Ding, nice to see you are so committed to growing our class! I say we nominate Ding for F16 Class President! I know Pete would love to let him do it! I don't know what we would do without your valuable input, nice to hear you F18 guys have plenty of time and money too! You guys should ALL buy F16's too!

I guess if I hadn't wasted 20 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars rasing 4 kids, I'd have plenty of time and money to be driving all over the country to attend regattas. But I don't. So I guess that makes me a candy butt, I'll have to live with it.

Oh, and the ONLY reason I am going to make the long trip up to MD for the 2011 Na's is because all those guys have worked so hard and made the trip down here many times. Oh, that and they have lots of Uni guys for me to play with.

I thought there was an F18 forum around here somewhere...never been there, because I don't have one, and why would I go there to tell them...what?

You board over there Ding? Or are you finally going to Sack Up, stop beating your wife, and buy an F16 to race it, UNI!

Geeze Tim, it was just a little good natured ball busting. Sorry you took it so hard, I'll leave you alone now.

I keep missing meeting this Ding character. Meant to find him at Spring Fever and RTI...
I don't think it is right to always bring up "you don't have an F16 so go away" thing, unless someone is being plain malicious, which Ding appears not to be.

as far as the nats question. Since I live in Mi and boat is in Fl it makes it exceedingly difficult to do anything. I would be willing to do Panama city since it is close to where my boat is in Fl. Money not so much an issue, it is timing and my wife's apparent inability to deal with our kids by herself.

It's hard to tell with you sometimes. I'm all for a good laugh, even at my own expense, but there is not even a fleet of F16's anywhere in New England, not sure if there is but one lone boat up in Conneticut. So why make the entire class drive days or many hours to support...who?

Hey, maybe in 2013 we can do it in Seattle!

I think that's part of this discussion!

But anyway,


Here's what I think!

2012 We can schedule it in Panama City(to move it around) and then 2013, do it at Roton Point. By that time, there should be enough of a fleet spread out that there should be a decent showing, ~15 boats. You can't have a blow out Nationals every year. Don't forget, the F18's only had 27 or so at their Nationals only a couple of years ago.

Just make sure the organizing authority(or whom ever it is) aware that it might be a small turnout, ~15 boats.


I do think 2012 would be too soon to have it there though, especially since the Nationals where in Maryland in 2011.

The fact of the matter is, some people AREN'T going to travel. Especially, if it costs a lot in fuel, vacation and other stuff.

Ok, so is this discussion done?

If so, I think we need to do a poll!

Keep in mind that the F16 Class will be the Organizing Authority - what we're talking about are potential Hosts for our events. It helps potential Host clubs a great deal if you can offer them the final budgets from the previous year's event. It should be the Class' responsibility to maintain the regatta documentation; in this way, you aren't starting with new NORs and SIs every year. This also helps develop a clearer picture over time of what sort of racing the Class prefers - courses, duration, judging, social schedule, etc.

All good points and it is great to have them on the table. I need another day or so to explore some possibilities. When it comes time to vote, I recommend we do it via the Google e-group. Some USF16 members do/can not follow on CatSailor.

BTW, Ding just wants to race an F16 ....he's just ribbing you. Of course, we have more banter on the F16 forum and that is why we have lurkers that can't resist.

I'd love to see Ding sailing F16 Uni. Let's see if he "Sack's Up!"

Really princess, are you calling me out!? kiss yeah I'd do it. Hell find me one for F16 Nationals and I'll happily drive the 20 hours to partake.

Ball is in your court sunshine!

OK Ding, in 2012, if the NA's are held in Roton Point, you can use My Blade, for the entire regatta, but you MUST race it Uni.

Have a nice trip.

Oh, and get some insurance. You break it, you buy it...

and the challenge is laid down!!!

Next year would be the year to do it, minus that pesky drive in between Massachusetts & Maryland.

Hello, cheek; meet gauntlet.

You'll like the boat, Dave. Besides, Sweetness is likely to wise up sooner or later.

You are missing the point Karl.

Ding thinks I'm a PUSSY because I don't want to drive 20(+) Hours, ONE WAY, to get up to Conn. to race in 2012 against who knows how many boats might show up...(there is no local fleet at the moment)

I have no problem driving up to MD to race against my buddies up there, they have made the trip down here many times, I feel I owe them at least that, and some beer.

If Ding, as he said, has the time and money to drive two days on each end of a regatta and wants to Sack Up he can race my Blade, UNI, in Roton Point, in 2012...if I'm still alive then. If I die before 2012, I will leave my Blade to Ding, but not the jib...

Oh, I'm not missing the point, you are being a pussy for not driving 20+ hrs. But then again, you're a fool for doing so.... keeerist! I don't even want to know how many miles I've put under my butt going to and fro from regatta's. I've been to Florida at least four times in the past 18 months, Texas for The Alter Cup (which I didn't even sail), a fistful of local regatta's @ ~3-4hrs, and I'm planning on doing Carlysle (sp) in southern Illinois yet this year @ 10hrs one way.

Yeah, I'm that hardcore.....

BTW- Just so everyones clear, *cough* JW *cough*, I'm just razzing you.




CLASSIC!

Dude, Dude, they have a cure for all that driving, it's called PASSES! Get yo' Daddy's Passes and come fly with me!

;^)

ROFLOL . And if Ding wins, you'll have to drive to California to compete in the F18 Worlds?

Dad's gone, besides you ever try getting anywhere on a retired man's pass? Most employee's shoes have a higher seniority then me at the end.

I spent two days trying to get to Seattle once, I ended up going to DFW to get to SEA and eventually on to HNL.

Then again, I also got 1st Class, first try, both ways to Amsterdam on a KLM flight, so it comes out in the wash eventually.




Somebody really needs to figure out the technology it takes to make the transporter system from Star Trek a reality. How f-in' sweet would it be to beam your rig across the country?
Pete- you should be jumping on this, there's your cure for the automotive side of fossil fuel usage

Hi Karl!

Hi Karl!

In all seriousness, I think that making a personal commitment of going to your Class nationals is good sense. For me, it is the one learning opportunity that exceeds all others - you get out of your pond to see what people are doing (rigging, crew techniques, etc.) elsewhere, you get practical experience (even if you're behind someone, they're telegraphing good tips) sailing, starting, rounding and finishing, and you maximize the "investment" you made in your boat purchase. Let's face it; even though cats are still the best deal by far in performance sailing, if you ponied up the cash to buy a boat, you've gone beyond "hobbyist" status. I reckon it takes six or seven nationals'-worth of expenses before you exceed the purchase price of a new boat.. maybe even ten when you start chasing new sails every two years. The point is that you've already made the biggest part of the commitment - now it is about milking it.

Oh, and there's beer.