The subject says it all folks. I said this while I was on the scene of the Worrell 1000 to those who particpated, and those who watched, and I'm going to keep saying until people start getting it. This Worrell 1000 is not about the boat!



Sure, it's been arranged to be a one design race, blah, blah, blah, but when it gets down to the brass tacks, this is a race about the endurance and the stamina of the sailors.



Mike Worrell has described the race as being the "Nautical Tour de France." Is the "Tour de France" about the Schwinn or Trek bicycle?! I don't think so!! Neither is the Worrell 1000 about the Inter 20, the Nacra 6.0, the Hobie 16, the Hobie 20, or any of the other boats that have sailed it, or will sail it. It's about sailors against the open ocean.



Many of speculated that next year's race won't be fair because certain hotshots whom I don't need to name, will come knowing the boat better than the rest of the sailors.



Hogwash!



I think it would be fun if the unveiling of the new boat could be done on the beach at the first start in 2003. Then every team would be randomly assigned to a boat, they would have an hour or two to do anything they wanted to to the boat, and then have at it! I can almost guarentee you that the outcome wouldn't change.



Ansel Adams wasn't a great photographer because of 8 X 10 view cameras. Tiger Woods isn't a great golfer becuase he uses Top Flite golf balls. Mark Twain wasn't a great writer because of a certain kind of pencil. People like Rick White aren't great sailors becuase of a certain kind of boat.



The above people all made great use of the man made tools they were given, that's for sure, but let us all remember that it's not about the boat (within reason, it has to be somewhat seaworthy), but it is about what Rick often refers to as the "loose nut at the end of the tiller."



My ten cents,



Tim J.