“If you build it … they will come.”

Does the US and Canada I20 class have any organization other then Performance cats organizing nationals once a year?

If not, I am trying to get in touch with any I20 sailors who would wear the mantel of regional class chairmen ... even if it is completely unofficial.

The notion is to designate two existing regattas in a region that the I20's and Tornado's would agree to go racing one another ... The boats are close enough to have fun racing whether it’s even up or on handicap.

We need to develop a critical mass of interest in racing or we will all be on SEVERE DIETS in the future. So…

Mid Atlantic might consider Gunpowder (May) and Miles River Area C’s (October)
New England might consider Statue of Liberty Race (July) and Roten Point in Sept or Sail Newport Regatta in July
Canada might consider Cork 2 (August)
Mid East might consider Cat Fight (August) and a CRAM regatta in June
South might consider Tradewinds (Jan) and Spring Fever. (Easter)
West Coast might consider ABYC mid winters and Cat Fight Mission Bay (San Diego)

The proposed schedule depends on the number of boats in the region and their interest in going racing. What it will take will be one sailor for each class in the region to commit to going racing and beating the drum…. Ie step up and lead.

We will set up a registration website where the event information is centralized AND on line entries will be registered… If you have paid to enter a regatta to take advantage of a discount… … you are committed and others can count on you showing up… No more BS “of who’s going… yeah.. I’m going … only to watch the event dissolve at the last minute leaving a few people having traveled a distance for a non event “.

“If you build it … they will come.”

Thought’s anyone.

Mark Schneider
Tornado USA 827

Hi Mark,
I will volunteer for Canada. We have a couple of I20s up here for the first time in Ontario that will be racing this year. We are hoping to build a fleet in the next couple years..We have to do do something about that dang F18 thing though..(just kidding) There are lots of Ts up here so that is not a problem.

Our club is in the hub of where the Tornado and other cat fleets are, so if there is going to be such an event in Canada, it will probably be here.

Cork as an event on the local cat circuit has kind of died. They still have their Tornado event, but the fleet up here doesn't like the venue and there are much better and less expensive places to sail. Our club is about 1 hour drive west of CORK. http://www.westlakesailingclub.com
We are also the local Nacra dealers, so are in contact with most of the Nacra folks..
Dave
dave@nacra.ca
http://www.nacra.ca

Hi Dave

That's great... thank you!

The Tornado guy in Canada will be Alain Dubec. I can get you his email if you don't have it already. Alain is on board with this initiative.

I suggest that you coordinate with Chris Tuckfield in the Detroit Area and I am looking for a CRAM I20 contact to propose one or two events in your area that don't conflict with the Michigan region.

The events we are looking for would preferably run the spin cats in one start and one course... (all others welcome as well) split outs for one design, formulae etc classes may or may not come with trophies...

Gunpowder is in May and the VOR maxi 40's and restart are in town that week PLUS its' cold up north so this event will not conflict with anything you might want to schedule. Should be interesting on the Chesapeake.

The Statue of Liberty race is just a great fun event and they are pushing for 100 boats this year and I for one would like to help them.

So... let me know what contact info you need and if I can be of any help in forging a consensus.

Thanks again

Oh... and don't forget Alain's admonition... "Life is too short to sail an ugly boat"

Mark

Hi Mark,
Here is our schedule.
http://www.cat-alist.com/notices/2006/2006_orca_schedule.htm

ORCA is the Ontario Racing Catamaran Association. We have a points series between some local events.
The date that I am proposing is July 29 & 30.

We are also having a Tybee style 3 day long distance event the following weekend Aug 5, 6, 7 and 4 Tornados have already indicated they are coming, along with a couple N20s.

We could do either event with this format.
I don't know Alain. Can you give me his contact info?
Dave

I have never seen an ugly boat. What does it look like?

CRAM's N20 fleet is one boat, and that skipper just got injured (hit by a powerboat while snorkeling, shearing his lower leg bone). The CRAW N20 fleet is growing and might be a better source for someone to set up this kind of support. CRAW is also hosting the Catfight this year, but Catfight will have all spinnaker boats starting together. If that is OK, then I think Catfight is a great choice.

Another venue for your fleet to race, although CRAM won't fill much of the field, is the race at Benton Harbor, MI July 22 & 23. The regatta will also be the Northern Area F18 Championships, so the 20 footers should get their own start or maybe start in Portsmouth if attendance is low. It is a terrific site with motor home camping and tent camping on site. Great beach and getting the boats in and out is the best of all CRAM regattas. Just a thought.

Any cat sailing Sounds good Mark

How will other 20s w spin be accomodated ?
rating or evan up --mods etc ?

I still have the I-20 but would like a dif 20 platform to race this season .

There will be a new 20 out with wings this spring I'm told .

Hi Les
Thanks for the heads up on the I20 class... I hope your friend recovers from his injury... seems like a lot of disasters for cat sailors these days.



Catfight is exactly the model I would like to follow. Score it out overall and by class as well as first to finish. Catfight is certainly an event I would recommend.



CRAW contacts?? Is Guy Selemyer the person to contact here? I will mention Benton Harbor. My preference would be a regatta which started the spin boats together and collected times and then scored however they would like.

Would the Canadians have a hell of a time getting to Benton Harbor?

Thanks Les

PS... Carl, IMO, the boats rated faster and slower by more then 2 points should start and race and they should be included in the Portsmouth ranking. The Tornado and I20's differ in texel by 1% and about the same in Portsmouth.
For a weekend regatta... time on the water and practice will likely determine the outcomes.

Mark

Guy Selsmeyer is the person I would talk to...he might hand it off or suggest another in that fleet.

Benton Harbor is on Lake Michigan and south of Muskegon about an hour or so. The Canadians would cross the border at Sarnia or Windsor and drive across the state. I-94 comes the closest to Benton Harbor/St. Joseph (Twin Cities).

Hyannis Yacht Club Regatta- July 28th,29th, and 30th
Great regatta! Right on the beggining of Cape Cod (Lots of wind)
200-300 monohulls in various classes and they are very multihull friendly, when I showed up they moved half a dozen monohulls around to fit my boat on the beach immediatley.
A few years ago started allowing the 6.0's. Last year we raced 6.0's w/NE spins. and I-20's head to head racing. We had 9 boats (3 6.0's and 6 I-20's).
Race committee and crash boats supplied by the club, we have no responsibility. We share a race course with 505's and that's all. On the water lunch provided. Great club with nice bar and great night life in Hyannis (I got so hammered I got lost and had to call Rick Bliss and Mike Ferrara to pick me up, what considerate competition they are!)
Anyways, the club's website is www.hyannisyachtclub.com
Rick would probably be the one to talk to if your interested in attending and I don't see why we wouldn't allow Tornado's.
Great place to recruit monohull sailors with hundreds of 420, laser and opti kids many who will beg you to take them out for a ride on Sunday after the races.

time on the water and practice will likely determine the outcomes.
Mark
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lets hope so anyway

Hopefully this semi -T and I 20 class with ratings for others is the kernal from which a 20 class will grow and branch out from.

Hobie with his innovative designs and great marketing skills that sold a life style and fun social scene as much as the high speed cats hold some valuable lessons for us now in building a class of sailing cats .

I hope we see the interest and numbers of enthusiastic catsailors again.

Hyannis is not a sure thing as of today. We will know the status after their meeting in March.