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--- races:la_conner_2020 [2020/09/12 03:23]
preavley
+++ races:la_conner_2020 [2025/03/23 22:09] (current)
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 We already did the big downwind race, y’all must’ve missed it, which is understandable because the first rule of winter downwind racing is… Nevermind. Promise to let you know next time, afterwards.
-**La Conner Race....Windy, Calm, Lots of current....\\
+**La Conner Race….Windy, Calm, Lots of current….\\
 Pmarcus** \\
-Feb 1  #25967
+Feb 1 #25967
-**Glad Rod got the race off!  Thank you Safety Boats and volunteers!!**
+**Glad Rod got the race off! Thank you Safety Boats and volunteers!!**
 **The Westerly** had turned early and was blowing pretty well then it decided that wasn't enough and then "ramped" up even more right before the start, Smith Island just to the West a few miles. was recording puffs close to 50 but in the slough probably gusting to 30 but steady swirling 20 to 25??
-...**The start**...well, the current was going so hard and with the wind that if you turned too early to set up for the start that you were back paddling with all your might to stay even. A bunch of racers actually turned into the current so they could hold still in one place right before the final horn, which got a few people out of position and it was a mad scramble to get going when the gun did go off. Bunch of Skis jumped into the lead with youngsters, but really fast youngsters, Jonas, etc and Double HPK's, Jason and Derek and Elena and Kevin and Igor and his partner leading the way. Followed closely by speedy Mike and Eric in an OC 2 and Peter Hirtle and partner in a 2 MX Shell. The current was rocking and added to 1.5 to 3 knots to your boat speed on the way out. Turn Mark was a Green Buoy about 2.5 miles North on the Slough. The wind tried to dampen and put you in a Dark Mood, one moment it was with you in a gust then 20 seconds later against you in a gust...
+…**The start**…well, the current was going so hard and with the wind that if you turned too early to set up for the start that you were back paddling with all your might to stay even. A bunch of racers actually turned into the current so they could hold still in one place right before the final horn, which got a few people out of position and it was a mad scramble to get going when the gun did go off. Bunch of Skis jumped into the lead with youngsters, but really fast youngsters, Jonas, etc and Double HPK's, Jason and Derek and Elena and Kevin and Igor and his partner leading the way. Followed closely by speedy Mike and Eric in an OC 2 and Peter Hirtle and partner in a 2 MX Shell. The current was rocking and added to 1.5 to 3 knots to your boat speed on the way out. Turn Mark was a Green Buoy about 2.5 miles North on the Slough. The wind tried to dampen and put you in a Dark Mood, one moment it was with you in a gust then 20 seconds later against you in a gust…
 **Once you turned the fun began.**.current and more current and then Neptune really was having fun, steady 25 in the face the last mile or so! Strategy was to get over to the West back and be about two feet off the shore and play what little back eddies and slower water was to have. You were weaving in and out of branches sticking out and submerged objects that an hour later would have been high and dry on the Ebb. Then Logs and Log Booms came into play, you could sort of hug behind some of the booms and logs to get a little advantage on the current but then at some point you had to get out into the uphill battle of the elements to get around them or cut inside of them. A few of us choose the latter and got lucky with a back eddy on the inside which made up for our **lack of fitness**, but also a little Carbon got left behind on a submerged Log Chain :(
-The last 1/4 mile was snarly, 2 to 3 knot current and 20 plus wind in the face and strengthening...Kim R even said the quote of the day...her GPS alarm sounded off because it went into "**PAUSE MODE**!" Yes, the current was moving!! In the end, we all finished and were glad we did it...I think...and Paul C (Elastic Designs) made some STELLAR Awards for First Overall in Men's, Women's and Mixed. Rod and crew and safety boats had the soup machine going and thanked us all for racing and being a little crazy!!! Also  a new award was  presented to Rod and Peter H for participating in all Sound Rower Races last year....
+The last 1/4 mile was snarly, 2 to 3 knot current and 20 plus wind in the face and strengthening…Kim R even said the quote of the day…her GPS alarm sounded off because it went into "**PAUSE MODE**!" Yes, the current was moving!! In the end, we all finished and were glad we did it…I think…and Paul C (Elastic Designs) made some STELLAR Awards for First Overall in Men's, Women's and Mixed. Rod and crew and safety boats had the soup machine going and thanked us all for racing and being a little crazy!!! Also a new award was presented to Rod and Peter H for participating in all Sound Rower Races last year….
