On a lighter note, a no motors post. The now biannual Race to Alaska is underway with the participants about half way along. Of course the main part of this race is the Race through Coastal BC, but I’m not going to force my perspective on anyone. Anyways, and as usual, lots of stories, mishaps, crappy old boats with temeric crews, underdogs, cool contraptions, and what-not to be seen. The current leader, Team Malolo, has had a lot of mishaps in previous attempts so it would be nice for them to win. The most coveted prize is the steak knives of second place, but it is the small boats that people really cheer for, eg Team Orca, two young women on a small sailboat; Team Barely Huemann in last place on the weirdest boat I have ever seen; a Hobie 16 doing pretty well after finishing second on the qualifier; Team Boogie Barge on a pedal powered catamaran. Martin on the Kayak was killing it for the first few days but as I write this he is 1.43 NM inland on Vancouver Island: nothing in the rules to prevent portaging your boat to the northern tip. The stories behind the Angus Row Cruisers design is amazing. Lots more to come I am sure.
Last year the waypoint at Campbell River / Seymour Narrows was eliminated and some offshore capable boats went outside Vancouver Island. One won and maybe one got the steak knives. Nobody cares as it was essentially two different races. Having the hi-tek racers go the same course as the paddlers and peddlers has been restored, as has the R2AK legitimacy.
There remains some “no-motors” controversy as a few boats carry methanol powered generators and electrically powered keel actuators. The spirit of the race is for it to be wind and human powered with moderate solar power for navigation, lights, and internet. It is not mentioned but I suppose propane or methanol powers some cooking stoves. It gets complicated in the details but no lawyering is allowed.
ETA “Seymour Narrows” which has its own fascinating tale of eating ships and hosting the largest non-nuclear explosion ever. Or in North America. Or on the West Coast. Or in BC. Whatever.
From am ocean racing perspective (a sport I follow, not participate in) this is within most class rules. For an IMOCA, for example, all systems must be powered by the skipper or crew (including the foils (except for adjustments)), but the canting keel is hydraulically operated. And diesel generators are allowed.
Those IMOCA boats are beasts! Those tiny mini-transats are even cooler! I’ve retired from inshore racing but I’d like to at least cruise the R2AK route.
There are basically no classes in the R2AK. The hard and fast rule is no motors. I believe their interpretation is that motors are allowed as long as they don’t directly propel the boat. It would be more fair to rule that motors are allowed if they don’t replace a crew member and the weight of their body and gear and provisions. The hydraulics could and should be powered by crew members to be in the spirit of the R2AK. No rules against donkeys or draught horses though. Or sled dogs. That would be fun.
I’m torn regarding fuel cells for systems power. If they are allowed, why not diesel or gas generators? But that feels wrong. Solar, wind, hydro, human or donkey generators seem more fair.
For reference. Also, these little things foil now, just like the big boats.
Neither of these classes would do well in the R2AK as they require bigger breezes to move and don’t go upwind very well.
“Very well” is relative, of course. At the New York Vendée which finished a week ago most of the course was upwind and Charlie Dalin did a consistent 20-25kn in his leadership position. Meanwhile Boris Herrmann on the northerly route went through a high and still did like 5 or 7 knots in basically about the same speed of wind both upwind and downwind. A 30m mast will move even 60ft of carbon fibre quite efficiently.
But yeah, Mini Transats are exciting because they’re not as enclosed as especially the newest scow bow IMOCAs that are optimised for the Southern Ocean. There’s more sailing to be done on those. Unfortunately they’re not covered as much as IMOCAS, Classe 40s or Ultimes.
How do you feel about storing the energy from human input in the system? Because I’m not a fan of how cyclors (and grinders before them) are used in the America’s Cup only to build hydraulic pressure to be used at a later point. That seems equally against the spirit of sailing without a motor.
I stand corrected! That is impressive. I was under the impression that those wide hulls became sticky in light air. The Figaro 2 in 2019’s R2AK required four crew pedalling to move in light air. I know, totally different boat but wide.
I’m all for it, particularly in the R2AK. But it gets complicated quickly. Are electric motors OK if they are charged by solar, wind, hydro or human power? OTOH, cyclors powering hydraulics while a generator whirrs inside the boat to power the flight controller and navigation gear seems a bit arbitrary.
My first college roomie (and her family) were Corvair drivers and collectors. They used to attend club meetings and conventions to meet other owners. Heaven help anyone who mentioned Ralph Nader anywhere near them!
This NASA P-3 Orion just flew nearby a little while ago. I was looking up another plane online (USAF; it didnt show up ) & happened to see this one would be flying past.
) & happened to see this one would be flying past.
