Team members: Scott Macdonald
Hometown: Victoria, British Columbia, CA
Race vessel: NDK Explorer HV Kayak
LOA: 17′ 4″
Human propulsion: Paddle
Connect: website, instagram
Do you know that right now there is massive investment going into creating floating offshore wind power turbines off the west coast? In December, $750 million was spent on leasing 5 patches of saltwater and now legions of engineers are working round the clock to design not just the free floating, 1,000 foot tall windmills, but also all of the industrial infrastructure to build and install more than 250 of them off of California by 2040. It’s the largest industrial mobilization in the last 30 years, with the goal to create 30 gigawats of power in offshore wind. How much power is that? Enough for 24.8 Delorian-based time machines, or enough power for all of the households in California, Oregon, and Washington combined.
Billions, trillions of dollars are being invested into harnessing the massive power potential of wind. Do you know how many dollars are being invested in kayak-based solutions?
(PS: Yes you do.)
It takes a certain kind of so and so to ignore all of the free energy floating around, literally on the wind, and decide to manually shovel water all the way to Alaska. Scott Macdonald of Team Sporting Chance is precisely that kind of special. More than that, he’s dedicating his race to raising money and awareness for getting more kids doing the sports in his hometown of Victoria.
Look at the good heart on him.
We sat down with Team Sporting Chance over a bowl of day-old Wheaties to talk about gigawatts, how sails work, and the over/under on how many blisters he thinks he’ll get along the way (we took the over.)
What’s a lesson you learned the hard way?
If you wear jeans on a multi-day hike, there’s a chance you planned poorly and might be ending the hike in your PJs (also not recommended).
What’s your favorite kind of bracket?
Parentheses brackets are a versatile way to add a satirical narration to any statement.
“Despite the odds against him (such as having no motor, limited supplies, and, you know, paddling the whole way), he remained optimistic (or delusional, depending on who you ask).”
It’s drizzling, freezing cold, and you’ve missed the tide. The cabin is leaky and the stove won’t light. How do you keep the good vibes going?
A well hung tarp and some cheese can go a long way to improving team morale.
Forget the 10k or the steak knives. What does success look like for you and your team?
- Coming home in one piece
- Raising awareness and funds for KidSport Victoria
- Ringing the bell in Ketchikan
Defend your vessel. What makes it worthy?
NDK Explorer HV – Designed for rough water and covering distances, this expedition kayak is maneuverable, direction-stable, and can carry higher loads. It is designed to fit the large paddler (I identify as large). This boat has previously circumnavigated Vancouver Island.
Blank space, baby. Share some things:
I would like to thank:
- Team Oaracle for giving the talk that established this idea back in 2017.
- Blue Dog Kayaking for the skills training and trusting me with their boat.
- My wife Emma for all her support and the idea to fundraise for KidSport.
“It doesn’t have to be fun to be fun.” – Jake Wetzel
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Welcome to the R2AK, Team Sporting Chance. Go sports!