More on the Shipyard School Raid 2009

Andy Zimmerman has written a great account of his adventures in the Shipyard School Raid in British Columbia, which I posted about a little time ago. Andy entered in his lovely 18ft Whitehall Hornpipe, which he built himself to the Alaska design of Don Kurylko.

Andy tellingly describes the way everyone had to change from rowing to sailing and vice versa, depending on conditions.
Raiders have uploaded a bunch of pictures of the event to Flickr, including the one above showing Andy at the oars. Below is the skin-on-frame Tuvaak and Bus Bailey, a traditional handliner. Andy describes Bus Bailey's owner Colin Masson sailing and rowing downwind, by simply raising the sail, turning his back to it, and rowing. This is a technique I hope to try with my new boat.

And finally, the longboat Bear seems to be making speed under sail but mainly under the oars of the Port Townsend Sea Scouts.

Shipyard School Raid 2009

The Shipyard School Raid takes place in the rugged and beautiful scenery of British Columbia, with names like Jedediah Island and Desolation Sound. This year it was blessed with great weather, with none of the rain for which the region is famous.
Two interesting rowing boats entered.
Bus Bailey is a 1930s handliner, a sleek double ender. Owner Colin Masson rowed her to victory in one leg and an overall second place, demonstrating that you don't have to sail to win.
Tuvaak is an umiak, a skin on frame boat built by Sea Scouts in Kent, Washington, helped by kayak guru Corey Freedman. The 26ft boat can be rowed by a crew of up to twelve, though the Raid crew consisted of seven youths and two adults, so it could be sailed as well as rowed. She came fourth.