Expedition-Style Adventure Racing In Small Boats
“The purpose of WaterTribe is to encourage the development of boats, equipment, skills and human athletic performance for safe and efficient coastal cruising using minimal impact human and wind powered watercraft based on sea kayaks, canoes, and small sailboats.” ~ Chief, February 2000
I have been sailing Sea Dart for four years now, and have the most fun sailing when challenged by conditions, distance goals, speed goals or all of the above. Usually, however, I stay on land overnight, and haven’t had a reason to stay on the boat… that is about to change. I’ve put innumerable hours into improving the boat, but now I need to expand my abilities and horizons with a real challenge. Hence, a Watertribe event
Part of the Watertribe ethos is to pick a moniker, a nickname by which you will henceforth be known. Since this blog is sponsored by Watertribe, my nickname appears. It was given to me by my wife while I was acting grumpy with the kids over the winter… we’d been reading Wind in the Willows, I suppose, and the book does have the quote about “…absolutely nothing -half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.”
So, make a cradle out of 4x4s and 2x6s (pressure treated wood). Then tie the boat to the back of your garage, and pull the trailer out from underneath, hopefully leaving the boat atop the cradle. Worked for me. Got new tires on the trailer, even a spare which I can mount. Electrical system checked out, replaced a ground wire and a bulb, new oil for the sealed bearings. All set for the 2600 miles of driving soon to come!
