I've gotta vote with John, Mike, and Dave. Stay with the 5 day event, for all of the reasons they have already listed. I have never been to a Nationlas that was less than a 2000 mile round trip. Traveling that far, for a shorter event where the chances of losing a day or two to "no wind" would cause me to seriously question the wisdom of expending that much money and effort. Also, as Mike noted, I learn a LOT at a nationals and having a couple of extra days of racing to practice what I have learned even if I do not improve my final position is part of why I go to a Nationals. The toughest Nationals I have ever sailed was the F-18 NA's at Lake Carlyle last year. We raced the warm up regatta in addition to the Nationals, and had 6 days of heavy air sailing. I went home beat up, tired, worn out, and whipped. I think we finished in the bottom 1/4 of the fleet. It will be a story I will tell my geat grandkids when they visit me in the Nursing Home. Oh yeah, for what it's worth, I'm fifty something this year.<Grin>(Gawd, when and how did THAT happen)

Stephen