Ten Questions With Two Guys On The Edge

Ocean racing, while often an incredible experience, can sometimes be dangerous - just look at any of the recent rash of man overboard incidents that have taken place. Now take ocean racing 2,000 miles in a 30 footer, and that starts to get a little crazy. Do it double handed, well that's fookin' crazy!

Yet that's exactly what Dan Doyle and Bruce Burgess did this summer (and every other summer for the past 6 years!) aboard their Sonoma 30 Two Guys On The Edge in the Pacific Cup to Hawaii. They were first to finish in the double handed division in 11 days and 8 hours, and corrected to second behind Skip Allan's Wildflower. We thought getting inside their scene would be of interest. Enjoy.

This is what, your third double handed Transpac? What is it about doing this race double handed that A) interested you and B) keeps you coming back for more?

TG
This is the 3rd completion in 4 attempts. The first in 1997 was ended early with a broken rudder. The inspiration or doing this race was based on a desire to do the single-handed tanspac…although at the moment I'm having so much fun with it, I'm looking to continue with other longer offshore double-handed races. A lot of people believe this to be some sort of lunacy …such a small wet boat, and doing it repeatedly, it's not though. The challenges of a well-sailed race short handed, coupled with the joy of being offshore make for an exciting time.

How did you and Bruce hook up and decide to embark on this madness?

TG
Good and bad fortune.

Bad fortune, in that Bruce (whom I didn't know at the time) was recruited to replace me in 1999 when a last minute business crisis caused me to have to get home to Hawaii after getting the boat to Long Beach. Les Vasconcellos who was my partner for that trip suggested Bruce. Good fortune in that Bruce and I get along very well on board and enjoy a high level of competitive desire. That really works well when our competitors are considering taking their foot of the accelerator when it it's a little hairy, or not pushing as hard when you are tired. Our mantra is to push all the time, especially at night when the going in the squalls can get a little wild.

Tell us how you handle the watch system with 2 people on board for 2,000 miles.

TG
We use a three-on, three-off 24-hour system. The most difficult part is that third hour in the wee hours of the morning, trying to stay sharp and keep the boat moving. It does work, however with navigation, radio check-ins, eating, constant bilge pumping, and hygiene take their toll on the sleep periods

I am assuming that sleep is the biggest issue for you guys. What are some of the other problems that you faced?

TG
Trying to keep things dry is the always a challenge that gets old after a while. Something about sleeping in a wet sleeping bag for 11 days gets pretty tired. The other annoyance on this trip was the time required to get the fax software to interface properly with the pc, and then the time spent (not sleeping) getting all the weather decisions together and talking about doing something with them.

How much actual driving do you guys do? And what is your auto pilot system?

TG
Ummmm lets see, 24 hour day…Actual driving…12 hours apiece. Auto pilot none. We concur that no autopilot will do the job of a motivated individual. We are both traditionalists and believe that if it is a double-handed race, it should be just that. Having an autopilot is like having a third crewmember, someone else to steer so that two of you can do a job. That's triple-handed isn't it?

On this race, was there one Really Big Moment?

TG
Only a comical one….Bruce and I have spent many thousands of miles sailing together and with no one else around that you really get to know someone's sleep habits. Your internal clock generally causing you to wake 10 or 15 minutes before watch time to allow time to get suited up and on deck.

This trip about day three or four, I was below in a fitful sleep dreaming that we had a third crewmember and that Bruce had said "I'll take two watches, you don't need to come on deck". Bruce was pounding on the deck for better than 15 minutes trying to wake me, I all the while was dreaming, saying to our newly found third crewmember "don't worry we don't have to go on deck this watch, Bruce offered to relieve us" In the meanwhile Bruce had visions that I had died in my sleep and couldn't let go of the helm to check or the boat would crash. Before I realized what was up, I awoke a little pissed off asking, "Why the hell are you waking me"? Before I realized what was up. We had a good laugh and the boat was then dubbed "One Dead Guy on the Edge" for the duration.

How much money did it cost to do this recent Pac Cup, and what does that include? New Sails? Massive porn supply? Good Weed?

TG
That is the good news. When compared to other efforts ours is very inexpensive. You have shipping, provisioning, some sails…but all in all not a real expensive trip. I think our largest single expenditure was the Geritol supply. We are concerned about costs on future trips due to the expense of retro fitting wheel chair ramps to the boat.

You were first to finish by a bundle in your division, yet lost to a boat sailed by Skip Allen that you beat by over a day on elapsed time. No one would doubt Skip's ability, but the Pac Cup organizers added 30 seconds per mile to their handicap for boats that don't plane or surf. Does that piss you off?

TG
If we were beaten by anyone else, it might have. Skip sailed a technically beautiful race. I'm confident if you checked the distance covered he sailed fewer miles than anyone else. The 30 seconds a mile handicap, while I don't agree with entirely, I believe it be fair. You will notice that the 1st thru 5th overall were not even close to being a majority of non-planing boats. Skip sailed a fine race and deserves his overall win. I do believe that in the future that it needs to be revisited. The first three to four days of the race are not sailed in planing conditions. When we review our position three days into the race in those type of conditions, Two Guys was behind Wildflower, meaning we had just 7 days remaining in which we had to out sail Wildflower and build a 2.5 day lead during that time. A Herculean task that many miles into the race.

Tell us about your safety systems for man overboard, emergency steering, and the ultimate fright, sinking.

TG
First of all after losing not one but two rudders in 1997 our steering system is bullet proof. We don't carry an emergency back up rudder, we carry a complete replacement rudder. After the trials and tribulations of 1997 and the employment of a "professional" to build the $4,000 rudder that lasted less then two days, we decided to build our own and have the redundancy of a full replacement. For the MOB we carry a MOM system and some sharp knives for the sheets, guys and halyard. With "Two Guys" there is no taking the kite down in a MOB situation. It simply must be cut away. As for sinking we have only the raft. The hull being balsa cored will offer some positive flotation, however the raft is the only real support from a serious holing.

Will you do this race again, and will it be with the Sonoma 30 again?

TG
Yes, although the plan is now for the upcoming Crosspac from SF thru Hawaii, and on to Australia, for those that think we are crazy, this will confirm it.

If you could chose anything, what would be your ultimate double-handed boat?

TG
Without a doubt an Open 40,50 or 60. "Two Guys on the Edge" however is a really great boat for this stuff… it really comes down to a comfort thing.

Thanks!

TG
It's been a pleasure!