Support Lavonne's (V) Epic Race 2 Alaska (Team Spare Parts)

Hi everyone! So there is yet another crazy challenge framed as an adventure on the rise, yet, intimidatingly right around the corner (next month, JUNE).

Race 2 Alaska!! I mean who wouldn’t want to sail, row, peddle a 27 foot tiller-steered monohull over 750nm from Port Townsend, Washington to Ketchikan, Alaska through Canada up the SE passage WITHOUT an ENGINE encountering freighters, cruise ships, logs and debris in the water, tidal currents in excess of 10+ kts, bears, navigation hazards, cold water… hmm wait a second here … as I write this I suppose any remotely sane person probably wouldn’t want to do that! So, I’m doing it for you to live vicariously through my mad desire for self-challenge and adventure. This is a big one-even for me-and we could use a little fundraising help to make it a safer journey by being able to purchase safer gear (each dry suit $800+, safety vest/harness/tethers $500, warm weather gear, waterproof gear, etc), safety equipment (PLB, AIS enabled handheld VHF, etc) and boat equipment like getting a roller furling headsail set-up and sail $1,000-keeps us from going on the foredeck when the weather is bad, etc. We have been blessed that people have given us lots of used but free items, including the boat hull-no mast, rigging, or sails though, that Brian and Will (the team mates) have been able to adapt as needed for the boat-for example a pretty cool bicycle peddle drive that moves a prop for the windless days. Our Team name Spare Parts becomes more appropriate all the time. Registration fees were expensive too but luckily had some sponsorship already to cover some of that.

For my non-boating friends and family, the explanation may sound like a foreign language, but basically we need a little help to purchase better, safer items. Anything helps! $10 x 40 people is still $400…just saying. If you have something useful for the race and conditions that you no longer need, let me know, and maybe you could mail it to us? Someone already sent some amazing cold weather waterproof gloves and one PLB.

In return, I’ll do my best to share the journey along the way and give updates as I can when not fighting off bears, mooning ships and peeing over the side-okay just kidding about 2 of those. I’ll give a big update at the end of the trip too. For those who can’t afford to help right now, send us good vibes, pray, look at the moon, SHARE this with friends, whatever you feel is supportive in helping us achieve our goal of making it all the way to Ketchikan! Almost half of the competitors don’t make it…. (They didn’t die; don’t worry).

I’ll add a link to our podcast interview and to the Race 2 Alaska website.

VENMO! …Venmo: @Lavonne-Brown-10

Or use the GoFundme link.