The Hogs Breath Saloon has announced that it will NOT sponsor the "Hogs Breath 100" race this year, but may wish to return next year. We are looking for alternatives this year. Under consideration are 1, new sponsor, same race; 2, New race to Marathon and return (approx 90 miles), same day or in two days; 3, A reverse race from Key West; 4. A new Tybee tune up race, with distance and boat endurance practice involved, sponsored by the Tybee organization. An annoncement will follow decision, ASAP.
We are interested in what you Sailors want. We will keep it an open race with boats 18 - 22 feet, with Dagger Boards and Spinnakers (hopefully with classes); or open it up even more with different courses for boats without spinnakers. The dates will remain 25-26 April 2009. Send your ideas to [email protected] . We will listen to your ideas and wishes, but a decision must be made soon. Please respond quickly. It is very likely the race will have a new name as well.

Given "average" wind direction for that time period, would reversing the course allow for more spinnaker work?

The logistics of getting your boat on/off of that finish beach in Key West seemed to be a hassle (parking, loading, traffic, etc)

I agree with the difficulties in Key West. My personal preference is down to Marathon and Back. Ususally a sled ride down then a beat back with long tacks, thanks for your reply. What is your preference?

We have mainly easterly quadrant winds in the Keys. When Dave Calvert and I came up with the race back when, the idea was to race 100 miles to KW. And mainly it would be all a downhill spinnaker sleighride.
Reversing it would make it a tough uphill trek.
Logistics have always been a bit of a problem. Marathon was a red tape problem, Key West had a finish line problem. When it started on the Bayside of the Keys, Upper Keys Sailing Club were very hospitable, and started the races in Buttonwood Sound -- great racing as it was part of the second day of the Steeplechase in reverse.
Personally, I never have cared about starting from Islamorada.

Also, too bad about Hogsbreath changing management. They have also been there to sponsor the Wave Nationals. I suppose that is gone now as well.

Any thoughts on making the race work will most certainly be welcomed by Warren Green, who is trying to keep it together.
Rick

Where exactly is Upper Keys Sailing Club? Is there a good online map of the Keys?

Go to the link below. The Upper Keys Sailing Club is on Buttonwood Sound, bay side, about mile marker 100, on the point at the west side of Buttonwood Shores, between Point Pleasant and Ocean Bay streets.

http://www.florida-keys.fl.us/maps/keylargo.gif

Founder's Park to Carl Ross Key and back (just south of Cape Sable)?

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/1708

Are you changing the name as well?

Read the post, yes, likely.

Thanks for the info, Warren. I guess this "opportunity" to step back and look at what you want out of this event is a good one.

What sailing groups are you looking to attract? Locals, amatures/families, T-500 competitors, or all of the above?

What difficulty level are you seeking? Fun jaunt like MKL, medium intensity like Steeple, or hard core?

What boats? All around (14' single hand and up), 16' double hand +, or high performance (F18, N20, M20, ARC, etc)only?

Overall distance? Each leg distance?

I would estimate that once these parameters are decided the rest of the logistics will flesh out...

We are looking to provide what was provided at the beginning of this race, but make the race accessable to more competitors. I agree with others that keeping the race in Hawks Channel provides a reasonably safe sailing area so that many can sail under good conditions. The prevailing winds are expected to be E to SE, but if we have a front blow thru, winds would likely be North to NE. AS I was told in Email, commercial boat recovery operations are available thru out the run to Key West. Key West is a great run but logistics are definitely not good. Storage for boats and trailers is a problem, changing hotels is a problem for ground crews and sailors.
The problem with all race managment functions is pre-registrations. No one does. And I understand this because sailors need mama's blessing and then there is the costs, to day even a bigger problem. Coordinating crew is another problem and making plans months ahead is difficult. If we could jointly agree to pre-registration of intent to compete, without up front money and no penalty for cancellations, race management would be a lot easier.
So to summerize, we want to make a medium challenging race for as many sailors as possible and allow those hardy souls preparing for the Tybee (Two weeks later)to ring out their boats and permit the same to store their boats at the Islander until the start of the Tybee for practice and trimming. But, we do not want to limit the race to just Tybee participants. And, if we could get some indications by pre-registration interest, we could set up several classes and adjust the races for good competion.
I know the run to Marathon will be easy to set up logistically. Relations are already set with the folks there, so the red tape problems will go away. I tend to like that race: Down to Marathon, a lunch deal there and return the same day but with the opportunity to stay overnight if the winds are light. Everyone will have the opportunity to race and the boats, if needed will be secure, behind a fence at Marathon. The boats can be brought up on a sandy beach ramp on cat wheels. This would make this a sled ride down to Marathon and a beat, with long and short tacks back to the Islander. I run the Race in Melbourne Florida named Hirams Haul, This would be similar, but ocean side and a little longer. All could stay in the same hotel, and shuttle by car to and from Marathon, just 40+ miles down the road.
All this being said, I still want to keep sailors happy, and therfore the request for desired input from those sailors.

