For those of you considering undertaking an event like a Worrell 1000 I encourage you to be realistic about the cost of doing the event. While this past year's event didn't happen I suspect there will be an event in the future and if you have dreamed of sailing in it, start saving your pennies, quarters and dollars now.

Budget:

1 INTER 20 $15,000
1 Spare mast $2500
2 Spare daggerboards $600ish
1 Spare rudder assembly $850
1 Spare Sail set $3000 including battens
5 Air fare $3000 (Round trip for all five)
1 Van and trailer lease $2500 including gas
1 Gear, safety gear beach wheel $3200
1 Food for the team based on six people 3 meals a day $1900 including banquet at the end
1 Hotel rooms (3) $3200 X 16 nights total
1 Tools and other misc spares $1000

There are other costs but we figured $25-32,000 would be an adequate but not luxurious budget for the event. Based on the seminar I attended last October in Virginia Beach many of the experienced teams concurred with this budget.

Start saving now if you plan to sail in 2005 and begin your marketing push as most companies close their marketing budgets in October of the year previous of the "plan year" (ie the budgets for 2005 close in two weeks for larger companies).

Mark Michaelsen

1 INTER 20 $15,000
1 Spare mast $2500
2 Spare daggerboards $600ish
1 Spare rudder assembly $850
1 Spare Sail set $3000 including battens
5 Air fare $3000 (Round trip for all five)
1 Van and trailer lease $2500 including gas
1 Gear, safety gear beach wheel $3200
1 Food for the team based on six people 3 meals a day $1900 including banquet
1 Hotel rooms (3) $3200 X 16 nights total
1 Tools and other misc spares $1000

Having to explain to your sponsors how you got conned out of $5,000 and stuck with rapidly depreciating assets. PRICELESS

Some things money can’t buy……………..

We didn't have that problem since our sponsor's money is placed in a trust account. I spent my own money on the entry fee (My 40th birthday present from my wife) and eventually may or may not see the money again but if you enter a race with a $5,000 entry fee that includes a boat, hotels and a van you have to know that the entire event happening is predicated on a HUGE SPONSOR picking up the balance of that expense for the race promoter. That promoter apparently bailed out and the race promoter couldn't pony the money all by himself. Totally understandable in my book. If you couldn't afford to lose the $5,000 then it's questionable as to whether or not you could afford to do the race in the first place.

This doesn't excuse the non refunding of the entry fees but time will tell as to whether or not you all are out all of your money.

That's just my opinion of course and I suspect there will be lots of people who chime in and flame me for it...but that's what free speach is all about. Have at it.