I was told by someone that there is a seawall you have to "carry" your cat over to launch somewhere during the mug race.. is that correct? can some one explain it to me if true?

thanks

There is a boat ramp in Palatka, you don't HAVE to launch over the wall nearby, but you can if you want. With the ramp right there, I don't know why anyone would, but I saw people doing it.

You do it if you don't have ground crew or you can't sweet talk someone into taking your traxs to the Rudder Club after you launch.

There is no sand beach or any beach at all for that matter.

And remember to bring lots of carpet scraps to put on the sea wall and the rocks.

Funny you bring that up... nobody goes over the rocks at the hotel anymore. They either go over the seawall or ramp launch. I really don't miss going over the rocks, like John said ramp launching is the way to go but even that can present its own challenges if there is a bit of breeze... I know, breeze at the Mug Race? It happens and usually shuts off right after we start :-)

thanks for the info guys!

Once I just pushed my H17 over a sea wall in Beaufort NC into the canal. Jumped in - righted the boat and sailed off. Don't recommend it on a modern cat though.

there was usually a lot of help to carry boats over the rocks at the hotel, but I only floated up the St. John's twice, so I'm sure the protocol is different.

And I used the term "floated" correctly. I had to sit there for two hours while JC smoked cancer sticks to see where the wind was. At one point we parked under a cloud and watched the breeze go straight upwards.... good times.

I still like that race, though... Just a bit of a logistical challenge

I remember you guys in that race - sailing with that Urinator spinnaker. We had great wind all day sailing with the kite and chasing just behind you guys while blowing the doors off all the monos as we picked our way through the fleet. The wind only died in the last 5 miles or so when the thunderstorms rolled in and made things very exciting for those that finished 10 minutes + after the N20's finished.

I heard and named my favorite quote of all time that afternoon. While sipping back beers and listening to the VHF of all the calamity taking place as the storm bared down on the fleet, they towed in an elderly canoe sailor. Someone in some sort of official capacity was attending to the guy as he sat on one of the retaining walls. I didn't hear the offer exactly, but from what I could tell, they were offering to call EMS. His response? "Christ!, I'm 80 years old - I'm SUPPOSED to shake. Just show me to the beer tent". I thought to myself, I want to be that dude and I brought him a beer.

Technically the beer tent was in the club's VHF antenna as it had been lifted from over our heads to the roof by a strong gust only a few minutes earlier. Thankfully, the bartender never missed a beat.

you guys make this race sound so fun! hahah

I hear this comment surprisingly often, but as point to point distance races go this one has to be the easiest from a logistical standpoint particularly since the club does provide transportation to and from the Rudder Club on Friday and early Saturday morning. Heck it's the only point to point distance I do anymore with the exception of the Steeplechase but I always have ground crew for that one. Logistics... the Rudder Club has that one handled, sure it's an excuse not to go it's just not a very good one.

The nice thing about this race it’s anyone’s race to win or lose, with the prevailing light and variable spring breezes the odds are unusually even. Besides the fact that it’s a great way to showcase the speed and grace of a multihull when the sea breeze finally comes up at the end of the day and you walk away from all the monohulls and then you proceed to ravage the keg. So sack up you bunch of babies! Even the little girls are doing this one and doing it well!

I love this race and have not ever had to throw my boat off of a cliff. There are plenty of people and cattrax around to use the ramp. I have seen the guys setting up the carpet on the rocks and the sea wall and figured it was a primal sect ritual or something. I was not going to ask.....

I agree with you Ding, as far as the race logistics, it's pretty well taken care of. The race dates usually caused more problems for me due to work logistics, forcing me to make a long trip late Friday, set up and get organized, race, and then bust a move getting back for an early Monday audit.

What I like best about the race itself is the display of pretty much every sailing design out there, and when the wind is there, you get to sail by all of them.

I hadn't seen an A-scow in decades, but there were three that year.

I'd encourage anyone to put that race on the calendar

All of the above. Logisticts are a somewhat of a myth. Wind can be anything but we always get to the beer before the masses.

Just out of curiosity (because we were lucky to finish those races), what happens when they call the race on time? Did everyone continue on, or pull out somewhere? Did you have ground crew to pick you up if you pulled out?

Some pulled out some sailed on. Pulling out was a bad idea and those that decided to push on had a nice sail to the finish. The seabreeze finally filled in and it remained long enough to get everyone home. I'll never pull out again, If I can finish the RTI at 4 in the morning why should the Mug Race be any different :-)

Hey! That's how the MEN do it! Only the Ladies use the ramp!

But you must chant: "Ougah chuga, ouga ouga..."


If the RC would just change the cutoff time at that one bridge, so many more would finish!

Causeway closes at 11! (just kidding)

They pushed back the time after the year so many didn't make the cut, but I think the finish cutoff time is the same. I never pay attention the cut times anymore anyway, I'm doing the full stretch no matter what.

Maybe they should start it a little later and finish it a lot later? I know it would really suck to be one of the slower mono's, start at 7am, drift for 4 hours, finally start sailing, and miss then miss the cutoff...only to 'finish' late but not be scored.