The Down the Bay... not SCBNF or the CRAC cat race one but the monohull race is reborn.

I have 5 firm commitments for the class and so we are racing.

Info is found here
http://www.hamptonyc.com/downthebay/

Excellent! Way to go Mark.
What class would we be listed under? Multihull or "other" as in beachcat.
What safety gear is required?
Where is the best place to launch for the start?

Thanks for all the hard work.
Todd

Todd,

Did you get a "Open Class" Flag ????

Harry

So we would pack lots of sandwitches for this one, eh?

Looks like you guys will be first in line for the party afterwards.

Mark - how do you plan to get around the requirement in the NOR:



Which can be found here.

Roughly 150 miles as the crow flies - you planning on sailing straight though? At night on the Bay?

Matt,
Are you planning on doing it, or just trying to be a fly in the ointment.
Sailing at night on the bay has been done before plenty of times during Chesapeake 100s and CRAC Down The Bays.

As far as the 4p Safety requirements, I trust Mark enough to feel he has worked that out with the organizers.


Harry,
I got a limited addition John McLaughlin original(I need to get him to sign it), but I thought that was for cat class. Does that fall under open?
Todd

I'm not trying to be a fly in the ointment. The NOR is written for keelboats and doesn't mention anything about beachcats. Unless there's a revision that not posted, then they aren't invited, whatever Mark says.

I grew up sailing on the lower bay (Fishing Bay). I might have considered doing this at one point - but I don't have a boat suitable for it now (I sold my Tiger last fall). I'm sure not going to do this on a H-16.

I did my first 3 CRAC Down the Bays on a Prindle 16. You'd still be faster than 90% of the big boats.

Todd,

Yep .... the flag designed by Mr John "Hollywood" McLaughlin is refered to as the "Beach Cat Class"/"Open (Portsmouth) Class" Catamaran Flag for CBYRA racing. It is a "way cool" flag as you know .... John's design is the best class flag used in the CBYRA!!!!

You'll need to fly the Beach Cat/Open Class Burgee proudly for this race.

Matt: have you ever talked to Wally about the time he competed in the Worrell 1000 ... in the days of "Iron Men on H16's" ??? No spinnackers ... no stops ... three men crews w/ two on the boat and one resting in the car/van on the drive from check point to checkpoint ... round the clock racing for 1000miles from South Florida to Virginia Beach Va.

Definately "Manly Men/Hairy Chest" territory .... no whimps allowed ..... ARrrrrr,ARrrrrrr

(I've got a few too many miles on me for nonsense like that ....)

Harry Murphey

Yes, Harry - I know all about the "real" Worrell 1000. In the late '70s and early '80s, I raced against a lot of those guys in Hobie 16s. I remember when I heard about Ron Anthony being killed in a plane crash. I have a copy of this book displayed on my bookshelves. (It came with the trophy when I won the 1979 Atlantic Coast Championships in a Hobie 18.)


Around here (Detroit), when I tell people I race sailboats, invariably they respond, "Have you ever done the Mackinac Race?", because that's the only sailboat racing they've ever heard of.

My answer to their inquiry, "No ... you see, I'm not into that kind of pain - overnight races involve being cold, eating cold food, no showers and no sleep. When I'm done sailing for the day, I like a cold beer, a hot shower, a dinner that requires cooking and a real bed that doesn't move."

Maybe I'm getting old, but a race like Down the Bay just doesn't have much appeal to me (as a competitor) anymore.

Matt,

Yah, those were the days ... I think the race lost something when the "custom" boats where allowed .... Randy w/ the 10'wide P19 ... Alexander's and Rudee's tricked out NACRA 6.0's w/ ladderracks ....

For distance races I've just moved to a BIGGER boat ... a 43'Tri .... but I do wonder what the hell I doing when I find myself trying to sleep curled up in a set of "foulies" in some corner, out on a open deck .... or trying to transit back overnight from the Governor's Cup 08' and running through the worst thunderstorms that the bay has seen in years/decades dodging frieghters, tugs w/ tows, cruiseships ... in a "open" **** (ask Mark S about that ... we had the second watch, I had the helm , he was the navigator ....we pulled into Solomons Island @ 4:00am tired and low on fuel in a dead calm after the storms passed .... tied up to the fuel dock and slept on deck waiting for the sun to rise ... we could go no further ....)

Why do we do such things .... because we can ?????

HarryMurphey

Great to hear this race materialized. I am in, please count Rudee's Nacra 20 in !! I like the course, I like the time of year it will be done, and I like the night sail challenge of it....

Wind-wise, this is perfect time of year, not summer drifter conditions, and before T-Storm season....

The course is 120 Nautical Miles.

Rudees

There you are .... did you see the outstanding pics the photographers took of you at the start of the 08' Governors Cup????

Oh, you owe me a beer (or two).... did you ever wonder why your boat didn't float away at St Mary's on the incoming tide??? Us beach catters look out for each other ..... (I drink Yuengling Lager, draft or bottled ... no cans please)

You may want to think about tieing your boat to something if you don't have any beach wheels to move the boat with ... I didn't remember a I20 being that heavy ... or maybe I was just very, very tired ...

Did you get caught in those thunderstorms on your return trip on Saturday night???? .... Or did you trailer the boat home ... I saw you from a distance as you left the beach .... I don't know if you went to the boatramp around the corner or if you headed out to sail back.

HarryMurphey

Harry, go make some meatballs we've got a party comingup!!! Will you look after "Gertie" so well? PS. your a cheap date, Yuengling, OMG!

Harry,
Muchas Gracias for the assist at St. Mary's. I was hellbent on finding beer and neglected putting boat away properly.

2008 Gov. Cup we got permission to use a boat ramp by the 'Dove' except no boat ramp was there, so we improvised. Next year, the wife brings the beachwheels for that race..

Speaking of Beer and stupid things, I will be providing a case of Dominion Lager beer (Ashburn, Va) to the first 5 beachcats to finish in Hampton !!!!

Chris,

Of course I would look after Gertie too.

FYI: I HAD a whole pot of meatballs w/ tomato gravy on Triple Threat for the NASS Race to surprise you w/ at Oxford ... when there was no wind we abandoned the race and went back to Annapolis and moored out ... drank beer and had meatball sandwiches .... there was so many left over Tim was eating meatballs/spagetti all of the next week .... I felt for you, they were GOOD!!!!

Party??? When and Where????

On Sat,March 28th Rock Hall Yacht Club is having a "Fund Raising Dinner" for the Junior's Sailing Program ... I'm the cook/chef .... and I'm making .... fresh MEATBALLS w/ Tomato Gravy. Yuengling Lager drafts 16oz/$1.50ea .... you can make reservations at www.rockhallyachtclub.org

I would really like to cook for you guys .... I would enjoy that alot ... (someday I need to make Lasagna again ... John McLaughlin really likes Lasagna ....)

HarryMurphey

Harry. Your kookin is always appreciated. Ed

interested in doing the down the bay race, is the field open to any beach cat or is a one design field

Any update on this?