SandyBottom's Sea Kayaking and Other Adventures: Wizard is at it Again

The WaterTribe Ultimate Challenge, a 1,200 mile circumnavigation of Florida (with 40 mile portage), which I participated and completed in 2006, seems so small now. Check out the route below for another longer race.

I was surfing the web when I came upon the website Around In Ten, about "A single han

ded race around the world in ten foot boats", starting January 2009. Of particular interest to me was that one of the 4 declared racers is Wizard, WaterTribe alumni Matt Layden.

This is right up Wizard's alley, as he's all about the efficiency of small boats, and is well known for designing "micro-cruisers". Read more about Wizard in some articles on the small boats he's built and used in previous WaterTribe events on Wayfarer's Website:

1 - 13.5' Kayak for 300 Mile Race? Matt Layden's Expedition Rob Royoid

2 - Matt Layden - Wizard of the WaterTribe

Matt also wrote the WaterTribe article "Everglades Challenge in the Rob Royoid Canoe", which also provides an insight into his philosophy on small boats.

Also check out the website Microcruising. It also has pictures and descriptions of many of the micro cruisers Matt has designed in the past.

Good luck Matt!

Now I'm just hoping my son Alan (SOS) doesn't get any bright ideas :)

About SandyBottom

A senior with 2 kids grown and flown, married to Paul 30 years, a recently retired medical researcher, and was a sometime adventurer. Now, its ALL about the adventure. I was born and raised in Hawaii, and have a love of the outdoors, camping, the beach, and the ocean. I started paddling with white water in 1981 when I met my husband. My first real sea kayaking experience was actually on a sit-on-top in Kailua Bay on the Island of Oahu in 1987 while we were visiting family. Two children and years later, a chance opportunity to try sea kayaking again in 1996 resulted in a love and passion that provides me with fun, excitement, relaxation and/or exercise, and most of all, adventure. I’ve not stopped since.

More About SandyBottom

Paddling expeditions have included a 2001 NC coastal expedition, 2003 month-long expedition in SW Newfoundland, 2006 Lake Michigan expedition, 2009 Georgia Coast paddle. Paddling Challenges/Races include 2004 - 2013 WaterTribe Everglades Challenges, 2006 (solo) and 2012 (teamed with son) WaterTribe Ultimate Florida Challenge, 2011-2012 Watertribe NC Challenge, and the 2007 Missouri River 340.

Other challenges have included various triathlons including 2 half Ironman, BCU4* certification, Level 3 ACA Coastal Sea Kayak Instructor Certification. More recently, I've been learning to sail on our home built Core Sound 20 sailboat "Dawn Patrol".

Hopefully much more still to come as I start to work on my HUGE bucket list.

4 comments:

Captn O Dark 30 and Super Boo said...: Wow... what an adventure that will be... Alan called and asked if I had any more sails!!! :-) just kidding.; 7:57 AM
Kristen said...: And Alan just called me for a year's supply of dried mango!; 12:07 PM
Michael said...: I'd need a 20 foot boat just for my mango supply... ;-)

I just finished reading William Longyard's A Speck on the Sea which I recommend to anyone thinking about one of these voyages in a micro-boat...; 6:03 PM
bonnie said...: I'd read about that over on Edward's EVK4 Superblog. It is the wildest thing. I just can't imagine it.; 12:17 PM