Tiger Worlds Website

The Official Tiger Worlds Website is where video and pictures are now posted. Check there for daily updates... as many times a day as I can do!

http://hobieworlds.com/tiger2005/

Monday
Mostly cloudy early with scattered showers...then partly cloudy. Highs in the 60s. West to northwest winds 15 to 25 mph with stronger gusts this afternoon. Chance of rain 40 percent.

Should be a good day

They are nearing the first starting sequence! Course is set. Weather is incredible. Clear and blowing in the mid 20s.


This is a shot taken from video yesterday.

Looks like the Worlds site is experiencing heavy traffic as it seems to be down at the moment. We can see that the videos are popular.

Wind is 25ish and gusty. Cold on the water (nice on the beach though ) 6 foot "steep" rollers down course.

AP is up and boats are heading in. There is a lot of trouble on the water with boats over and some crews separated from their boats. There are lots of safety boats on site that are working. Looks to me that gust are easily in the 30s. Wind is side shore here at the beach. We are near the upper end of the course. A long beat for those heading in. Boats look to be sailing VERY cautiously as the gusts are coming across hard.


Note the large hole in the main.

Looks like the boats aren't the only ones crashing and burning today.


So much for the server, Matt.

We are back online on the Worlds site. Looks like the providers site was offline as well. Who knows?

Sharon Green is on the course...



You have to see the others (and larger versions) on the HObie Tiger Worlds site!

Yikes! Too bad these boats don't have any power.
Wish I was there - Good luck 204!

Rico

COASTAL WATERS FORECAST...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOS ANGELES/OXNARD CA
600 AM PST TUE MAR 29 2005

UPDATED TO INCREASE WINDS...

PZZ650-291700-
EAST SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL FROM PT. CONCEPTION TO PT. MUGU
INCLUDING SANTA CRUZ AND ANACAPA ISLANDS-
600 AM PST TUE MAR 29 2005

UPDATED


SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL WEDNESDAY MORNING

TODAY
W TO NW WIND 15 TO 25 KT WITH STRONGER GUSTS IN THE
AFTERNOON. COMBINED SEAS 5 TO 7 FT DOMINANT PERIOD 10 SECONDS.

Wind speeds on this picture are in statute miles per hour

Wow!

She is just really good!

Those photos just feel exciting.

Great Job..... Please keep teasing us some more!

geez, it looks tough!!

Now that looks like fun. 30 Kts with the kite up - proper wild sailing - well done

Here's an interesting little report from Steve Piche that he sent earlier today (Tuesday):

I just talked to John Tomko and he said that racing has been cancelled for the day. The wind is blowing a solid 30+ with large seas.

The sailors were called off the beach at 10 am this morning; however, by the time everyone made it to the starting area the wind had built to 25 knots. The race committee sent everyone back to the beach.

A few of the big dogs decided to stay out for a little practice sail. However, after a couple of short runs and a few flips, they headed back to the beach with their tails between their legs.

The forecast for tomorrow is no better. The hope is to get out on the race course early (9 am) before the wind has a chance to build.

I got some more information on yesterday’s dramatic race. John and Ian flipped over before the start but were able to get the boat back up and make the start on time. On the first downwind, they encountered a flipped over boat. John headed up to avoid the boat and ended up flipping his boat. As they went over, John got kicked in the face by Ian subsequently breaking John’s nose. (No doctor was needed; they set it on the beach.)

Despite the pitchpole and broken nose, they finished the race in second. Now that’s tough sailing boys!

Check out www.hobieworlds.com for more information.

Steve Piche

from the NWS

Hazardous Weather Outlook
Wind Advisory

Wind advisory in effect until 9 am pst Wednesday.
Tonight. Mostly clear. Lows in the 40s to lower 50s. Areas of north winds increasing to 25 to 35 mph below passes and canyons in the evening with local gusts to 50 mph.

Wednesday. Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 60s to lower 70s. Areas of north winds 25 to 35 mph below passes and canyons. Diminishing by mid morning.


PS: ALL MOTORISTS...ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES AND VEHICLES TOWING TRAILERS...SHOULD USE CAUTION WHILE TRAVELING IN THE
ADVISORY AREA. BE PREPARED FOR SUDDEN STRONG CROSS WINDS.

Makes me real happy I didn't charter my boat to go out there.

I don't think a new spinnaker would have been enough . . .

Still Beats work, Matt - wish you were here. Here's a shot of me and Kirk at A pin yesterday in 4th... until... well, it's a common story.

The Hobie site says 27 boats finished yesterday - not even close. There were 14 boats that finished the first start and only four or five from the second start - others were finished on the course or got redress for attempting rescues of sailors that were seprarated from their boats. I'm happy to have been with an experienced skipper who drove us into the top of the fleet despite our being close to minimum weight. He also had the experience to know when to say when. We didn't break the boat or ourselves. Looking forward to something less than 20 knots for a change!

