The Tampa Bay Catamaran Sailors Inc. (TBCSI) want to thank Mary and Rick for being the wonderful hosts they were for the 2003 Tradewinds Regatta.

Rick did a great job as the PRO. The courses were what we need more of. It was strange to hear from one of our newer sailors that they were concerned to race a real triangle with reaching legs. They said “We never do that reaching thing in a race where it is dangerous in high winds. We just go windward / leeward where the boat is more under control.” It was strange to hear that people had been deprived of having the fun of going fast and not having the opportunity of knowing the nuances of running a good reaching leg. I had a blast sailing the Tradewinds. Upwind I had trouble keeping the boat down and usually got beat to the A mark but off the wind using the techniques learned in the good old days of sailing I made up some time. What a blast “Freight Training” it down to B&C marks beyond the speed limit. That is where it is at – Warp Speed almost beyond control. If you haven’t experienced that you haven’t cat sailed. I feel sorry for the new guys that have only sailed the A & C stuff.

TBCSI had a great showing a total of 9 boats made the trip: - 3 Hobie 14’s, 2 Nacra 6.0’s, a Super Cat, a Hobie 20, a Inter 20, and a Dart 18. The weather was a bit cold and the winds were too high some of the time but that was just a good excuse to Party Hard. The 18 people that made up the TBCSI Group had a great time weather they sailed or not. There were groups that went out to dine, groups that did the hot tub thing. There was biking and we had a ball watching the Bucs win while listening to Country music at a local Dog Bar.

Thanks again to Ricks Place and all those involved in hosting a great regatta in an extremely nice area.

Terry & Judy
TBCSI