NanoCruising : the small boat cruising podcast (dinghy cruising & trailer sailing)

Small Boat, Big Race: Team Snowflakes on Racing to Alaska

Episode 54

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0:00 | 39:56

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The Race to Alaska is one of the most unusual and demanding events in modern sailing: roughly 700 miles from Washington State to Alaska with no engines allowed.

In this episode I’m joined by Jeff Williams, who along with teammate Mike VanHoy will be competing in the next Race to Alaska as Team Snowflakes aboard a 20-foot Tornado catamaran.

Their boat is fast, light, and uncompromising — no cabin, no heater, and nothing separating the crew from the elements except skill, preparation, and determination.

We talk about:

  • Why they decided to take on the Race to Alaska
  • Preparing a high-performance catamaran for a 700-mile endurance event
  • Human propulsion and creative problem solving
  • What breaks offshore — and how you fix it mid-race
  • The realities of cold water sailing and fatigue

The Race to Alaska attracts some of the most creative and determined small-boat sailors anywhere. This conversation is a great look at the mindset required to take on a challenge where finishing alone is an achievement.

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