Team members: Jason Everman, Barrett Martin, Markus Bucy, Andrew Marvil
Hometown: Belfair, WA, USA
Race vessel: 1986 Jeanneau Sunrise 34
LOA: 34′ 7″
Human propulsion: Row
Connect: instagram, website
After eight years, national TV coverage, a New York Times cover story, and a feature length documentary, here at Race to Alaska we’re famous in the anonymous way—the kind of famous where you have to explain to people how big of a deal you are. Unless you are in Estonia. We are huge in Estonia.
Not so for Team Supernautiloid who are actually famous, rockstar famous, Joe Rogan show famous, and in all ways more famous than R2AK. Even in Estonia.
Enter Team Supernautiloid, whose band credits include Nirvana and whose adventure cred includes the US Special Forces. Even if we wanted to make fun of their fame, their bands were legit good. Even if we wanted to make fun of their bands, their teammates could kill us with a spoon.
We sat down with Team Supernautiloid over a bowl of humble pie to fangirl out about rock and roll, killing people with spoons, and how to get Joe Rogan and Estonia to return our calls.
What are the necessary components of a good adventure?
A beautiful seascape, mates with true grit and a good attitude whose company you enjoy, and a series of tests or challenges that makes you rise to higher levels of ability.
What’s your favorite kind of bracket?
We like the bracket that holds the coffee maker in place. Because without the coffee, things don’t work so well. Therefore everything hinges on the coffee bracket holding the coffee maker in place.
What’s your claim to fame?
Two of our crewmen (Jason Everman and Barrett Martin) played in 4 of the seminal rock bands from Seattle, including Nirvana and Soundgarden (Jason), and Screaming Trees and Mad Season (Barrett). Jason and the other two crewmen, Markus Bucy and Andrew Marvil, were in the US Special Forces. So the fact that we are all still alive after all the crazy stuff we have experienced is a feat in and of itself.
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?
Listening to Black Sabbath, drinking plenty of coffee, and absolutely no whining. We embrace “The Suck” because the one truth of the universe is that all conditions eventually change. We make sure to laugh easily knowing that one day we will be warm and dry with a bourbon in-hand.
Forget the 10k or the steak knives. What does success look like for you and your team?
Success is sailing out and crossing the starting line on June 5th. Everything after that is frosting on the cake. Completing the race and then returning home (something people often forget in a one-way race – you gotta get home!) with the boat and crew intact would be a huge victory.
Defend your vessel. What makes it worthy?
S/V Gita is a beautiful, older boat having proven herself on many sails through all types of weather on the Puget Sound. We are endeavoring to give her a major overhaul in preparation for the race – a fresh bit of lipstick goes a long way! She is just the right size to handle the seas and weather that might come at us, while at the same time being small and nimble enough to manage without too much hassle. She is worthy because she is the boat we are sailing – whatever boat you are on is the best boat to be on.
Blank space, baby. Write some things:
“Everyone got a plan until they get punched in the face” – Mike Tyson
And we all want to be a bit more like Captain Steve Zissou, so we are all searching for the Jaguar Shark.
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Welcome to the R2AK Team Supernautiloid. Since you were about to ask: while it’s not included in your registration fee, we would be happy to sign your burgee.