CABB NEWS

1. CABB Bug Light Double Distance Race. Our April race will be the annual Bug Light Double Distance Race. The date will be Saturday, April 16, 2005. The crew meeting time is 10:30. The location will be the Rickenbacker Causeway in Miami.

This race was started just a few years ago and it has quickly become one of the most popular races for the year. The day will feature two distance races with a lunch break between the races on the beautiful white sand beach on Key Biscayne. The first race will start just off the Rickenbacker Causeway and go down the bay and out through the Cape Florida Channel and past the historic Cape Florida lighthouse. From there we will proceed out to and around "Bug Light." "Bug Light" is a 37 foot tall steel tower which is located a couple of miles southeast of Cape Florida. After rounding the light, we will head toward Key Biscayne and land in front of the southernmost condo building.

After a short break for lunch, we will start the second race. The second race will be a reverse course of the first race. Bring a timing device, preferably two, to record your elapsed times for each race. I will have the plastic slates for you to record your times. If you are doing the Miami-Key Largo Race the following weekend, this will be a good shake down for that race. See you there!

2. CABB membership

The 2005 CABB membership renewal is well under way. Thanks to those of you who have sent in your renewals. If you intended to join, there is still time. I sent out registration packets back in February to those who I thought were most interested. If you did not receive the forms and the 2005 schedule, let me know. I can send them to you via email or mail. If you are planning on racing more than one race, I will ask you to join and help defray expenses. If you participate in all 12 races it comes to about $2 per race. Such a deal darling!

Here is the 2005 CABB roster as of April.

Member------------------------------Boats

1. John McKnight-----------------------Hobie 20
2. Carla Schiefer----------------------Marstrom 20, 2 A-cats, Mako 17, Albin 40, sunfish
3. Eric Arbogast-----------------------ARC-21
4. Oriol Cruzeta-----------------------Crews on Hobie 20
5. Ivan Loya---------------------------Tornado
6. L.S. Cooper-------------------------Prindle 18
7. Mike Kennedy------------------------Prindle 19 MX
8. Marc Newlyn-------------------------Nacra 6.0, S.Cat 17
9. Terry Greene------------------------Inter 18, Hobie Wave
10. Robert Onsgard----------------------Nacra 6.0, F 28R
11. Rick White--------------------------Taipan 4.9,Wave
12. Kenny Pierce------------------------Stiletto 23,
13. Geoff Livingstone-------------------Nacra 6.0, Nacra 5.2
14. Frieda Johnson----------------------Hobie 16
15. Tom Worthman------------------------?
16. Dave Tardif-------------------------Hobie 16
17. Wilder S. Robles--------------------Blade F-16
18. Raul Lopez--------------------------F-24
19. Rip Parent--------------------------Nacra 5.8
20. John Esquivel-----------------------Nacra 5.8, Tornado
21. James Barrett-----------------------Hobie 18
22. Rafael Quesada----------------------Hobie 20
23. Alejandro Perez---------------------Hobie 20
24. Howard Riemer-----------------------Hobie Getaway

This year, paid members will be getting a CABB decal for use on their boat, sail box, or wherever you want to put it. Wilder Robles is making the decals. He is only making 30 of them, so if you want a decal, now would be a good time to join CABB. Wilder is also making a CABB banner that we can display at the beach during our events.

3. The Miami Key Largo Race is coming up Saturday, April 23. Today is the deadline for early entry at the lower cost. You can still fax in your entry today. The entry form and all the details can be found on the MYC web site at miamiyachtclub.net. Tomorrow the price goes up. I spoke with Rick Harty of the MYC yesterday and he said there were already about 115 boats signed up for the race. This is one of the best beach cat races of the year.
Once again this year, I will be asking participants in the M-KL race to jot down a few of their thoughts about their experiences during the race. Since people "take out" at several different places, writing a story seems like the best way to share our experiences.

John McKnight
(305) 251-7600
CABB Forum: http://www.catsailor.com/forums/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=CABB

weather is looking really good for this saturday!

I recommend those who are on the fence to come out, jump over and join US!!!!
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=33010&hourly=1&yday=105&weekday=Saturday

OK, greased the bearings on my trailer, Tomorrow morning I am replacing the shrowds early, baby sitter is set up for the day, and we are good to go!

Ok, so those of you who went know that I finally didn't go. My wife (and crew) was up all night with food poisoning.

I want to hear reports! The wind was really blowing, so this had to be interesting. I looked on my chart but couldn't find Bug Light. Is it on the ocean side? Were the waves as reported 8 to 10 ft?

I ended up washing my boat and preping it for next weekend (and also ligning up crew), and went down to the club for a short sunfish sail.

So how was it?

How did that Blade fare?

Not good. We did not go to the ocean side.

Race Report? Robi? John?

OK, Robi...a little more info. please. Where is the Bug Light? Did they change the course? How did the Blade perform?

Eric??? Did you go?

Are you guys set up with crew for next weekend?

Heh, I lost count of all the times I went over. First five minutes of the race we were beam reaching, a good gust hit us and we pitch poled. Then when we went to right the boat, she gained power and started sailing. Good thing me and my crew were hanging on the boat, we must have been draged maybe 50 yds before we got onto the boat.

We then jibbed and noticed the spin was not rigged properly. We could only use the spin on a starboard tack. We decided to lower the spin and just use the main and jib. Once we rounded the mark, thats when stuff got nasty. Wind was howling. I lost count all the times we went over. We then swapped into "Get to the shore mode" instead of racing. We depowered the rig, and started heading to shore. When I was out on the trap, the boat had a tendency to push me aft, (maybe the mast rake) plus the hammering of the waves. I need to install some foot straps. It was NO fun. Atleast I can say, I finished the course.

The boat suffered some damage, so I think I maybe out for MKL race. Has anyone taken a trip foward of the jib and then bounce back aft and hit the tiller extension bending it into unknown proportions?

As far as bugs light location is, I really have NO clue.

Eric did not go! Tough rough for me. I was going to sail with my regular crew and our two young sons but the forcast looked to risky for the younger boyz.

Having said that, I hope it is similar next weekend! Harrrr, harrrr, harrr!

Ouch Dude!
On a similar note, I finally got out on the Tiger this last weekend, sailed at 350# With a newbie, 12-20nknots. Boat is heavy but impressive in handling. Slight weather helm, you don't know it until you set the tiller down to do something. Were tinkering with teh rigging/stup, Still have a bit of tweaking to do there. Pitchpole prone I am so sure. Very Deliberate in the tacks, I miss my I-20 and it's s gonna dohe Tybee without me this year.
Looking forward to seeing you at the TWM, Fix it woudja?
We're doinga race Clinic Friday for whoever's there early practice starts and mark roundngs to get you ready for Friday's race. Then the Bar is Open!
Can't wait!
CARY