Rick,

Zuhl and Robi will be on the same boat.

Matt, Seth and Chuck could be on their own boats, but might share boats as well. I think it is still short of the 5 boat minimum.

Wouter

It was cold and windy last year, so we are due for beautiful conditions this year. Chuck, we need to get Paul out there on your old boat, and Seth, if you could work on Jennifer and get her to run the Taipan for Tradewinds, as the A-cat midwinters is the week before, and if she really wants to run A she can have her fill of it then and come up for the weekend on the F16 (My current plan anyway).

What happened to other 5 or so Taipans that used to be around here? If we could find them all, we could probably have one of the bigger classes.

M

I'm in....
Kelly and I will be attending this event.
I will talk to Jennifer about double stacking her quiver of boats to sail the Taipan, but I think she will sail the A-cat unless she has crew.

The real fun will only begin when the F18's and F16's are running on the same course and having the same start. Not much fun racing a H17, dart 18 and a Prindle 15 like last year.

BUT !

Now that Matt/Gina are planning to get out to the Trades
And Seth and Kelly are in.
With Robi and Cary already signed in.
And Chuck looking to go 2-up as well as expressed in this post

Then we are looking at 4 double F16's already. 3 Blades and 1 Taipan.

Hollis attended last year so why not again
Then we have Kirby with a Taipan at Daytona
And Mike at Gulfport
Apparent their is a Paul with chucks old boat
And maybe Jeffrey from Georgia will be willing to make the trip this time.
Then we still have a John Hamlet with a Taipan in Florida
And we shouldn't forget about Jennifer and Kelly indeed
Maybe Ricks son will do another stint on Ricks Taipan ?
And isn't a new Blade going out to a Florida sailor within the next few weeks.
We also have a David at gulfport with a one-off F16 based on a mystere 5.0; Hey come along and show us your labour of love !

And these are just the boats I can remember from the top of my head.

Yeah, I'll say that there are a few boats out there in Florida !


I see that Seth has preregistered himself already, which after lasts years hick-up is a very admirable thing. Respect, Seth is showing the way. Don't be detered, get right back on that horse.

Although it may be an idea to kindly put in a request for the big course before the event starts. Just an idea.

Right now I don't see any A-cats being listed. Maybe a certain A-cat sailor can be swung to the dark side still !

Wouter

Rick:
I initially registered on my Tiger sailing with Allen Bruce. Then the F-16 thing presented itself and Team Seacats shifted over to Dave Mosley's Nacra F-18 # 351 with my former crew working with him so I could experience the F-16. You can take me off the registration list for the F-18's.
Thanks,
Cary Palmer, aka ZUHL

Sounds like at this point you just better order the Trophies, Cap'n Rick. If you'd leave the Wave Home and Sail the Taipan, How much more thrilling would that be for all of us, and we would all have a real official F-16 Class. How cool would that be for you to have the first F-16 Class race in the country. Not a bad Feather in the cap of a F-16 owner.
Hope for the same conditions we had last year, Wasn't quite nukin' but put you to the test.
CARY
Duuuh anyone know how to right an F-16 . . . . .

Yup, that's true enough. You'll know me instantly by the dripping can of Red Krylon I'm holding . . . . .
Dreams DO come true Robi.
Vato Crew

LOL red crayon! that sounds scary and more like a nightmare than a dream!

If I see you with a can of Krylon, I will just turn away and make beleive I never read/typed/or even looked at any of these post/emails and pm's on catsailor!

Ill be like I never existed! ahhahahahah

and
Vato crew?

There were 7 F16s at Gulfport last year.

Robi, he's not talking about a crayon, he's going to bring a can of red spray paint, brand name Krylon...so get ready to see red! (But you can always sand it off )

TIM! What are you talking about? I guess flying through so many time zones, the jet lag is starting to kick in.


Are you going to be at Tradewinds?

Crayon? Us Vatos doan need no steenkin' crayons! Jus a can o red paint & I can color your world. Lookeen preety gud vit dos red stripe sails, brudder.
VatoMan
All I wan for Creesmas is a new red boat!
Hey , who sed dat???

I was just telling someone yesterday how dangerous it is to voice unsubstantiated opinions as fact, Shoulda told them how I knew. . . .
SEVEN????? F-16'S?????? I AM impressed! Maybe there's hope for this class after all. Has anyone called some of their uncommitted F-16 buddies to try and motivate them?
Cary

Hey,

Let's not forget that the new G-cat configured to the F16 rules will be making it's racing debut at Tradewinds as well, so there is 1 more for the list.

The boat has been on the water now, but we are awaiting the delivery of the sails cut specifically for it.

Matt

I believe son Dave will either be racing the N.60 or the Wave. He is welcome to use my Taipan.

