I'm racing. I will race twice a week all season. Solo on Wednesday evenings and with my youngest son on Saturdays. I may do some Sundays as well. Heck, I was racing every Sunday in February, breaking the ice to be able to remove the cover from the boat. So I resent the implication that to be "active in the class" you have to travel. I'm active in the class and I choose not to travel this year.

Traveling to regatta cost both money and time. Two things I would like to have more of So it all boil down to choices. Back in November I made my choices for the year.

I could go to Carnac and its competitive fantastic racing. But as a club racer with a really old boat I would end up in the bottom 100. Money: the expense of crossing the channel, the regatta fee and the unreasonable price of 25cl of lager on the harbour. Time: That's a day travel each ways, and would require me to take some time off from work.

Or I could go to Bala cat open on the same week-end. Nice scenery as well, laid back racing, good social scene and a low £20 fee. Shorter trip as well, requiring less time driving. Guess where Paul went this year...

Or better yet, my choice this year, is to stay at my club and get my sons into sailing. Money: None. Time: 20 minutes drive. And I feel I support cat sailing more by being present at the club, getting my two sons on cats, giving rides to people and supporting other cat sailors by being there and helping them when needed.

The only traveling I'll do this year is to the ECPR and the Italian F16 Euro. The first one is a one day event that will allow me to finally do a long distance event on the sea, the second because it's a F16 only event and I like the idea of racing real time with a bunch of other boats.

And anyway there is no chance in hell I'll travel to a regatta I don't know about at least 6 months in advance. Especially if it involves ferry crossings. And I'm not the only one. You can't expect a lot of people to turn out for an event with a 4 or 5 weeks notice.