I was supposed to be sailing with John Alani (see F16 forum) but had to kick that into touch as my son (and now Wife) are not well. So I ended up playing with Lego with my son. (picture of the finshed train to follow, when it is finished). Not as much fun as thrashing around the puddle in a F5-6 on my F16, but better than cutting the grass.

Sorry John, we'll have to do it another time.

So what has everyone else been up to ?

Took advantage of the 37F degree rainy day to work on the one meter R/C sailboat plug. Hoping to have a finish coat on it tonight. (some detail at http://www.teamseacats.com) I'm also working on some hefty website security upgrades at Team Seacats (so if you follow that link and don't see anything, give me 30 minutes or so).

I took my 10 yr. old daughter and her best friend out sailing on a Prindle in about 20 knots of wind. I put my trap harness on her friend, and the two of them spent the entire sail out on the wires while I drove from the very wet tramp, blast reaching back and forth across the lake in shorts and a tee shirt. The water was chilly but the air was about 79. This was the second time I have taken the two of them out in good wind and they love it. Maybe there is hope... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Then I came in and had a few beers while watching the Bears beat up on the Saints. Now I just have to make it through the Colts-Patriots game. I would love to see a rematch of the 1986 Bears-Pat's Superbowl, with a different outcome! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

MAN!!! That is why I can't wait to go to Fla. I am going to moving to the Fort Walton area in about a year.

Doug Snell

Ft. Walton is too far north for shorts and a tee shirt. Take a look at their weather today, 66 and rain. You have to get south of Orlando, even south of Lake Okeechobee to be sure you will get good warm wind in the winter.

http://www.weather.com

Got up early to drive from Bath to Datchet for the club races. Got there and discovered that I'd left the keys for the boat at home. I swore a lot, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise - no other cats ventured out. Two N20s thought about it, then gave up when the boats threatened to take off whilst still on the shore.

Was pleased to discover that my boat was undamaged after this week's storms. A couple cats had gone flying, along with plenty of monohulls. It still amazes (and infuriates) me that people don't tie their boats down properly.

I came home and went back to sleep <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Paul

Work, lots of work, rather be sailing but gotta pay fer the boat. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> I hate working weekends

72 and sunny in Jax today - no sailing for me, though. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Four loads of laundry, mowed the back yard, fixed a broken torchier (excitable dog), washed a beloved teddy bear (messy kid), cleaned the kitchen and made up the guest room (family visiting). The whole time, all three boats were caaaaaaaaaaalling me. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Weather turns cruddy tomorrow. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Took crumb snatchers to religious ed, while they were there had a romping ride to the car wash in Cobra, romping ride back (must dry off car somehow)… sat in church parking lot waiting for them to be done with class, home for lunch. Off to coach (laugh mostly) 5-6 yr. old boys basketball game. Came out of game and realized I choose the wrong car to go to the game. Asked assistance coach to follow us home, she did, didn’t need her, butt must have been humorous for her following us. Almost didn't make it since the snow was actually sticking and my rear tires are, well...., in need of replacing.... (Cobra almost ran over us as it slid out of driveway with parking brake on and in gear to the middle of the street) …after making diner I am now making Isabella’s birthday mix CD . . .

(sorry if this wasn’t coherent, Gins almost gone!)

Oh yeah, stay single, keep it wrapped up and Fear the Duck (or Special Ed)!!!

What is the story behind Special Ed?

His mom dropped him when he was young, duh! It's not funny to make fun of "special" people, Chris.

Nice! I know why he so very special to me, I was just wondering why to all-you-all?

btw Nice Video!

Went out in the backcountry for some off-piste snowboarding with my crew. Experienced my first earthquake, ever. Just a scale 4, but pretty special anyway.

Cool, in a kinda after-the-fact kind of way. Glad you got some snowboarding in.

Most annoying this is that I was really looking forward to some feedback from an experienced F16er as to the boat setup.

Still, Family must come first <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Last Saturday:
Tried to push the boat hard while video recording.

http://open.bst.ch/ALutz/ost/media/KenterungJanuar2007.wmv
send my wife and me into the drink. Only 6C° brr.

We had allot of breeze during the last weeks.


http://www.goeast.ch/ost/medias/SegelnWinter2007MicaAndi2.wmv

I cleaned out my storage space underneath my flat.

I knew there was alot of sailing related stuff there but was still quite surprised to count no less then 5 landyachts in 2.2x2.1x3.0 mtr storage room. That is in addition to bicyles and a pile a wood that always seems to come to good use.

Ones I thought about it some more and got smart at placing stuff around the space everything went in nicely and I even got room to spare. And that is good as I'll be storing a 3rd class 5 landyacht there in a few weeks time.

But some stuff has to go. So I finished the repairs on one landyacht so it is ready to be used and sold. At the same time I want to get a feel for how I would like to hold the mast up on the F12 and this landyacht has just the system I want to use there. So last night I rigged it all up outside and got a good feel (again) for how it holds. The conclusion is that it holds the mast up in an a very simple and stirdy way. No problem with play or stiffness. So that part of the setup is finished.

Now to sell the landyacht (and a few more), so if anybody in or around the Netherlands wants to have one. They go out CHEAP !

They very very much like the blokarts. You have to put them side by side to spot the differences.

The class 5's I'm keeping.

Wouter

Lawn mowing? Don't you people realize it's January? I suppose I could mow the lawn, but I'm not sure how good a job it'd be with all the snow on top of it. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

We drove down to the Cincinnati area to visit my mother-in-law on Saturday, then spent most of Sunday cleaning produce and doing the weekly up-front cooking...chili, burritos, and meatloaf for dinner this week.

I was in New Orleans, giving a talk on fleet and calss newsletters (along with Sue Hofacker from the 470 Class). Also sat in on a great presentaiton by Fried Elliot on marketing one-design classes with multimedia (especially photography).

Was on a plane by 5:00 PM and home at 9:30. (Snow - bleech!)

US Sailing One-Design Sailing Symposium.

With the exception of a lady from the Isotope class, I was the only multihull sailor in the group. Had dinner on Friday with Dave Reed (editor of Sailing World) - that was pretty cool, even though it was tough to talk over the Zydeco band playing.

Andi, you are supposed to be out Skiing, not sailing!

Hey, I just rented the Al Gore movie, An Inconvinient Truth. In the movie he shows many pictures of melting ice caps and missing glaciers in the Alps. Is that Alps part true? Is that why you are sailing when you are usually skiing?

If what he says is true, a lot of today's ocean front property will be under water in the next 20-50 years. Oh, and Europe will have another ice age... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Went out to race, and before the first start my mast fell down. First-timer for me.

Went surfing on Lake Huron with friends. A beautiful day but a tad on the cool side (air 19F, water 34F). Great rides and a great time. I continue to be amazed at present day wetsuit technology. The only time you were cold was taking it off <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />



Shoulder to head high Lake Huron lefts peeling off.


Not knowing what to expect we brought our quivers with us. I don't think we could of stacked them any higher. The gas mileage sucked anyway <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> And NO...that is not sugar white sand <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />