Need some advice on whether we should try the 2006 Hogsbreath.

Boat - older Hobie 18. Solid boat, decent condition - have spare sales (but no new sails), daggerboards, rudders, etc.

Skipper - 30 years old, 5 years experience racing/crewing monohauls (sport boats, J/24s), 10 years total sailing exp. Mostly inland lakes and bays. Have all the ASA certifications, can read a chart, know what a shoal looks like. No Hobie racing experience (short or long distance). Have driven motor boats for diving in the keys a bit but not much.

Crew - 28 years old - 10 years sailing experience (including singlehanding 22' cruisers), no racing experience, minimal multihaul experience but overall competant sailor and athelete.

We would obviously go over the boat pretty well before the race, buy the necessary safety gear, study the charts, program the waypoints, etc. But lets face it - not the fastest or best condition boat - and no experience in this kind of racing.

BUT - how hard can 50 miles a day in off the wind in a hobie be? If it is forecasting to be blowing stink, we don't race. If a squal kicks up, we douse sails, and throw out an anchor till it calms, right?

Will other people be racing this caliber boat, or will it be all brand new rocketships who will pull a horizon job on us in teh first 10 minutes?

Seems like a lot of fun - but we dont wnat to do anythign stupid.

thoughts?