Everyone's having fun, anyway - Don Q rum party at Sushi A Go Go tonight... two great tastes that taste great together!

Great picture John!

I am so happy I did not invest the $3k to make the trip to California. Besides being at the end of the line, I would have been beat up pretty bad...

I guess I'll see the other sailors at the Madcatter in Syracuse in May.

Wyatt

Matt:

How cold is the water here? What are sailors using to stay warm?

Wyatt

usually about 55ºF this time of year. Most have dry suits. Those with wetsuits are wearing layers. I see alot of concealed pfd's in that they have lycra shirts on top of the pfd's. Those pfd's are quite warm if you contain them properly.



GARY A near by weather buoy. Looks like wind is still near 20 kts this morning.

Welcome to postfrontal conditions in S.B. ,today should have a lot of North in it, that usually creates violent 180 deg. shifts as it blows over the mountains. I know you guys were getting pummeled out there, but watching two kids on a 29er flying the kite and some Laser sailors rocking it while the fleet sat on the beach, well.....

How does any F18 sail without a jib?
Was that done in the Worrell?
(I'm sure someone is going say it does not make any difference in the name of safety, but that is NOT what I am asking)

It sails like a uni.... how's that?

It tacks much worse than a uni without the jib. The jib is small but it makes an incredible difference when it comes to tacking. This comparison comes from having raced a Hobie 17 a couple of times.

My question was really refering to depowering the boat not tacking.

Pretty much no difference. Besides in the conditions they are experiencing in SB you need the jib to tack (as Jake indicated).

Okay, if today and tomorrow get blown out, what happens?

Can a world championship be decided with just one race?

Ding

>in the conditions they are experiencing in SB you need the jib to tack<
I find it hard to believe WORLD Class sailors can not tack without a jib by reversing the rudders.

Yes, world class sailors would be able to tack without a jib, I never ment to imply that they couldn't. In my opionion with the condtions at worlds it's easier to tack with the jib than without it. I'd much rather make it through the tack on the first attempt rather than having to back up, wouldn't you?

With 30k gusts, the thought of having to change direction would make me nervous too. Not so much from a skill standpoint but because there is very limited ability to respond to those kind of gusts and shifts when the boat is not moving forward in the water. Throw in some big waves and moving backwards just to get through a tack turns into a riskier maneuver than dealing with the exta power from the jib. IMHO you're pretty vulnerable when trying to back into a tack when it's nukin'.

Gybing would be worse in those conditions. As Yveginy Bartomov once said, "when it was blowin 30, we just did a coward gybe". He was referring to a tack.

David Mosley
www.teamseacats.com

Water temp? About 57 degrees. Dry suits.

The wind has switched around and is PERFECT!!! Finally.

Check the new Sharon Green shots!

Hi Matt,
fantastic pictures.
May I ask you to put "your famous" list with the sail numbers online?

Thanks

Fritz

If my memory is correct, only one F18 boat has sailed the W1000: Team Netherlands, Hobie Tiger, 1999? They used the jib.

and the boat ended up in pieces!!

What is your point here?

I recall they broke the mast coming into the demolition derby that was the Hatteras checkpoint that year. They had no spare mast and had to retire. This was at a point in time before HC USA began importing the Tiger from Europe.

BTW I think the correct team name was Team Holland and the spin was launched from a tramp bag (pre-snuffer).

Are you sure that was a Tiger? I thought they sailed a Dart Hawk. I could be wrong.

Mike Hill
www.stlouiscats.com

That was Gerard Loos and if I remember correctly, the were trying to get out through the Surf at the start of a leg - the bows reared up and they rolled over, breaking the mast. I remember watching it live that year - they had the web cam which updated every 30 secs or so. I think that it was before 1999. Gerard Loos did sail a Hawk on the European circuit and was paid by Laser. He then went to work for Hobie to promote the new Tiger. I am not sure which cat he had for that race.

In the 1997 Worrell 1000 a Dart Hawk was sailed by Gerard Loos and Pied Heemskerks. They finished in 3rd place.

In the 1998 Worrell 1000 a Hobie Tiger was sailed by Gerard Loos and Martin Peacey. They were in 11th place at Kill Devil Hills but they dismasted trying to get out through the surf for the final leg to Virginia Beach. Actually, only eight of the last 12 boats managed to get out through the huge surf that day. The other three boats that succumbed to the surf were Nacra 6.0's.

Here is another Team Texas report from Steve Piche:

After a day of no racing, two races were held yesterday at the Hobie Tiger Worlds. High winds once again forced the race committee to start late and end early.

