Team Mistakes Were Made

Team members: George McCargar, Paul Brown, James “Keith” Councell, Benjamin Clark, Ted Moskal
Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Race vessel: Dash 34 (1981)
LOA: 34′
Human propulsion: Pedal (Prop) & Row

Naming a team Mistakes Were Made is either radical accountability or a pre-emptive legal strategy.

The roster runs from the Great Lakes to the Chesapeake to the Salish Sea, which means most of their meetings require three time zones and a strong Wi-Fi signal. George and Paul have been sailing together since Richard Nixon was entertaining Leonid Brezhnev in the East Wing, may it rest in peace. Keith is the one who floated the idea and then, crucially, kept talking. Ben signed on from Michigan. Ted arrives with fresh R2AK miles and a Marine Systems education underway, prepared to miss his own graduation in favor of a start line. Strong priorities, Ted.

Their preparation strategy: iterative. WA360 was billed as a learning experience and delivered. The original pedal drive did not so much fail as decline to participate. It never left the dock. This has since been addressed with a more “conventional” design, relocated aft onto a custom frame welded with help from Keith’s dad, a “metal artist”, whatever that means. The rudder has been replaced. Light bulbs, too. Progress is incremental.

They’ve taken tides and currents classes, hoping that book smarts will move the needle. They’ve watched footage of floating log fields with the dawning realization that avoidance has more to do with crossed fingers than good seamanship. Watch systems are under active negotiation, which is to say everyone agrees sleep is important and no one agrees when they should personally do it. Food planning now extends beyond trail mix after someone discovered there is, in fact, a psychological ceiling on nuts and chocolate.

We look forward to more mistakes.

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First things first, why Race to Alaska?
Because R2AK is the purest blend of adventure, freedom, and joyful stubbornness we’ve ever found. It’s type II fun in its final form: cold water, tidal rapids, sleep deprivation, storms, and wilderness—balanced by whales, mountains, and midnight sun. It’s the kind of challenge that strips everything down to skill, grit, and human power. That’s exactly the test we’re looking for.

What’s the story behind your boat?
You don’t name a boat “Fighting Trousers” because it sounds fast—you name it that because you eventually realize you’ll need them. She’s a 1981 Dash 34, a fractional sloop with a history of punching above her weight. She’s already finished R2AK twice—Team Fashionably Late (2022) and Team Dacron & Denim (2023)—and in 2025 she carried us through the WA360. She’s tough, proven, and just quirky enough to fit right in with us.

Luck/Skill Ratio
15:84

Duct Tape Fixes (Linear Feet)
24.2