| Re: What is your favorite annual regatta?
[Re: Mary]
#20894 06/13/03 02:38 PM 06/13/03 02:38 PM |
Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 62 s. cackalacky Bonnie
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journeyman
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Posts: 62 s. cackalacky | I don't know about just one favorite, but I really enjoy the Sun Fun Cat Dash sponsored by the N. Myrtle Beach, SC Chamber of Commerce. It takes place the last weekend in May. The Le Mans start is colorful and exciting, there are lots of spectators, and hey, it's a weekend out at the beach for everyone. I can't speak to wind or conditions because I didn't race and, of course, it varies from year to year, but Jake and I have gone out the day after the race and had a great time sailing up and down the coastline. There are cash prizes and the organizers really show everyone a good time with a dinner and wine tasting at the local vinyard, La Belle Amie. It's part of the Sun Fun Festival, so there are lots of activites for the whole family during the weekend. | | | Re: What is your favorite annual regatta?
[Re: Mary]
#20895 06/13/03 02:58 PM 06/13/03 02:58 PM |
Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 3,906 Clermont, FL, USA David Ingram
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 3,906 Clermont, FL, USA | My favorite Buoy’s race is the Jetty Park Ocean Regatta put on by Fleet 45 of Cocoa/Cocoa Beach, Florida.
They consistently put on a well-planned and executed event. There is always plenty of beer and wings after the days racing. The conditions on the water are always a mixed bag, from light to moderate not favoring any one boat or team. Plus it's on the open ocean, always a bonus.
A close second is the St. Augustine, FL Regatta. This race is also on the ocean and offers the same conditions.
My favorite distance race: Key Largo Steeplechase.
This race consistently attracts the best sailing talent in the country. The course offers navigational as well as tactical challenges. You get a little bit of everything with this race. Plus, the FL Keys in the middle of winter is not a bad place to be.
David Ingram
David Ingram F18 USA 242 http://www.solarwind.solar"Do or do not. There is no try." - Yoda "Excuses are the tools of the weak and incompetent" - Two sista's I overheard in the hall "You don't have to be a brain surgeon to be a complete idiot, but it helps"
| | | Re: What is your favorite annual regatta?
[Re: Mary]
#20897 06/13/03 03:18 PM 06/13/03 03:18 PM |
Joined: Apr 2002 Posts: 805 Gainesville, FL 32607 USA dacarls
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 805 Gainesville, FL 32607 USA | Summer Sizzler at Treasure Island Hotel, Daytona Beach, Florida. Hobie Fleet 80 has done superb work on this since forever, may they live long and prosper. (Jetty Park Ocean Regatta and St. Augustine Annual Regatta are both terrific too, thanks Hobie Fleet 111).
Dacarls: A-class USA 196, USA 21, H18, H16 "Nothing that's any good works by itself. You got to make the damn thing work"- Thomas Edison
| | | Re: What is your favorite annual regatta?
[Re: Mary]
#20898 06/13/03 03:37 PM 06/13/03 03:37 PM |
Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 12,310 South Carolina Jake
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Posts: 12,310 South Carolina | I-LYA Race week on Put-In-Bay Island, OH that begins with the Sandusky Steeplechase (17 miles from Sandusky out to the Island). There's not a big catamaran contingency at this regatta but it's an incredible venue with incredible entertainment all around! It's akin to a little more mature Key-West. This is a huge mono-hull event that is very friendly to us mad catters. Great racing, entertainment, hospitality, and old friends (I even ran into my high school history teacher/wrestling coach and sailed against him - I had no idea he and his wife had been sailing all this time!). Mary, I believe you know them quite well too! Next would be Round the Island at Fort Walton, FL. but just for the endurance racing and competion. There's not much in the way of entertainment or time for hospitality on this one. I-LYA regatta Round the island
Last edited by Jake; 06/13/03 04:16 PM.
Jake Kohl | | | Re: What is your favorite annual regatta?
[Re: David Ingram]
#20900 06/13/03 04:36 PM 06/13/03 04:36 PM |
Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 5,590 Naples, FL waterbug_wpb
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,590 Naples, FL | I'm with Dave on this one, too! Florida has a number of great venues for both fresh & salt water sailors. Between the Keys, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Cocoa, Daytona, and St. Augustine on the east, and Tampa, Clearwater, Dunedin, Pensacola, and even Naples on the west, it's hard to find a weekend with NOTHING going on!
