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Catamarans at the Championship of Champions #60190
11/02/05 03:35 PM
11/02/05 03:35 PM
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 807
Hillsborough, NC USA
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Isotope235 Offline OP
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I just saw the "Afraid of Flying Scots?" article in the September Catamaran Sailor magazine. Of the 31 applications, I can athoritatively state that at least one came from a catamaran sailor - me. As you can guess though, I was not one of the 20 that US Sailing invited to attend. The rejection (oh, excuse me - "waitlist") letter did not give a reason but I did hear a few through the grapevine. (1) Most of the people on the selection committee had never heard of an Isotope and didn't want to invite an unfamiliar boat. (2) The Isotope fleet was too small. (3) They wanted to choose sailors from fleets that were similar to the Flying Scot, which was the boat chosen for the event.

#1 really means that we need to publicize our fleets better. The letter did have three suggestions: (1a) Make sure the fleet is a member of US Sailing, (1b) Publish the results of the qualifying event, and (1c) Make sure the NOR for that event lists it as qualifying the winner to apply for an invitation.

#2 - size may not be everything, but I guess it still counts. Oddly enough they did invite the Tanzer 16 (which I also sail) national champion, even though the Tanzer fleet is smaller than the Isotopes.

#3 should really concern us all. Apparently the C of C selection committee thinks that sailboards and keelboats are like Flying Scots, but multihulls are not. I hope that mentality won't exclude catamaran and trimaran sailors from next year's event which will be sailed on Y-Flyers.

I was personally quite disappointed because I wanted to sail with my father, who lives in Michigan and used to race a Flying Scot when I was just a toddler. We would have had a great time.

Perhaps we should lobby a club to host the Championship of Champions using catamarans. They could then invite the Sharks, A-cats, Tornados, Hobies, Nacras, Prindles, Mysteres, Supercats, Taipans, F16s, F18s, Isotopes, Corsair F24s and F31s, (and two Optimist Prams) - but not the Flying Scots.

Regards, Eric (Isotope 42)

-- Have You Seen This? --
Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: Isotope235] #60191
11/02/05 04:53 PM
11/02/05 04:53 PM
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,355
Key Largo, FL and Put-in-Bay, ...
RickWhite Offline

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Hi Eric,
At the Ch of Ch in Wisconsin on MC Scows we had two cat sailors.., Alex Shafer (Inter 20, I believe) and I (on Wave). Didn't seem to be a problem.

But, then again, these classes get pretty good media coverage. And the only reason Isotope doesn't get any media attention is because no one ever sends reports of the regattas out.., I know we don't get reports on the your events.
Of course, we don't get reports on any events, i.e., I have been bugging the following event organizers to send something.., anything:
Hobie 18-20 NAs at Clear Lake, Iowa
Hobie 14 - 17 NAs at Rehoboth
Broken Mast Regatta in Tennessee
Cat Fight in Muskegon, MI
Greg Witter Cup
Crac Lighthouse Race
Mystere 4.3 NAs in Columbus, OH
Round the Bay Race in LaSalle, MI

As you can see, a lot of folks hype the hell out their events before hand, and then just drop everything afterward.
This is pretty unfair to the people that attend those regattas -- they would probably like to see some stories of the event and maybe even their name mentioned.., maybe even a picture.
And after the event publicity REALLY helps promote next year's event.
So far, after taking over the magazine from Mary, I can't seem to get anyone to believe me!
<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

When your events are in print, you can send copies along with the application. I am sure that would help.

While at the Wisc. regatta I also asked if they would be interested in a Ch of Ch on Waves. They liked the idea and all I needed to do was follow through and we could have hosted one in a couple of years. But, I let the ball drop.
Could have, though.
Rick



Rick White
Catsailor Magazine & OnLineMarineStore.com
www.onlinemarinestore.com
Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: RickWhite] #60192
11/02/05 05:58 PM
11/02/05 05:58 PM
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 807
Hillsborough, NC USA
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Isotope235 Offline OP
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Rick,

I can empathize. After each regatta we go to, my wife bugs everybody to write something, but it's like pulling teeth. I've done a few - Governor's Cup a few years back (which you published - thanks) and Isotope Nationals the past 2 years. It is genuinely difficult to write a good article and even harder to get someone else to do it. Thanks for taking care of Spring Fever (we met there). I would have written up CatFest (which was a blast when the wind picked up) except that I had just done the Nationals and felt it was someone else's turn. Perhaps one of the F-18 or 18sq sailors could take a swing at it?

From what I've seen, the regatta organizers usually either publish only in their club newsletter, or expect the sailors to do the writing. Unfortunately, neither really helps you out. And, after a while, the results just seem stale. For example, would you still want an article about an event held in August? By the time you went to print, there'd be snow on the ground.

