I drove almost 20 hours for that 2H30 race, and I LOVED IT !

I had to choose between my racing buddies that all went to Kingston, or Lady Liberty.

The Sandy Hook Beach Cat club is super nice, people are nice, race commitee is helpfull, and the race was a blast.

I did not do too well myself, I NEVER do reaching on my boat, it but WATCHOUT NEXT YEAR !

I'll pull all the strings I can think of to get my buddies to follow. They trust me, and me daring to go to NY alone with my I-17, just makes them wish they would have come too.

SUPER THANKS TO SANDY BEACH CLUB !

And a particular thank you to Jacques Perret, he speaks french too

[color:"red"] edit: I don't know why there's a line in there, sorry [/color]

Thanks Frog for the nice comments. All the club volunteers made the race a success from our PRO, Greg Raybon (New National H17 Champion) committee boat, chase boats personnel and all the others that helped. I would like to add my thanks and appreciation to all that helped make the 2003 Statue of Liberty Race a success.

For you who maybe interested in next year race, here's a recap of the race from the perceptive of one of our top H20 sailor. If you have raced against him you know he’s good and he writes a great story too. Enjoy.

The Race by John Sullivan
You knew from the start it was going to be a fast race. The forecast was perfect, SW 15-20 mph with small craft warnings in the ocean. Everyone seemed ready for a 10:00 am start, but we got off about 10:30 or something. We were flying around the starting line trying to sit still. I was a little worried that the committee boat end of the line was too close to the Pump House (an old set of submerged pilings) that could be disastrous for the boats with dagger boards. At the start we were off racing to the end of Earle the Naval Weapon Station. The race committee set a large yellow racing mark off the naval security zone because no one can see their marks. We called the Navy the day before and they realize they are too small and are replacing them. This is true of all security zones in the NY/NJ harbor and probably elsewhere. The marks are small, far apart, and nearly invisible in all but the best conditions (sorry for the politics). One boat tried to go through, but was chased off by the Navy. As we rounded the Naval Pier we hardened-up. The further we got from the Naval Pier into the open bay (Raritan Bay) the slower the wind seemed. I started heading for the middle of the Verazzano Narrows Bridge (An expansion bridge bigger then the golden gate connecting Staten Island NY to Brooklyn, NY) however, there were three boats on top of me ahead, Danny Kulkoski (Hobie Tiger), George Kuney (Hobie 20), and Bob Fraser (modified Prindle 20), and Rick Bliss on his 6.0 below me and ahead with John Ready starting to pass me on his 6.0 on same side. There was another 6.0 somewhere. I was about sixth or seventh and wanted to get flushed into the bridge with the incoming tide of about 1.9 knots, but the faster point of sail and tactically best angle was toward the windward side of the bridge (Staten Island). However, was more worried about Rick on the 6.0, and was hoping the three windward boats would get shadowed by Staten Island and the Bridge. As we approached West End Light House everyone was starting to fan out more. Some spinnaker boats were sailing off course to hopefully use their spinnakers to blow by the non spinnaker boats, never happened. I sailed between the Islands going into the harbor that can be disastrous at low tide. There was another Hobie 20 catching-up and starting to pass me to windward with one dagger board half-way up and one rudder up. Wish my rudder cams were working good so I could do the same, but I have been having trouble with the cams lately. I didn't want to take any chances. In fact, I new from the forecast that we would be flying and tightened my cams so the rudders would not kick up before the race. There is nothing worse then sailing a Hobie n20 screaming downwind with no rudders and totally out of control. Leaning on your tiller connection bar for 16 miles downwind to hold my rudders down was something I did not ever want to go through again.

We finally hit the bridge, and I could not see the leeward boats, but thought I was ahead of John Ready. Sure enough the windward boats got caught in the wind shadow. I was able to pick up two boats at the bridge. Once in the harbor the wind was gusting. By now I was traveled out past my hiking strap with the main pulled tight. Others had there travelers in and main sheets out putting a twist in their main. I was de-powering and everyone else was still powering-up. I was more for stability that did me well later. I was about 5th now and heading right for the Statue of Liberty. I wanted to go around the statue counter clockwise so I would not be sailing back into almost a 2 knot current. That did not work too much boat traffic. As we headed for the Statue I told Matt my crew watch for the Staten Island Ferry. You have to time them, and sure enough the 6.0 ahead of me did some fantastic wave riding over the ferry's stern wake. As we approached the Statue I told my crew to keep an eye out to see if the lead boats get into the Statues Wind Shadow (which can be the kiss of death sometimes) so we could go to the outside of them if necessary. Apparently, we were told at the skipper's meeting, that I missed because my crew got there so late, that we had to stay out of the security zone around the statue. Again, the security markers looked more like hazard or low depth warming barrels to me. There was a LARGE Coast Guard boat radioing our committee boat on station at the Statue calling out all the boats going through the security zone. At least, you are not chased down by Navy boats, like at Earle, with machine guns. As we rounded the 2nd lead boat, both 6.0s, set a chute, but it was back on a broad reach. John Ready was behind on another 6.0, but going around the Statue Counter Clock wise.

