There's nothing that will get somebody on a new platform faster than racing the piss out of an old one.Dealers wanna' sell more boats? Organizers wanna' larger fleet.Be open to a little more variety.It may not happen right away but the formula is the same right on down to golf clubs.User friendly events.

Hi Jake
Agree -as did several teams and others at the event ,--recall talking to Jamie and Kenny at the new facility at Jupiter Beach ,-More specifically the need for a current updated TYBEE 500 web site during the seasons racing and encouragement for teams to sign in or just verbal commitment of teams that intend on racing in the 06 TYBEE 500 and the boat type they intend to race was discussed ,-and is needed .
Jamie and crew intended to race a Tornado as did another team until the other 500 fell thru and their sponsor Alexaders on the Bay with it ,being located near the northern portion ,--great restaurant with lots of 1000 race memerobilia.
Listing the numerous teams including potentially 2 teams from Austrailia as Hoop mentioned and numerous others noted plus the possible return of 05 teams - Sailmax teams-Key Sailing -Tybee -Tybean teams -Morada -Velocity -Spacecoast -St Luis -Windy Hill -Coconut Grove sails -and several others that already mentioned or intend on racing in 06

This leads to more entries and builds upon itself renewing old race rivalries that are old friends {on the beach}
As you noted the web and also teams intending to race in 06 plus boat type is needed and presents a definative presence for numerous other teams considering the 06 Tybee 500 .

The predominant point of sail has an effect too. The east coast northwards runs are spinn oriented, right? Up the ditch was more of a reach and reflected diverse boats. Spinns are a diversity killer. Light air downwind is a real sleeper for non spin heavier or short boats. On a blowing reach, anyone can win, which therefore gives first timers a boost and makes them come back. The serious bigger boats may get hammered (relatively speaking), but if we are looking for attendance, we must gear for joe average to finish up feeling good. Unfortunately? the serious sailors are also the ones with enough get up and go to organise an event, and own a long light spinn equiped.

I would be interested in doing the Tybee 500 next year in my SC20 but I would need to know if my boat is eligible well before the end of the year to look for sponsorship and prepare for it. I just assumed that my boat was ineligible this year until I heard that tornados were eligible.

I have been sailing over 30 years and the last 15 of it have been in the ocean off of Palm Beach. I just started racing and I have done most of the major Florida distance races the last two years. We are starting to come up to speed and I have done around 300 race miles so far this year.

Major note: The sooner I know of boat eligibility, the better my chances of attending. Two months won't cut it.

Bonnie, Just who were these women? MAn I just got to get down there even if it's only as a spectator!

I made the Jupiter stop. There were a bevy of babes and I suggest you make the trip next year.

Congrates to Steve and PI Sailing team on this growing event -http://www.pisailing.com/PISailing

It looks like there are a variety of entries -
A Hobie 20 -Arc 21- 2 Nacra 6/0s -2 Formula 18s -a Tiger and Nacra F-18 -6 iNTER 20S and 3 TEAMS T B A

Great to see varied entries ,-It would be greater still to see a few more 20s plus a few more F-18S to make 2 classes .

As numerous sailors do ,Wish I could make it for the June 6 start ,--

Congrates again Steve .


2005 Great Texas Registered Participants
Below is the list of registered sailors for 2005. Count Team Skipper Crew Boat Home Town Commitment
1 Sailboat Shop Austin Rohrer - Holt Hobie 20 Austin Registered
2 T-Squared Tyrone Nacra F18 Houston Registered
3 Harken Tomko Shafer I20 San Antonio Orlando Registered
4 PI Sailing Piche - McCulley Inter 20 Austin Registered
5 Texas Performance Racing 2 Mimlitch - Billings TBD Dallas Registered
6 TBD Green - McDaniel Tiger Seabrook, TX Registered
7 Yost Auto Yost Ball I20 Austin Registered
8 Site Controls Beuerlein Yoder Nacra 6.0 Austin Registered
9 Cat Alley Banks - James ARC 21 Houston Registered
10 Texas City Dike Yacht Club Bouton Geery Nacra 6.0 Houston Registered
11 Dallas Webster - Foxall TBD Dallas Registered
12 Chums I Wicklund Aquila TBD Santa Barbara, CA Registered
13 Chums II Morris McQuilken Tiger Cottonwood, AZ Registered
14 Horizon Sportswear Kuc Deckard I20 Austin Registered
15 Roy Squared Newberry Shaw I20 Seabrook, TX Registered
16 Tybee Island Casey Pierce I20 Orlando, Miami Registered
17 Key Sailing I K. Newkirk Holmes I20 Pensacola, FL Registered
18 Key Sailing II H. Newkirk Trinque I20 Pensacola, FL Registered

Tad and Trey, You guys did very well the final leg! You should have been back in time to be a part of that action!

