1 boat team = easy
2 boat team = a little harder
7 boat team = i don't know how they do it

The ground crew goes a LONG way to making this race less challenging on the sailors. Ideally you need two people that A) knows catamarans B) is easy going but attentive/responsible and C) can put up with you.

Both of our ground crew guys (Tim and Daryl) have ground crewed in excess of four years (I think Daryl has been there 6). They are pretty darn selfless when it comes to this race and it's hard work being on the ground. When we slide onto the beach, they're their to catch the boat and as soon as the boat is wheeled back to the dune and turned into the wind, Tim has a waterproof notebook and pen ready to make a list of anything the boat needs. They are fully skilled to handle any repairs or maintenance with the boat that is not fiberglass related (I manage that - but it's a rarity that any is needed). If I've done my boat prep well, they hopefully don't have much to do (and Tim lives near me so he helps with the prep before the race). There's a cooler with refreshment and a couple of sandwiches or something waiting there too. It's easy to discount what the ground crews do for this race but they really have to work hard and are almost constantly on the move, at the hardware/marine/food store, checking in and out, packing up cars / trailers...etc.

The pusher function proved to be a big deal this year and Daryl excels in this area. You don't necessarily need a huge guy for a pusher but it helps. On the tough days (Daytona / Cocoa) a little experience from the pusher pays off big - as it did for us this year as we never got trapped behind the surf line and made steady progress out each day.

When Bonnie comes along, she is in front of the computer for 6 to 10 hours a day manipulating photos, writing, and uploading her well written story - and we all enjoy having the documentation to go back and relive.

Bjorn was a new addition to the team this year to help with the addition of the second team. Though it was his first year he hit the ground running and blended in very nicely with the team. He did a terrific job managing Chris and David's "Team Seacats White" and taking many of the photos on our site. It sounds like he's willing to come back again too which would be terrific.