2009 International Blokart Open and Rally
at Ivanpah Dry Lake Bed

With cheap rooms and lots of wind this was a great event, surpassing last years. For every one who missed this regatta, the rooms were $14.95 (Sunday thru Thursday) and $45 (Friday and Saturday). I booked a full week with taxes and fees it was $162.11 (for a week)......Ya just can't go wrong with that and I still cannot believe that not one So Cal Anarchist took Joe Kent of Class Action Racing up on his offer to get out and try this fun and relatively cheap sport for a minimal cost.

I was planning a trip with Joe Joines, an O30 / M24 owner who just bought a used blokart. A guy trip to the desert for some high speed sailing. But it was not to be.... about a month prior I found out my son's spring break was the same week.....OK, I can handle the boy (16) coming along, it will be his first blokart trip to a real track where you can reach speeds you'll never hit in a parking lot no matter how big it is. Then My Father-in-law finds out and he wants to hang in the Casinos (Ivanpah Dry Lake Bed is on the Calif/Nevada border)...So my wife decides to drive out with us, she and her dad can spend the weekend. My food bill went up dramatically for the first 3 days. But Monday thru Thursday it was a guy thing.

One of the highlights (or so I thought) was going to be seeing the Greenbird Project attempt to break the World Landsailing Speed Record. The craft had been out at Ivanpah for the week previous to our arrival and had already smashed the previous record of 116mph, replacing it with 126.4mph. They did not try anymore attempts after that. I did however get a close up view of the craft and I must say I was surprised. My concept of the wing sail...was probably like yours....an articulating wing like an airplane wing....able to control it's draft. But the Greenbird had a solid fixed shape...only a small piece had a control surface....I am guessing this was for controlling the angle of attack of the main wing......They knew what their target speed was going to be and designed accordingly for maximum lift and minimum drag. Drag is something most sailboat racers think of on their boat bottoms (most of the time). But when you are reaching high speeds even in the small blokart (30 to 55 mph) drag is very important.....from wheel bearings to the size of your sail.

Day 1
Winds were already blowing 18 to 20 knts. Most everyone was using their 3.0m sails but some of the big guys were putting their 4.0m sails on. Speeds were fast in the morning tune up, most were hitting 35 to 45, but the top sailors were pushing over 50. I had my 3.0m sail up and was having a blast.

My son was using one of the Class Action Racing demo karts with a 3.0m sail. I was working at the van on something and he came walking up and said “Didn't you hear me yelling”. I replied, “Ryan, it is blowing out here, what do you think”. Kids, they think parents are watching them all the time. Apparently he had been hit by a gust in the middle of a jibe and he had let his sail out too far. The wind hit the sail and lifted the back of the kart off the ground and when it fell back both axles were snapped. WOW, I have never heard of that. The blokart uses heavy duty fiberglass axles so they will give instead of bending the metal frame. It is easier to replace the axle than the frame. So we got Ryan back out using a 2.0m sail (the smallest one). It is now getting real windy but I feel comfortable with my 3.0m, or so I thought. High speed sailing is so different...

The first 2 races went off without any problems. At the start of the 3rd race I was turning to head back at about 30seconds when a gust hit and I lost control in the turn with my front tire losing it's grip. As I was skidding without control another kart came across and I center punched him (kind of a Nascar thing). I was on port too so I was at fault, but luckily he suffered no damage, and I tweaked the shit out of my front fork. Game Over, at least for a while. Not being able to stand up and walk my kart over to my van I had to wait for help to arrive. I finally got back and worked to change out the damage. I ended up missing 5 races and managed to get back out for the final 2 of the day. My son broke another axle when he lost control in a high speed jibe (high wind sailing and inexperience). This trip was his first real one in big winds and racing too. He felt a bit whooped, decided to quite for the day and I grabbed the 2.0m and made it out for the last 2 races. Boy were we pumped after that day and Joe Joines, his first time really in his kart was saying how sailing will never bee the same after this.

Driving our way off the playa, we came across Russel, one of the Aussie's who made the trip, kind of standing there bewildered. His kart looked in shambles. Ryan jumped out to check if we could help and came back saying Russel has suffered a concussion. We left Ryan with Russel and we sped back to camp and alerted the rest and his other mates. Russel was taken to the Hospital in Henderson where they kept him over night and the next day. Helmets are required for blokart racing and most everyone wears their's while recreational sailing too. Russel even had a motorcycle DOT approved helmet. So this was an eye opener for everyone. Russel was sailing alone and he had an accident. If we had not come along when we did.....who knows. But all is well now and Russel is fine. Ryan was given accolades for his diagnosis, he had just finished a Med Tech class at school and put it to use.
Day 1 results.

Day 2
Blowing like stink was the order of the day. Most started with the 3.0m sails but quickly shifted to the 2.0m as the day went on. Winds were 25 to 30 knts and blokart speeds were topping 45 for most everyone. My son decided to lay low and help with the RC work so I had my 2.0m if I needed it and yes I did. I think if he wants to keep sailing blokarts I'll have to get a second one with all 3 sails so he doesn't need to take mine. The day went without incident except for someone suffering a flat tire.

We had 9 more races and that was good for me. I found out that for every 4 races you get to throw out 1. Well, I missed 5 races on the first day so I had to make up lots of ground because I looked real bad in the standings.
Day 2 results.

Day 3
No wind until late in the afternoon which meant Beer and Seminars by top blokart pilots, Sean Filder and Santi Oliver. Sean talked to the group about starting, course tactics, mark rounding and about sail trim. Santi covered blokart preparation, everything that causes drag was discussed. Steve Irby talked about wheel balance and showed people about the magic beads that you put in your inner tube to facilitate wheel balance. I hear lots of high speed tire applications are using these. The group consisted of some newbs and lots of experienced karters,

My son was using the day to solidify his new friendships with the guys from Spain and Australia, being so friendly Ryan was having a blast and now has open invitations to visit both countries (hmm maybe I should give him a ticket). Russel, finally released from the hospital, showed up toward the end of the day wrist band and all. In the spirit of the Australian sailor, he promptly asked for a beer. I'm not sure weather he got one or not.

Day 4
This day is usually only needed if there is a no wind day, which there was so we used it. The wind made up for the previous no wind day. It BLEW. 2.0m sails from the start. Except this big guy from Arizona, Scott Young, he used his 4.0m sail the whole weekend and I can say I am impressed with this guys sailing ability. Handling such a big sail in so much wind is impressive.

Santi Oliver won the battle

Sean and Santi were battling it out for top honors leaving the scraps for the rest of us mortals. 6 races were raced which gave enough for me to throw out my 5 missed races. But everyone else got to throw out their worst too. I think we had the strongest gusts on this day. There were times you could not see the leeward mark after rounding the weather offset, because of the dust in the air. Someone said we had a 32knt gust. All I know is it was so windy at times little pebbles were pelting you. Next year I am bringing a full face DOT approved helmet. Land Sailing in heavy air like Sailboat racing requires a whole new set of techniques. More time in my blokart on the Playa is needed.

Next year if all goes will I have offered to be the RC. This will allow Mike Moody who has done RC for the past 2 years to race. I know he really wants to. See you next year at IvanPah, be there or be slow

Final Results

Any questions or comments on the the event can be posted at the
Class Action Racing Forums or you can email them to Joe Kent.

Photo Galleries

• Sean Filder's Vids | 1 | 2 | 3 |
• Ryan Trude's
• Fran Gramkoski's | Vid | Photos |
• Santi Oliver's
• Steve Irby's