Thanks so much for putting this together (and I look forward to the return trip video too). I've been following the R2AK since the beginning (from Ontario) and after watching your trip north I think your approach has a lot of merit for those of us not going for the overall win. By sailing only during the day you're maximizing the amazing experience of the scenery along the way (I've never seen it, so this is only based on comments and shares from others) and reducing the risks (all the logs that passed you by seem to confirm this). It also seems like the G32 is a perfect boat, able to handle the conditions well. And having your stellar light air performance saves an awful lot of peddling/rowing. Once again, thankyou. I'm still hoping that one year we'll be able to make it out for the race.
If you extrapolate that the video segments were shot during the times Russell felt comfortable enough to grab a camera and trust the autopilot, some of the video of deadheads going by at speed will inspire caution. I'd hate to see the conditions when he was too busy/worried to use the camera! I think the singlehanded race is very different from those who have two or more crew. Ten seconds looking off course and your boat could be damaged beyond repair. The Gougeon 32 looks like a spectacular choice for the R2AK. I wish there were more than 14 built!
Do you know of any for sale? I would love to work out a way to import to Australia. I know it's an older design but it has very forward thinking concepts for a trailer craft.
I wonder if the Australian gentleman could get someone to fabricate this design out of aluminum seeing the multitude of small craft built of aluminum in NZ and AUZ? can plans and offsets still be found for this boat.
I wouldn't do it, in order to get any weight benefit of aluminum on a craft this small you'd have to make the aluminum really really thin unless you used sandwich construction and if you build it like a normal aluminum power boat the hull would be thick enough that it's too heavy. Conventional aluminum construction doesn't really start to become viable on a strength/weight basis until you get up to the 50-60 foot range for catamarans, which one reason why all production multihulls that sail worth a darn under 60 feet are made of composite.
Hey Russell, Love the G32. But took a bit of reading before I got the whole concept. But can you answer a quick question? Why is it so narrow? Was it to make it easy to trailer? Also, what's that "naked" autopilot?
Thanks so much for putting this together (and I look forward to the return trip video too). I've been following the R2AK since the beginning (from Ontario) and after watching your trip north I think your approach has a lot of merit for those of us not going for the overall win. By sailing only during the day you're maximizing the amazing experience of the scenery along the way (I've never seen it, so this is only based on comments and shares from others) and reducing the risks (all the logs that passed you by seem to confirm this).
It also seems like the G32 is a perfect boat, able to handle the conditions well. And having your stellar light air performance saves an awful lot of peddling/rowing.
Once again, thankyou. I'm still hoping that one year we'll be able to make it out for the race.
That is one very nicely set up cat, great thought out design and with performance to match. thank you for the upload, inspiring
Great video and it was great racing with you!
If you extrapolate that the video segments were shot during the times Russell felt comfortable enough to grab a camera and trust the autopilot, some of the video of deadheads going by at speed will inspire caution. I'd hate to see the conditions when he was too busy/worried to use the camera! I think the singlehanded race is very different from those who have two or more crew. Ten seconds looking off course and your boat could be damaged beyond repair.
The Gougeon 32 looks like a spectacular choice for the R2AK. I wish there were more than 14 built!
Thanks for video, Russell. Makes me wish for something light and narrow.
Steve
Its very fast but with such a narrow beam what keeps it from tipping over?
Should be a class and $$$ prizes/incentives for vessels under 20' LOA single handed in all future R2AK - the ultimate test.
She is quick!
Do you know of any for sale? I would love to work out a way to import to Australia. I know it's an older design but it has very forward thinking concepts for a trailer craft.
You need to search and most likely be prepared for a project.
Very Pleasant
I wonder if the Australian gentleman could get someone to fabricate this design out of aluminum seeing the multitude of small craft built of aluminum in NZ and AUZ? can plans and offsets still be found for this boat.
I wouldn't do it, in order to get any weight benefit of aluminum on a craft this small you'd have to make the aluminum really really thin unless you used sandwich construction and if you build it like a normal aluminum power boat the hull would be thick enough that it's too heavy. Conventional aluminum construction doesn't really start to become viable on a strength/weight basis until you get up to the 50-60 foot range for catamarans, which one reason why all production multihulls that sail worth a darn under 60 feet are made of composite.
Hey Russell,
Love the G32. But took a bit of reading before I got the whole concept. But can you answer a quick question? Why is it so narrow? Was it to make it easy to trailer?
Also, what's that "naked" autopilot?
I want one.