Katie As Done Down Under

Regular Viewers will be acquainted with Katie Beardie my sixteen foot sailing paddling expedition canoe, you might even have read about her in Watercraft Magazine or seen her at Beale Park Boat Show.  Its all here in her very own Katie Beardie.  page .  

I have been asked a few times whether there are any plans available so that people could build their very own Katie.  The answer has always been, well not really. As you can read over on Katie's page there never were any proper plans, I've just pointed people towards the two pieces of A4 Chris Waite provided and said, go ahead if you are brave enough.

Over on the other side of the world serial boat builder Rob Blackburn was looking for his next build and after a shortish conversation decided to take up the challenge.

Rob is going his own way with his version of Katie, the hull is the same but the deck, hatches and cockpit are of his own devising. 

Now while I did my initial testing under the full media glare of the HBBR paparazzi,  

Rob has had his own special test tank built in his back yard. 

They don't mess around in the antipodes you know. 

Here he sensibly gets his attractive helper to test the stability while he manfully stands ready to prevent a capsize. 

Rob has devised a roller furling lug sail, which seems eminently sensible and he is also fitting electric bilge pumps for when he gets the inevitable dunking. 

There has been a lot of progress recently with paint being applied and all the little fiddly jobs being done so a Southern Hemisphere Spring Splash should be happening quite soon. 

I'll keep you posted. 

Another Little Victory.

It may not be the Race 2 Alaska but huge congratulations to my mate Paul who completed his own personal challenge this weekend. 

Paul Joined other DCA members for their rally at Bembridge Isle of Wight,  sailing his home built Selway Fisher Lynx 14 over from Langstone in company with Chris Waite who kept an eye on him.  

Paul's had some health issues over the past couple of years and its great to see him achieve one of his own personal goals. Well done mate. 

Sailing from Chichester Harbour to Bembridge involves crossing one of the busiest shipping channels in the world, and I probably didn't help matters when I warned him to watch out for Cruise Ships, Car Transporters, Oil Tankers, The Royal Navy and the big round forts built to ward off Napoleon and The Germans. 

Of course he did what he always does and completely ignored me. 

Well done that man. 

Thanks to CW for the photos. 

You have to build your own little victory, every hour, every day.

So, the ladies of Sistership have crooned and rowed their way into Ketchiken and Colin Angus having rowed all night and dodged an over excited Orca, also slipped into "Done" to the usual understated R2AK fanfare.   

Some applause, a few cheers from a dozen or so people and a bell to ring doesn't seem enough to recognise such a brilliant achievement, but then there are all the people round the world who have been watching and cheering them on through the lens of Soshul Meedya. 

Well done all. 

Farther back down the line there are still quite a few boats making their way North. 

Here is Mathieu of Lite Boat, he should be done in a couple of days, unless he decides to pull an all-nighter as well. 

Even farther back down the Single-hander Fleet, for now anyway, is Team Sea Runner. There's a bit of the Tortoise and hare going on here because on paper at least, and given the right conditions, his Seascape 18 should go like stink. 

Of course he hasn't had the right conditions, winds being very light at times, and that boat looks like it will row like a dog. 

Horses for Courses. 

It ain't over till the ladies stop singing.

While the fast fleet have long since finished celebrating and the Steak Knives are well and truly won, the slower fleet are still grinding their way to Ketchikan. 
There does seem to be a bit of a holiday spirit though and some at least look like they are enjoying the trip.
  The R2AK team caught up with Colin Angus of Angus Rowboats the other evening and he seems quite laid back about the whole thing. 

These are the guys I really admire.   

Start your own company, design your own boat, build it, sail/row it, 

alone. 

Colin is now well over half way and wending his way through the narrow fjords of British Columbia, he is about two days ahead of Mathieu  Bonnier in his quite similar Liteboat.

Lite Boat

Mathieu also runs his own company building lightweight rowing boats. 

The film crew haven't found him yet so there's been no coverage of his exploits. 

And for a little light relief here are the ladies of Team Sistership singing and rowing 

their way to Alaska.

Follow them all on the tracker. 

http://tracker.r2ak.com/