I am Chris Fagan from Team Holopuni. I just want to thank everyone for your support throughout our R2AK experience. I'd like to give a special shout out to the Canadian Coast Guard. We were lucky to have such caring professionals come to help us in our time of need. And thanks to all the folks who put on the R2AK--a top notch, high quality team all around.
I feel your pain. In the 2018 Pailolo Challenge (Maui to Moloka’i) our 6-man canoe flipped in 25 knot wind and 4 to 6 foot surf. Coast Gaud and race officials demanded that we abandon our $20K canoe. The next day our canoe was recovered unharmed. But our egos will likely never recover. “Surender to me an I will let you live.” -The Sea
"We're all in our fifties..." I feel you, as I'm now in my (early) seventies, and look back on my fifties as some years of real vigor! You took a beautiful boat into some of the most challenging inshore waters in the world. Congratulations.
Absolute respect for the crew. We have been following since the viewing party in the Inner Harbour, Victoria and are so glad you made the right decisions on the way and are all safe.
We bring a 5 gallon bucket plus 2 or 3 one gallon bailers in workouts a raced in our 6-man outrigger canoes. You have to work fast and hard to quickly bail out a canoe. Not easy especially when you are already exhausted and cold.
This just proofs that the boats are never the problem, it is the crew. When you sail in ruff weather with this kind of a boat, more a kayak, use sprayskirts. I've been doing ocean kayaking, and my expitidiotin kayak from pvc, you could open it all the way back and forth, had a sprayskirt, and fully loaded, i was under water more than over it when i did some surfing on downwind. No problem as long as you keep the bopat/kayak protected. It is when the elements starts to show teeth it is fun, and it also shows if you got any spine. Ocean and sea, lakes, river, it is from water, so yes, it gets wet. If you can't take it, go with a cruise ship.
As stated in the video, the spray skirt was punctured during the storm. This just proofs the crew is never the problem, just armchair sailors posting dumb comments.
Less internal volume + positive buoyancy even when flooded (like a sea kayak) PLUS electric bilge pumps + back up fixed hand pumps PLUS self draining cockpits would seem to be the solution to this problem? It is the difference between a 'Canadian'/open canoe and a sea kayak with a small cockpit hole and firm spray skirt fitted with electric bilge pump with a substantial battery and back up hand fixed pump? I am surprised the race organisers allow boats without these features to enter.
Bullshit. First time I saw that boat in earlier clips all I could think was "what a stupid design." You had to have help, that disqualifies you, you didn't make it. You can be proud of what you accomplished in that boat for sure, but sounds like that lady has the "everyone gets a trophy" mentality.
