How R2AK Changed My Life
You can’t just heave-to in a 17-foot dinghy. Certainly not in a full gale. So when my brother, Cooper, yelled “We need to reef again!” I prepared for another head-to-wind thrashing. We were roughly halfway up Grenville…
Cancellation of Beloved PNW Summer Boating Events Announced
Local Boating Organizations Have Made Final Decisions to Cancel Summertime Events With the summer boating season fast approaching in the Pacific Northwest and the effects of COVID-19 still bringing restrictions and…
Unlocking the New R2AK Puzzle
One Change, So Many Options From the March issue or 48° North, photos courtesy of Drew Malcolm When Race to Alaska (R2AK) teams hoist their sails outside of Victoria Harbour on June 11, 2020, some of them will be faced with…
Righting Moment Augmentation in Modern Sailing Yachts
In the last year, two major events in the Pacific Northwest crowned champions that sailed vessels utilizing a system of enhanced or assisted ballast—Team Angry Beaver won Race to Alaska aboard a canting-keel Schock 40; and…
R2AK makes one big rule change for 2020
With awards being given out, beer flowing and lots of laughter going around the Race to Alaska's annual Blazer Party during the Wooden Boat Festival, there was also a big announcement to be made about the future of the race.…
R2AK UPDATES: – Two teams left! Drawing to a close.
Tuesday, June 25th, 0830: Then there were two. Team ‘Backwards AF’ finished yesterday leaving Team Sloveig and Team Wee Free Men on final approach. Both teams were up early this morning headed for Ketchikan. Sloveig…
Race to Alaska Official Program 2019
The 2019 5th annual Race to Alaska is upon us and likely every team racing will come across some form of dilemma. Teams don’t get engines, pre-planned support or planned rest stops. What they get is various forms of hardship…
Team Sail Like a Girl continues to inspire
Team Race Like a Girl, which is competing again in this year's Race to Alaska. Photo by Wendy Hinman Team Sail Like a Girl has evolved into something of a movement, initially tugging at our heartstrings as an underdog story…
As Race to Alaska 2019 looms, team bios trickle in
Since its first running in 2015, the Race to Alaska (R2AK) has grown into a noticeable summertime spectacle for boaters and landlubbers alike in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. With an ever-diverse array of teams and…
How the Inside Passage was won
The R2AK is one way to get to Alaska, but this trek is no pleasure cruise. The rules for the Race to Alaska are simple: 750 miles to Ketchikan, navigating past two waypoints at Seymour Narrows and Bella Bella. No motor. No…