March 10, Belfast, PEI, Canada — Skipper Bob Williams of Marathon, Florida and crew member Scott Smith sailed and rowed their stock NorseBoat 17.5 to victory in the annual WaterTribe Everglades Challenge. The NorseBoat 17.5 came in first overall among four classes of boats in this gruelling 300 mile coastal adventure race from St. Petersburg, Florida to Key Largo. The NorseBoat team finished in a course record time of three days, three hours and nine minutes.

Bob Williams is a NorseBoat Agent for southern Florida. His location on Marathon Key serves as a year round NorseBoat sailing center. This is Bob and Scott’s second Everglades Challenge win in a NorseBoat 17.5. In the 2004 event they took first place in Class 4 (sailboats) and second place overall with NorseBoat hull #1.

The WaterTribe (www.watertribe.com) is a Florida-based organization who’s mission is to encourage the development of boats, technique, and equipment for safe and efficient coastal cruising, using minimal impact human and wind powered water craft based on kayaks, canoes, and small sailboats. The annual Everglades Challenge is an expedition style adventure race for those types of boats. Any boat can enter the race, but the field is limited by the fact that all boats must begin the race above high water line—teams must get their boats to the water on their own, and carry with them throughout the race any aids they use to do so, including rollers, winches, etc. The time limit for the race is eight days, although the winners will finish in three to four days.

Conceived by NorseBoat Limited president Kevin Jeffrey and designed by renowned yacht designer Chuck Paine, the NorseBoat 17.5 is built on Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada. The boat is an innovative and versatile sailing, rowing and camp-cruising craft, with traditional lines and sparkling performance. This lightweight yet seaworthy 17-1/2 foot production boat is constructed of an epoxybased resin and fiberglass composite. It is a gaff-rigged catboat with a carbon fiber unstayed mast and fully battened mainsail, an optional lightwind screecher sail mounted on a bowsprit, two rowing stations, shallow draft with kick-up rudder and centreboard, provisions for a full-size double berth and camping set-up, and a host of options.

For more information please contact:

Kevin Jeffrey, President NorseBoat Limited tel: 902 659 2790 fax: 902 659 2419 RR1, #241 Point Prim Rd. Belfast, PEI C0A1A0 info@norseboat.com www.norseboat.com