DS2 in the Everglades Challenge

[mistermoon]

You need nine foot oars. I found mine on Ebay, $99 buy it now price.

[jeadstx]

Thanks for the suggestion.

John

[mistermoon]

For a single-handed mono hull it seems like the boat you bought is uniquely optimized for the Everglades Challenge. So, are you going to add a bowsprit and a spinnaker like on Dawn Patrol?

Finding video clips of Sew Sew launching Scissor is quite a contrast from you using tackle and your anchor to drag Alobar to the water.

Wow, a whole year to optimize and practice, you've done well. Have fun with it! Your wife is probably right, you would've probably neglected your DS.

I don't have any plans to add a kite to my boat. Kites and singlehanded don't go together IMO. It might be fun to add a mizzen staysail someday as is shown on the plans. But from what I've seen they have a pretty narrow range of angles and wind speeds where they could be used. Not worth the money, IMO. I'm keeping the symetrical spin that came with my DS2, though. If I don't sell it on Ebay, I'm may try it on the CS one day if I get really bored.

The kedge didn't work for me at the start, BTW. The boat was just stuck and and I had to dig it out.

[seandwyer]

I am both thrilled and saddened by Mr. Moon - thrilled by his attempt, saddened by his sale (and eventual loss to the forum) but again thrilled by his tenaciousness and realization of what he needs to complete the everglades challenge. Mr. Moon, I hope you stick with us!!

[mistermoon]

I'm only selling my boat because I have too many boats and not enough space to store them. Arranging my side yard where I have three sailboats and a 'veteran' Blue Hole OCA canoe is akin to assembling a Chinese puzzle. Unless you put everything in just right, you can't close the gate. I already get enough letters from my HOA about having a boat in my driveway for more than 30 minutes. This doesn't trouble me, but my wife gets stressed out by them.

But I'll always have a fondness for DSs. They are terrific little boats.

[UCanoe_2]

Blue Hole OCAs are about as cool as Daysailers!

[algonquin]

I already get enough letters from my HOA about having a boat in my driveway for more than 30 minutes.

I think your HOA rep is just jealous !! You have a navy and they only have a picture of a boat that they will never be able to afford. brad

[talbot]

Back to 9' oars for a moment....
8.5' oars just fit inside the DSII cockpit. They strap neatly to the tanks. If you keep the oars in the boat all the time, but don't actually use them very often, that's a good way to have them out of the way. If the rowing is a real priority, then maybe the extra 6" is worth it. I saw an article about a dozen years ago (maybe in Sailing) by a couple who mounted a sliding rowing seat on the CB trunk and used big sweeps.

The Texas events are very inspiring. Thanks for sharing this string of posts.

[mistermoon]

My guess is you are correct that 8.5 footers wouldn't cost you very much in the way of rowing performance. Getting them off the side decks would be good.

[K.C. Walker]

If rowing performance is important may be longer two piece oars that river rafters use would be an option. I've seen the rule of thumb for oar length being 1.5 times the beam for small boats and 2 times the beam for larger boats.

Of course, I've never rowed a boat the size of a DaySailer so I don't know how hard a pull 9 foot oars would be. Maybe it would be better with 10 foot or longer oars.

[mistermoon]

You don't want any longer than 9'ers. Rowing a DS is doable, but you won't go very fast.

BTW, here is a video of my on Day 2 of the EC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA5ky2IGVTs