On the way back it was perilous. We were not a mile or two past the statue on the way back and most of the other boats were right there still on their way to the statue. I knew it was a Hobie 16 day, even though I was glad I wasn't on one. Another 5 knots and I would have gladly switched. On the way back I told my crew to watch for harbor traffic. I have done this trip all but three times, and know what can happen. I must have been flying at least 20 knots on a broad reach and I turn around and a LARGE barrage being pushed by a tug boat was 30 feet behind me. Later, on the beach George Kuney was telling me he was praying for me. First, he thought I was making a run for it, and then he realized the barrage came from my blind size (the other side of the main) and I did not see it. The barrage height was way over the height of my mast (about 40 ft) and even though the tug's tower is suppose to be able to see over anything it is pushing I was on their blind side too. If I went over there my crew and I could have been killed. That was the closest I ever came to danger on the trip with another commercial vehicle, and some of my club member can tell you some stories, but I knew what was going on then. Anyway, since it was all over so fast I nonchalantly waved to the tug boat caption, who never haled me, thanks for letting me pass. The next thought that came to my mind after telling my crew look under the mail sail from now on that the two boats behind me really got screwed by that barrage. However, now I thought everything in the harbor was moving. Before we got to the bridge on the way back we were getting hit by gusts that were hard to read if you could read them at all. The Hobie 20 in front of me went over with the crew going forward and around the forestay, and they went turtle. I passed them to leeward the same time a 6.0 passed them to windward and they were on top of the tramp looking OK, with a fishing boat already offering assistance if they needed it. Now there are three boats ahead of me now, two 6.0s (Rich Bliss) and the modified Prindle 20 (Bob Fraser). At the bridge one 6.0 sailed too close too the wind shadow of the bridge and was out of the top running, but John Ready passed me. Past the bridge the tide was still going out. As I passed a fishing boat I realized I was getting pushed out to sea and had to readjust my angle back to where I thought the yellow marker was. Try to find a yellow maker at 10 miles. From the bridge to the finish line is 12 miles. I was catching up and falling behind John Ready. About 1 mile past the bridge John was working his traveler car in and out, mostly in and working the main sheet, too much line to work for me. I no sooner told my crew Matt that John was putting the peddle to the metal and John goes over. Now there are two boats ahead of me, Bob Fraser and Rick Bliss. I could not see Rick because of the angle of the sail, but I could see Bob who was windward of me. The lead boats had open up a good size lead on the other boats, except for an Inter 20 with Rob Lancaster on it. He was starting to catch me, and was leeward of me. I knew to move up I had to lay a perfect line for the yellow buoy. Fraser was way windward of me and Lancaster was heading more leeward. I know the area well, but not perfect. I told my crew that Rob probably has a big compass on his spinnaker pole, which I found out later he did, and decided to cover him. I was also starting to catch Bob who I later learned was having problems pointing, as it turned out we needed to do in the end. For about 8 miles I was catching Bob Fraser and Rob was catching me. It was really hard to see the yellow racing mark we set outside the Navel Pier's security zone and even though we all thought we compensated enough for it, we had to still fall off for it. Rob Lancaster is yelling to me "step on it" and buries his bow. Fraser got to the mark first and I knew I could not catch him after that, but luck has it for me Bob goes over right at the mark. However, the Navy security boat that is there to offer help is closing off the mark rounding and I am flying. I am worrying about Rob Lancaster trying to get an inside overlap at the yellow marker and am running as close as I can to fishing boats using them as picks. Fraser tells the Navy he wants no assistance and they back off enough for me to fit around. I am in second, with Rob breathing down my back with more wind then I can handle. He has a heavier skipper and crew weight then me and can muscle the boat. The blister on my fingers started to really hurt about a mile before the yellow mark. I was working the main sheet as hard as I could without going over. Rob Lancaster was starting to pass me in the final 2 miles, but was going higher then me. Matt let my travel car out to half way between my hiking strap and hull, and sheeted in and was flying. There was about 50 yards between us. He was headed for the windward end of the finish line and I was the leeward end. At the very end I rounded up like any buoy racer would do and beat him by a few feet after a 36 miles race. I saw Rich Bliss and his crew Brandy Wood on the beach and he said he saw me catching me at the end and beat me by 7 minutes. I now knew it all depended on how the Hobie 16 do.

If it wasn't for a little let down in the wind from the end of the Naval Weapon Station to just before West End Light House (about 20 minutes to 1/2 hour). It would have even been faster. In fact, this may be the fastest run ever. The old record in 1992 was done in minutes, not seconds. We are still researching the Hobie 16 record. There are many more stories out there this is just one.\