Team Texas had a good day. John Tomko and Ian Billings recorded an 18th and an 11th in the races. Combined with their 2nd place finish in the first race, they are now in 8th place overall. They are only one of two US boats in the top ten! Tough racing boys.

David Mimlitch and Tiffany Tomko recorded 33rd and 65th. They are now in a respectable 51st place. Chris Green and Dave McDaniel are recorded 73rd and 54th and are in 69th place. Given that this is Chris’s first major race, he is doing pretty well against some very tough competition.

Taylor and Mitch Booth of Australia have a solid lead, however, the fleet is very mixed after them.

Today is the last day of racing. Forecast is for heavy winds; however, winds are light this morning.

Good luck Team Texas!

Steve

You got it right, Mary!

I cheated. I have looseleaf binders with all the information about all the Worrell 1000's from 1997 onward.

Has anyone seen anything of Martin Peacey recently. Did a little sailing with him a while ago and have lost touch. Just ask him about his UK leaving party at Grafham Water..... (I was not there, but I've seen some of the piccies.. )

It could be a hat trick day for Enrique Figueroa and Jorge Hernandez. They are on their way to a third bullet for the day.

Hello all,

As a little sideline about Kiki and Jorge from Puerto Rico ( which is 100% USA, you know),..

Kiki collected his Rolex watch from winning the St. Thomas Rolex regatta on Sunday afternoon( sailed a H 16 with his wife as crew).

Boarded a plane for Santa Barbara that same day.

These sailors are super nice, they will come up and talk to you, you can talk to them, they help everyone out all the time.

You know I have to give a shout for the Caribbean Teams!

GO PUERTO RICO!

....plus all the sailors.


regards,

Bruce
St. Croix
United States Virgin Islands
( 70 miles south east of Puerto Rico)

ps. we want to put in a 'hooray' for the other PR team, that of Mr. Mustafa and Karen Xavier

He was crewing for my wife, Susan!!

You can say that a FEW TIMES!!! Hell yeah!
Such a small island but with lots of good people!!!

Here is a reprint from the Hobie Tiger 18 Worlds;


Mimi Appel, Santa Barbara, USA, March 31, 2005

Thursday 3-31-05 Sunny no wind 70 degrees

10:00 Postponement. A few boats limp of the beach in search of wind.

12:20 Wind fills in with large fingers at 7-8 knots where it remains for most of the day.

12:30 Race 4 First race of the day

Course 1 ACA Water flat wind at 7 knots

Enrique Figueroa takes the lead early and scores his first bullet of the day.

1:30 Race 5 Second race of the day

Course 1 ACA Water flat wind at 7 knots

USA Team Greg Thomas and Jacques Bernier, from Hobie Cat USA finished 5 th overall had issues in this race. The way cool “blue spinnaker boat” was in third flying to the finish, on starboard right in front of the pack of committee and spectator boats. From out of no where comes a port boat, causing them to capsize, circles done but protest still pursued. The protest changed the scores big time, right before the awards banquet.

Editors note (Mimi is now on a Media Boat, a fabulous 50ft vintage Grand Banks.

2:30 Race 6 Third of the day

Course 1 ACA Water flat wind at 7 knots

1.2 nautical miles, 84 boats on the line

Excellent start, off they go! We are positioned just south of the gates. The Spin dousing by these World-class crews is fanamul! On e huge pack moved in to the more upwind gate, 4 boats are caught in an overlap-room issue. They are almost 2 boat lengths away before they can even begin to round. Italians Michele Moznich and Filippo Rossi come sailing into the whole round close, leave tight, leaving the pack in their smoke! Sweet!

4:30 Race 7 Fourth for the day

Course 1 ACA at 10 knots

3, 2, 1, horn…. GENERAL RECALL, pin boat speeds across in from of the fleet with the flag a fly’ in. The committee quickly moves the pin…game back on…

4:45 bang all clear! Tyler Booth nails the start at the pin just screaming out in the front of the line of 85 boats. There is another pack on the right heading to the shore. Soon most of the boats are on port.

The Grand Times heads us back to the shore. The rest of the race is a blur with radio transmissions efficiently orchestrated a video shoot of Kika (Enrique Figueroa) and Jorge finishing third to win the World title.

After the days racing, 17 year old skipper, Tyler Booth (Aus) was quick to point out that “Enrique sailed really well”. Taylor and Dad, Mitch was in first as of Wednesday night.” I would rather be in 2nd with 7 races than first of three.”

