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Prep Day! I don't really like doing the Texas 200 - it's frigging hot, frigging windy, and . . . mildly dangerous. Still, it is one of the rare times I get to sail all day in one direction, so it's got that going for it.
I landed in Houston and stayed at my brother's place. In the morning, my nephew, Ryan, and I met with Peter, another sailor on the Texas 200. Peter had built a Caledonian Yawl specifically for the trip and Ryan was going to crew for him. Peter drove us down to Port Mansfield, and on the way, we stopped at a Texas travel icon: Buc-ees. I gotta tell ya: Texas does some things right, and Buc-ees is one of them.
5 hours of driving later, we unload at Port Mansfield. Christ, it was hot, like photons were boring under my skin hot. I cautioned Ryan to apply sunscreen and left him and Peter to unloading their boat.
I was doing this in a 'Duck - and 8 foot box-boat, like the one Chuck P. is sailing here.
John G. took the idea of an 8-foot box-boat and went nuts, creating the hauntingly beautiful Chevy Duck - complete with working headlights and taillights.
Six of us had flown in and were borrowing "Loaner Boats." The Loaners had been built by the legendary St. John of Bastrop and kitted out by Chuck L of Duckworks and Bill M (another legend.) I had made the sails for the boats - bright LiveStrong yellow - and we spent a day lashing, rigging, and generally getting everything ready.
In addition to our regulation 'Ducks, we had a couple honorary 'Ducks, like Scott W and his self-designed Blue Dog. Scott is the only man to ever attempt the Everglades Challenge in a 'Duck and is, like the rest of the 'Duckers, another legend.
We were staying in a very nice condo in P Mansfield and as a group within a group, had our own Captain's Meeting where we hammered out details and logistics.
The Texas 200 starts on Monday, so Sunday, the day before the race, is used to sign waivers and transport vehicles and trailers to the end at Magnolia Beach. There were more than 60 boats this year, including our 13 'Ducks.
Here's our fleet, everyone except Jason and Wade T's 'Ducks and Sean's magnificent Paradox, another honorary 'Duck. The white 'Duck with oars is Michael and the green 'Duck is Kellen, both having driven down from Utah. Kellen is a Texas 200 veteran, having done the first one in 2008 in an inflatable trimaran.
Jason had reserved his own slip and was sitting in style under his tent.
I have forgotten this man's name, and he didn't do the Texas 200 this year, but he has a a very interesting 'Duck variant: Long Duck. It's 16' long and 2' wide, with outriggers for stability. The pattern comes from cloth glued to the hull - and it looks great.
Bill M and Gerard - both Texas 200 veterans. Bill will be on the event, sailing the yellow 'Duck with black stripes. Gerard is the only smart man in attendance - he'd done the event in 2008 and never felt the need to do it again. He just likes to come to the start and finish and take pictures of the crazy people.
And here's one of the crazies now. As cameraman, I usually don't get pictures of myself. What is not apparent in this shot is that I am sitting in a trailer, being towed through downtown Port Mansfield. Such is life. Sunday night - the night before the event - is traditionally a time of merriment. We mob the restaurants in town and generally put a burden on their infrastructure (3 hour wait for dinner at one place, immediate service at another.) I had dinner with the crew of a trimaran and Ben, who was sailing the event with his father, Jim, in a boat that is very similar to the on Ryan and Peter were sailing. I wish I had gotten better pictures of it, because it is a beauty.
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