Thanks for the invite. I will be staying at Gilberts as well. Glad the group reservations fell through.

Turns out ,I'm not gonna be able to make it afterall. My teammate had some business stuff come up that couldn't wait.
Hope y'all have a great time. I'll be thinking about it rather I want to or not. It's cold (for me) but it got colder when I found out I wasn't going to the Keys.
Todd

Todd... that's a weak excuse! I've got a great crew for you if your interested. His name is Jeff, he's 165 lbs and lives in Fort Lauderdale where he's a senior at FAU.
He is the top sailor for his school, has lots of dinghy experience, 49er, Melges 32, etc...
He's also a really nice kid and he is really eager to get on cats.
Also... he doesn't drink... so we'll have a DD!
Let me know if your interested.

Yeah I know, number 42 with some 6. Right Tad?

We keep missing each other. I am teeing off at 11:20 so I will be incommunicato until 5:00. Are you heading south Friday or Saturday?

Hey Arbo,

Headin South Friday and coming home Sunday after the race. Have a great golf game.

Where to folks plan to be setting up for the race. Will everyone be setting up at Gilberts or heading down to the Caribean Club?

Carribean Club, Gilberts closed the beach 'cording to Mary, you'd have to launch across the parking lot from where we did.

That's right. Carribean Club it is.

Now get outta my spot!!!!

To bad you can't make it Todd.

When I reserved our room at Gilberts the other day, the lady said that we would have free launching if we had a room with them. Is that just ramp privileges I wonder?

We probably will go to Caribbean since that seems like a better place.

1. Is the finish line on the second day at Gilbert"s?
2. Has the location of the start been changed?

The starting line on the first day remains the same.
I believe the finish on day two will be at the Caribean Club, but I am sure that will be addressed at the skippers meeting.

Thank's I forgot about that event. I've been distracted by my stupid GPS antenna and looking around for all of the misc.bits and pieces. Beam bolts for example would be nice to have. Which neighbor borrowed the right wheel from my trailer?

If you are staying at Gilberts and get free launching, I would do that. There is a ramp and another place on the South side of the back lot where you can launch. The Crib might get a bit crowded.
Finish is planned for the Crib.

Registration and beer party at 6PM, Skippers Meeting at 8PM at Rick and Mary's tiny house.
Directions:
Go south on Rt 1 and when nearing Mile Marker 105, there is a Winn-Dixie. Turn right on the second street past W/D (Paradise) We are on the corner of Paradise and Coral Way (address is 6 Coral Way)
You will see the big green RV (now referred to as the White Elephant) and a bunch of boats in the yard
Rick

It's looking like Saturday will be quick

Saturday

North to northeast winds 15 to 20 knots and gusty. Seas beyond the reef 4 to 7 feet...except higher in the Gulf Stream. Seas inside the reef 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters choppy.

Sunday And Monday

Northeast to east winds 15 to 20 knots and gusty. Seas beyond the reef 4 to 7 feet...except higher in the Gulf Stream. Seas inside the reef 2 to 3 feet. Nearshore waters choppy. Isolated showers.

Wow, a double-trap spin run down the coast. That sounds pretty neat.

Tasty!

It wouldn't be a steeplechase without some nuclear gusts.

To everybody who is racing in the Steeplechase:

One minor detail You can NOT set up on the beach or launch off the beach. The owners (Caribbean Club) are working on it, fixing it up or something, and all the boats will have to set up in the parking lot and launch on the launching ramp. Please make sure your boat is ready to launch before you take it to the ramp, so you don't hold up powerboaters who also need to use the ramp.

And be nice to the owners, because supposedly they will be working on the beach when you arrive and will tell you that you cannot use it. Please don't argue with them.

Thanks for your cooperation.

P.S. And remember to rig your boat a healthy distance away from power lines!

If you are launching at Gilbert's, you also cannot use the beach (at least on Saturday because of the planned wedding). You can use their launching ramp OR launch through the opening in the mangroves at the back end of the property, that faces directly onto Blackwater Sound.