Some Photos from R2AK.  Elsie Piddock will live forever as the first boat to finish the inaugural Race to Alaska.  Al, Matt, and Graeme will never forget it either!

The Finish, and the Home Stretch

$10,000 and what was left of the tree...

For more information go to R2AK.com

Kotuku's winter cruising plans

It pained me to miss Round The County this year.  First time since we have owned the boat.  But work has been crazy and I spent the week in Orlando, FL at a Dive Show (as in SCUBA, not Dive Bars.)

Kotuku hasn't been on the race course much.  But she has been a fish killing machine.  We estimate something like 50 fish between the girls and I.  Janna may have caught a few as well, but since she isn't here these evening she isn't bragging about all the salmon she caught.

This winter look for us in Port Townsend, Langley, and Rosario as we do our traditional winter cruise.  Hope to see you out there!

Sailing into the Sunset

Team Elsie Piddock had a great night sail on Friday night.  After a fast session with Alex Simanis from Ballard Sails--Nice jib, HUGE roach--in which we regularly hit 14 knots, and up to 10.5 upwind, we headed back to the marina to tighten the rig down.  All that new high tech rigging stretches under load, and we had her loaded up a bit.

Then back into the night.  The wind was down, and then up again as we rocked into Elliott Bay.  The boat goes as fast as the wind.  Literally.  It feels wickedly fast, but completely in control.  We have to wear funny costumes to have this much fun though!

 Yes, I have a Pencil Neck.

 No, you can't have the helm back!

Cuts like hot knife through butter...

A beautiful city, a beautiful boat, and a fine evening for a sail!

Wanted to give a big THANK YOU to all who have helped get us to the start line.  Thank you UCO for the running lights and headlamps, thanks to ESBIT and Light My Fire for the food jugs and Titanium sporks.  Thanks Morakniv for the knives.  Thank you KIND for all the bars, bars, bars.  Thank you Alex and the team at Ballard Sails for the rigging help, and the jib.  Oh my, what a jib!  (Kotuku has a ton of fast sails from Ballard Sails too.  Fast sails win races!)

Most of all we want to say THANK YOU to Alan, Jennifer, and Katie.  Whose beautiful, fast, safe boat Elsie Piddock will carry us to Alaska.  Without your support and hard work, our dream would be just that.  Thanks for trusting us with her, and for sharing in this adventure with us.

Soon now, we race.  North.  Tomorrow.  

Ride, Elsie Ride!

R2AK Team Ellie Piddock (Formerly known as Team Kotuku)

Just a quick shout out to those who may not have heard:  Al Hughes, Graeme Esarey, and Matt Steverson have entered the Race to Alaska.  We leave June 4th, have one stopover in Victoria, and then take off for Ketchikan, Alaska.  Non-stop, hopefully.  No motors allowed, no outside assistance.

Skipper Al Hughes

 Graeme Esarey

Matt Steverson

"It's like the Iditarod, but with a chance of drowning."  Or so they say.  We think it sounds like great fun, and we have borrowed the Alan Trimble's F-25C (formerly known as Makika) so that we can get up there as fast as we can.  Apparently there will be $10,000 nailed to a tree for the winner.  Second place gets a set of steak knives.

 (Elsie Piddock, back when she was Makika)

There is a tracker, and a wonderful website.  Please follow us and visit the site for updates:

www.R2AK.com