I'm curious....has there ever been any real effort in the US to organize a container of boats for this event?? Looks like an awesome venue.

http://www.arubaregatta.com/index.php/home

JL

CONTAINERS!!!!!!! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> ROFLMAO! Ask Robi.

PPPFFFTT! I dont want to go there <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

C'mon dude...cough it up... what's the deal??? Enquiring minds want to know!! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I must have sent around 10 email request. With long paragraphs explaining what I needed, destinations, port of departure etc etc etc.

NOT ONE REPLIED!

Robi:

I think Stephen Acquart.
sacquart at hotmail.com
May have shiped a boat to one of the races in that area. Send him a email ask him. Nice guy that races Hobie 17.

Doug

Hmmm...it appears from their site that they would welcome NA sailors, but I am guessing we would be on our own to either individually ship our boats or to organize a container.... Sounds like an opportunity for someone like Jill Nickerson (Fun in the Sun)??? I know I'd be interested if we keep the cost reasonable.

Cost aside, finding the time is a big problem. I couldn't get down to "Steeple Chase", just as a spectator, and it's only 3 hours away! Compound that with trying to get to Jacksonville and Pensacola!

So, your problem is two fold. Arranging for the container and finding enough people to make it affordable.

Wait a minute!!! I thought this sport was FULL of independently wealthy retired folks!!! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Seriously though, I realize those are issues....just wondering if it is possible that it could be attractive enough that we could pull something together. OR...if it had been tried before?? <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

It's been talked about. The problem is filling the container.

It's been done before. Robert Onsgard put it together in the past.

im actually now working on a container to CA. DAMN doing these things is expensive!!!

Why don't you guys make contact with the Aruba regatta organisors, they have a deal with a container shipper maybe this shipper can also do the US box ?

WOuter

I'd be very interested in doing this event.

Yeh, the all sail A cats. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I don't know about Aruba, but US Sailors used to go to the Curacao Regatta every year for at least five years, and they had free container transport for their boats.

Then they stopped going to Curacao for some reason and started going to the Heineken Regatta in St. Martin/St. Maarten. Again, with free container transport.

You would have to talk to Robert Onsgard or Rick Bliss to find out how that works.

Hey all,

yep,..that is us,....retired with full pay,....

I will share with you what I know.

I have talked to them. Where thay are now, I do not know.

Basically, they said, 'sure, come on down'.

You can link up with thier accomodations.

Or, do your own thing. November is not season yet, so alot of rooms/condos are availble, I suspect. I wrote about this before, some just tent on the beach [ I do ].

I sailed with Steve [Hobie 17, 2003?]and a bunch of N20's/ N6.0's and a new Nacra F-18 in Rolex/St. Thomas. They obtained a deal thru Tropical Shipping and displayed their logo on the boats during the Regattas. I think the whole deal was a 'wash'. You have to ask them directly.

Bottom line, it is very doable. I will gladly help check out things. I think, if a USA group started it once, it would grow for the USA . The opportunity for great sailing conditions with European competition is a great combo.

I think the Europeans take the family and make a vacation out of it.

regards,

Bruce

St. Croix
US Virgin Islands
I17 <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Expensive...yes. But that's why you have to look at this as a lot more than your average regatta....
1) GREAT venue
2) As guaranteed as you will find anywhere that you will have 5 great days of sailing wind, sunshine and flat water (sounds like heaven to me!)
3) Compete with our European friends
4) Combine with family vacation....this is the piece that may really make it do-able for many of us.
5) for the divers in the group there is an added benefit in that Aruba is a GREAT dive destination!

Now...the only two questions are Who can we get to organize (I'm okay if the organizer makes a small profit for their effort) and perhaps even more importantly, how many boats could we get from North America??

That would be you! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Congratulations!! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> Ha!! Wish I could....but I doubt you can afford me!! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />