Blackburn Challenge 2015

I do not know why, but for some reason the software added my walk back through town to the high school from last year to this years track. At any rate the seas this year were much more difficult than last year. Hit in the nose by 3 foot seas as soon as we exited the Annisquam river. Spent about a half minute helping an unlimited surfski get back in his boat at swamp 1, Then 50 minutes later helped two unlimited surfskis get back in their boats, one swamped trying to help the other. Only about 7:37 minutes slower than last year and about 8 minutes was lost giving aid. Everyone I talked to felt that this was the most difficult Blackburn that they could remember.

Post script: the race committee asked for narratives from those involved in rescues, accordingly, I sent them the following:

I helped rescue 3 surfskis yesterday.

The first about 800 feet SW of the Annisquam River light. I only lost about a 30 seconds there, which I confirmed with my GPS track. There was another boat that got there a few seconds before me and the paddler, in retrospect, was very skilled at getting back into his boat.

The next two were off Folly Cove. I watched a guy struggle for about 30 seconds and realized he was not as skilled as the Annisquam River Light paddler, and altered course to help him. As I was pulling up to his stern, another surfski was arriving to help. That second surfski swamped while I was retrieving the first guys paddle. I went to help the first guy as others were arriving. After a couple tries, I found that the best way to help a surski is to right the boat, flop my body over the stern, and grab onto the rudder (as there are no perimeter lines.) Stabilize the boat while the paddler climbs in, AND gets both legs into the boat. I let him go of the boat when he had both legs off to the starboard side, and went to the second guy who was still in the water.

After learning all this the hard way, I was able to get the second guy upright and going at which point he said "Thank you and that I had taken 5 minutes to help him." I then looked around and saw that the first guy was back in the water, but as there were already a half dozen more boats around, I continued with my race. Checking my GPS track after the race I reckon I lost about 7:30 at the second location.

For a total of 8 minutes lost.

I was not as physically trashed by this year's event. This I attribute to spending several hours making the cockpit surround the ideal dimensions, lowering my seat and thereby my center of gravity in the boat, and giving the seat the proper contours for comfort. Most significantly, I am in better shape.