What did I like about Catfest 2009??

1) Being ahead of Eric.
I was ahead of Eric at least half of the time, and had a couple of better starts than he had. I notice he mentioned me not at all in his writeup. Interesting, as I know he was pretty focused on finding a way to get in front of me at least half way through a few of the races.

2) The socializing.
I went out of my way to visit with those I did not know. I'm trying to stir up an interest in catamaran sailing in the piedmont area and I realized this summer, I don't have any contact information for CAT sailors in the GBO, RDU area, except the Isotopes. And I must confess, the Isotope sailors don't respond to my emails, not even the one that I'm married to. Maybe other cat sailors will respond, though I'm thinking it might be me as I've sent a few emails out on Catamarancrazy and not much in the way of replies.....hmmmmm, if this sounds like a gauntlet, looks like a gauntlet, feels like a gauntlet....

3) The Sailing
I very much enjoyed 3 of the 5 races. Race 1 was not much fun and race 5 I quit. I practiced with the boat wake, and enjoyed sailing downwind in the the chop, some of the time.

4) Dinner
What a lot of food. I had the french fries and crab cake on Saturday. I had the shrimp on sunday, with more fries that we made, and I had the fish on Monday, with yet more fries.

5)Camping
Everyone, simply everyone is camping. where else does that happen. Spring Fever? Yes!! Anywhere else? I haven't found it. Wat is it about Cat sailors and camping? It totally amazed me how late peope were to wake up Saturday and Sunday morning. Competitors meeting at 10:30 on Saturday, and very few people were up and about at 8:00am.

6)Raffle
Wow,the doorprizes at the Cat events are like non other I've seen. Eric and I travel to a LOT OF REGATTAS and I've organized a few. Joel just loves his binoculars, and I really needed my replacement pair of water boots.

7) Lake Norman Yacht Club and the drive home
We are less than 3 hours from the gate of the yacht club. That is only 2 hours more than any of our regular racing venues. How sweet is that?

8)Sailing upwind (leeward) with downwind (windward) port spin boats. Talk about nerve racking. Yeah, I might be right of way boat, but they are going hot and fast, and there are three of them one after another .... and I like this? Yes!! Isn't that why were are all at CATFEST, to mix and mingle both on and off the water?

9)Meeting up with so many of you once again.

10) Memories
As someone else stated - the weekend was priceless. Further more, except for my watershoes which got replaced, I did not break anything.

What Didn't I like?
There were not more Isotopes
Race 5 - by race 5, I had enough of boat wake.
Leaving to go back to work
Jake parking his new truck in front of my camper at 10:40 pm Friday night - but we cleared that up by 10:50pm- smile - and it is a lovely new truck. The bed of the truck is custom carpeted, even. Talk about comfortable.

For those of you who couldn't make it -- you missed a great weekend!!

-Joleen