I cannot sail as I will be the PRO.

And keep in mind (Seth comes to mind)that when we must group boats into an Open Class, we first group all boats. Then divide that group in half by DPN numbers. Last year the F16 fell into the slower group. Had we run them on the longer course, we would have had to wait and wait for the slower boats in the group, thereby holding up all the races.
Sorry about that, but it is true.

Best bet, be sure you have a fleet. And as you are doing here -- promoting a regatta and beating the bushes to get folks out -- is definitely the way to do it.

I went ahead and ordered the awards.., please don't let yourselves down.

Thanks
Rick

Okay,

So we're now are talking about :

-1- Matt/Gina (Blade F16)
-2- Seth/Kelly (Taipan F16)
-3- Robi/Cary (Blade F16)
-4- Chuck/prb. Mavis (Blade F16)
-5- Some crew on the new G-cat F16

5 boats/crews in total.

Matt, who will be sailing the G-cat F16 ? I see on the pre-registered crews page that Hans Geissler himself has registered as sailing an 18 sq.mtr. ?

Interesting enough there are currently listed :

8 F18's
3 I-20's
2 F16's

1 NA 6.0
1 NA 5.8
1 ARC 21
1 Hobie 16
1 18 sq.

F18's will get their own class/start for sure now. But that leaves 10 open class boats as it stands right now. With the F16's being in the bottom halve again with a single H16. I'm sure that some Dart 18 will enter in the future as well.

It may be very attracttive for us F16's to make class. Otherwise the F16's will be put on the kiddies course again to keep that single H16 and Dart 18 company.

Just to be sure we must work hard at getting a 6th and 7th F16 to attend, just so we are not facing any surprises when a crew has to cancel at the very last moment. We should build up some margin.

Wouter

Understood, no pressures !




I think Rick touches on a very important point here. Last year we had a small fall-out over this issue and I think it to be very important for everybody to know what they can expect. So lets take our own advice of last year and settle this issue before everybody gets out to the Tradewinds event. We really don't want to have another falling out over this. That is not fair to Rick and it will certainly not be enjoyable to ourselfs.

Personally I think that all the F16 sailors must agree to sail together as a class, meaning 2-up and 1-up crews sharing a start and sailing first in wins (of the same PN handicap); as is intended in our F16 class (differenting PN handicaps be damned). Surely we must notify the RC upfront and before the events starts.

Anybody not supportive of this setup ? Please, tell us now.

Also I feel that we must either achieve an assured numbers participants and "make class" (and have Rick confirm that) or agree among eachother that the crews going out are indeed taking their chances and are knowingly taking the risk of chapperoning the handful of low PN-handicap boats on the kiddies course.

To be frank I really don't want to see any complaining this year about the tradewinds way of running an event. We know full well what we are getting in to and we should decide on taking that risk or not with our eyes open. Of course deciding not to take that risk can have two shapes -1- making class ourself and demand the adults course or -2- Not going out to this event. We must however be fair and let the RC know before the event starts.


To Rick I would like to mention a setup that we are using more and more in local Dutch races. We start all the boats together and have the fast boats do a 3 lap course with the slow boats doing only 2 laps. I can assure you that nobody will be waiting for that H16 or Dart 18 anymore but rather on that trailing F18. This will make everybody happy. Everybody gets good sized legs and the RC only has a single start and finish. Also the biggest class (F18) will fully determine the pace of the schedule and not some lone Dart 18. Mind you we found this setup to be the quickest setup achievable. You can easily run three to four 45-min races in a 3 hour time span, including several cancelled starts. There is no way an RC can do that in a class-based-multiple-starts setup.




I think we can agree with Rick on this one !




I must rather would have run the risk of making class without prizes then running the risk of having prizes but not making class.

But it has been done now, so ...

Regards,

Wouter

Anyone have any pix of the G-CAT F-16? Would love to see them.
I've sailed and raced the G-Cat 5.0 and the G-Force 21, both fine boats. I can see throwing a kite on the 5.0, would remind me of the H-14 to F-14 conversions.
CARY

Here is the update on who is currently listed for the Tradewinds (FL keys 13/14/15 jan 2006)

In total 25 pre-registered crews.

On our side we have currently listed :

-1- Chuck/Mavis(?) Harnden - Blade F16
-2- Seth Stern/Kelly Gray - Taipan F16
-3- Wilder Robles/Cary Zuhl - Blade F16

I know Matt (Blade F16) and somebody else (G-cat F16) have indicated that they will come as well, but lets beat the bushes for more confirmations. It is entirely conceivable that the F16 will make class at this event, but lets be sure ! With luck we can be the 3rd biggest class as well behind the F18's wouldn't that be fun ?

