F-18HT

[Fred_Glaubke]

It is exciting and very encouraging to see our class growing so rapidly.  W.F. reports that the next sail number to be issued is USA-20 and that another dozen or so sailors have that they will be joining soon.  I don't know of any other class growing like ours.

Addressing the HT schedule for the remaining year and upcoming season, I would like to make a couple of suggestions.  I understand that the 2002 North Americans will be held in Key Largo on Novemeber 15-18.  I will place this on my schedule, however I would like to recommend that the 2003 NAs be held during the Summer.  My work schedule makes Summer racing easier to realize.  Perhaps, we could rotate the seasons yearly.

W.F. tells me that the 2003 World Cup is to be held in October 2003 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  Outstanding!  With this much notice, I can attend for sure.

Now to my real point, the circuit.  Our inaugral schedule year, as are most classes',  is frought with difficulties.  The fact that we currently only have 8 boats stateside makes large class participation very difficult.  We started with 6 boats in Spring Fever, 3 boats in Deleware, and 3 boats are planning to attend Va Beach (Chris Worrell Memorial Regatta).  The next scheduled event is in Kingston.

The July Kingston event is fraught with problems.  First, my boat will probably arrive that week so I won't have time to set it up and practice.  Second, Randy Smyth, Matt Struble, W.F. Oliver, Brian Lambert, and possibly Jason Sneed will be in Italy racing in the European HT Championships.  Welcome to the class Brian and Jason, I look forward to meeting you all.  Without these four boats, our attendence will certainly be poor.

I propose that we change our July event to the Virginia Beach Summer Sizzler (7/20&21), as several of us will be receiving our boats between the Kingston and Sizzler dates.  Class members could still attend the Kingston event, but it would not be a "points" race.

By the time that the Cat Fight rolls around, we could have 20 boats over from Italy.  This will allow much better participation.  Part of the classes' "game plan" always has been to race as a class within Portsmouth Fleets and Cat Fever serves this well.

As more boats arrive in North America, our class circuit should become more interesting!  Now, let's start planning next year's circuit.  Careful planning will help avoid conflicts, spread the events towards pockets of HTs, and boost attendence.  By the way, I read a post by a Tiger Owner on the NAF-18 forum post complaining about finding racing as a NAF-18 class, so lets not let this happen to our class.

The selection of the Javelin 2 as next year's W-1000 boat was a boondoggle for us, so let us take advantage of it by planning our racing schedules carefully.

[Jamie_Diamond]

Fred,

    I will be at Kingston, but probably not at Summer Sizzler.  During our schedule creation discussions it sounded like Kingston would be a place where we want to showcase the boats.  I will of course also be at Alum Creek and Cat Fight.

    My recommendation is to start working on next years schedule but leave this years schedule as it stands.
    I'm not particularly worried about the events counting.  For me it's just getting what boats we can to each of those events.  Kingston will have a lot of open class boats for us to race against.  And you should have the Browns, Judy and me, and a lot of new boats to race against and to figure out how to set up the boat with.

[cbrown]

Fred,
I too will be in Kingston. Yes, I am disapointed that there will not be more HT's at that race, but that is a choice that other sailors have made. I agree with Jamie that the schedule should not be changed, and that next year's schedule should be worked on. I hope to see you at the remaining races. I am surprised that you said that future races have been planned without consultation of the other members. I speculate that what you heard were just suggestions or proposed dates. As far as I know, nothing has been decided. However, I do like the idea of a National's being held ever other year in the summer. It makes things easier for us teachers. The regatta in Newport, R.I. may be a good sight. They have made us an offer and I saw that they run three cay championships during their big summer regatta.
Chris

[Fred_Glaubke]

Chris and Jamie,

lease do not take my suggestion the wrong way.  I was just thinking out loud.  As far as other races being scheduled with out the membership being involved, I do not see where I mentioned any such events.  The World Cup may be what you are speaking of, however I think that is being coordinated throught the Europeans and with some discussion amongst our membership.  Nothing appears set in stone regarding the World Cip in 2003.

I do feel that the time to start scheduling for next year is upon us.  Suggestions through this forum are a great place to start.

Fred E. Glaubke

[Fastboatfan]

Too All
It is the current plan that I will sailing an HT at Kingston. Plans do change and be talking to WF about the details. So 4 boats isn't bad at all.

