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Post by Paula Lunt on Jul 15, 2012 20:14:52 GMT -5
Congrats to all the Maine racers who made the trek down to Gloucester, MA for the Blackburn Challenge yesterday July 14. This is a 20-mile open water race around Cape Ann. Eric McNett and his partner won the K2 surfski division, I won the female sea kayak division and Bob Dean placed 6th in the mens sea kayak division. I believe Reinhard Zollitsch was there as well as two other Maine boats. Way to go paddlers :-)
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Post by Ray Wirth on Jul 16, 2012 21:32:47 GMT -5
Paula, congrats to you and all the Maine paddlers who competed. Sounds like Maine had a very good showing. The times this year look fast compared to previous years.
I'd love to do that race myself some year.
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Post by Paula Lunt on Jul 17, 2012 19:20:25 GMT -5
It's a cool race even though I was scared to death going into it. Luckily the weather was manageable and I pulled it off. I can't open the results, what program did you use? I have a Mac and it won't let me look.
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Post by Ray Wirth on Jul 18, 2012 8:00:19 GMT -5
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Post by gfatula on Aug 9, 2012 6:21:45 GMT -5
At Reinhard's urging Jeanie and I have paddled the race for the past two years. We have been the only tandem canoe in the race! We paddle our Sawyer Charger with a Cook's Custom Cover. I have installed a rudder on the Charger to make dealing with wind and wakes safer for us. The race is a workout. Casual physical prep delivered me a 45 minute bout of "rotating muscle cramps" at the halfway point, which threw what had looked like a nice gain over our previous year's time overboard. Next year! Ha! Come with a canoe! It is a very well run event. Gloucester is the real reason we will keep going back. We went down two days early to paddle around and enjoy a very interesting city. Wonderful friendly folks. Too bad it conflicted with another fun Maine canoe race this year.  |
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Post by jmathieu on Aug 19, 2012 18:58:02 GMT -5
I think the Blackburn in a WW boat would be a blast. Have done this race in an outrigger a dozen times and have seen the full spectrum of conditions, including one year having a turn-around before we even left the harbor because of fog! Most years have been fairly placid but you do have situations that add to the excitement. Good to see an open boats at this race.
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Post by gfatula on Aug 28, 2012 21:51:22 GMT -5
It is a Blast! There aren't too many people who would understand that. Depending on boat traffic, wind and tide there can be some confused and interesting conditions that require good judgment in a canoe. Getting knocked over by a vertical wake a mile from shore is possible so preparing to deal with something like that is important in this race. We carry flares, a VHF and under the Cook's Custom Cover are split air bags. We do wear our PFD's. It is a fun challenge. The amazing variety of craft that participate now includes a tandem canoe. Two old doodles from Maine in their vintage Sawyer could use some competition. Even if it is only for the first hundred yards. Ha!
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