I agree, I don't think it's necessary to have a full rowing station on an M boat for R2AK. Special sails for extreme light winds, a sculling or SUP oar, and some kind of dinghy that can tow would all be fine IMO. A full batten main with a preventer and a nylon 'windseeker' jib will ghost along an M boat at about rowing speeds even when there seems to be zero wind. There is never really zero wind if the sun is up and there is a shoreline nearby, there is always a thermal heating gradient causing light winds near the shoreline. I once rowed my M15 several miles with a canoe oar, sitting high up on a pile of PFDs and my feet down in the cockpit locker, and it was fine, I felt I could cover distance that way if absolutely necessary. Sincerely, Tyler Sage 17 #0 Goshawk ----- Original Message ----- From: tdelacy@wavecable.com To: "For and about Montgomery Sailboats" <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com>, "scoobscobie" <scoobscobie@gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 6, 2023 7:48:41 PM Subject: M_Boats: Re: R2AK I concur with Dave. After completing the 70/48 twice in my 17 foot kayak, my bucket list now includes completing stage 1 of the R2AK, Port Townsend to Victoria in my other 17 foot boat. However, after all the refurbishment effort, I am not putting oars on my M17. If Lynn and Larry Pardey could figure out how to push Seraffyn with a sculling oar, maybe I could figure out how to push my M17 with a similar device. Could always use the dingy to pull the boat into Victoria harbor. The advantage of only doing stage 1, if the weather is terrible, I hang out Siren's pub in Port Townsend drink a beer and go home, if the wind fails and I don't arrive in Victoria on time, nothing lost. When the wind picks up after the allowed time has past, return to Port Townsend and Siren's still seems like a good fall back. The best part about the adventure races is the comradery (sp?). There are those looking to win and those looking for the adventure. I think it was the Noddy Scamp crew that captured the spirit of the adventure that I want to emulate. Neat people that chatted with everybody dockside when they participated in R2AK's stage 1 a couple of years back. Tim de Lacy M17 hull #333