Statue of Liberty Race?

... is it happening this year? Doesn't seem to be much buzz about it.

Oh it's happening and there's been plenty of buzz on the NENSA and NE F18 email lists.
Almost all of the NE F18 fleet is going...
Tad you gonna be there?
I'm going on year 9 in a row!

Don't let that mooch crew of yours drink all your water and eat all your food. How's the f-18 program coming together for ya?
Good Luck ,sail fast.

Tawd

4th of July is a family reunion date for me. Maybe one day I'll make it for the statue race - but not likely anytime soon.

I just like reading the stories.

When is it? Are they doing it on July 4th weekend? Isn't the harbor too crowded then?

Mary,
It is definitely the 4th of July. That's the point,round the Statue of Liberty on the fourth of July. They've been doing it for years. I'm surprised you hadn't heard of it.
Todd

Me thinks... she wants somebody from sandy hook to pimp their own race... perhaps a NOR post... perhaps sending it in to rick for the schedule.... also... they move the race around on the weekend to make it work.

linky

We're doing it for the first time this year!

Maybe the low profile is intentional?

Of course, I have heard of it -- I have covered it for years in the magazine, and Rick has raced in it. Just have not heard a date yet for this year's race. And I think in the past they were not allowed to do it on the 4th when the 4th was on a weekend because of the crowded conditions in the harbor, so I thought maybe they were going to hold it the weekend after. Or maybe Sunday instead of Saturday?

It's Saturday... a couple years ago, the year after the 30' cat (forget which kind) pitchpoled in the harbor, the next year was kept small intentionally.... I don't think they are doing that this year though.
The club has had problems with webmasters going MIA and etc... this is why you have seen a few website makeovers in the last few years. This is likely the reason for little promotion.
The guys down there just want to sail and drink, i'm not sure they are too concerned with race promotion... not that there is anything wrong with that!

Todd... Mike and I are both loving the infusion.... he wasn't very happy about the change at first but now he's all good.
I'll be sure to beat Brendon with the tiller extension if he continues to steal my stuff.

that pitch was a supercat . . . watched it happen . . . me crew probably saved them from a very bad experience with a very big ship...

I'm sittin' here on the beach at Sandy Hook with a rum drink and my computer catching up on work after a nice two day stay at Put-In-Bay with Rick and Mary.

We are definately sailing Saturday and it looks like good weather.

I will pick up Barbie at Newark at 4pm. She wants another go at the "Boston Boys" at the tippy cup table.

Great to hear your joing us again Jack! Look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

It was actually Bill/Eric Roberts on the RC30. They have been banned for life.

Weather predition looks great for the 4th. Lots of boats rolling in. They say we will have a tune-up run today around Ambrose.

Banned? really? On what premise? Not that I doubt what youre saying, I just want the details!

They flipped under the bridge and caused a big traffic jam. Remember, this is the busiest harbor in the world. There are also lots of current and counter currents in the Narrows. It was a real mess and they had to have the Coast Guard get them righted. No one was happy!

Now, only self-rescuing boats may race.

Thanks Jack, have fun up there with the yanks, and show them how its done. Then get back to the south where you belong!
Eventually I will return your swager. Just sailed the boat for the first time yesterday with the new wires but as soon as I trapped out and sheeted in good, the top of my mast broke off. I spent the rest of the day on the beach with epoxied hands and glass splinters hoping to be ready for tomorrow.

Jeeze...I hate it when that happens! Hope the repair goes well.

"It was actually Bill/Eric Roberts on the RC30."

Actually, I've never sailed that race or that body of water. Looks like fun. Have a great sail this weekend.

Eric Roberts

The plot thickens.
Eric,his dad, and someone else self righted a rc30 or 27 during the hogsbreath in 2002, so I know THEY can do it. They finished a matter of feet straight behind us and I felt like my Inter 20 was going to get gobbled up.
Todd

Eric,

They think it was you and your Dad. They tell stories about it. Do you have any idea who it was? It would be nice to clear the air and set them straight.

