It’s just under four weeks until the start of Race to Alaska, and we’re pretty excited here at Angus Rowboats. At this point there are almost 40 boats entered in R2AK, ranging from the million-dollar TransPac champion, Tritium, to a stand up paddleboard.
Our goal is not to try winning the overall race – there’s almost zero chance of a $3000 garage-built recreational vessel winning against some of the larger carbon-fiber racing vessels. Instead, we are hoping to do well in the little-guy categories – solo, and boats under 20’. Small Craft Advisor has ponied up a $1000 prize for the fastest boat under 20 feet, generating some excitement and competition among the smaller boats. There are currently nine solo craft, and fourteen boats under twenty feet. It is an eclectic mix of boats (and characters), and we have listed the competitors in these categories below:
Team Can't Anchor Us. A solo entry by Tim Penhallow in a Swampscott Dory.
Team Squamish. This Young 6 Meter is being crewed by three.
Team Gold Rush. Solo effort by Mark Dussel in a home-built trimaran.
Team Discovery. This customized vessel will be crewed solo by Roger Mann. Roger Mann was last year's first place solo finisher.
Our solo entry. A RowCruiser propelled by sails and a sliding seat rowing system. The small cabin allows for sleeping inside the boat at anchor.
Team Sea Runner. A solo effort by Thomas Nielsen.
Team Heart of Gold. A solo SUP effort by Karl Kruger.
Now is that prize for 20 and under or under 20? I guess this will just squeak in. This is a Cal 20 crewed by two.
Team Coastal Express. This Mirror 16 is being crewed by two.
Team Vantucky. This Windrider 17 is being crewed by two.
Team Liteboat. This R2AK custom designed vessel was created by Liteboat, and will be a solo effort by Mathieu Bonnier. It is designed to sail and to be propelled with a sliding seat rowing system.
Team Excellent Adventure. A Montgomery 17 crewed by two.
Team Discovery. This customized vessel will be crewed solo by Roger Mann. Roger Mann was last year's first place solo finisher.
Team Liteboat. This R2AK custom designed vessel was created by Liteboat, and will be a solo effort by Mathieu Bonnier. It is designed to sail and to be propelled with a sliding seat rowing system.
Take Me to the Volcano. This R2AK custom designed pedal and sailing craft will be crewed solo by Matt Johnson.
Team Sea Runner. A solo effort by Thomas Nielsen.
Team Heart of Gold. A solo SUP effort by Karl Kruger.
Team Gold Rush. Solo effort by Mark Dussel in a home-built trimaran.
Team Can't Anchor Us. A solo entry by Tim Penhallow in a Swampscott Dory.
Our solo entry. A RowCruiser propelled by sails and a sliding seat rowing system. The small cabin allows for sleeping inside the boat at anchor.
Team Hanging On. Michael Adams will be competing solo with an Etchells 22
Nice summary, Colin! I’m so excited to watch this segment of the competition. I wish you all luck and following seas.
If you’d like to dig a bit deeper into the fleet statistics (and maybe add some details about particular boats and crews), here’s a Google spreadsheet I’ve been maintain — in part to compare the fleets between this year and last:
Bon voyage,
Scott in Seattle
Nice summary, Colin! I’m so excited to watch this segment of the competition. I wish you all luck and following seas.
If you’d like to dig a bit deeper into the fleet statistics (and maybe add some details about particular boats and crews), here’s a Google spreadsheet I’ve been maintain — in part to compare the fleets between this year and last:
R2AK fleets: 2015 vs 2016
Bon voyage,
Scott in Seattle
Thanks Scott!
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At Angus Rowboats, our passion for adventure naturally draws us to the mystique of the Northwest Passage – one of the world's most captivating and perilous waterways. Historically, this elusive passage promised a shorter shipping route, spurring early navigators to fervently chart and struggle through its icy intricacies.
The summer of 2023 saw three audacious teams, including one using our very own RowCruiser boats, aiming to be the first to traverse NW Passage solely by human power within a single season. As the season concludes, we've chronicled these attempts, and catalogued past human-powered endeavors to navigate the Northwest Passage.
Colin Angus
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