MANVIL

Even in the easy-going mindset of the Northwest, every race has somebody who came in either first, second, third or somewhere thereafter.

Hopefully not DNF (Did Not Finish) because that can lead to somewhat severe problems in a frigid water race.

I’d rather be DFL (Dead Freaking Last) than take my chances floating in mother nature’s cold Northwestern rivers.  Even a super slow boat in a race is preferable to death by hypothermia or the seasonal fishermen who ply the waters of the Willamette like meth dazed survivalists in tin bathtubs. (BTW: Hat’s off to the US Coast Guard for shadowing the racers)

For the motivated and the strong of will there are these simple awards for their efforts and displays of paddling prowess. First. Second. Third.

Perhaps we could make an award for DFL, but hopefully, with more practice and some luck, they can get next year’s awards…

At MANVIL, even before we were an actual company, we were making the graphics for the Rusty Iron. The enjoyment we derived from the experience helped to form MANVIL, so we are glad we could put it together back then. We are priveleged and excited to do it again this year.

With the advent of last years lovingly rendered and really fun “tiki” graphic we decided to retouch the original event graphic. The logo for the event itself: The Rusty Iron.

On this, the 15th year of the running of the race, which is the first race in the Pacific Northwest Outrigger Canoe Racing Association’s schedule, MANVIL chose to make the event image the focal point. MANVIL didn’t name the race the Rusty Iron, but the graphic easily references the name, and anybody would see that the shadow of the iron makes the outrigger canoe. For this year we are considering putting a Warhol effect to the image, but those plans are still out for review by the clients.

We thought we’d throw it out there for review from site visitors as well. If you like the image, let us know. If not, let us know. Maybe you tell your friends and get their take on it. If anybody has problems with the distressed image looking a bit worn and cliché, also let us know. This design will be reviewed, and if it all works out, maybe we can front you an event shirt. (No Promises)

Cheers to all, maybe we’ll see you at the races.

For the last three years the Rusty Iron has continued to gain prominence as a great venue for the Pacific Northwest’s Hawaiian Canoe Paddlers to race their first long distance run of the season. The awards provided to winning teams in any class were stickers. Although this does seem like a bit of a let-down for paddlers used to earning bronze, pewter or gilded metal awards, like I did as a kid, times have changed. The Rusty Iron is a distance race, traditionally the first one of the year in the Northwest. It is put on by Pacific Outrigger Canoe Club, a small cadre of enthusiastic, yet none too green-behind-the-ears paddlers. The race runs from Cathedral Park in St. John’s, down to buoy 12, then back up to the Rail Bridge, and back down to Cathedral Park.

On the last Saturday in April, the weather can be as calamitous as anything in the Northwest. We’ve seen rain, sleet, snow, fog, lightning and pure unadulterated Northwest Sunshine. It’s a great race, and this year, if you place, you get one of these fine tributes. I look forward to seeing you there, I’m the bearded guy with the scowl, the binoculars and the stop watches. Cheers!