,

J

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2011 Golden Papaya TI with a 250 square foot spinnaker!
also a more manageable 100 square foot spinny...
&
the TI3 rear ama mod

I'm not staying at a campsite. Try the water tribe.org Forum. I have to drive 14 hours just to get to Florida and will need to recharge before the race.

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I followed the Watertribe races for many years before I could actually do one. So if anyone can not make it, enjoy the Mapper and Forum. It is nice to dream. It just may set off a spark and I will see you on the starting line next year...

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Paul
DogsLife
2011 Adventure Island (Little Dog)
2010 Tandem Island (Big Dog: "We keep a leg up on the competition")
2001 Wilderness Systems Woodsman Kayak 14.5 (Blue Dog)

http://dogslifeadventures.blogspot.com/

Yes, have a great trip, Paul. I'll see you at the start.

Good luck on the winds. They were extremely erratic 2 days ago on Pavilion. At 7 am they were out of the east 10 mph, during the day they got stronger (16-18 mph) and switched to the SW. By dark, they were back in the east at 12 mph. The SW winds ruined our fishing. Hopefully, they will stay in the E/SE for your trip.

Keith

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I sail: S FL, Key Largo, Everglades to Cape Romano, Ft Desoto, Cedar Key

"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

Good luck Paul and also to all the other AI and TI race entries. You'll have some pretty strong competitors to go up against this year. Keep your eye on TideTraveler and his AI ... the force is strong with that one ...

I'll be there Friday and Saturday volunteering. I'm also working the Ft. Desoto finish line for the Ultimate Florida Challenge so it will be an interesting month.

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Jim

Best of luck Paul.

I've just put $100 on you down the Bookmakers and they've got you at 10:1 odds. Easy money

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Don't take life too seriously................it ain't permanent.

Thanks to everyone for the ideas and suggestions for camping this weekend, someone volunteered to share their site.
I'm looking forward to meeting the competitors and seeing the boats!

Cheers!

J

_________________
2011 Golden Papaya TI with a 250 square foot spinnaker!
also a more manageable 100 square foot spinny...
&
the TI3 rear ama mod

You guys better put away your money. After putting myself in the hospital last year I promised my wife that I would not try to race.

Keith,

Where is a good place close to Fort Desoto to buy a chart of the Everglades waterway. If the wind starts turning from the north the second day I may be doing good time. I am thinking about getting a gator tooth. I believe it has never been done by Hobie boat.

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Paul
DogsLife
2011 Adventure Island (Little Dog)
2010 Tandem Island (Big Dog: "We keep a leg up on the competition")
2001 Wilderness Systems Woodsman Kayak 14.5 (Blue Dog)

http://dogslifeadventures.blogspot.com/

Good Luck Paul - Stay safe, be warm, and fly like the wind !!

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Alan W.
'07 Hobie Adventure Island #1
'07 Hobie Adventure Island #2 Golden Papaya AI LadyJane
'06? Hobie Outback SUV

Geez, Paul, a gator tooth in an AI?? Yes, that has NEVER been done in an AI. That would be an amazing achievement, and probably would require LOTS of pedaling. Be sure to carry an extra chain or 2 for your drive. My friend, Rick Parks (InTents) had his chain nylon lock nut fall off the other day. So, maybe a spare nut or 2 would be in order.

I'm not familiar with the Ft Desoto area, other than the park. However, I would think that any West Marine or other marine supply would have the charts. The requisite charts are #39, 40, 41. I have one each and will bring them over. I'll be arriving today, Fri, at about 2:30.

Keith

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I sail: S FL, Key Largo, Everglades to Cape Romano, Ft Desoto, Cedar Key

"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

I believe Pelican was first in class with his AI in the 2008 EC (and also first solo across the line). But just finishing is a tremendous achievement!

Best of luck and a successful journey -- will look forward to monitoring your progress!

Roadrunner, earning a "Gator Tooth" in the Everglades Challenge requires the participant to follow what is known as the "Wilderness Waterway." Pelican and most sailing craft do the EC by sailing down the Gulf of Mexico coast--rarely do they go "inside" and do even a small part of the Wilderness Waterway. It is not that the WW is that difficult, but it is aimed at paddlers & small powerboats so that they CAN AVOID going out onto the Gulf. The WW consists of creeks, small & large rivers, connected to bays of various size. Much of the area is very shallow except for the "marked" channel defining the WW--and that can be shallow. It is 99-115 miles long compared with 65-70 miles when you traverse the Gulf Coast. The WW will require considerable peddaling--it is designed to avoid winds and rough water.

It would take a particularly masochistic person to do it. It would set a record for an AI--one that might stand into perpetuity!

Keith

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I sail: S FL, Key Largo, Everglades to Cape Romano, Ft Desoto, Cedar Key

"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

Keith, thanks for the correction. In any event, my hat's off to all of those who participate!