[[e-mail]]

8)     Good discussion.  Here is my excuse for not getting up to Kingston or Virginia or R.I.     I live in the middle of Florida, about 85 miles south of Orlando.  I live right on the shore of a lake that is 3 miles in diameter, white sand all the way around, no obstructions.  I fly for Delta Air Lines and I live half my life in Holiday Inn's all over the country, away from my family.  When I go away for 4 days at a time, my wife is left with the 4 kids (aged 6-13) and 3 dogs, 3 horses to feed, etc....so she is not too keen on me getting in from a 4 day trip and imeadiately taking off for a long road trip (It takes me 5 hours just to get north to Jacksonville) for sailing, then come home to take off for another 4 day trip...One of the reasons I bought the boat was WF said the trailer would be coming south for the winter.  I figured there would be several races in Florida in the winter I could get to in half a day drive (only 3 hours to Key Largo from here).  That works for me.  If any of you guys want to bring your boats down here in November and leave them here at my house, I have lots of storage room and it is safe.  If you want to fly down to Orlando or Tampa or whatever, and race in Florida in the winter, you can pick up your boat here.  OR...we can race right here on my lake anytime you want.  The motels are much cheaper here in Sebring (several are right on the lake)than anywhere on eihter coast in the winter.  I have marks, a bass boat that I use to set marks and I have a friend who races mono's who would love to do the committee boat.   The winter usually has great wind and it is still in the 70's-80's.  I was out on my kid's Hobie 14 yesterday in 25 knots of wind, air temp was 94, the lake was about 85.  Come on down!    Tim Bohan, USA 5

[Hunt]

I don't know what the process is / will be for setting schedules for the next year, but I wanted to congratulate WF & Co.  Having been involved in the early stages of a couple of other classes, I think that WF & Co.  have been doing a great job.  Scheduling is always hard most classes with 8 boats on the continent don't even have a proposed schedule / website / etc. / etc.

Second (and this is only partly meant to be self-serving) I think Chris' idea of a championship in Newport next summer would be great.  The Newport regatta attracts a lot of dinghy and keel-boat talent from all over the Northeast, and this would be a great showcase for us to help build the class.  Also, the race management is generally really good and lots of classes have their championships then.  (On a completely irrelevant point-Kris and I met at that regatta 8 years ago so it is kind of a favorite).    

An alternative / complement to Newport might be the Hyannis regatta on Cape Cod (later in July - usually 2 weeks after Newport) which also has a great turnout but is more dinghy oriented.  Maybe we could even have the Newport Regatta as a final tune-up (New England Championships) and then Hyannis as the North Americans)  The two sites are only about 1 1/2 hours apart so people can leave their boats on the class trailers in Newport and come back to Hyannis 10 days later -- Just a thought.


I have been getting a lot of interest in the boat from some really good monohull sailors, and either of these regattas would be a great showcase among this market (The NACRA 6.0s are doing Hyannis this year).  Having either of these events be a championship would give us a better turnout and might even get some new people to jump in early so that they can compete.

For what its worth.

[W.F. Oliver III]

Hunt ,Chris, and all F-18HT members and supporters,

I like seeing discussions about next year's schedule, as the time to consider this is now.  The Newport Regatta could be an excellent addition to the circuit or a potential site for next year's North Americans.

I know that Chris Brown has been in contact with the organizers and hopefully the two of you can spearhead this effort.  Hunt and Kris' connections to the skiff sailors could be "exploited" to our classes' gain.  It would be a coup, if we could convert some monohull guys!

Tim Bohan has offerred to host an event in his area and this should be strongly considered.  Jim Novakoff lives in Del Ray Beach and I am interested in an event in that area.  His group seems to be a lot of fun, from the reports I have heard and photos I have seen.

I would like to see the Tradewinds Regatta included in our schedule for next year.  Everyone should make some suggestions and we can then try to put together a well planned 2003 circuit.

By the way, plans for the 2002 North Americans in the Florida Keys in November are coming together.  The tenative schedule is 11/14-18, with registration and measurement on the 14th and racing 15-18th.

Also, we have been offered the rights to the 2003 World Cup, so we need to get this event organized, now.  The Europeans need lots of lead time to organize their trip.  Randy Smyth has offered to spearhead this event.  Anyone wanting to volunteer for the planning and organization of this event should contact me at [e-mail] for more information.  The world Cup plans are in their infancy and nothing is in stone at this point, so in welcome comment and suggestions.

Sail Fast and Light,

W.F. Oliver
F-18HT USA-3

[[e-mail]]

For those interested in Florida Gold Coast, there are a lot of sailing opportunities in Palm Beach and Broward Counties in the wintertime.  Palm Beach is south of Jenson Beach and north of where the Worrell starts from.

In this area, there is the beach cat group in Delray.  There is the Hillsboro Inlet Sailing Club that races off of Boca Raton and Deerfield Beach.  See www.hisc.org.  I race mono-hulls and a F24MkII with this group.  They have committee boats, marks, and judges, etc.  E-Ticket and Contrails of SORC and other well known locals are members of this club.  One club member took some Corsair lessons from Randy S.   I would actually recommend this group if you want to set up a competition in this part of Florida.  There are lots of hotels along the beach.  They could run a winward-leward course Worrell beach party style.  A side-trip to Delray Beach is also possible as it is all in the same area.  There are also groups in Ft. Lauderdale that can host competitions.