My memory isn't so great; but as far as scantily clad women feeding Jake and Carl grapes...all I recall was a shirtless Chris Zander and David Strickland with bags of fruit at the end of the day!

I guess all those hours on the water were taking their toll. Poor Jake must've been halucinating due to dehydration, or some sea induced hypnosis!

The SAILMAX teams were great fun ,though did not see many meirmaids ,except perhaps poolside after the days racing ,--though after a week of long days of racing and 500 miles travel some of the mermaids poolside did mention something about Dave starting to look pretty good ,--photo per Bonnie --http://www.sailmax.biz/gallery/images/640_+DSC05852.jpg

great fun -thanks again team SAILMAX crew.
Carl

Hey gang, back on topic questions
Have the Tybee organizers been reading this thread?
Has there been any discussion to them about including other classes, taking for example the Texas Race, with so many entrants?
How about letting other sailors race in diferent legs, instead of the entire race?
How about the Formula classes F16, F18 and F20? any word on what will be allowed in the following years or even 06?

Hopefully these questions will not get lost into the depths of 11100101001s of the internet.

I have opinions about one design vs. open class just like everyone else here. I pretty much agree with those who feel that an 18 foot boat is the advisable minimum and I prefer a one design event...for lots of varying reasons previously discussed. That being said, I don't care nearly so much about that decision as the point of making the event (in whatever form) the best, most fun, safest, etc., that it can be. I definitely agree that, whatever decision is to be made as regards these particulars, it should be made sooner than later in order to allow teams to adequately prepare for next year; not only in physically training and practicing with their boats but fund raising and setting up an available support team as well. I would love to see more international sailors/teams next year and more time for preparation would be especially beneficial to them.



I do hope that Chuck is tuned into the forum. I owe him a big Thank You for the great job that he and the whole volunteer staff did at this year's event so I will mention this thread to him when I email him just in case a million others haven't done so already! Also, he said that he already knew the dates for next year's race but I don't see them posted on the Tybee 500 site yet. Does anyone remember what they were? I'd like to be able to include that information in my sponsorship seeking materials. To that end, I'm of the opinion that any available updated information posted on the official web site would greatly enhance/improve the image of the event and therefore help teams who are trying to raise sponsorship monies and make decisions as regards potential attendance for 2006. Just my behind-the-scenes two cents.

Great picture Bonnie
thanks again

We each only get our individual perspective on race events ,-some as organizers ,-some from the beach ,-some on the water ,-many from reading web sites and the reports here on catsailor ,-it is only often after when individual race teams see the web sites like SAILMAX ,s and other teams that we begin to recieve information on the event as a whole and realize all the numerous different aspects and people involved in numerous ways that allow an event like this to occur.

As noted and with the momentum and publicity the event recieves it is important to keep an updated TYBEE 500 website -
Suggested by numerous others was the need to list teams with intent to race in the 06 event now ,-along with boat type ,-that encourages others to enter and builds on itself .
Noted was lack of attendance and support by potential open class race teams ,--also the obvious of only 9 I-20 teams --
The solution is more communication lines open --Ways of helping more potential teams get together with crew -gr crew -boats available !! etc ,-and involvement -helping racing teams commitment to race .

I,m sure the race organizers skim through the opinions here on catsailor ,--think they are looking for real commitments from race teams .

Recommend teams contact the Tybee 500 organizers and offer info on intent to race -crew info -boat type info -along with offer of helping with other aspects inc web site --photos --input on classes -rules aspects ,-team web sites -travel locations ,-community support from checkpoint locations --local sailing club and fleet support ,---dinners barbques and social events ,-etc .

There is a topic section here on catsailor for distance racing -Tybee 500 etc ,suggest potential crew and gr crew sign in there also with interest in the event.

CDR

Maybe bringing back the old forum would help .C'mon Rick the old forum was an educational bonanza !

Damn, I don't know who the hell those guys are, but they're both wearing nice shirts, eh!?!?!
JC

What is a one design?