Race Report

A race report by Hubert Bakker:

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About the event

The Extreme Raid 2016 is the brainchild of Dutchman Koos Winnips. It is a cross-over between a raid (a flotilla event of sailing and rowing boats), and a race. It takes place on the Lauwersmeer in the northernmost part of the Netherlands. The Lauwersmeer is a former estuary with shallow creeks running inland for miles until they are stopped by locks in the old fishing villages surrounding the area. In the past, Koos used to sail his International Moth on the main lake. Last winter Koos built a sailing canoe to explore estuaries like the Lauwersmeer. While building the canoe, Koos developed the idea of a competitive event around the Lauwersmeer for like-minded sailing, canoeing and rowing enthusiasts. Around the Lauwersmeer he put five boxes with token items, like a pair of sunglasses, a children's watch, a paper weight on so on. Each competitor should collect token items from as many boxes as possible in order to earn points. The total distance needed to collect all tokens was estimated at 30 miles (approximately 53km). Every competitor can choose his own weapons, as long as no engines are used. It is a very simple concept. No handicap formulas are used to balance between slower and faster boats. Koos launched the idea in January and managed to draw 20 competitors to the event which was held on 3rd September 2016.

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The Extreme Raid 2016 was held at Omaho Beach located at Jachthaven Lauwersmeer in Oostmahorn on the west bank of the Lauwersmeer. Both the catamaran club of Omaho Beach and the folks of the yacht harbour helped to make the event happen. For the price of a good meal you could enter the event, get two nights camping, two breakfasts and join the prize-giving barbecue. 20 competitors (about 45 sailor) entered the event. their boats ranging from sailing canoes and dinghies to keelboats and racing catamarans. Sizes went from 'TooPhat', a 3.35m sailing dinghy to 'Gargantua' a sailing canoe from Bremen of about 8m. Great things were expected from an i550 sports boat, which unfortunately broke its rudder the day before the start. Competitors came from the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

After breakfast at the Omaho club house before dawn, the competitors assembled at the harbour office to wait for the starting signal. At daybreak, the horn was sounded and everybody hurried to get afloat. In the morning calm, one group crossed the Lauwersmeer to collect their first token at 'het Booze Wijf' (a restaurant called 'the angry Wife') while the others rowed, paddled and sailed to the lock at Ezumazijl.

The catamarans quickly separated from the fleet, leaving the keelboats and the smaller boats behind. Koos Winnips pulled through with his Artemis sailing canoe, while the big German canoe made good progress to Ezumazijl with both sails up and with six crew paddling. With the fleet split into small groups each competitor sailed his own race. WIth the shallow estuary, bordered by green meadows providing a beautiful background. As the catamarans made quick progress, others took a more relaxed approach and enjoyed a cup of coffee at one of the stops. The crew of the Gargantua even had boxes of beer, a bucket of potato salad, and plenty of sausages aboard to keep in shape. When they landed at the island near the Ballastplaat to collect their token, they brought out the gin and tonic and rechristened it the 'Gin and Tonic' island. While Gargantua took shortcuts floating in only 20 cm of water, the keelboats had to stick to the waterways or they would run aground. The crew of the Sailhorse keelboat found this out the hard way and got stuck in the mud when they ventured outside of the channel. Fortunately they quickly got afloat and continued the race without damage.

During the day the wind had freshened to a force 4 from the West. This made the stretch to Zoutkamp a broad reach. With a good upwind boat and good tacking you could sall back to the lake. Others had to paddle or row. The long and winding channel to Lunegat required some tacking as well.

The first catamaran returned at 1230 with all 5 tokens. Meanwhile some competitors began to tire after 6 hours into the race. Some decided to call it a day and return with 3 or 4 tokens. However, the majority preferred to battle it out until the end. Halfway through the afternoon most of the boats returned to the harbour. It was now quite windy, as the crew of Gargantua found out. They had chosen to make 'Het Booze Wijf' their last stop and now had to paddle back to Omaho Beach against a force 5 wind. They made the harbour at 1645. Julian got stuck at Zoutkamp and had to be brought back. Hubert sailing the smallest boat in the fleet came in at 1712 with 5 tokens, but had to return two having finished outside the time limit.

With everybody safely back at Omaho Beach it was time to fire up the barbecue and hold the prize giving. Although there were many different boats and people from very different backgrounds there was great cameraderie. The end of a perfect day.