Looks like a good day to be in South Padre. I bet on whoever sticks to the beach. The buoy is reading about 4 or 5 knots less breeze than the beach. High pressure will keep the wind from building to the hoped-for 20 knots today, but a consistent 12-15 at around 165 will make for a good time on the water nonetheless.

Good luck to all the teams! Wish I were there!

Hi John
well ,-DO like San Antonios team spirit and offencive mindset ,but have to cheer for the home team Pistons ,several friends here in the building attended the game with floor seats right next to Stevy Wonder who was there -watching the game ,-well maybe just there enjoying the spectacle of sport and singing along with intermission music .All really enjoyed the game ,--at those ticket prices --they better .
Think the Piston center and forwards were spent after battling Shak and Miami in 7 but , but after beating the spurs soundly seem to be back with more jump and energy now and again for game 4 this evening here at the Palace .
Not sure about the beach -or 12-15-at 165 ---?

oh ,nevermind -

It is great to see so many teams line up for the Great Texas race --on catamarans of numerous variety --H-20S
N-6/0S -aRC 21 -I-20s and Formula 18s ---

Think line honors could go to most any team there ,given the right conditions and as you noted course nav strategy .
Yes -do think the F-18s can finish ahead of I-20s -but only in higher wind conditions on the nose legs.
As far as P rating handicap time finishes---well ,-
its anyone's guess .--the race results ,--not the system --allthough

The interesting race within a race is the 2 KEY SAILING TEAMS --the old vets on one and the youth champs -Kirks son on the other ,----think it will be very close --place your bets .--.

Perhaps what catsailing needs is celeb rock stars attending events ,-the only sailing celeb I,ve met is Bob Segar {beautifull looser -he wants to live like a sailor at sea } -lyrics } --who sails the MAC races here on the GREAT LAKES .
Though after the TYBEE 500 airs on OLN TV we may see teams arriving with their enteurage in limos signing autographs for adoring fans ,--
well ,--maybe not ,but it should help the sport a little with positive exposure ,--Hope the film perspective is entertaining and creates interest .

A number of us were on NBC Sports back in 88 for the Ultimate Yacht Race events on H-21s ,--it was fun ,but the other sailing classes --Ultimate 30s and J-24S were given most of the air and interview time ,-
Kept waiting to be discovered by Hollywood producer or at least asked for an autograph ,--no luck .

Hope there is some video along with the great web coverage here on catsailor of the Great Texas race ,and hope to race it in future years.
have fun -

Updates will be posted more or less constantly on Pisailing.com. Some will post here too, obviously. Good luck to all the sailors - watch that heat, and drink more water and fluids than you want to!

I'll pick team Chums 1 and II. Great sailors, just biding their time to sneak past all the others!

Good luck to all and wishing you perfect winds.

My money is on Team Harken (Tomko / Shafer). They will be fast and consistent.

The boys should be having fun. Last week the winds were above 20 with seas running 8 foot along the S. Texas coast. I am sure they will find rock and roll soon enough.

Last week they also had a tropical storm in the gulf. My vote goes to Tybee Island.

Tybee got the first bullet by a little over five minutes over Harken. Tybee lost a rudder in all the sargassum weed whipped up by Arlene, and Harken lost the spinlock at a critical time. Both teams went balls-out all day.

Harry Newkirk beat his Dad - early father's day gift? I bet the smack on the beach is getting deep.