Carolina Sailing Club (of NC) is thinking of putting together a catamaran event next year (name suggestions wanted). I'll get you something on that if it pans out and I'll see what I can do for the Governor's Cup too.

Regards,
Eric

Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: Isotope235] #60193
11/02/05 06:12 PM
11/02/05 06:12 PM
Joined: May 2002
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I don't think I've seen an isotope from the CSC outside of a few at Spring Fever and Cat Fest.

There are tons of catamaran regattas in the SE that are easily attended. If you want to promote your class, then perhaps getting out to more regattas would be beneficial.

Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: MauganN20] #60194
11/02/05 07:24 PM
11/02/05 07:24 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
NC
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drbinkle Offline
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Indeed, you could start by attending Midlands this weekend in SC.

Also keep us updated with the CSC catamaran regatta, I would be interested.

Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: MauganN20] #60195
11/02/05 07:28 PM
11/02/05 07:28 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 829
Charleston, SC
NCSUtrey Offline
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Charleston, SC
Yeah, what Tad said. There don't seem to be many youth on Isotopes, which will be a big problem in a few years...and aging current crowd with no young blood. I sent Joleen an e-mail, but never got a response (in reference to a cat regatta in Raleigh). I have even got the perfect name for it.... "B.Y.O.B." Bring your own boat!

Trey
N20 873
Layline.com


Trey
Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: NCSUtrey] #60196
11/02/05 07:50 PM
11/02/05 07:50 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 471
NC
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drbinkle Offline
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Sounds kind of like a rip off of Bare What You Dare

Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: drbinkle] #60197
11/02/05 11:36 PM
11/02/05 11:36 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 829
Charleston, SC
NCSUtrey Offline
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Charleston, SC
Hey Derek, we didn't ask your opinion, just everyone else's!

Trey
N20 873
Layline.com


Trey
Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: RickWhite] #60198
11/03/05 12:46 AM
11/03/05 12:46 AM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,459
Annapolis,MD
Keith Offline
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Keith  Offline
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Posts: 1,459
Annapolis,MD
Rick,
I'll have something soon on the Lighthouse Race. Things are a little hectic...

Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: NCSUtrey] #60199
11/03/05 11:10 AM
11/03/05 11:10 AM
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 807
Hillsborough, NC USA
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Isotope235 Offline OP
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Trey, Joleen answers her email religiously, so she must have accidentally missed yours. It's not a rebuff - I promise. That said, we haven't really gotten beyond the concept stage for a cat regatta at CSC. I suspect we'll be looking at an expansion of the September or October race weekend at Kerr Lake. As far as names go, I was leaning towards calling it "Stray Cats". I thought that would be appropriate given that CSC doesn't own any property (we just go from lake to lake). Unfortunately, that name was already taken and "Feral Cats" just doesn't have the same ring.

As far as new blood goes, I am pleased to say that the fleet is getting new members. Jackson Harris is a high-school sailor who raced a Cheshire 2 years ago before moving up to an Isotope this year. He's done quite well on it, especially downwind, and actually took 5th at the Nationals. Line Dempsey is a new sailor who bought an old Isotope and is doing a lot better on it than I did my first year. Glenn Howell is a National Champion Corsair F-31 skipper who started sailing a small cat to help improve his "feel" and picked the Isotope. Joleen loaned him her Isotope at the Governor's Cup this year, which he won on tiebreak (thank you very much, Joleen). While the fleet is small (typically around 12 boats on the line), it is growing.

Regarding exposure, I try to get out as much as possible. I really do enjoy mixing it up with other designs. In fact, even when we have enough Isotopes for our own class, I like to start with other fleets. It's a way to measure my sailing against a broader group. There are some outstanding sailors out there, and I don't go to away regattas just to sail with the same folks I do at home. I also learn a lot from the bigger events (like no good ever comes from getting mixed up in a pack of 20 boats at the leeward mark - it's always better to just go wide).

It's hard to get out though, as I already sail 2-3 weekends a month at Carolina Sailing Club and Lake Townsend Yacht Club and also help run several regattas throughout the SouthEast. In the past two years, Joleen and I have taken the Isotopes to Spring Fever (twice), CatFest (twice), Tommy Whitesides, Clark Cup, and the Oriental Sailing Social. Isotopes have also gone to Indian Summer, Blackbeard, Charleston Race Week, an event in FL who's name I can't recall at the moment, and we even had one guy who wanted to sail in the Statue of Liberty Race (although I don't know if he managed to find crew). I'd be tempted to come race at Midlands this weekend but: (1) the weekend before last, my mast houndshead broke and I haven't replaced it yet, and (2) I'm already committed to crew on a Jet 14 at "Chapel Thrill" this weekend (thanks for the invite though).

