Just a quick summary of our first attempt with #375 Sick Chicken. Decided to leave our Honda 2.3 in Bellingham and make the 50 + mile trip last Friday. Took 2 days with light air and adverse currents. Rigged up oars attached to the winches and stood up in the cockpit rowing with one hatch board in place to brace. Monday we ran into the above with 6’ seas and 30 knot winds. Cracked our tiller when we fell on it a little but fortunately had a board we had used before and after carefully sailing out of the Strait’ s ferocious wind and waves managed to get steerage. We were planning on only going to Victoria as my son had a flight he had to make Thursday - we decided with no break in the weather - to try to sail towards Bellingham. Dropped reefed mainsail and used just a furled up 130% jib. Hung on and steered around the breaking waves as we worked up Whitbey Island. Running 5 knots until we finally caught a favored flood. Recap on gps showed 56 miles including rowing out and the 30 min replacing our tiller - average speed 4.9 with a max of 11.7. During the flood tide - we stayed above 9 knots for hours. Unbelievable trip! Our boat came through beautifully - despite launching occasionally and crashing down the backs of waves as well as taking a couple of waves over the bow - we always felt in control and confident in this boat. Coast Guard Duty Captain said he had never seen it worse and in fact shut down the race on Tuesday after Monday’s 3 capsizes and 4 rescues. Disappointed that we didn’t get across but over 100 miles with no motor and severe conditions just reinforces my feeling for M-17 !! This is one tough boat! Next year! John Taussig Sick Chicken #375. M-17 Sent from my iPad
I was watching. Impressive effort & congrats on holding it all together. Good to hear that the boat was equal to the task - as was the crew. Well done! Ken Sage 17 #28 Sent from my iPhone
On Jun 18, 2022, at 2:21 PM, John Taussig <jwt2339@gmail.com> wrote:
Just a quick summary of our first attempt with #375 Sick Chicken. Decided to leave our Honda 2.3 in Bellingham and make the
50 + mile trip last Friday. Took 2 days with light air and adverse currents. Rigged up oars attached to the winches and stood up in the cockpit rowing with one hatch board in place to brace. Monday we ran into the above with 6’ seas and 30 knot winds. Cracked our tiller when we fell on it a little but fortunately had a board we had used before and after carefully sailing out of the Strait’ s ferocious wind and waves managed to get steerage. We were planning on only going to Victoria as my son had a flight he had to make Thursday - we decided with no break in the weather - to try to sail towards Bellingham. Dropped reefed mainsail and used just a furled up 130% jib. Hung on and steered around the breaking waves as we worked up Whitbey Island. Running 5 knots until we finally caught a favored flood. Recap on gps showed 56 miles including rowing out and the 30 min replacing our tiller - average speed 4.9 with a max of 11.7. During the flood tide - we stayed above 9 knots for hours. Unbelievable trip! Our boat came through beautifully - despite launching occasionally and crashing down the backs of waves as well as taking a couple of waves over the bow - we always felt in control and confident in this boat. Coast Guard Duty Captain said he had never seen it worse and in fact shut down the race on Tuesday after Monday’s 3 capsizes and 4 rescues. Disappointed that we didn’t get across but over 100 miles with no motor and severe conditions just reinforces my feeling for M-17 !! This is one tough boat! Next year! John Taussig Sick Chicken #375. M-17
Sent from my iPad
Yeah, congrats on managing that intensity and getting back in one piece safe and sound. I didn't realize the R2AK had started already, went and checked the site after your post here, and read about the stage one mayhem...whew! Worst the coasties had ever seen the strait...that says a lot! Thankfully all people safe and sound! Sounds like it was more intense even than the inaugural year's mayhem (2015), which didn't happen until further into the race, after the stage 1 to Victoria. There were some rescues and lost boats in that one but also all the people safe. cheers, John On 6/18/22 20:56, Kenneth D Tothero wrote:
I was watching. Impressive effort & congrats on holding it all together. Good to hear that the boat was equal to the task - as was the crew.
Well done!