This is a pipe dream... and a total croc of xxx ! (I seem to remember about 10 boast pre registered for Steeplechase and yet 20 raced)

If there is no penalty... there is no commitment.

Do you buy a 150 dollar ticket to Broadway three months in advance and think you will get you money back if you can't make it...? If you want the option of that care free... just like the good ol days... show up at the door and buy a pair of tickets... Prepare to pay the scalper 250 per ticket.

Procrastination should cost the children you speak of (mamma's blessing!} ... not the regatta chair.

IMO... Use an online regatta service....(See the A cat Florida series for example) set up the deadlines as you need and charge the on site registration guys at least 25% or at least 50 bucks.... If the event doesn't need the money... give it to a sailing charity.

You are NOT being a good guy by letting the slackers slide... Realize... You are doing a REAL SERVICE TO THE FLEET by making the event happen... don't screw yourself catering to the BS of the ... would have .. could have crowd....

For those that haven't run a regatta in a while

Realize that "on the water" regatta insurance costs you $365.... It just covers the RC personnel while on the water. If you have to insure your launch and landing sites for this racing.. add 150.... If you have to ensure the property owner of that launch site... Double it. For a 10 boat distance race that equals 40 bucks per boat at the Minimum!

Either people support the race at the level needed or it needs to go away. The racers will see the need to support the next event in the season or at least agree on the schedule.

Mark...
There were 17 or 18 boats preregistered for the Steeplechase and 21 sailed.
Those that weren't preregistered were mostly those that attend every year.
I see what your saying, but i'm not sure I fully agree.

On another note... we really want to to Hogs Breath but if we break something major don't wanna be screwed for Tybee.... can someone volunteer to fix our boat if this happens? We won't be around as we will have to fly back up North after the event. Oh and we certainly can't afford to pay anyone so it will have to be out of the goodness of your heart
Ability to build a carbon mast would be a plus!

Well, the whole point of pre registration is to take the freaking load off the regatta chair.

Why pre registration... ... because the planning and cash flow to make the event happen entail work and risk.

This whole regatta thing is not a business...

Hogs Breath is speaking from experience... Few preregister for his race... much less prepays..

From experience... Cat sailors preregister if it will cost them 20 bucks or more on site.. If it's 10 bucks... people will register on site after they see the weather report and decide if it's a go.

I don't see any valid excuses for not pre registering for a weekend event or paying the on site surcharge.

(perhaps Hogsbreath needs to retool the race if most Tybee Racers will pass on the race for similar reasons .... especially if he needs those guys to draw in the less serious racers)

Mark,
I've sat out of a couple of your races because of your capital punishment approach. Wasn't sure if I could make it, found out I could but by that point your penalty and logistics wasn't worth it. I think you might be missing the other edge on your sword.
Has your attendance increased since you started doing this?
How can anyone expect a racer to pre-register when they don't have a format or location nailed down? If launching , lodging ,etc. was made less troublesome you'd see more folks. Oxford is a blast but their are more logistical questions ( where to launch, where to stay, secret code marks,etc.) in that than I faced in a Worrell over 2 weeks.
Todd

[/quote](perhaps Hogsbreath needs to retool the race if most Tybee Racers will pass on the race for similar reasons .... especially if he needs those guys to draw in the less serious racers)[/quote]

Always has been this way,before Tybee it was the Worrell.
I'd love to do it too,but to much risk of tearing up something major before the Tybee.

In this case the organizer is just trying to gauge interest and make the event as appealing as possible.

If you've enjoyed the "Hogsbreath" in the past, help the guy make it happen.

If arrangements could be made at the Islander resort to leave the Tybee boats there until the start of the Tybee 500, How about Miami to the Islander?

The same will apply for Hosbreath and Miami key largo racers. There is plenty of storage and a decent ramp at the Islander. Of course storage is at owners risk.

Well there will not be a penalty for pull out. I do understand the difficulty of commitment and do not mind. But, my interest and concern is acquisiton of awards. I will set up class races only if I know several boats of a class will likely show up. By the way where do you get insurance for those prices. The last Hogs Breath cost $600 for liability insurance, to cover those such as sponsors, communities and hotels.