ok, here goes, for those of you spending your first Christmas on catsailor, this was first posted by Rick in 2004.
From: Keith Chapman
All,
The other night I couldn't sleep, so I decided to go down to the WRCRA
field and take in the night air and to check on my boat, which I hadn't
seen since the last week of Frostbite. The following is true, I swear...
Twas a week before Christmas, and all through my house,
Everyone was sleeping, my cat just ate a mouse.
I thought of Galesville and cool Winter's night air,
So I jumped in my car and I pointed it there.
The boats were all peaceful, nestled on their racks,
Resting for now, after so many roll tacks.
And the boats in the Harbor snug at the mooring,
the Buzzards on their perches, very oddly snoring. (true, I'm not making
this up)...
But out on the field, I saw something weird,
I stood there all dumbfounded, scratching my beard.
To the top of the lot, I ran in a flash,
Slipped in some mud and fell on my ash.
As I lifted my head in the brilliant moonlight,
I couldn't believe what I had in my sight!
I shook my head to get my eyes clear,
It was a carbon fiber sled with eight bored reindeer!
But there was no driver, no Jolly Saint Nick,
I thought "the Galesville Heritage Society, playing a trick?"
But the reindeer nodded to the beach cat launch ramp,
Where I noticed some beach wheels, and a cover for a tramp.
And there in the harbor, on the night's building breeze,
I saw an A-Cat, with a fat man on the trapeze!
Up to the South start mark, rounding with care,
He did the Wild thing through the harbor, hull in the air.
Back and forth on the Galesville waters it flew,
It was the latest design A-Cat, with St. Nicholas too!
And then in an instant he arrived at the shore,
Hit the oyster shells and cussed like a whore.
He said "Hand me the wheels" with a glint in his eye,
"you're not the only fat man here, don't be so shy!"
As I helped him pull his sleek craft from the Bay,
I struggled with questions, and things I might say.
But it was he who spoke first, his voice full of cheer,
"I hear this is a cat club, so where's all the beer?"
So I grabbed in the cooler for another chilled bottle,
And he said "it's such a kick, sailing at full throttle!"
"This new boat is the greatest, and I hope you did see,
The red and white drysuit that Kokotat made just for me!"
I helped drop his sail and put the A-Cat away,
And he whistled for the reindeer to bring him his sleigh.
"I used to sail monohulls, it's truly sad but true,
But now I've tasted the wild-thing, with heeling I'm through!"
"And I hear that Galesville is a great place to be,
I'll be at the Icebreaker, just wait and see!"
"I'm leaving the boat here, Roger's given me a spot,
And Tony is building the sail that I've bought!"
Now the reindeer were snorting, "let's go you big jerk!
The elves are all pissed, you need to get back to work!"
"Ah yes it is true, Christmas is a week away,
But I couldn't help trying out my new carbon sleighs."
Then he sprang to his sleigh and to his team gave a call,
And they rose in the air, heading to the mall!
But even though familiar, something was just not the same,
I noticed a difference as he called out each name-
"Now Hobie, Now NACRA, Now Prindle and Supercat!
On Marstrom, on Boyer, on Taipan and Aquacat!"
Santa's now a cat-sailor, the conversion is done,
He truly has found that sailing fast is fun!
And all in Galesville could hear, as he flew out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all cat-sailors, and to all cat-sailors a good night!"
Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Happy Holidays all!
Kap'n Keith
), even with a foggy horizons that may lay ahead.
Merry Christmas to all. Especially to all the Men and Women serving overseas. May you have a safe Christmas. Also pray for their safe return.