I'm going to say that so far, Jetty Park Ocean Regatta (JPOR) has the best logistics, food, smack-talk, and venue. The beach access is normally restricted, but they planned it so well that there wasn't a problem. Now if we could just get those dang cruise ships to stop with the swells...
Also putting them on top is that all those NASA guys are pretty good about calling the weather, and got us on the beach before all that bad weather stormed over the horizon on us!
I've yet to sail St. Augustine, but it should be fun, as the I-20 state champion will be determined that weekend, and I have to pay my dues/respects there...
As for distance stuff, it would be Key Largo Steeplechase for it's competitiveness and overall challenge, and maybe the Miami Key Largo for it's sponsorship and attendance. The only drawback to the MKL race (besides the price) is that they hold the skipper's meeting and award ceremonies in such a way (a week later) that the out-of-towners are not in a position to attend.
A very close second would go to Pensacola (only reason it's not tops is it's about 10 hours drive from my house) and the Tampa area (Tampa Bay Cat Sailors really put on a show - only drawback is the weather can be quite a bit more flukey there).
I'm hoping that they will eventually design a steeplechase around Egmont Key in Tampa Bay. Starting/finishing at Davis Island YC or something...
Jay
| | | Re: What is your favorite annual regatta?
[Re: Mary]
#20901 06/13/03 04:39 PM 06/13/03 04:39 PM |
Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 396 Annapolis Md. LuckyDuck
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 396 Annapolis Md. | How about the Statue of Liberty Race put on by none other than the Sandy Hook Catamaran Club? Even on a bad day its worth it to sail up into NY harbor with the Manhatten skyline and the lady herself. Always held the Saturday after the 4th of July by a great club with great facilities.
Still hazey after all these beers. F-16 Falcon #212
| | | Re: What is your favorite annual regatta?
[Re: Mary]
#20903 06/14/03 05:32 AM 06/14/03 05:32 AM |
Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 164 The Netherlands (North West Eu... RobLammerts
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Posts: 164 The Netherlands (North West Eu... | Round Texel M20 versus Tornado The Hague | 13-06-2003 13:53:00 | By: Diana Bogaards Since two months, a grey flash has been signalized regularly off the coast of Hoek van Holland. It happens that Gunnar Larsen and Xander Pols infest the North Sea with their brand new, silver grey M20. During the Hoek van Holland – Scheveningen VV Catrace, they frustrated the rest of the fleet in their hopes to win. After 45 minutes Larsen and Pols were no longer recognizable on the horizon. Two hours after the starting signal the enthusiastic men already crossed the finish line. A new period has been introduced with this rapid M20 that only weighs 122 kg. Round Texel will be the ultimate test for the winner of 1999 (Gunnar) and the second finisher in 2002 (Xander). Last year, Sven Karsenbarg and Mischa Heemskerk won the Round Texel race with their Olympic Tornado, until now the fastest race monster. On June 21st, five teams will fight the Tornado on a M20. Will the Round Record of 2.30.36 hours finally be broken? For more info see web page
Rob
Nacra 6.0 European version
Nr 090 + Spi
| | | STANK, you might be on to something.
[Re: waterbug_wpb]
#20906 06/15/03 09:57 AM 06/15/03 09:57 AM |
Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 3,906 Clermont, FL, USA David Ingram
Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 3,906 Clermont, FL, USA | A distance race that starts and finishes in the same place is always a big plus.
There isn't anything stopping us from sailing the race you just described. All we have to do us put the word out and go sailing. Only thing is... the schedule is pretty full. Now, that's the kind of problem I can live with :-)
Dave
David Ingram F18 USA 242 http://www.solarwind.solar"Do or do not. There is no try." - Yoda "Excuses are the tools of the weak and incompetent" - Two sista's I overheard in the hall "You don't have to be a brain surgeon to be a complete idiot, but it helps"
| | | White or Wheat in Navarre, FL
[Re: Mary]
#20909 06/15/03 11:49 AM 06/15/03 11:49 AM |
Joined: Jun 2001 Posts: 3,293 Long Beach, California John Williams
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Posts: 3,293 Long Beach, California | Summertime regatta (June) that draws out some of the fun folks with smaller boats, so there has been a open fleet with DPNs over 70 in the past, as well as the usual fleet of rock stars that show up around here. There is a distance race one day, and buoys the second day - I like the two day regattas, nice to leave the boat set up. A local Subway Sandwiches owner who likes sailing sponsors the event - a BIG sandwich for lunch (hence the name "White or Wheat," which used to be the first question you would hear walking through the door until they added all those other breads). I like sailing in Santa Rosa Sound, a east-west body of water between the barrier island and the mainland - with the summer sea breeze coming from the south, the distance race is always fun. And it seems like the local fleet of hot dogs is more relaxed for the event. I've sailed it on a Nacra 5.0 with an I-17 snuffer rig, and on the Mystere 4.3. This year did it on a Cape Horn 17' center console with a radio and GPS in my hand. Everyone should take a turn at committee - trust me, you'll learn something, and it improves your appreciation for the folks who give us a place to race. Plus, you can set your beer right in the cup holder!!! It's been a fun pick-up style regatta with good attitudes in the past - hope it will be again. Had to sail it in Pensacola Bay this year, as the Town of Navarre Beach goes through some growing pains and we lost our beach access down there. Should all be sorted out by next summer, though - new ramp and new state park. Looking forward to that cold Corona at Juana's after sailing against the 5.0s, Hobie 17s, Hobie 16, Waves, and who knows, maybe another 4.3 will show up! Let the big dogs eat - the competition is better in the small boats for those who are mere mortals!
