Welcome to the
Hobie Wave Class
Sponsored by
International Wave Class Association (IWCA)

Building on the tremendous success story of last Seven Year's Hobie Wave Nationals, we are trying to make this year's even bigger and better. We have planned a full week of instruction, fun and racing. Come to any or all of the parts of this week as your schedule allows.

Overview of Race Week
Friday Nov 28 through Nov - Wave Youth Nationals
Friday Final registration 9-11AM, Skippers Meeting 11AM
First Flag for back to back races 12:30PM
Saturday - First flag at 10AM for back to back races, with a lunch break
Sunday - First flag at 10AM for back to back races, none started after 1PM, Awards ASAP
Youth Eligibility: Two class age brackets: under 14 years old at time of regatta, 14 to 18 years old at time of regatta.

Sunday evening, Nov 30th through Wednesday Dec 3--
A Rick White's Sailing Seminar on the Waves. This will be great opportunity to get the benefits of one of his famous race-training programs on boats that are all the same -- a rare occurrence. You will be thoroughly drilled in boat-handling, starts, mark roundings, and tactics -- and also learn a lot about how to make the Waves go faster. PLUS, it is a discounted price for a three-day seminar: $295 per person.
You don't have to be sailing in the regatta to do the seminar.

For More info on the Seminar and to Register for the Seminar, Click Here!

Thursday, Dec 4 -- Sail Measurements and Tune-Up Races.

Thursday night, Dec 4 -- Sail Measuring, Registration and Welcome beer party.

For an Entry Form for the 11th Annual Hobie Wave Nationals, Click Here!

Friday, Dec 5 through Sunday, Dec 7-- The 11th Annual Hobie Wave Nationals. Three days of racing.

Information about the '08 Wave Nationals
I have tried to answer most potential questions in the following information, so please read everything, and then if you still have questions, please e-mail mary@catsailor.com.

THE REGATTA HEADQUARTERS:
The new host facility is Founder Park Watersports at Founders Park in Islamorada, Florida on the bay side of the island, MM 87. We will be sailing on the bay side of the islands -- a really great sailing basin that is miles across in every direction, with nothing but flat seas and good wind. Quite often you will see dolphins playing and lots of birds.

HOW TO FIND US:
Founders Park is around Miler Marker 87. Turn right to the round about and head for the beach.

CHARTER BOATS:
If you don't have a boat of your own, we have boats for charter/sale. Call Barb Short 305-434-8984, or barb@the-helm.com

ACCOMMODATIONS:
Please go to the following link -- they have everything listed there: http://fla-keys.com/islamorada/

ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO GET HERE IF YOU ARE FLYING AND DON'T WANT TO RENT A CAR:
If you are flying into Miami International Airport (which is about an hour or so from us) and are not renting a car, there are three possible transports:
Airporter: They pick up three times a day at the airport. Phone number is 305-852-3413 for reservations and pick-up information.
Upper Keys Transportation: They pick up any time, by reservation, and will also pick up at Fort Lauderdale Airport. Phone is 305-453-0100.
Greyhound -- they leave the Miami Airport to the Keys four times a day. For schedule and reservations, call 1-800-231-2222.

WEATHER CONDITIONS:
Air temperature usually is in the 80's in the daytime and around 70 at night. Water temperature shouldn't be below the mid 70's. Wind is normally 10-15 out of the eastern quadrant. If we get a cold front, the air temperature could be as much as 10-15 degrees colder, and the wind would blow out of the west as much as 10 mph stronger than the norm.

WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING (AND DO) FOR YOUR BODY:
(What you can and can't bring for your boat is covered in the boat rules section.)

