Talking About Adventure In Small Boats
I think Dave called it. THIS IS what an EC or UFC is.
Candidly, the website DOES need more photos of capsized boats. Perhaps that will help people understand that you do have to be the best to be able to complete these challenges. If you get lucky you can get an easy year and complete the event. But if the weather kicks, you need to be able to adapt and manage the situation. If not Mother Nature can be a "mother".
The question is will the WT have the ability to do a solid hot wash, and learn?
CaptKirk
Member
Does anybody know what type of boat is capsized in the pictures. It looks like a sharpie from the bottom profile. I built a 19ft ohio sharpie for the event but was unable to launch because I had a fever and I would be sailing this boat for the first time at the start. Tempting one fate is bad enough but two is foolhardy. Sharpies are very stable boats, even in confused seas, if they are not over canvased or underballasted. 1 would hope that people will push these boats in controlled conditions prior to an event. A mans got to know his boats limitations. Kudos to everybody who plucked people from the water, difficult, dangerous, but you have to do it. Hope to see everyone at Blackbeard Challenge.
BeastOarman
Member
CaptKirk, you are right. In my opinion, if you haven't practiced during small craft warnings in your loaded boat, you are not ready. I learned that - twice - and managed to limp my way out of it. But my successes came in boats that handled those conditions. In the right boat, it was fun!
Badger
Member
This raises the question of the first filter... getting to the beach. Once there, it is hard to turn away a competitor, but the boat and her crew have become representatives of the entire Tribe. With more entrants every year, there might have to be a way to establish an "experience" filter. Two ways spring to mind:
1. Mandatory Derby/Experience filter: In order to earn a place on the beach, entrants must submit SPOT and simple weather data demonstrating a history of rowing/sailing/paddling in a variety of conditions in their entry vessel. The distance covered need not be great, and the evidence might be as simple as a photo (anenometer, trees waving, waves, or a reefed main while sailing), but it would show some exposure to challenging conditions. Entrants could also pass this filter with log books or other such records of experience of this sort, at Chief's discretion, including participation in a WT event.
2. Buddy System: During preparation for the EC, new entrants who haven't completed an event could be paired with a veteran in their class who would be tasked with providing advice, asking probing questions and encouraging on the water experience. The veteran would receive an honorarium for their effort, probably in the form of reduced entrance fee for a subsequent event, upon receipt of a report of such efforts. Costs to be defrayed by a new "WaterTribe Membership Fee", I suppose. Hopefully on the order of <$50.
BeastOarman
Member
Well said, Cwolfe. I'm sure Chief will carefully sift through all things that went wrong, what is different this time from all those other times things went much better in perhaps worse conditions, and he will seek counsel of others before planning the way forward.
Cwolfe
Member
Thanks BeastOarsman. Yeah. I deleted my post. Not that I think I typed anything wrong. It is just too soon with many different people having had different types of trying experiences yesterday. I have faith in the Watertribe as a collective and it will all work out. We need to stand by the original ideals though. It has worked for years with many many hours of hazardous conditions.
A heck of a way for Paddledancer to start her retirement....... She is just totally awesome.
C
JoeVanGeaux
Member
Badger, as a once-expected-to-be EC 2015 participant I agree with your first suggestion (and I'm sure there will be a lot more to come) to require some sort of evidence-based demonstration of skill and/or experience. And, this is coming from someone whose efforts to get into an EC event could only be hampered by more hoops to jump through.
I agonized over my decision to withdraw one day before the deadline because I did not have my boat where I thought it should be in consideration of the advice I got from veteran Tribers AND I felt really uneasy about the likelihood that I would not have the time left over to get the needed experience with my newly arranged rig, such as what you'd get by doing something similar to a derby.
As far as a buddy system is concerned, its a good thought but I, for one, would not want to be a drag on another sailor. In fact, it took all available restraint to refrain from begging myself into someoelse's boat since having no EC-like experience, I would never have wanted to put myself or any generous shipmate in a position where I needed to tap out for any reason or my presence took away from their adventure and enjoyment.
I won't go so far, yet, to say that the casualties experienced during this year's event will ultimately take anything away from the event to any large degree, since I was neither in their shoes nor alongside them to witness the specifics... weird things do happen on the water that would challenge even the very best of us even if within a few dozen yards form one another. I won't get into the excuse-making bidness for anyone but rogue waves, whirlpools, submerged objects, sand bars, crab traps and congested traffic readily comes to mind that could easily affect one boat but not the other.
In fact, its entirely possible that an even bigger, fresh crop of "natural born risk-takers" attempt to participate next year - making the inspection and 'qualification' review process for events to come even more important.
I respect the USCG tremendously, but would balk at assigning them responsibility for calling the 'gatherings' on account of safety issues of one sort or another - it would be too easy to pay your fees and then have it cancelled on account of some perceived unnecessary risk. If the gatherings were all that safe there would be no "Challenge" in the "Everglades Challenge".
There's going to be a lot of soul-searching and hard decisions being made, but I fully expect it to be a better event as a result.
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