I don't know if we'll make Spring Fever next year, but I'm hoping to get out as much as possible. It's fun both to show off the Isotope, and to check out the other designs. Any suggestions?

Eric (Isotope 42)

Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: Isotope235] #60200
11/03/05 11:20 AM
11/03/05 11:20 AM
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,114
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MauganN20 Offline
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Quote
t's hard to get out though, as I already sail 2-3 weekends a month at Carolina Sailing Club and Lake Townsend Yacht Club and also help run several regattas throughout the SouthEast.


Thats the impression that I got from speaking with a couple iso sailors. You guys are really busy racing in your internal regattas that "getting out" makes it difficult. Also, some regattas might not be well suited for the iso, like the myrtle beach regattas where you have to punch out through the surf. The hatteras regatta is PERFECT for you guys though. Shallow, smooth water and a nice 10-20knot breeze.

Its good to hear that the isotope fleet is building.

Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: Isotope235] #60201
11/03/05 11:29 AM
11/03/05 11:29 AM
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 10
New Jersey, USA
graybon Offline
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#3 should really concern us all. Apparently the C of C selection committee thinks that sailboards and keelboats are like Flying Scots, but multihulls are not. I hope that mentality won't exclude catamaran and trimaran sailors from next year's event which will be sailed on Y-Flyers.

Hopefully this is not really true. I had the opportunity to sail in the C of C last year as the Hobie 17 NA champ. It was a wonderful experience and I felt very welcome among the dinghy/monohull sailors. I am not privy to the selection criteria but I would think that it is not very important to select sailors who sail a similar boat. I would assume that the main criteria has to do with the sailing resume and the strength of the class that you are champion of and how that compares with the other petitions.

As for articles on prior events, Rick, I was the co-chairman of the Hobie 14/17 NA's and I wasn't aware that you were asking for an article for that event. For Hobie events, the first priority is for the HCA newsletter and that was put toghether immediately following the event for both the H14/H17 event and the H20/TheMightyHobie18's. We'll try to get more to you in the future.

Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: graybon] #60202
11/03/05 12:06 PM
11/03/05 12:06 PM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 3,116
Annapolis, MD
Mark Schneider Offline
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Annapolis, MD
Hi Greg,

Consider that nobody is copyrighting our regatta happy talk and the more folks that read about an event, the better. ...might even generate some interest from people outside the class. If you have put the effort into writing something...Send it out there....

For instance, Send it to the CRAC mailing list and post it on the Div 11 site. Heck we see you guys on the beach all year.... We will read anything put in front of our noses!


Take Care
Mark


crac.sailregattas.com
Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: graybon] #60203
11/03/05 03:35 PM
11/03/05 03:35 PM
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,355
Key Largo, FL and Put-in-Bay, ...
RickWhite Offline

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Hi Greg,
I asked someone that was involved in the regatta and got an affirm from them. Even saved space in the last issue, but nothing. That goes for the others I mentioned.
Consequently, I don't save space anymore. I am new at this and Mary said it would be tough. Just didn't realize that everyone wants to shoot themselves in the foot.

Just for example, what I do for events in the Keys is send out a simple email Press Release prior to the event to at least 8 different media outlets, including several local Keys Newspapers. They almost all print them.

The day after the regatta (Agreed that most of us are really pooped out on Sunday after the event and want nothing but a ****, a jacuzzi and some sleep) and then on Monday AM I write a story for the same media and attach a few select photos with cut lines (describing who, what, where, how, etc.)
Again, they almost always run the story.

Most magazines and newspapers are starved for submissions. Most, and certainly not us, do not have staff writers that go to each event and write a story with pix.
So, we need the event folks to contribute.., and it helps them get more attendance in the future.

I should also mention that while Hobie Cat Newsletter is not competition and we are and they are all striving for the same thing, we do reach about 400% more sailors.

Hate to keep harping


Rick White
Catsailor Magazine & OnLineMarineStore.com
www.onlinemarinestore.com
Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: RickWhite] #60204
11/03/05 05:23 PM
11/03/05 05:23 PM
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 807
Hillsborough, NC USA
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Isotope235 Offline OP
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Hillsborough, NC USA
Rick,

Don't stop harping. I know it's unpleasant to do, but it's necessary.

It may not be timely any more, but there's a writeup about the 2005 Isotope Nationals at 2005 Isotope National Championship Regatta. I don't know who did the pics (probably Rhoda), but feel free to use the text if you want.

