The Perfect Boat

A forum for discussion about the Race to Alaska ( http://www.racetoalaska.com )

Moderator: Moderator

Post Reply
Dirk Visser 166
Regular Contributor
Posts: 159
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:47 am
Location: Fremont, Ca.
Contact:

Re: The Perfect Boat

Post by Dirk Visser 166 »

Yo, Scot,

You and Sealark took a blow there, sounds like.
Nobody died or got seriously hurt , some big relief !
Sea trials and maiden voyages are often fraught with risk and danger, plenty of unknowns, making themselves known, often the hard way.

Remember the "John F. Leavitt", last of the Maine coasting schooners ?

Take heart skipper.. It was you who designed and built the damn thing, you can sure as hell restore it to life stronger than ever, should you so choose!

You knew your creation well too, even before the material failure...intuition and experienced reasoning were telling you about the weak spot!
Following your wisdom of staying inshore, and your survival, this bit of foreboding was the part of your concise accident report on the wooden boat thread that I found the most affirming.

Sorry you had to withdraw. I was forced to as well, after some nice refitting and preparations on an older Hobie daysailer.. It can be a disappointment for sure.. The voyage not made, after good work and confident anticipation..

But , you came a long way in a short time, building and testing a revolutionary craft..
What you learned, few others know!

The future rolls on ahead of us, and the North Cascades and Methow valley are outstanding places from which one can lick the wounds, renew the spirit, and formulate the next chapter...
No way are you done with the sea, would be my guess!
Dirk Visser 166
Regular Contributor
Posts: 159
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:47 am
Location: Fremont, Ca.
Contact:

Re: The Perfect Boat

Post by Dirk Visser 166 »

Glad to hear you will make the start Scot!
Be careful at the various parties, the crimps will be out to "Shanghai" a crewman with your valuable experience and local knowledge!
Last edited by Dirk Visser 166 on Fri May 29, 2015 8:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
Dirk Visser 166
Regular Contributor
Posts: 159
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:47 am
Location: Fremont, Ca.
Contact:

Re: The Perfect Boat

Post by Dirk Visser 166 »

Scot's mishap brings to mind a subject that I have participated in, observed, and pondered for years, actually since becoming involved with building and sailing as a kid.
Namely, "The Build" vs. "The Boat".
In the shop it's all about creation and control.
On the water it's all about adapting, making the most of situational realities, and ultimately letting go.

We bend the materials to our will, but not the sea.

This makes for some singular personality and character development. Where exactly is the box we have to think outside of?
George Maynard of Port Townsend and East Coast fame, or Larry Pardey are a couple of American examples, consumate craftsmen, outstanding sailors. But versions of this challenging and sometimes sudden transition are faced by us less famous owner-builders as well..


So is their no conflict? "A type" morphs into "Mr Flexible" on launch day? Or does it take the first storm?
And what about satisfaction, another shift of gears, or are we forever pining for the boat shed, or far horizon?
Last edited by Dirk Visser 166 on Fri May 29, 2015 8:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
JollyRoger
Regular Contributor
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:51 pm
Location: Upstate South Carolina, USA
Contact:

Re: The Perfect Boat

Post by JollyRoger »

Hey Scot, sorry to hear about the failure but instead of dropping out how about the Marsh Duck? Hope to see you there!, Roger
scotdomergue
Regular Contributor
Posts: 41
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2013 1:35 pm

Re: The Perfect Boat

Post by scotdomergue »

I no longer have the Duck, so that's not an option. I realized more than a year ago that I wanted a different boat, and focused my energies in that direction. To tell the truth, I pushed so hard on getting the new tri ready for the race that I'm ready for a break. I'll be helping out before the race and at the start as a volunteer, so hope to see all the boats and meet all the participants.
Dirk Visser 166
Regular Contributor
Posts: 159
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:47 am
Location: Fremont, Ca.
Contact:

Re: The Perfect Boat

Post by Dirk Visser 166 »

Race Day looms, people are enroute, the parties are starting!

Looking at a single boat, crew, course, strategy.. There will be hundreds of attempts at perfection, every day. All are destined to succeed or fail to varying degrees in their duration blocks.

Looking at the event itself, as an overarching context, giving structure and theme, and the all important "end- in- view" to these efforts, we also see a new, unique creation on it's own "shakedown cruise".

Perfect? ....Heh, Heh!,
Maybe so. ..!
Why? Because the race is actually out there and doing it!
And like the boat, the event will evolve and improve if it survives this maiden voyage.

And a lot of boatmen, designers, builders, adventurers, nature lovers, just a whole lot of people with exciting or ordinary lives have been challenged and become interested and revitalized by the prospect of this voyage, whether they entered or not!

There's an old Dutch proverb my Dad used to tell me:
"After all is said and done, a lot more will be said than done!"

Have no fear, this will continue to be the case as the story unfolds and history is made in the coming weeks!
Jamie Kennedy
New Contributor
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat May 16, 2015 1:23 am

Re: The Perfect Boat

Post by Jamie Kennedy »

Dirk Visser 166
Regular Contributor
Posts: 159
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:47 am
Location: Fremont, Ca.
Contact:

Re: The Perfect Boat

Post by Dirk Visser 166 »

As the marathon 2nd stage of this race evolves, strong hints are emerging about the ideal vessel for the job. Indications are that it's a lot like the hybrid suggested before, except more so..

In early June it is clear that winds are happening, but not always!
Human power can run a direct course and that saves beaucoup time and miles. It was enlightening to see Soggy Beavers dominate the sailing fleet yesterday for hours on end.

And crew support dynamics! We.have heard the term " Race of Attrition".for the first time today..Its not just about equipment, these people have limits too!
A great boat is a happy and healthy boat, mentally and the other.
A boat is a galaxy, and believe me, the stars do not always align.
You need this crew, and they need their Space, the final frontier!

Sail is dominating, and will as long as the canvas has ponies to harness.. But it's often the long way around..imagine if your entry could make a nice steady 6 knots on a direct line when the wind fell calm, and rest and relax, making good headway in reappearing winds, advancing under all conditions.?
Right now it appears that the ideal blend of human and sail power
Is yet to be perfected..
Dirk Visser 166
Regular Contributor
Posts: 159
Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2015 11:47 am
Location: Fremont, Ca.
Contact:

Re: The Perfect Boat

Post by Dirk Visser 166 »

Hey!
For this day there are Magicians!
No more perfect boat for miles around!
Just cleared Seymore Narrows on the cusp of the change!
Gotta give 'em credito, these guys make it look so-o easy!
"Elsie Piddock" (she skips rope in her sleep!).
Some old boy found her namesake in the children's section of his local booksellers and posted it on the wooden boat thread.
Perfect boat name , for a breakaway push day!
Jamie Kennedy
New Contributor
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat May 16, 2015 1:23 am

Re: The Perfect Boat

Post by Jamie Kennedy »

Excellent commentary Dick. Keep it up. Thanks.
Post Reply