We’re all on the road back to our respective homes in separate vehicles this afternoon after attending a memorable awards ceremony at the beautiful home of Jim and Roxanne Stone of Tybee Island, who also generously provided brunch for all of the team members and race officials. There are a lot of people to thank for their time, effort, and support throughout this event to whom the entire team would like to extend their warmest regards and appreciation. I’m certain that this list will be incomplete, but I’ll try: Chuck and Judi Bargeron for their tireless work year round on behalf of the Tybee500. Sean Ferrell and the entire Race Committee, who were always courteous, helpful, and for putting in so very many hours. I’d like to thank all of the other teams for the camaraderie, competition, and, support during the course of the week. A great deal of morale boosting was brought on by those of you who were able to join us for a visit during our trip up the coast: Todd Hart, Fred Furze, Brian Karr, Justin Chambers, John Suprenant, David Mosley, Jennifer & Todd Strickland, Robyn Strickland, Kristen Owens, Rebecca Krantz, Connie Sears, David Krantz, and our honorary race official, Sharon, at Fernandina Beach. This site would not have been as popular as it has been without the generous linkage by Rick White and Mary Wells at Catsailor and Tim Zimmerman at Wet Ass Chronicles. While within the realm of publicity, thanks to all of the movie crews and still photographers who did such a fantastic job of covering the event. These include Tybee500 regulars Robert and Jeanine Feldman, New West Productions, and Roxanne Stone. (You can read more about New West Productions in an earlier update.) Thanks also the cities and hotels in which we stopped along the way, particularly the beautiful city of Hollywood, Florida, which was more accommodating and hospitable than I can begin to tell you here. I personally want to thank the many visitors to this site who followed our teams up the coast in spirit. Your support and kind comments meant a great deal to me. I hope that you’ll continue to use the SailMax site for all of your online performance sailing needs. It was truly a week of hard work for everyone involved, and the Ground Crew was more than harmonious…not always the case in close quarters after days of toil! I’d do it again in a heartbeat; which brings me to my final thank you: Thanks to Mike Krantz and Dave Lennard for extending the invitation to Carl Roberts and Jake Kohl to join you both on this 2005 Tybee500 campaign with SailMax I. David Strickland, Chris Zander, Tim Owens, and I have been proud to spend this time with the four of you. Congratulations on your 3rd place finish in the most demanding long distance catamaran regatta in the country!

I apologize for not posting the results yesterday evening, but our gang is spread out all over Tybee Island and, by the time everyone had arrived back on shore and showered, we all re-converged to have a late, late dinner before turning in at around 1am. The top three finishers of the evening were identical to those of yesterday’s leg. Carla Schiefer, skippering her Marstrom 20 for Team Coconut Grove, once again hit the beach first with a fair lead over the other boats, followed by Pirates and the overall winners of the race, Team Tybee Island. Both SailMax teams would like to extend congratulations to John Casey and Kenny Pierce. Interestingly, this marks John’s second Tybee500 victory in as many years, as he won sailing with Jay Sonnenklar as Team Castrol last year. Completing the top five in yesterday’s leg were SailMax I and the young guns of Key Sailing, who had a particularly strong day. Also enjoying a good finish yesterday was Team Windy Hill/Jaypro Sports, who came in 6th and Team Velocity in 8th. It was a super performance by both of those teams. Windy Hill/Jaypro had the highest overall finish in their Tybee history, finishing with an overall of 5th place, while Tybee virgins Velocity accomplished the goal they set themselves at the beginning of the race – to finish. I hope that Trey and Tad will be back for more punishment next year! SailMax I had another strong sailing day out on the water, reportedly (literally) sailing circles around Tybee, but in the end they just couldn’t stay quite close enough to them. They favored a 50/50 rhumb to shore tactic that seemed to pay off well enough for them and they ended the race with an overall 3rd place finish. Lucky Friday the 13th wasn’t so lucky for SailMax II as they were the final boat to arrive on the beach last night. They began well enough, finding a hole in the rock jetty and undercutting the fleet, but that put them closer to shore. Then, as the day turned into more slop and chop and, as the heaviest crew by over twenty pounds, they just couldn’t get anything going. A last minute decision to try the rhumb line decidedly did not pay off. Jake says, “Shoot me if I ever talk about sailing the rhumb line again.” One crappy day in a race like this has the potential to ruin you, but Carl and Jake still managed to come out with a respectable 6th place in the final standings. Complete times and overall standings can be found at the official Tybee500 site. Otherwise, everyone said it was a beautiful day of sailing. They’re all a little banged up here and there. Everyone looks sun-whipped and bleary. Jake’s hands are swollen like the Pillsbury dough boy. Dave Lennard’s right pinky finger has a strange shape to it and can’t be bent (or straightened properly, I think). I’d like to see him drink a cup of tea right now. Tad looks like he really needs a sandwich. Wait, Tad always looks like he needs a sandwich! All things considered, it was a great week. After I compile a list with everyone’s help, I’ll be posting Thank You’s to everyone who made this possible and gave us moral support, publicity, and otherwise. Until then, stop reading this, get off yer butts, and Go Sailing!

