Guys/Gals:

Mike, Ashleigh and I are leaving around 3 am Friday to go to the Great Bay Race in Fort Walton Beach Fla to get the Mystere 4.3 and race in the race. Anyone in the Houston area want to caravan and race? It is a 30 miles distance race around the bay on the 17th.

Doug

I will prolly have to work till 1pm, but plan on putting the h16 in at leeside and sailing over to the yacht club to see whats going on, maybe I can meet you there

We will be there Friday afternoon setting up the boat. Look for Mystere 4.3 sail number 149 or a Blue Ford Explorer with Texas plates or a paper tags in rear window. What are you sailing and sail number?

Doug and Ashleigh

usually sail around the bay on a hobie 16
sail number really gonna depend on the wich sails I use, we picked up a decent used set recently may check them out this weekend, not too many 6'6" guys sailing around on 16's round here though

OK. Send me a link and I will send you a close up photo. If you have one do the same. What is your name?

Doug
dsnell4 at houston dot rr dot com

anyone else going to be at the great bay race?

Team Strategery will be there.

FUGIT will be there with the whomper

Doug,

I'd be wary of brining a kid on a 30-mile distance race on a new boat.

this coming from a type 1 diabetic who does ... what again?

Good point! A couple years back, maybe three, I didn't finished that race until after 5pm on the F17. Race started at 11am I believe. Plus we had this God awful storm that occurred not long after the start. You could barely see 100' or so in front of you. I didn't have a clue where I was going so I just followed this Hobie 20/w-spin crew that I knew had a GPS. Lots of lightning and gusts 35-40 plus. Boats flipping everywhere. I was going over issues in my head such as ...........life insurance; paid up to date?, check. Mutual funds and IRA's ......POD to my son; check. Well, thank God I got to live on the Gulf Coast for a few years anyway.

We (the spin boats) were doing the long course. Wind dropped off quite a bit after the storm. We were sailing into this strong out going current when we were going under that far bridge and on the other side til we rounded the mark back there. It was a long day.........

Also, your better have a GPS or be able to stay "in contact" with your fleet if you are not local because some of the marks can be hard to find.


Tom Turlington
NACRA F17 #12

I will play it by ear. See how the weather is. I would defiantly stay with my group. I am not out to win just have fun. I have been sailing for 25 years and Ashleigh of 5 so she would not be scared unless weather is real bad. I will ask Mike advice at the skipper meeting. I will try to get in some spinnaker sailing Fri to get use to it. It it is to much I will just sail with main and job.

Thanks for the concern

Doug and Ashleigh

I've done that race (including the storm year Tom describes) single-hand on the 4.3 - you'll be fine. At least, as much as anyone on any kind of boat. GPS is a good idea, but make sure you have the correct marks loaded and read your SIs VERY carefully - many people skip the first mark for some reason. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Know your limitations and take snacks and fluids for a several-hour trip. Then enjoy the scenery and the time with your girl - even in bad weather, that is a great place to sail. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Ok, well as I understood it, you were taking delivery of the boat just prior to the race, and you just haven't been able to put it through its paces.

Jake, while I may make the decision to do some crazy stuff, it is my own life that I'm putting on the line, not another. (well, Trey could argue that I put his life on the line sometimes I guess) :P

My comment wasn't related to anyone's sailing ability or ability of the boat, it was just due to the fact that its a new (to him) boat and its a distance race where conditions can change.

I guess I'm turning into an old codger though <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Remember that big ole fight we got in when I said that I'd go sailing in 35 knots when the VA Beach sailors were rescued? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

It is a nice place to sail although the powerboaters can get a little out of hand (but I suppose this ins't unique to the bay here).
John- is the course the same each year?
I race monohulls in that area all the time and still have trouble keeping the marks straight so it might be nice for a heads up.
BTW, Why aren't you breaking in your new boat at the race?

The course has been the same for the past few years. It zig zags back and forth across the bay. They will just have to tell us whether it will be the long or short course. Spin boats usually do a different course than none spin boats. The marks from last year are just now washing off my mast where I had them all written down. There were like 7-10 different marks. (channel markers)

Tom Turlington
NACRA F17 #12