• You don't need to bring a trapeze harness, because there are no trapezes allowed for the Nationals, even though there is an optional trapeze kit for the boat..
• However, Fred Johnston made a great suggestion. You sail these boats more like a dinghy (Laser, Sunfish, etc.) than a catamaran, because you have to hike out and use the hiking straps. So he suggested that it would be a good idea for people to have hiking shorts to give them some extra padding for their butts and the backs of their thighs. If you don't want to go to the expense of padded hiking shorts, your wetsuit is probably the next best thing to give you a little bit of a cushion. Hiking shorts are available at www.OnLineMarineStore.com
• If you don't normally use high-top booties, you might want to think about it to protect your ankles from chafing from the hiking straps.
• Sailing gloves and life jacket.
• Wetsuit and/or drysuit and/or spray suit. We don't really expect any serious cold fronts that early in the season, but you never know. The weather has been weird ever since the invention of the bow and arrow. And even in warm weather you are going to get cold when you are wet -- and this boat can be very wet if it is windy and choppy.
• Bring a water bottle and a piece of shock cord or something to attach it to the tramp. You are going to be out there for a lot of races, so personally I would take a gallon jug of water like I get at the local supermarket.
• A little toolkit is always nice to have on the boat -- small vice grip (or pliers), a Swiss Army knife that has both types of screwdrivers on it, extra ring pins and shackles, small pieces of line for jury-rigging.
• And you also might want to start doing some stomach exercises, because hiking out can take its toll.

WHAT YOU WILL GET FOR YOUR ENTRY FEE:
* T-shirts for all competitors, sponsored by the Hog's Breath Saloon
* Welcoming party Thursday night
* Banquet Dinner
* National Class Meeting
* Sharing session Thursday night about what people have learned about sailing the Wave.
* Lunches Friday, Saturday and Sunday
* Beer Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, provided by Hog's Breath Saloon (Hog's Breath Beer)
* LOTS of racing. The first year and last year we had 18 races, and the other years we had 14 and 12 races in the three days of the Nationals.

Trophies:
Youth Nationals -- Five places deep for both age classes
Nationals -- Trophies for Open, Women, Masters. All classes sail in the Open Class and all sail at the same time.

Complete schedule of events
for Hobie Wave Race Week

FRIDAY, Nov 28
9 am to 11am Final Youth Registration
11 am Skippers Meeting
12:30 pm back to back races

SATURDAY, Nov 29
10 am back to back races with lunch break

SUNDAY, Nov 30
10 am back to back races, no starts after 1 pm
awards asap

SUNDAY, Nov 30
6 p.m. Welcome party for Rick White's Special Sailing Seminar for Waves ONLY
7 p.m. Seminar Orientation and Chalk Talk for Monday's drills.

MONDAY AND TUESDAY, Dec 1-2
9 a.m. Briefing followed by on-the-water drills
Noon Debriefing and break for lunch
1:45 p.m. Briefing followed by on-the-water drills
5-7 p.m. Debriefing and chalk talk about following day's drills

WEDNESDAY, Dec 3
9 a.m. Briefing followed by on-the-water drills
1 p.m. Break for Lunch and debriefing, Graduation certificates awarded for the seminar

THURSDAY, Dec 4
2-4 p.m. Tune Up Races
3-? p.m. Sail measuring
6-10 p.m. Wave Nationals Registration and Welcoming Party, and Class Meeting (beer and snacks).

FRIDAY, Dec 5
8-9 a.m. Final registration
8-9 a.m. Sail measuring
10 a.m. Skippers meeting
11-Noon Lunch
12:30 p.m. Start back-to-back races
5 p.m. Beer after races
7 p.m. Dinner -- you are on your own

SATURDAY, Dec 6
10 a.m. Start and back-to-back racing
Noon-1p.m. Lunch
2 p.m. Start and multiple back-to-back races
5 p.m. Beer after races
7 p.m. Banquet Dinner included in your registration fee.(dinner tickets available for non-racers @ $20)

SUNDAY, Dec 7
10 a.m. Start and multiple back-to-back races
1 p.m. Lunch following the conclusion of the races
ASAP Trophy presentations

For an Entry Form, click here!

Boat Rules for Wave Nationals:
Please click here for the complete, most up-to-date Rules

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