Mosquito in Motion

6:41am  at Ft Desoto Beach on March 5, 2012

Looking Back

The EC was the first leg of Team B&B's Ultimate Florida Challenge adventure.   Traveling in straight lines, a path down the EC course could be as short as about 280 miles  --if not going through the Wilderness Waterway which adds about 30 miles.  Most challengers travel more than 280.  For boats with sails, tacking adds mileage.

SandyBottom said their path this week measured 349.8 miles (which includes tacking).   Their max speed was 15.3 knots.   The average speed when moving (which includes times when heaved-to) was 6.1 knots.  She said "We were surprised that in head winds fully reefed we were often moving at 12 knots.  The wind and sea state had us with mainsail reefed throughout the EC except for today (CP3 to Key Largo) when we sailed with the mainsail fully deployed. We rarely used the jib except when needing it to maneuver better in headwinds. Alan very pleased with upwind performance which included being able to sail 45 degrees off the wind."

Here is a video by Danitio:  Key Largo arrival of the "Mosquito" at 8:00pm ...    (Thanks, Danito!!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt5kGwp6M3Q

Looking Forward

With a little time in Key Largo,  SB and SOS have rested and finished the repairs, resupplying, and improvements needed. They reported this evening that they are aiming to cross Biscayne Bay tomorrow and then stop to sleep. They're aiming to wake up at 5am tomorrow morning and then be ready to sail away at about 7am.

Stage Points (SP) and deadlines for the other legs of the Ultimate Florida Challenge are as follows:

SP0  Fort DeSoto     27.6230° -82.7097°     3/03/12  07:00
                                 -- Beach for start of the adventure races

SP1  Key Largo        25.0931° -80.4445°     3/10/12 12:00      
                                 -- Bay Cove Motel, EC Finish.

SP2  Sebastian Inlet  27.8503° -80.4540°     3/17/12 10:00
                                 -- Boat ramp south side of south bank.

SP3  Fort Clinch       30.6962° -81.4601°     3/24/12 10:00      
                                 -- Beach at public boat ramp.

SP4  Cedar Key       29.1357° -83.0367°     3/30/12 10:00       
                                -- Beach in front of the Faraway Inn.

SP5  Fort DeSoto     27.6473° -82.7160°     4/01/12 10:00
                                 -- Beach at east side of boat ramp.

SandyBottom on March 5, 2012

SOS on March 5, 2012