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Ping Al Aeckhart

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/24/2006 : 20:54:20

Hi Al, here is a link to a race up in your neck of the woods. It is the one at the bottom of the page. Cheers.

http://www.solosailor.org/calendar.php

Dennis
No Boat
S.E. Michigan

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2006 : 09:18:06

Dennis,

Thanks for the info. I'm interested. Maybe John Vining would like to forgo our planned trip to Isle Royale next year and try the Sault Ste Marie to Duluth solo race. We could be sailing solo yet.....not.

You mentioned in the "dingy" post that you had to have a life raft. Is that an association race requirement? If so it's a show stopper for me. Can't afford one.

Edited by - on

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2006 : 08:30:22

Hi Al, at first I was going to have to buy one, but two days ago, I talked to an old friend and he said I could use his whenever I needed.....so that is really good news because they are so frigging expensive. Cheers.

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2006 : 09:03:48

Dennis,

I emailed you on this.

In an effort to generate some interest on the forum, there seems to be a lot of folks in the Association who solo sail. Maybe we should have our own solo sailing group sanctioned by the C25/250 Capri 25 Assoc. Special patches for accomplishments? Another reason to join a great organization?

Edited by - on

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2006 : 12:09:24

Thats a great idea Al. I know there are a lot of folks that rack up some serious NMs every year. Cheers.

Edited by - on

John V.
Admiral

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USA
559 Posts

Response Posted - 08/28/2006 : 09:49:36

I had a lot of fun at the Nationals this year, and having a crew did little to prepare me for the harsh reality that as a solo sailor I have much more recovery to do before I feel comfortable again. A head injury can make easy things you once did very hard. I had to go forward to set a whisker pole and felt like I'd never been on a boat. on one occaision I had the stbd. forward lower shroud pull out of the turnbuckle while on a port tack. I set the autopilot and went forward with my tools.....just about died from the disorienting movement in 3 ft seas. never the less I did little solo cruising this summer, mostly day sailing when I had guests who could crew. last summer I had an opportunity to see the boats lining up for the trans-superior race. nothing less than 30+ ft, and most 40+ ft. Since this race is classified as an offshore race I just don't think the C25 is up to it. I love cruising in Lake Superior but I prefer to be within an hour or so of a safe harbor, or if crossing, in possesion of a really reliable weather forcast.

December 23rd will be the one year aniversary of my accident, and perhaps by then I will have my balance back. I'll be seeing the neurologist soon and may have good news but for now I'm still retraining my brain to stand upright in the dark.

Al, I have two boats in addition to mine interested in the Isle Royal rendezvous, I intend to make that my summer plan. I still would like to depart from the North entrance and start the crossing from Copper Harbor. Let me know what you think. I imagine if we get a date out there soon, we could have quite a few boats.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 08/28/2006 : 10:26:01

John, ask to be checked for BPV Benign Positional Virtigo
http://www-surgery.ucsd.edu/ent/PatientInfo/info_bppv.html
Been there, done that. Easy to deal with, horrible to ignore.

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 08/28/2006 20:54:50

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 08/28/2006 : 12:25:43

John,

North entry, Copper Harbor departure sounds good to me. Glad to hear you have others interested. Maybe we can generate more interest. I emailed Arlyn Stewart about it since, like you, he is now keeping his boat up north instead of in Texas.He'll be retiring, I guess in Ohio, in a couple of years so it makes additonal sense. I invited him either with his boat or as a guest crew.

The trip may preclude the Nationals for me but it is no skin off my nose. We'll see how it works out. Do you have a date in mind?

Edited by - aeckhart on 08/28/2006 14:00:54

John V.
Admiral

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USA
559 Posts

Response Posted - 08/28/2006 : 19:09:51

Hi Frank,
The diagnosis I got was post concussion syndrom. Given the improvements since the accident the neurologist says by the one year anniversary I should be OK. If not further tests are in order.
I see my physician in a week or so and will ask about positional vertigo. I don't get dizzy, I just lose my sense of balance.

Edited by - on

saribella
Captain

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USA
286 Posts

Response Posted - 08/28/2006 : 21:58:34

If you are talking about solo races sponsored by the GLSS I have been looking closely at this in the past few weeks. My wife wishes someone would talk me out of all of this craziness, but then again she also says I might as well do it since I stay out all night sailing anyway. I think a C 25/250/capri solo subgroup is a great idea. Maybe it could help pull regional recources for equipment for such solo events. I, for one, am going out on a qualifying passage the weekend after labor day on the Lake Michigan for next years Chicago to Mac. To late to enter the Lake Michigan Solo Scramble. I am doing a modified Solo Scramble Course from Holland to the Southern Lake Michigan Bouy and then onto Racine & back for 2 crossings, all non-stop. God only knows how I will come up with the scratch for all of the equipment next year, mainly the liferaft. I did see a few on ebay.

The equipment issue is an obviously economically complicated issue considering that all of the equipment is frightfully expensive acquiring it from scratch. Further, some of the newer sailors interested in solo events could use a little mentoring to recieve technical advice on comperable boats, build confidence, as well as reassuring a few of the wives. I know the GLSS has a mentoring program, but I beleive that organizing possible group solo cruises for qualifying passages, info/experirnce sharing (beyond this forum), etc. could be very helpful to all of us who primarily solo sail and are getting involved in solo events. If anyone else is interested, I for one will help out any way I can.