Jeffrey ? Willing to come down from Georgia this year ? I just heard two tiger are coming all the way from Detroit !


With 12 F18 pre-registrations and 4 I-20 pre-registrations it looks like these guys will get their own start.

The remainder of the entlisted persons are.

1: 18 square
1: ARC21
1: Dart 18 Uni
1: Hobie 16
1: Nacra 5.8NA
1: Nacra 6.0NA

That is what we call in the Netherlands ; "A soupy" (like soup, watered down and a little bit of everything)

Wouter

Okay here is a follow up on the tradewinds participation.

last time , dec 8 2005 we had pre-registered :

Interesting enough there are currently listed :

8 F18's
3 I-20's
2 F16's

1 NA 6.0
1 NA 5.8
1 ARC 21
1 Hobie 16
1 18 sq.


This time, jan 1st 2006, the following numbers are listed :

15 F18's
7 I-20's
3 F16's

1 NA 6.0
1 NA 5.8
1 ARC 21
1 Hobie 16
1 18 sq.
1 dart 18 uni
1 H14


F18 made a growth of 7 boats and will most definately demand their own start or even their own course. I-20's went from 3 to 7 and will make class as well.

That leaves us F16's with exactly the same situation as last year. (for now that is). We got 3 F16's which is short of making class and we have 7 boats from the "dead class society". = 10 boats in the open class

Typically Rick just halves the open class into two class; One big course and one kiddies course. And because of our 16 foot length he is likely to use the F16's to make the Hobie 14, Hobie 16 and Dart 18 sailors not feel so alone on their miniture course. The others 18sq, nacra 5.8 and nacra 60 and arc 21 will have the luck of being regarded as long-hulled and fast and therefor by allowed to race the big course.

As I recall, this was just want we DIDN'T want to happen again after last years tradewinds fall-out !

Personally I believe each attending crew/boat type is a valuable addition but even I don't see much point in racing a H14, a H16 and a singlehanded Dart 18 on handicaps when on a F16. That is when no other (faster) designs are also on the start line with which the F16's can truly race.

So pretty the only solution to prevent facing another group of disgruntled sailors is to have the F16 group make class, is having at least 5 boats participating. This probably also means have these pre-registered as Rick will probably make the start layout on the day before.

In the listing we currently see the following F16 sailors :

-1- Chuck Harnden Blade F16
-2- Seth Stern Taipan F16
-3- Wilder Robles Blade F16

Everybody, take a look at Seth, he has show to be willing to give tradewinds another try, he is putting his name down to have the F16's make class this year. And he was one of the crews who got stung last year !

So what has happened to the other crews in Florida ? We have about 15 F16 boats overthere.

A while ago we heard that Matt/Gina were planning to come to this event as well as a new crew on the prototype G-cat F16. Why have these crews not pre-regisered yet ? We have the ability to make class within our reach, lets do it and give Rick ample time to assign us our own start (=not really important) and a go at the big course (= very important)

Again, Jeffrey how about coming down to Florida and do an F16 event ? Jennifer, there are no A-cats registered at Tradewinds, wanna give F16 another try at Tradewinds ? Doug ? Hollis ? John ? Do we need to call everybody by name or e-mail personally to have them come out ? If so is there anybody who is volunteering to do just that.

Listen up guys, this thing is not going to fly on its own accord. Somebody has to take the lead and form a committed group out of you all. Last year we had lots of talk about the Florida branch of the F16's forming their own local class association. Of course the first thing that was being done was not building up any local organisation but making alot of fuss about this F16 rule or that F16 rule was hampering things. Well, we have accomodated you guys and provided you with a clear path. The result; zilch ! Place take this tough love to heard and start showing some local class progress;

Make class at tradewinds 2006 !

You guys do not only owe it to the international volunteers who spend a good amount of time accomodating your fussing but also to reward Seth for sticking his neck out once again and not bitching about it. To make the "putting your name, where your mouth is" of the currently registered crews worth while.

To reward, Chuck and Matts effort to build the class by participating in many distance race events and other events.

There have been a numbers of crews complaining about mediocre participation in the F16 class only to have NEVER shown up for an event themselfs ! I'm not naming any names, but this is the time to disproof our own "hot-air-ness".

If the bulk of F16 sailors are not interested in making this happen then at least have the courtecy to make that known to the rest of us well before the event, so that sailors like Seth can de-register before being put on the kiddies course again. For a heafty investment in time and money.

Your silence is dishonourable. And is actually hurting your own class alot more then saying that you can't make it.

So lets have a sound-off everybody !

Who is NOT coming !

Wouter

--------------------
Wouter Hijink
Taipan F16 (one-off; homebuild)
The Netherlands