John Williams
- The harder you practice, the luckier you get - Gary Player, pro golfer
After watching Lionel Messi play, I realize I need to sail harder.
| | | Re: What is your favorite annual regatta?
[Re: Mary]
#20910 06/15/03 11:41 PM 06/15/03 11:41 PM |
Joined: Mar 2003 Posts: 736 Westport, Ma. U.S.A. Brian_Mc
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 736 Westport, Ma. U.S.A. | MAry It's a hard choice, even for one with so little experience! I have only been to Fleet 28's Buzzard, and Fleet448"s Summer Classic and The New England 100. I have yet to race! I did register once or twice, but was always distracted by others that just wanted to "funsail". Each event has it's good points, and weather is never one you can count on. Last year The Buzzard, held in The Whaling City, New Bedford Ma. was great! Lots of wind, (too much Saturday, with lots of broken boats) Terrific hospitality from the city,(We used to get police details to guard our boats overnight)lifeguards to keep swimmers out of the beach, a traffic detail during peak traffic, a nice lawn for camping. There is an old fort you can walk around, and nice waterfront park. Then there's Fleet 28... Sometimes they provide towing onto the beach, they put on a good feed, and Ted Knowlton always comes through with a jazz band Saturday night. Wow is he an inspiration or what!? For The Summer Classic, and N.E.100, Saturdays of both events, end at Quonset Point on Narraganset Bay. A great crowd, great feeds, and for the N.E.100, one year they had a tent with a "Surf Band". It was a gas! Of course my favorite event is not a race, but The High Holiday of Cat Sailing, Fleet 448's Annual Island Hop. This is held at my home port, Gooseberry Neck, in Westport MA.We have a small dirt parking lot, with very few trailer spots, but organizer John Smith has arranged to have the state open a gate into the reservation there, so we can put the trailers in. We have primitive facilities, and only draw about thirty boats , but the destinations would be hard to beat anywhere: Cuttyhunk; Quicks Hole; Tarpaulin Cove; Penikese; and Menemsha on Marthas Vineyard; and Cherry and Webb; and Barney's Joy Beaches on the mainland. Followed with a good cook out back at the beach. Sorry to rant, but I just get to feeling religious writing about the Cult I'm in! Brian | | | Re: What is your favorite annual regatta?
[Re: Mary]
#20912 06/18/03 10:44 AM 06/18/03 10:44 AM |
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 5,558 Key Largo, FL & Put-in-Bay, OH... Mary OP
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OP
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Posts: 5,558 Key Largo, FL & Put-in-Bay, OH... | My favorite regatta now is just a dream from the past. Back in the early 1980's when we first had our Hobie 18, my favorite event was The Dam Regatta at (I think) Hoover Dam in Ohio. The wind was always lousy -- light and flukey. But everybody camped right there. It was like being on a farm out in the middle of nowhere, and we had the whole area to ourselves. Lots of grass and plenty of beach. Everybody brought their kids and their dogs, and frisbees were flying everywhere, along with assorted types of spherical objects. The organizers had a big tent and supplied a great dinner Saturday night. Most of the kids who were playing, and sailing, at those Dam Regattas are adults now, but they are still sailors -- some just at heart and some in actuality. I think it is partly because of the great memories they have of regattas like that when they were children.
It has stayed in my mind as the image of the way beach-cat regattas should be. Unfortunately, there just aren't as many venues any more that lend themselves to a whole-family experience. | | |
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