Regards,
Eric

Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: Mark Schneider] #60205
11/03/05 09:24 PM
11/03/05 09:24 PM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,884
Detroit, MI
mbounds Offline
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Detroit, MI
Quote
Consider that nobody is copyrighting our regatta happy talk


Both Catamaran Sailor and the Hobie Class News are copyrighted. Says so right on the masthead (the fine print on page 1) - although you should really update yours, Rick. It still says "Copyright 1994"

I don't just ask people for stories - they're usually assigned (willingly, for the most part) - and then I badger them mercilessly (in a semi-public forum) for them - with specific deadlines. Each issue of the Hobie Class News is planned out several months in advance. Assignment updates go out weekly in the six weeks leading up to the print deadline.

As a result, we usually end up with more material than we can print.

I say "we" because it truly is a collaberative effort - from the authors to the photographers to the editors/proofreaders to the poor sucker that pulls it all together (me). And because "we" put so much work into it, I feel we deserve first dibs on any story we work on. Rick or anybody else is welcome to re-print a story - with permission - after our magazine is in print.

BTW, the Nov / Dec Hobie Class News is posted on the web here. My copies arrived in the mail today. There's a great write up on the 14/17's and the 18's/20's, among other things.

[Linked Image]

Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: mbounds] #60206
11/03/05 11:19 PM
11/03/05 11:19 PM
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 3,116
Annapolis, MD
Mark Schneider Offline
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Mark Schneider  Offline
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Annapolis, MD
Hi Matt

Not sure I see the point of exercising your copyright here. Prior to publishing it the author owns it and can send it to as many places that they want. Now it seems to me that you want to catch people when they are paying attention and capture their imagination for your particular class and race. People are paying attention during and shortly after the event. A hard copy publication that is a few months out.. well old news... is often no news. Does the philosophy, " hey.. its ours we want first dibs on publishing it", serve a valid goal. For instance, is the HOtline a separate subscription item or is it part of the membership dues? (I thought it came with dues) I would think that you would be better off publishing your stories on the web site ASAPractical to leverage interest and later on assembling the permanent record.

BTW, Much of what appears in catsailor was posted electronically well before hand.. I still want the magazine and I still read articles that I have seen before.

Just my two cents!
Take Care
Mark


crac.sailregattas.com
Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: mbounds] #60207
11/04/05 05:54 AM
11/04/05 05:54 AM
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 5,558
Key Largo, FL & Put-in-Bay, OH...
Mary Offline
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Mary  Offline
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Key Largo, FL & Put-in-Bay, OH...
The best way to grow a class and to publicize its events is to make sure the information does not get to the outside world until after the information is distributed to the class' own members.

Another best way to grow a class is to make sure that stories about the class in the newsletter are copyrighted to discourage use by other media entities.

Unfortunately, the internet has made it possible for the whole world to follow major sailing events, blow by blow. This kind of exposure of Hobie events to non-Hobie sailors (and to the non-sailing public) could be very damaging to the Hobie classes individually and to the class organization as a whole.

It is getting more difficult to preach to the choir before the word gets out to the potential fans in the stands.

Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: Mary] #60208
11/04/05 07:55 AM
11/04/05 07:55 AM
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 887
Crofton, MD
Chris9 Offline
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Crofton, MD
Mary,

I'm missing something or a lot of something in your post. Why?

BTW, you are up way to early!

Last edited by Chris9; 11/04/05 07:58 AM.

Chris Allen
Nacra 20 Gertie
www.wrcra.org
Re: Catamarans at the Championship of Champions [Re: Mary] #60209
11/04/05 08:01 AM
11/04/05 08:01 AM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,884
Detroit, MI
mbounds Offline
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Detroit, MI
Thanks for supporting me on this one, Mary.

It's always a struggle to keep the printed word fresh as opposed to the electronic media. But there's a place for all of us in this world.

Web reporting tends to be just that - reporting. The emphasis is on raw information and timliness. Editing is almost non-existent - just look at all the grammar and spelling errors in the H-16 Worlds reports (although that may be an "English as a second language" issue.)

I encourage the contributors to the HCA News to write "non-linear" stories. Once you've read "We woke up, we sailed, we partied, we crashed" (repeat five times) - it all sounds the same. We have the luxury of time and reflection (the older I am, the better I was) when composing for the printed page. We also edit when necessary - to the point of rewriting entire pieces in some cases. Most of our authors are sailors first and writers second. But we have the luxury of time to groom things for the printed page.

Don't get me wrong though - we don't sit on stuff, since we know that it will take 4-6 weeks to get in people's hands from the time it gets uploaded to the printer. (Although, I have to admit, the printer did a really quick turnaround this time - uploaded on 10/22, arrived at my house 11/3.)


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