That was the only year I sailed that event (2006). I was the first F-18 to finish and corrected out to 2nd overall. Anyway, this is the view as we were going into the harbor:


And this was the view on the way out:

That looks like an RC27 to me. Who was it?

They want his head on the wall here!

Obviously it wasn't anybodys' fault but they are "blaming" the Roberts family. Apparently the Port Authority threatened to revoke the permit if it ever happens again.

I think they over reacted. 911 is still on everyones' mind.

Wonderful weather...the band is playin'...rum and tequila is in abundance...some one is smokin'...fireworks later...race day tomorrow...what a wonderfull country!

Jack, be sure to wave when you go 'round the Statue tomorrow! Because the Crown is being re-opened, CNN and FOX are going to be there with cameras rolling, so you guys might get some TV time! I'll be watching for you from home. Hope the weather and wind is good for you. Have Fun and a Happy 4th to all!

I sailed in that race on my P19. The owner of the RC27 is a member of our cat club. Bill Roberts skippered with the owner of the boat and a friend of the owner as crew. The owner of the boat told me that Bill was running out of room running downwind after going under the bridge. They got hit with a gust and didn't have room to fall off. Apparently the crew should have come in from the wire and helped douse the chute a lot sooner. In hindsight, maybe Bill should've screamed at the crew to get them to respond quicker. They turtled and stuck the mast into the mud. The coasties pulled them out. This turned it into an overblown rescue. As far as I know Bill didn't blame anyone else and took the heat. It was a great race and Accelerated Chaos set a new course record.

Who won?

I just spoke with wildtsail (Todd) and he said that Mike Easton and Tripp Burd on an Infusion won both the elapsed time and corrected time trophies. The winning boat finished in under 2 hours breaking the elapsed time record previously held by Chris Titcomb. Wally Meyers (Hobie 16) corrected into 2nd place only a few minutes behind. I didn't get the rest of the results. They said it was a very windy jib reach both ways with big waves which made for a rough ride.

Mike and Tripp did a horizon job for sure. However, the RC shortened the course because at the last minute the Coast Guard closed the area around the statue. They set a committee boat East of the statue about a half mile, so the course sailed was actually not the true course that the record is based on.

We missed the shorten course boat and in fact did go around the statue with no trouble, with several boats following us.

The old record was 2:46 and we finished in 2:43, however that shouldn't count either. I'm sure Tripp and Mike would have still made it in under two hours, but the "record" will have an * after it because of the course change.

Non-spinny boats corrected well as no one could use theirs.

Many wipeouts but everyone made it back early and safe.

I was wondering if the CG was going to get in the way, what with the re-opening of the crown, and all the press coverage, and you know what a risk you crazy Cat Racers pose to our National Security!

Great job on beating the old record! Sounds like it was a real workout in both directions. Too bad the "Government" got in the way...again!

I watched for a bunch of cats on TV but by the time you would have been there, they were inside the Statue filming...up her skirt! Have they no shame??

Thank you for the clarification. It sounds like it was a good race even with the shortened course.

Any results anywhere???

What's up with the Statue race? I heard a scary tale from my buddy on a Hobie 20, but no results. I understand it was very windy with no spin run either way.

David
A Cat and big cat

40 boats
wind WNW 15 with gusts to 25 (course is N to Statue then S)

Corrected:
mike easton / tripp burd F18
wally myers / gladys romero H16
doug kirby / andy herbick N20
rick bliss / brandy wood N20
seamus mchug / austier richardson F18

Line Honors:
mike easton / tripp burd F18
doug kirby / andy herbick N20
rick bliss / brandy wood N20

Here's the official results attached that were updated a few minutes ago. If you can't see the attachment, they should be posted at www.fleet250.org soon.

Thanks to all who came, helped out and handled the last minute changes to course.

Greg

Start of Race. Full starting line. Statue of Liberty is visible on left of pic below center of Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. Empire State Building in center of pic.

Blow it up, It's the most I could upload with 100K max file size.

BTW: Don't ever say "I'll replace that frayed trap line after the race"..... Don't ask me how I know!