These two races sound similar,
but are actually very different.
The Race to Alaska is pure survival—in the best way.
START DATE: June 14, 2026
Distance: ~750 miles
Route: Port Townsend, WA → Ketchikan, Alaska
Rules: No engines. Period. (No support either)
Boats: Anything goes—Corsair trimarans, kayaks, DIY contraptions
Conditions: Brutal—currents, cold water, remote wilderness
Time: Several days to weeks
Vibe: Survival, grit, creativity
This is less a race and more a test of will power and problem-solving.
This Corsair 760 had plenty of speed under sail as well as a custom twin pedal drive that could push her along at about 2.5 knots. Photo by Norris Comer
2022 "Team Vegemite Vigilantes" is an Australian sailing team known for competing in the Race to Alaska (R2AK), a challenging maritime race.“Vegemite Vigilantes”, Zam and Andy are all smiles before the start. Photo by Norris Comer
Zam Bevan: A key member of the team, Zam is an Australian yacht industry professional and experienced trimaran sailor.
Team Composition: The team often includes Zam Bevan, Andrew ("Andy"), and Norris Comer, often describing themselves as a half-Australian, half-American crew.
R2AK Participation: They participated in the 2022 Race to Alaska, placing 13th in the first leg to Victoria on their Corsair 760 Sport trimaran.
R2AK is a 750-mile boat race from Washington to Alaska.
No ENGINES. no support. all guts.
First place gets $10,000, cash. Second place gets a set of steak knives. Everyone else gets to find out what they’re made of. Any vessel that’s human-or-wind-powered can enter. The only way to win is to cross open water, navigate through tidal rapids, hug a coastline carved by glaciers, and keep going until you reach Ketchikan.
But this isn’t just a race. It’s a throwdown with one of the most storied and unforgiving coastal passages on the continent. These are the ancestral waters of the Coast Salish, Tlingit, Haida, and many others—paddled by native canoes since time immemorial, sailed by traders and gold rush steamers, and still wild today. The route cuts through true wilderness, past logging towns and empty shorelines, through orca country, grizzly country, and currents that can run over 20 knots. Rescue is hours—sometimes days—away. Out here, self-reliance isn’t a virtue. It’s survival.
Meet the team HULL YEAH! from Loveland, Colorado
We’re team HULL YEAH and we’re embarking on the journey of completing THE Race to Alaska @racetoalaska this summer 2026!!
Our names are Jason Hanford (Skipper/Owner), Taylor Buschy, Joe Tregoning, and Charlie Steen. You may remember bits and pieces of us from past adventures - Jason sailed the Washington 360 with his team @team_out_on_a_limb in 2020 and Taylor, Joe, and Charlie attempted to race the WA360 last year on Team Dogfish Racing Club. Jason’s boat (our team boat this year) Magpie sailed her team, Razzle Dazzle, to the finish in the R2AK in 2019! Sponsored by 180 Marine and others.
TEAM HULL YEAH!
The Seventy48 race is shorter—but no joke.
START DATE: May 29, 2026
Distance: 70 miles
Route: Tacoma → Port Townsend (Puget Sound)
Rules: No engines (same spirit)
Boats: Kayaks, SUPs, small sailboats (including trimarans)
Conditions: Cold, currents—but more contained
Time: Must finish within 48 hours
Vibe: Fast, intense, tactical
This is a sprint with strategy.
SEVENTY48 aka 70 miles in 48 hours.
Rules are simple: no motors, no support, and no wind. That’s right. HUMAN POWER ONLY. Pedal, paddle, or row. We don’t care. It’s up to you.
It’s easy to try hard when no one is watching, but can you make 70 miles moving past the most populated cities in Washington? It’s a front country race, so the challenge isn’t about fighting whirlpools and running from bears. What you’re up against is yourself.