Ken Sage 17 #28
Sent from my iPhone
On Jun 18, 2022, at 2:21 PM, John Taussig <jwt2339@gmail.com> wrote:
Just a quick summary of our first attempt with #375 Sick Chicken. Decided to leave our Honda 2.3 in Bellingham and make the
50 + mile trip last Friday. Took 2 days with light air and adverse currents. Rigged up oars attached to the winches and stood up in the cockpit rowing with one hatch board in place to brace. Monday we ran into the above with 6’ seas and 30 knot winds. Cracked our tiller when we fell on it a little but fortunately had a board we had used before and after carefully sailing out of the Strait’ s ferocious wind and waves managed to get steerage. We were planning on only going to Victoria as my son had a flight he had to make Thursday - we decided with no break in the weather - to try to sail towards Bellingham. Dropped reefed mainsail and used just a furled up 130% jib. Hung on and steered around the breaking waves as we worked up Whitbey Island. Running 5 knots until we finally caught a favored flood. Recap on gps showed 56 miles including rowing out and the 30 min replacing our tiller - average speed 4.9 with a max of 11.7. During the flood tide - we stayed above 9 knots for hours. Unbelievable trip! Our boat came through beautifully - despite launching occasionally and crashing down the backs of waves as well as taking a couple of waves over the bow - we always felt in control and confident in this boat. Coast Guard Duty Captain said he had never seen it worse and in fact shut down the race on Tuesday after Monday’s 3 capsizes and 4 rescues. Disappointed that we didn’t get across but over 100 miles with no motor and severe conditions just reinforces my feeling for M-17 !! This is one tough boat! Next year! John Taussig Sick Chicken #375. M-17
Sent from my iPad
-- John Schinnerer - M.A., Whole Systems Design -------------------------------------------- - Eco-Living - Whole Systems Design Services People - Place - Learning - Integration john@eco-living.net - 510.982.1334 http://eco-living.net http://sociocracyconsulting.com
Good effort…👍 Sent from my iPad
On Jun 18, 2022, at 10:12 PM, John Schinnerer via montgomery_boats <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> wrote:
Yeah, congrats on managing that intensity and getting back in one piece safe and sound.
I didn't realize the R2AK had started already, went and checked the site after your post here, and read about the stage one mayhem...whew! Worst the coasties had ever seen the strait...that says a lot! Thankfully all people safe and sound!
Sounds like it was more intense even than the inaugural year's mayhem (2015), which didn't happen until further into the race, after the stage 1 to Victoria. There were some rescues and lost boats in that one but also all the people safe.
cheers, John
On 6/18/22 20:56, Kenneth D Tothero wrote: I was watching. Impressive effort & congrats on holding it all together. Good to hear that the boat was equal to the task - as was the crew. Well done! Ken Sage 17 #28 Sent from my iPhone
On Jun 18, 2022, at 2:21 PM, John Taussig <jwt2339@gmail.com> wrote:
Just a quick summary of our first attempt with #375 Sick Chicken. Decided to leave our Honda 2.3 in Bellingham and make the
50 + mile trip last Friday. Took 2 days with light air and adverse currents. Rigged up oars attached to the winches and stood up in the cockpit rowing with one hatch board in place to brace. Monday we ran into the above with 6’ seas and 30 knot winds. Cracked our tiller when we fell on it a little but fortunately had a board we had used before and after carefully sailing out of the Strait’ s ferocious wind and waves managed to get steerage. We were planning on only going to Victoria as my son had a flight he had to make Thursday - we decided with no break in the weather - to try to sail towards Bellingham. Dropped reefed mainsail and used just a furled up 130% jib. Hung on and steered around the breaking waves as we worked up Whitbey Island. Running 5 knots until we finally caught a favored flood. Recap on gps showed 56 miles including rowing out and the 30 min replacing our tiller - average speed 4.9 with a max of 11.7. During the flood tide - we stayed above 9 knots for hours. Unbelievable trip! Our boat came through beautifully - despite launching occasionally and crashing down the backs of waves as well as taking a couple of waves over the bow - we always felt in control and confident in this boat. Coast Guard Duty Captain said he had never seen it worse and in fact shut down the race on Tuesday after Monday’s 3 capsizes and 4 rescues. Disappointed that we didn’t get across but over 100 miles with no motor and severe conditions just reinforces my feeling for M-17 !! This is one tough boat! Next year! John Taussig Sick Chicken #375. M-17
Sent from my iPad
-- John Schinnerer - M.A., Whole Systems Design -------------------------------------------- - Eco-Living - Whole Systems Design Services People - Place - Learning - Integration john@eco-living.net - 510.982.1334 http://eco-living.net http://sociocracyconsulting.com
participants (4)
-
Bob Eeg -
John Schinnerer -
John Taussig -
Kenneth D Tothero