1. • Bill Neal
   • September 17th 2007, 7:45 pm

   Mary and I think this change is a great idea. An earlier time is also much appreciated since we will be able to see our children off to the start of school again, and even bring one of them along for the Raid.

2. • Jamie Orr
   • September 18th 2007, 4:11 pm

   I think the change will make for a good raid. It's too early to say for sure, but I'll be there if I can.

3. • ronald A Mueller
   • September 25th 2007, 2:17 pm

   Ben & I would like to enter BUT he must request vacation time yet this September! Early July would be best for me but may be too crowded? We would enter another Merry Raid variation but building time is Nov/Dec

4. • Sandy Shotwell (Pence)
   • September 25th 2007, 5:53 pm

   Hello! It is great that the Raid won't overlap with the beginning of the school year in 2008. Dan has invited us to join him next year, and while our son, who will be 12 then, may row along our daughter and I would enjoy more of a support role. We are thinking of chartering a boat, or coming along as crew on a mother ship, so let us know what opportunities there might be along those lines. So, a one-way trip again, with ferrying back after? What would be the take-out point? Cheers, Sandy

5. • Bill Neal
   • September 27th 2007, 7:17 pm

   Sandy: if you bring your 12 year old along, we'll bring our 11 year old son as crew too! My mom and dad would also like to come along on a mother ship or perhaps share a charter with your family. Bill Neal (wcneal2002@yahoo.com)

6. • Barrett Faneuf
   • September 27th 2007, 11:02 pm

   Early July sounds good to me as well; I can request vacation time easily. Earlier yet would also be doable, but I start to worry about when kids are getting *out* of school, then. As a side note, I fully intend to come and cook again, so if you hated the food, too bad! I saved my meal planner and notes. As a further side note, if there are folks who want to come non-competitively (or less rowing-competitively), I can bring Yuko up again and you can sail her if it's windy and decide for yourself whether to row.

7. • Bill Neal
   • September 28th 2007, 11:22 am

   Barrett, Mary and I loved the food. In fact, if you don't come to cook, then we're coming to your house in July to eat for a while anyway.

8. • Rusty
   • September 29th 2007, 3:17 pm

   Retirement currently on hold until the end of the year but the intention is still to be a BC resident early in 2008 - meanwhile I may postpone my elaborate restoration plan for Tatiana in which case if I'm afloat I will definitely be available as "tail end sweeper". I might even be able to get one or both of my daughters to come along during the break from University, now that they are aware that there are males involved in this, significantly younger than me. Keep up the good work with the web site - it has excited a lot of interest with my co workers here in Calgary.

9. • Sandy Shotwell (Pence)
   • September 29th 2007, 6:57 pm

   How fun that we family members are more able to get involved for 2008! Bill, the option about sharing a charter sounds great, if folks don't mind a fiberglass boat tagging along. Dan's Dad and wife also are interested in that angle. Does anyone know of a good charter that is available to start near the Raid? We know a good charter (and a good boat in particular with three double cabins and a good sailer) out of Anacortes, but it would be great to take less time and start nearby - we might be able to get away with a one week charter that way. Does anyone know of anything in Nanaimo, or some other nearby harbor? If only Yuko were bigger! Cheers, Sandy

10. • Charlie Brown
    • October 1st 2007, 9:17 pm

    An earlier start date would make this more possible for me to attend.

11. • carie
    • October 6th 2007, 3:01 pm

    Bill and Sandy: It's wonderful to hear of younger people being part of the Raid again. Raid 07 was our first Raid without the Sea Scouts and we really missed them. Sandy: The plan is, another one-way Raid, possibly finishing at Rebecca Spit on Quadra Island. Thanks Rusty! And it wouldn't be the raid without beautiful Tatiana! My apologies to anyone who subscribed to blog comments and got the festival feed. That's been fixed so blog comments are subscribable again.

We expect many fine photos and more news for the blog early next week. (As usual, many of the Raid boats from Gabriola will be returning home on their own bottoms).

We trust we'll have another update on the Raid this evening--and there are more photos of Raid Mothers and Minders in the blog.

Mothership 07, 06, 05 35' double-ended Herreshoff sloop with skipper Rusty has faithfully bought up the rear of all three raids, as well as being towboat for the Silva Bay Shipyard School's entries in the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. Home port, Degan Bay, Gabriola Island.

Seka

Shepard 06, 05 13' diesel (6 HP BMW) inboard plank-on-frame mahogony tender for Raid 06 Mothership Island Eagle, built by the Silva Bay Shipyard School, class of 2005. Home port, Nanaimo.

Rupert Pelican

Mothership 07 45' wooden scow schooner, skipper Rick Sobel (retired, Canadian Coast Guard). Home port, Silva Bay, Gabriola Island.

Nimbus

Escort 06, 05 26' restored Folkboat, skipper Adrian McCullough (mate, 92' wooden charter schooner Maple Leaf). Home port, Silva Bay, Gabriola Island.

Martha

Support Mothership 06 68' 100 year-old wooden Crowninshield schooner, skipper Mary Beth Armstrong.

Jude

Shepard 07 16' classic wooden speedboat, built by the Silva Bay Shipyard School, class of 2006. Home port, Silva Bay, Gabriola Island.

Island Eagle

Mothership 06 61' classic wooden DeFever motor yacht, restored 2005. Skipper, Scott Welch. Home port, Nanaimo.

Grail Dancer

Mothership 05 61' traditional wooden charter schooner "based on the hull lines of the "Emma C Berry", a Noank Well Smach from 1866". Skippers Maureen and Wayne Loiselle. Home port, Thetis island.

Look for more of Silva Bay Shipyard School Wooden Boat Building student Ted (whose team is building an Oughtred Tammie Norrie starting September 24) Davis' great photos on the blog tomorrow.

In the photo from left to right, Barracuda (with the red jib), Topsy (blue hull), Selkie (all red sails), and Bellavita (black sails).

Your Comments

1. • Sandy Shotwell (Pence)
   • September 3rd 2007, 1:11 pm

   Ahoy, raiders! You guys are such an inspiration. Here we are lolling in urbania, using internal combustion engines and holding down our couches, while you enjoy being on the very surface of this watery planet, breathing free. Our thougths are with you. Go, Conjure! Sandy

2. • Dave Gottfried
   • September 4th 2007, 1:18 pm

   Selkie looks a lot better right side up! Hope he keeps it that way! My best to capt and the piper! Hope you all have a great trip. Love the photos on the site. Thanks for making all this avail to us locked away in the flat lands. Hope the Ben-Gay moments are few. What a great idea!

Your Comments

1. • Eric Witte
   • September 1st 2007, 10:12 pm

   Bill, The boat looks great! Good luck to you and the rest of the raid fleet. I will look forward to seeing the posts as the event progresses. Best, Eric

2. • EJ Hurst
   • September 7th 2007, 9:56 pm

   Congratulations to everyone! Great work once again Tad! Can't wait until we can join in. the crew of Epic V