Team Porto Rico smoked the fleet with an excellent day of racing, 3 bullets and a third, in the lighter air, taking themselves from 17 to first. They missed the first day of racing on Monday while Kika scrambled for a flight out of the British Virgin Islands. On shore after a TV interview, he asked this reporter, “I guess we won?” When told yesterday by 2 points he was in creditably pleased, but very humble. While discussing today’s conditions Kika says, “I noticed a little ground swell, we love that condition, also the kelp was an issue, Jorge did an excellent job of keep the rudders and boards clean.” “Staying focused, sailing conservative and covering worked wonders.

Not F-18 Worlds.

Hobie Tiger Worlds.

Not the same thing.

I made the correction.

Thanks for the help.

I thought a Hobie Tiger qualified as a F-18, but I admit ignorance in the class, as is evident.

thanks again

>Team Porto Rico smoked the fleet with an excellent day of racing, 3 bullets and a third, in the lighter air<

You would think they would spell Puerto Rico correctly, dumbing of America, or am I missing an something?

...they could be 'hooked on phonics'..

Tom Korz' sister Mimi Appel wrote the article. You are missing something. It's a Hobie Fleet 204 inside joke.

Actually yes, the Hobie Tiger does qualify as an F-18...BUT there is a Hobie Tiger class that uses a different set of rules than F18. This Hobie Tiger Worlds was for that HCA one design class. To prevent some future confusion...also note that the NACRA F18 Worlds that will be held in Michigan later this year is also a TOTALLY different animal that the F18 Worlds ....you thought the Tiger / F18 relationship was confusing? Nacra named their F18 qualifying boat "F18". boogada boogada. If you sail a Hobie Tiger you can participate in the F18 Worlds AND the Hobie Tiger Worlds...same for Nacra. I'm not sure if other F18 compliant manufacturers have a one design status within ISAF and/or have "Worlds" events.

So here we have it:

--"F18" encompasses several different brands of boats that are built to a single rule

--"Hobie Tiger" is one of the F18 boats but has it's on separate class rules.

--"Nacra F18" is also one of the F18 boats but it's class rules closely mirror F18 rules.

Mimi Appel's brother.

Here we go thru thru the gate day one.

YEEE-HAW!!!

I may be wrong but last I heard, Hobie Tiger was the only F-18 to be granted ISAF International status. Therefore the NACRA F-18 can not race an offical 'World Championship' but can race an 'Intercontinental Championship' which is not recognised buy ISAF.

Minor details though.

As far as I know, Tiger makes up somewhere between 50 to 60 % of the International F-18 fleet. NACRA are the next largest with the rest no where close.

Hmmmmm. I thought I remember hearing something about Nacra F18 being a OD ISAF Class. But I don't see them on the page. Uh Oh...must be time for the Intergalactic Championship instead!

http://www.isaf.com/classes/classlist.asp?MenuID=d1v`GNcDgMI/qst7vTvONMY12`V

Jake,
Under "Recognized" classes, does NA F18 refer to the Nacra F18 or to the North American F18 Class? I assumed it referred to Nacra. If so, ISAF Recognized classes are allowed to put on a World Championship.

International Multihull Class Associations


A-CATAMARAN
DART 18
FORMULA 18
HOBIE 14
HOBIE 16
HOBIE 17
HOBIE 18
HOBIE TIGER
TORNADO


This is F18 !

IMHO

A Un-measured NACRA F18 can not be considered an ISAF Multihull or an International F18 for that matter. (I think it was a poor decesion to use the F18 monniker on that boat, but MARKETING RULES) Once you measure and certify it then it falls under International FORMULA 18.

The one design Tiger HAS recieved ISAF Multihull status and therefore can (according to ISAF) hold Worlds Championships.

To add another spin on this a one design Tiger DOES NOT qualify for ISAF Formula 18 status UNTIL it is measured and certified.

I'm not sure I agree will ISAF's absolute stand on World Championships, but it is the way it is.

Besides if you are not going to compete in ISAF or US Sanctioned events it really doesn't matter.

Point High & Foot Fast

Tom

Seems like they just changed it since earlier this morning. Now it is clearly listed as Nacra F18 under "Recognized" classes. Both International and Recognized classes are allowed to hold a Worlds.

-=O=-

Ohhh...this is getting twisted. Of all the great possibilities out there, why did they have to name that dang boat the same as the box rule class that it belongs to!

P.S. Why do I get the feeling we're being watched?

The Nacra F-18 is a Recognized class and does have permission from ISAF to hold a world championship.
Recognized class status is where they put you while you are being considered for International Class Status.

Actually the Nacra F18 is PROVISIONAL ISAF Recognised Class. They still have to fill certain criteria before they can be accpeted by ISAF. One of those is to hold a world championships

I have uploaded more pictures and video to the Tiger site in the last two days.

http://www.hobieworlds.com/tiger2005