Spring Fevers just over 3 weeks out. Who's plannin' on comin' that hasn't preregistered? Its a great time and a great party. This has to be the year they have a great breeze. We are due. Callin all Nacra 5.5 Uni's lets get ourselves a fleet down there, or up there (Rush...you comin up?) Nope, I will not have a shute for this event.

I'm planning on making this my first event. I've never been to Spring Fever so I'm looking forward to a big time. Look for the Hobie 18 Magnum with way to many "TheBeachcats.com" graphics.

Watch out, I'll have new sails and I've lost 30 pounds since last season! That means if I can find a 120 pound crew I would be just 75 pounds over minimum.

Anyone have any suggestions for the event? Where to camp, launch, party, etc.?

Damon, It would be great to finally meet you. The whole thing is held at a state campground that is all ours. There are some hotels around, but the parties and activities all happen within the campground or about 1.5 miles away at Nigel's new house - plenty of folks caravanning there. There is a large asphalt boat launch with tons of parking to keep trailers at and if you choose your campsite wisely, you can probably launch your boat and beach it near your site. However, some of the banks are lacking sand and are quite muddy - so take that into consideration too. Currently the lake level is very high so the grassy beaching areas are common. Personally, I keep my boat on the trailer in the asphalt lot and cattrax it to the ramp for launching and retrieval.

If I remember correctly, a bunch of us seacats corral in the C loop (once in the park, 1st left and then 1st right) and we have a fire and stay up pretty late.

Jake,

It will be great to meet you and the other Seacats. There are a lot of other folks that I talk to online that I"ve never met. This will be the farthest East I've ever sailed (over 500 miles), so will get to meet a lot of sailors from areas I never visit.

Noticed that Nigel is registered for the Tiger Worlds in Santa Barbara. Who is running SPR during the same time frame?

Jet-setters can do both.

Why don't you ask him, John? Or was your question rhetorical?

Nigel is flying out sunday morning and taking my team mate (Mike Krantz) with him so I will need crew on Sunday at Spring Fever.

On the way to work today here in Michigan there was a small band of snow about 2-3". It only affected a small area across the middle of the state. It was enough to close the east west interstate (I 69)with two overturned tractor trailors. Still feels like winter up here. Man, I sure hope it warms up by next week. The forecast for Hartwell looks like 50's and 60's. Sure hope the weatherman is wrong and it will be closer to 60's and 70's. Latest count on the Spring Fever website is 74 boats. Good turnout with the Tiger Worlds next week pulling several teams out. The F 18 class looks like it will be the one to watch. We hope to roll in around 9 AM on Thursday. See ya'll there.

Okay, then I just have one question: Is Nigel's pool heated for that Thursday night party? Or will it be an opportunity to test drysuits and wetsuits for relative comfort level while immersed?

Maybe a contest to see who can stay in the pool the longest, so we can have a "consumer reports" kind of thing about it.

We are planning to be there as early as we can on Thursday.

I'll take that challenge Mary,

as a 2x veteran of hypothermia and training for the T500 all winter, I think I've built up my Eastern European heritage cold weather survival genes :P

Tad, I think that in addition to building up the genes you need to build up a layer of fat. Anyway, you go in the water, and I will take a picture and hold the stopwatch.

Mary, please don't encourage him. I have a hard enough time already keeping him from dying before the Tybee.
Trey
N20 314
Layline Rigging
www.velocitysailing.com

Mary,

I'll hold the camera for you while you time him.

Jake

P.S....I'm not very sure, but I don't think the pool is heated.

Fret not mon frer.....This is one of the hardest places in the country to predict the weather. I've recently seen a weekend predicted to be highs of 45 turn out to be 70 with a day's notice. The forecast is looking better. I'm betting it will be a good weekend! As for now, they're predicting 75 degrees for Friday.

Here is the link for the local weather
http://wwwa.accuweather.com/adcbin/public/local_index.asp?zipcode=30643&partner=accuweather

Wednesay - mostly sunny, 68F, W at 13mph, gusts to 31mph
Thursday - mostly sunny, 73F, SSE at 12mph, gusts to 27mph
Friday - partly sunny, 72F, SSW at 13mph, gusts to 27mph
Saturday - cloudy, 71F, E at 13mph, gusts to 27mph
Sunday - 67F,

It looks like we could have some great sailing weather.

If any of you are sitting on the fence, go ahead and pre-register.
Mr Ernie needs to know.

Sweeeeeet!

I predict a 50% chance of something.

David

Heeeee!

Oh yeah, well I predict a 50% chance of nothing Anyway, since this is my first Spring Fever, and words or wisdom from you guys?
Trey
N20 314
Layline Rigging
www.velocitysailing.com

Don't get any of that red clay in your daggerboard truncks or in your mast groove. If you let it harden you'll need a pneumatic drill to get it out again.

Wouter

Wear nothing that you you wont mind being turned red or you dont mind throwing away after the regatta. It took 2 weeks for the red clay to wear off my skin last year, and Cary's I20 still has a red tint to it!
david