Stan and Chuck sailed two outrigger canoes in the 200 mile TEXAS200 event. This year half the fleet didn’t finish the event because conditions were rough with strong winds.
Here is what Stan wrote about the event:
Chuck Pierce and I just finished the Texas 200 in a fairly high wind year with the first three days having gusts between 25 to 32 mph and resulting high, heavy chop in the large bays we crossed during the event.
We were under third reef for the first three days and then for the last three could run second or first reef with more varied winds.
We were under full sail only a few times.
Chuck was sailing a Storer Quick canoe with Storer outriggers and using a RSS 76 sf expedition sail from his Mayfly 14 and I was in my Storer Electric Quick canoe with Storer outriggers and an RSS Viola sail of 67 sf.
Here is Chuck checking over his boat.
Both boats handled the high winds and bay chop well, we were surfing most of the time across many miles of open bays and lagoons.
The entire course is roughly 200 miles and six days. All supplies and gear are carried in each boat for the entire trip, including 8 gallons of water, roughly 120 lbs total plus skipper.
The air temperatures were over 90 degrees with about 80% humidity each day and due to the fierce sun we covered every inch of body with protective clothing.
In this year about 50% of the 75 boats that started the event did not finish due to various boat and gear failures as well as multiple injuries. Even though Michael did not design either Quick canoe as a sailboat, they both performed very well in this year’s difficult event.
Chuck at the finish … Tired but happy.