Edited by - on

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 08/28/2006 : 22:18:10

Hi Seribella, a friend of mine races the crewed mac race and will lend me his lift raft for next year's solo port huron to mac. Otherwise I'd have to rent one for $250 per race or buy one for 3K. There should be someone in your area you might be able to buy one from.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2006 : 09:27:30

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by djn
 Hi Seribella, a friend of mine races the crewed mac race and will lend me his lift raft for next year's solo port huron to mac...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Dennis,

Before you can enter the Port Huron Mac Solo Challenge you have to have 1,000 miles as the captain of a vessel and completed a solo qualifier event of not less than 100nm of at least 24 hours, under sail (no power).

As someone who has looked into taking on the Solo Mac Challenge (I even attended a GLSS safety seminar) I can say that the C25 would be the smallest (and possibly the slowest) boat in the challenge. Looking at challenge results from past years, a C25 will probably finish on day 4 which is a loooong time under sail on Lake Huron for a crewed boat let alone one being singlehanded.

One of our members has done the Chicago-to-Mackinac Solo Challenge, Greg Jackson on Compass Rose in 2001.

Edited by - dlucier on 08/29/2006 09:31:37

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2006 : 10:09:11

Hi Don, I've looked at the time issue as well. It is a long time, but not so long. I have filled out the resume and can acount for the 1000 hours but it is almost all on 18' lazer type boats. I am meeting with some of the GLSS guys on the 9th to talk about it. I am not sure how stringent they are about past experience. There are no such limits for the smaller races. Cheers.

Edited by - on

saribella
Captain

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USA
286 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2006 : 10:16:53

I may be wrong, but I thought I saw a Ranger 22 & an S2 7.9 in the last Mac Solo Challenge results...........both finished. I also do not beleive that you have to have completed a 100NM solo "event" to qualify either; but you may use the solo scramble events as a qualifying passage, but ONLY if it takes more than 24 hours to complete. In my opinion the intent of the GLSS is to ensure that a skipper has the sailing ability and endurance to make a passage under sail that takes more than 24 hours. The 1000NM requirement as a captian of a vessel is stringent one at that, and for good reason.

I, for one, will not be discouraged to strive to qualify, enter, and sail an event such as the Solo Mac Challenge. The fact that we own and sail 25 foot boats is really inconsequential in my opinion. I think we should be encouraging one another to participate in such events and open the world of water beyond the nieghborhood of our home ports. Striving to meet just the qualifying requirements are worth thier weight in gold in experience to any skipper weather one runs the race or not. Personally, I thrive on adversity and am constantly challenging myself to go faster and farther in my Capri. It might just be the thing that keeps me young.

Edited by - saribella on 08/29/2006 10:46:13

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2006 : 10:44:31

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by saribella
 I may be wrong, but I thought I saw a Ranger 22 & an S2 7.9 in the last chicago mac races...........both finished.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Were these boats entered in the Solo Challenge or the regular Chicago/Mac race?

Boats participating in the Solo Challenge must be a minimum of 25ft and no longer than 50ft. This would exclude the Ranger 22 from competition.

Edited by - dlucier on 08/29/2006 10:54:33

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2006 : 11:02:08

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by saribella
 ..I also do not beleive that you have to have completed a 100NM solo "event" to qualify either; but you may use the solo scramble events as a qualifying passage, but ONLY if it takes more than 24 hours to complete...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

The Lake Michigan Solo Scramble is 110nm so it meets the 100nm requirement for entry in the Mac Challenge, but only if, as you stated, the total elapsed time is longer than 24 hours.

Edited by - on

saribella
Captain

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USA
286 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2006 : 11:06:23

Don I hat to take the wind out of your sails, but I am wrong, it was a Ranger 23 not a 22, and the boat name is Jacelyn. http://www.solosailor.org/twinners.php#Soo-Duluth-Records for the boat make & http://www.solosailor.org/pdfs/mac2006fin.pdf Check under the Huron Class results.

Edited by - saribella on 08/29/2006 11:07:43

saribella
Captain

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USA
286 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2006 : 11:19:08

I am not so sure it would take me quite that long (83 hours) to finsish seeing that my Capri out paced a Catalina 30 on a single port tack Sunday morning. It was a steady 15kt north wind, 2-4 ft waves (every bit of 4), on a broad reach for a solid 8KM bearing 210 deg before he gave up trying to over-take me and headed in, and that being I was even over canvassed. I think a C25 has an excellent chance of doing well in a solo challenge.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2006 : 11:23:22

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by saribella
 Don I hate to take the wind out of your sails,...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

You need not worry about that!

As to the Ranger 23 competing in the solo challenge, I'm somewhat surprised that the GLSS waived the boat length requirement of 25' for this entry. The GLSS safety seminar I attended made clear that the rules for participating were non-negotiable. As a matter of fact, in the year I attended the seminar they had just made tethers mandatory and there was quite the heated debate amongst the GLSS members concerning this, but the result was, if you want to compete you must follow the rules or be disqualified.

Edited by - on

saribella
Captain

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USA
286 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2006 : 11:25:21

I am not doubting you at all Don, but the facts do speak for themselves. Maybe they waived he LOA requirement being that the skipper was extremely experienced. Wouldn't it be funny if 10 or more catalina 25's entered the race. That would put them on thier ears. HAHA

Edited by - saribella on 08/29/2006 11:28:01

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