All Wave Sailors and other sailors:
We have the biggest regatta, next to the Wave Nationals, coming up on January 17-18 at Founders Park. It is the Tradewinds Midwinter Open Cat National Championships. You HAVE to attend. It is the biggest regatta in the USA for catamarans of all kinds. If you are NOT a Wave sailor, for some strange reason, there will still be a class for you.
Not to mention there is a beautiful trophy (the Carlton Tucker Memorial ) awarded to the winner of the largest class. For two years the Hobie 16 Class has just edged out the Waves for that honor. Great comeback for H16s in Florida. Good going.
Expected Classes:
F16 Class Midwinter Nationals
F18 Class Midwinter Nationals
Harken Buoy Series (first of series and awards for last year)
Wave National Series Regatta
Hobie 16
Nacra 20
Open Class Lo
Open Class Hi

Please PreRegister so we can assure T-shirts for every sailor, skipper and crew.
To do so, go here:
http://www.catsailor.com/registration/

This time of the year you can usually find pretty good rates as there is a small window of OFF SEASON after the New Year. I have heard that there are good rates at Holiday Isle.

Rick

Wow, 10 Inter 20's already! We need more F16's, H16's and F18's!

Rick,

We are coming in Thursday and leaving Monday. Will we have access to the park on Thursday?

Looks like I will be in late on Weds. night. Would love to practice with you on Thursday Ding.

Works for me.

About early park access, e-mail Barb Short, barb@the-helm.com

I heard from Barb, we are good to go for Thursday.

If you haven't yet preregistered for Tradewinds (Jan. 17-18 in Islamorada, FL), please do. I am going to order T-shirts this week, and I need a better head count.

Get after the people in your own class. Right now it looks like a tight race for who is going to win the Carlton Tucker Memorial Trophy, which goes to the winner of the biggest class at the regatta. Most of the people who come to the regatta probably do not visit this forum, so it is up to you guys to rally the troops within your own classes.

We tried to get a T-shirt size category included in our pre-registration form, but Chad has not had time to do it yet. So I will just try to guess again, as usual.

If you are coming in Thursday come over to the Islander for a beer with the A caters. We have a large fleet and we plan on having an impromptu lawn sale on Thursday afternoon after sailing. Sails, battens, blocks compasses carbon bits, whatever you have spare bring it along it maybe worth something to someone.

Up to 12 Nacra 20's now!

You're not allowed to yell at my crew Trey.

I'll beat you up :P

15 I20's now, so who in the I20 fleet is going to get to watch over the Carlton Tucker Memorial trophy???

Watch out.., the Waves are hiding in the bushes and not pre-registered yet.., sneaky suckers!
Rick

Looks like a warm front coming through for the weekend. It will go from 53 on Friday to 56 on Sat and Sun! Awesome! Don't forget your sunscreen.

Latest in the Miami Herald says NE winds 15-20 on Sat and East at 10 on Sunday.., finally, two days of sailing.
Next year we will do the 3-day regatta as does Spring Fever.
Temps will be cool, but not cold, with high in the low 70s on Saturday, and upper 70s on Sunday.

Pretty good considering the Global Warming pattern in Minneapolis, where actual temps are -20 and that is NOT wind chill factor.
Rick

Wunderground has it as "brisk" on Saturday and perfect for sunday.
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin...ourly=1&yday=16&weekday=Saturday

Look forward to next year's 3 day format Rick. I'll be there for that.

Someone take some pictures for me. I need to live vicariously from my keyboard.

I know this is nothing to you northern boys, but its suppose to hit 8 degrees here in S carolina tonight. Thats way too cold for us, there will be no bread or milk left in any store, thats how we roll