Craig,
Thanks for having all of us over.

Pictures from the start are now up in Velocity's photo gallery. There are some pictures from just about every team.

It is true I was trying to get a response. I hope that the Tybee continues to raise the profile of our sport. Perhaps, as yachting in general focuses on faster boats sponsors will line up enough dough to cover the costs of equipment and such. Of course that leads to another danger, having the Tybee become a "pro" event. I'll leave that for another thread and see if anyones back gets up. Great to see a Dutch team coming over and doing so well!!!

Free will, man

my new mantra...

Haha I love that pics.

Can't help but notice; you have the same vantage point I do. . . m'am. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I agree with Charlie and have wondered the same thing about the Round Texel. Lots of boats get smashed up getting of the beach and they have a start line.

Why not use a jet ski to get boats off the beach when its rough? Its more a matter of luck and timing than sailing abililty. I dont think getting out part adds anything to the race.

Sad that we wont see you on the line then.

Bou', are you at home or at the race site? You aren't accepting private messages.

Luck and timing! Are you kidding? Sailing out thru surf like that takes skill and perserverance. Only a lake sailor could make a statement like that! I've had my 18 standing on its stearns in large surf more than once and never lost it. Been fully airborne in the first set. Its a total rush! This style of racing takes more skill and talent than circling bouys ever could! Plus the I20 can take it, built like a locomotive.

Not that I have ever done it and not sure I have the balls to ever do it BUT seems like if you could find a way to glue yourselves (BOTH skipper and crew) to the bows with 5200 and steer by a combo of dragging your feet in the water and using the sails (with a new mid-bow main sheeting system) you might just make it out through the waves consistently. oh, how about a nice "bob" hobie style on the n20 mast.. well.. ok... how about mast/boat/crew/skipper airbags?

"WE GOTTA GO!"
-Mike Worrell

Why??? If you have to ask you probably cannot understand, but quite simply "for the challenge"!! These sailors care little for the things an average person (or sailor for that matter) can accomplish. They are a rare breed that longs to push well beyond their comfort zone and face challenges where success or failure is secondary to the need to find ones limits and constantly stretch them further. Mind you I am not saying it makes them better (or worse) than others who prefer to walk the beaten path....just different.

I intensly hope to join their ranks next year!! My only fear is of looonngg boring drifters!!

Tip.... on a light air day, NEVER look at the "Time to destination"... I mean NEVER!!! At one time during the Worrell, I looked at it while laying on the leward hull... We were estimated to get there ~2hrs after the start of the next leg.

The drifters are what they are. Theres only so much you can do about them. When we started drifting, I turned off the GPS to save battery, and to save sanity.

However, what you said about comfort level is spot on. I can't tell you how exhillerating it was flying through the ocean at 1AM in the pitch black after the wind had finally picked up, scooting past the end of Sebastian inlet by 15 feet because we never saw it, having to tack when we smelled dead fish because we couldn't see the beach.... ALL past my "comfort level" but something that I'll remember forever as being the one of the most exciting, exhillerating experiences of my life.

Its not for everyone.

Certainly not for me. I remember an article written by Jack sammons, sailing off the East coast of Florida, in pitch black conditions. He noticed a set of lights one red, the other green, that kept getting further and further apart,yet closer and closer! Obviously he lived to tell the tale.

I think one of the coolest things had to be sailing at night with the kite up on the wire. The phosphorescence was awesome!! You would have lit green water flying from the bows and bouncing across the deck.

From the wire you could see the foils and they would be lit up green underwater leaving a trail behind us. Many people considered the night legs to be crazy, but... it is soooo a part of the experience that I will NEVER forget!

Rounding the second jetty and suddenly hearing spinnakers and boats around us that we did not know were there... oh, it gets me rilled up just thinking about it!!

Don't stop in Tybee boys, there's 500 more to go!!

I'd love to do it....I think its a great race.

there are those days when you are thinking "holy crap, we are at the limit!" and then you hit the beach and say "Man! That was awesome!"

..... and then the ground crew grabs the boat and you can't keep up with it as it's rolling up the beach

I swear thats me everytime.