Hi distance threaders:
Nice thread going. Great to see many ideas out there!

A few comments:

1) Jackson and I did the everglades challenge in 2009 after heavy recruitment by Steve and Jamie on the Tybee. We were the only cats (Randy S. had a homebuilt fast tri and actually someone did the one day event in an inflatable cat with a Hobie rig). It is an awesome time and a great race and I hope to do the 1000 sometime. It is NOTHING like the tybee. You see everyone at the start, maybe night 1 if u stop, then u just see logbooks, and a dude at the end with maybe a cooler. It's an isolationist experience through untamed everglades coast. We did have to drop our mast once (and almost put it up on a powerline in the dark on the way back out!) but it wasn't a big deal. The fact that they took that part out is gravy. We never added grommets or reefing capability, didn't recall that as a requirement. Chief (the organizer) is very reasonable, I am sure u could discuss with him if that was the single reason not do do it. I remember almost every minute of the race, it's that cool and unique.

A lot of the people on this board and friends I've made sailing have been thru the Tybee, its a social race, its a family experience, its adventure sailing but within a somewhat controlled environment. Two different animals, EC and Tybee.

Many of us (including me) want a 1000. Obviously there are many ideas floating about. One thing for sure though, the difference between typing and doing is ACTION.

There are five of us willing to start putting action to words this year, and we are hoping to have you all join us. We need to start somewhere. We need to build. If we can pool and invest our sailing time and sailing resources to a three hundred this year, we can come back next year with a 500. Then hopefully a 1000.

Please stay tuned to this site (and others) for an ideally simple announcement and action plan in the next few days. If we can get 15-20 boats, this will happen and the rest will follow.