No I'm not interested in doing anything associated with Mike Worrell. Did I have a vested interested in 2003? Yes, I owned a HT, and spent a significant amount of time working on HT class business. I lost the value of the boat when everyone started dumping boats, and then the class failed shortly thereafter. So, yes I lost about 10k and a couple years worth of spare time/effort.

Yeah, well fill me in. I lived through this disaster 8 years ago, so I'm pretty sure I know the story. And yeah, I agree there were other players, but Mike's name was on the race. And he disappeared (along with others) for 8 years. It wasnt just the racers that suffered , it was the class and all the boat owners, and the manufacturer. There was a lot of collateral damage, not just the teams that signed up.

Bill

I think you should blame who ever talked Mike into using the HT for the Worrell. A lot of Worrell racers only bought the HT because of the Worrell to have as a backup boat and train on. We sold ours right after the Tybee 500 that we sailed it in. If the Worrell was sailed on the HT I think it would have hurt the class more becaues the boats would not of held up. I think only 2 finished the Tybee 500 with out major repairs and we almost replaced every thing on the boat.

Yeah.... a stroke of genius....

The groan that was let out by the crowd during the anncoucement during the '02 race was obvious... but we all knew it was coming.

WF

No no no... this is Mike Worrel and Petrucci (Bimare) fiasco.

Talked Mike into the F18HT???
Are you kidding me... Mike decided that the race could grow and what was needed was Euro and Aussie sailors to make it an international event. So he needed charter boats to make that happen. For him, there was no future for the race without a big change because of the time and money to put it on. He wanted ONE of the F18 builders to give him a deal on F18's because that was the emerging Euro class of boats... They would not. That was the status as conveyed by Mike in Va Beach to me personally.

After that the Bimare F18HT charter deal was announced... Remember, the F18 and F18HT Classes were just getting started in the US. Bimare probably figured that a successful Worell 1000 would shift the North American market to use the F18HT formula rather then the F18 Formula. The Bim owner, Petrucci? and Mike Worrel cut a deal for the one design Bim F18HT. Obviously, Bim grossly overestimated the boat they built for the ocean race ...not to mention Mike Worrel's management skills and the result was the fiasco. Remember it was the cheapest F18HT boat using the HT forumla. Thus the equipment problems.

WRONG!!!
Mostly.

Tawd
are you learning how to discuss an issue from the republican's?

Do you have any facts to share that dispute mine?

How about an alternative story at least?

Trying to salvage Mike's reputation so that he can pull off this race is a heavy lift. good luck to ya!

I look foward to you trying to find the evil Rasputin who talked young mike into the folly .... it should be a hell of a fairy tale.

I hate to have to pipe in here, but Todd's not far off. The actual facts aren't exactly as you've laid out, Mark, and sadly some of the truth may never get into the mainstream. I think the whole thing was about as sad a set of circumstances as I have ever seen in my life... and I've seen some messed up ****. Mike doesn't deserve to carry the weight of the mistakes made... certainly not the lion's share. Yet I believe he feels a personal responsibility to do so. I have always defended him in the hope that he would someday go completely public with the entire sordid tale, good, bad and ugly. I wish him well and I hope to see the event restored someday. I would think that enough time has passed that he should at least be given the benefit of the slightest doubt.

Thanks JW you put that way better than I could.
This is certainly NOT my cross to bear, but I find it amusing that the people who are attacking Mike have no first hand knowledge of the happenings or anything since and no desire to ask him personally.If you care to know the truth call the man and ask him.
My only dog in this fight is that I would like to see the race revived because I loved it. I also see the race as the best possibility for debts to be paid. You folks who are ripping Mike a new one without having the facts are not helping the folks who are out money from 2003. If you think you are giving a public service announcement, I think you'll be hard pressed to find a serious distance racer that doesn't all ready know some iteration of this story.
Mark,
If the gossip you spew represents the Dems way, I guess I'll take Republican over that. Personally,I'm a constitutionalist ,so figure that one in there.
Yeah, I know take it to political catsailor.
Also it looks like there is gonna be a bunch of A cats at Spring Fever, bring your sorry a$$ down there. I wanna see you and Tad fight.

OK, I am just objecting to the rewriting of history looking for that rascal in the weeds who screwed Mike and then scrwed the sailors..

... My version comes from a conversations with Mike Worrel early in the game. He told me he could not get a deal with the F18 builders. (True... not true?) certainly not gossip since I spoke with him directly on the balconey at Alexanders in Va Beach. Was he Spining me..... probably

He got a deal he liked with Bimare. Obviously true... that was the race.

I also spoke frequently with WF. the the Bim dealer. His point of view is also biased. (His role... import the 10 charter boats and support the platforms in the race and deal with the factory... not run or finace the event. This was according to him a Mike Worrel production and not his or the HT class event. (True or not true or spin)?

What's not known is how the charter boats were financed, what secured the credit (besides the boats) and where did the sailors' money go?

You are just asserting that I have it all wrong... OK... Perfectly willing to change my understanding. But it looks like Mike Worrel is responsible and certainly not some mysterious rasputin character.

You claim to know more facts... but they are not public....

so.. If there is a more accurate and complete story.. What is it? Who's point of view? Who did what? Where did the money go? What's the point of not presenting Mike's point of view?

Without those facts... It's really very hard to believe this statement:
"He doesn't deserve the lion's share of the fault."
Well who then?

Sunlight is a great disinfectant!

Todd... You only had ONE WORD in you???.... hard to believe..
With such an untold story... Why do you think sailors will trust Mike to pull off a real event? Makes no sense!

RE Spring Fever... Well you know I have issues with Spring Fever and they haven't changed anything so I will pass. Perhaps you will make it to Va Beach for the Sail the bay regatta A Class start when the Worrel race craters. Besides, I am working on two other boats for the season besides the A cat.

I hope the race gets revived in some form or another .

He did send out a nice promo package .

Nice to see some interest and old sailing buds being considerate .

Mark --lighten up -sheeesh --evil Rs ?? are to blame for the race being cancelled ? I hear they caused the whole global warming thing too . miss the meds today or what ? .



some things never change .