-**Next up for SR is March 21 the Bellingham Bay Rough Water Race** (can't make any promises Alan L  :) )
+**Next up for SR is March 21 the Bellingham Bay Rough Water Race** (can't make any promises Alan L :) )
 Cheers!
 **Kevin Olney** \\
-Feb 1  #25972
+Feb 1 #25972
 Results:\\
-https://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=209331
+[[https://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=209331|https://www.webscorer.com/racedetails?raceid=209331]]
 **lori & beau whitehead**
@@ Line 155: / Line 155: @@
 The log boom scenario reminds me of the Around Manhattan Island (NY) race a while back when the two guys behind me went under the barge at the start in a 4 knot current. They rolled along the bottom and popped up 40 ft later on the downstream side. As they say, there isn't much interesting underneath a barge (or probably a log boom either).\\
 Larry B
+**La Conner Heads up & Deception Pass** \\
+Paul Reavley\\
+Feb 1  #25969
+Nice race descriptions. The only reason I caught Denise or stayed with Bob McB. on way back to bridge in La Conner was because I stayed closer to shore and caught more of the micro eddies on the way back to the finish. Michael Lampi apparently did some damage to one of his pontoon amas running into something. Sorry, Michael - but did you document it with photos?
+On the tidal race front, initial report is that Deception was not deceiving - it was cranking. Wilson, Tom and Ana S. and DJ braved huge waves with telephone poles floating in the water. Ana says it was the biggest waves she has paddled and Wilson says he would say the same if he hadn't been to South Africa this winter. There should be video to view.
+**Michael Lampi** \\
+Feb 2  #25973
+I made the mistake of going inside the last two log booms. The second to last log boom was closed at the upstream end, so after a bit of effort managed to turn around and head back - and lost all that I had gained from going inside the previous log boom. I could see the last log boom exited with enough clearance, but it was too shallow and I managed to completely foul my propeller. I didn't recognize the danger of the current pushing towards the log boom and instead worked to clear the propeller. It was too late, and my boat was jammed against the log boom.
+I should have tried to get the attention of the safety boat to have them pull me away from the log boom, but instead I decided to try other things. Meanwhile, several other racers paddled by asking if I needed help, but there was really nothing any of them could do.\\
+With a lot of effort I was able to slowly inch my way to the downstream end, but got stuck with the ama on one side of the piling and the hull on the other. I then tried to rotate the stern of the boat into the current, hoping to do a 180 degree turn. Unfortunately, the bow then got stuck against another log in the boom and the boat was now firmly wedged. Trying to back off eventually overtaxed the aluminum welds of the aka supports, and I now had two boats: the red hulled central boat and the amas. I was sitting with my butt in the water and legs over the front aka and my arm on the seat.
+I finally waved my paddle and got the attention of the safety boat, and they came over and were able to pull me (sitting on the boat pieces) away from the log boom. It was a bit later when we tried to simply tow me back to the dock when the current caught the boat and amas and the force was too much for the akas. It's amazing how much those tubes can bend before they break!
+Anyway, while I did take some photos of the finish while stuck, the only photos I took after boat disintegration were accidental, and don't show much of anything.
+Thanks again to the wonderful Search and Rescue Team!
+**Kimberly Reeves** \\
+Feb 2  #25974
+Michael...
+I am so sorry that your boat was terribly damaged and relieved it was just the boat. How can Whatcom Paddlers assist you in rebuilding your craft? Would a gofundme account help to mitigate costs? Just say the word...
+Kim
+**Michael Lampi** \\
+Feb 2  #25977
+Hi Kim,
+Thank you for your concern.
+While I don't need any monetary support to repair my boat I can definitely use assistance in finding a reliable supplier of fiberglass tubing (1.365" OD by 0.070" wall or slightly more) in 42" (or thereabouts) lengths. The previous supplier I used (Nimbus Paddles) has gone out of business.
+I would like to replace all 4 of my akas even though only one broke. The one aka I saw that was temporarily bent  into a U didn't break but is likely to be compromised - and I didn't see how the others fared.
+I have plenty of aluminum and did all the welding previously, so repair of the aka supports is not a problem.
+Thanks again!
+Michael Lampi

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