Lucky Friday 13th and the cats took a port start off the beach at Fernandina with the wind from the East. It was another light air start but the sea breeze should fill in again for them as it did yesterday, so hopefully it will turn into an interesting enough day in that respect. It will most certainly be the most challenging leg of the race from a tactical standpoint for a number of reasons. At 98 miles, a good number of them contain shoals and areas containing possible debris that may be encountered by those who choose to stick closer to shore. Some teams may opt to sail the rhumb line to Tybee, which may or may not pay off. The area is also a breeding ground for hammerhead sharks. As SailMax I broke through the waves, it seemed as if they were trying to get out into deeper water right away, while SailMax II hugged the shoreline almost to the point of remaining in the breakers. Still, the latter team was making good time as they sailed out of sight and staying with the usual leaders, while the rest of the pack were huddled together. That was the situation as the Ground Crews all got on the road for the last chase up the road. Unfortunately, Team Morada aren’t able to make the repairs necessary to be able to continue the race; but their team will still be there tonight to welcome everyone back and celebrate the end of the race. We’re hoping to get in early enough to enjoy a little time on the beach. I love Tybee Island!

After an incredible day of sailing, I’m sad to report that Team Morada have broken down about twenty miles South of Fernandina Beach. It seems that they sheared their rear beam bolts. They didn’t bring a spare boat and it’s not certain whether or not they will be able to continue. I couldn’t understand at first why I wasn’t seeing them among the first boats coming in after that great update earlier this afternoon I heard from Jeanine Feldman. The earlier broad reach turned into an upwind slog in heavy chop and the wind finally filled in enough to give the sailors a chance to double trap and really enjoy what I call some proper dirty ocean sailing today; i.e. swallowing too much saltwater, really chewing up their hands, etc. There was quite an upset in the results by the finish, with Coconut Grove far outstripping the rest of the fleet. Pirates came in second, with Tybee and SailMax I grouped not too far apart. Once again today, SailMax II completed the top five to finish shortly behind their teammates. A buffet dinner tonight is graciously being sponsored by our friends at team Windy Hill/Jaypro Sports.

I heard about fifteen minutes ago that Pirates is well in the lead with Coconut Grove close behind, followed by Tybee. Morada is supposedly having a great day as well and up at the head of the pack. With their spinnakers down now and most or all teams double trapped on a broad reach, the conditions are perfect for Morada’s 6.0. I don’t know about either of the SailMax teams, but I’ll keep you posted if I hear anything else. In any case, the ETA as of 4:45 was one and a half to two hours.

We had an exciting view over lunch at High Tides restaurant near Flagler Beach. The fleet passed us at around 11:30 and the top five was the same as when we’d passed them in the van just a bit earlier. Then, just as they were right in front of the beachside dining area, Team Tybee rolled under Pirates to take up the lead. SailMax I had lost some real estate between themselves and the two drag racing leaders, but Coconut Grove and SailMax II were still holding onto their relative distance and positions bringing up the top five.

We passed the pack on the A1A at exactly 10:48am. Tim blew the horn and I yelled at them. Mike on SailMax I heard us and waved back! It was so incredibly cool. As of our passing, the order of the top five was as follows: Pirates, Tybee, SailMax I, Coconut Grove, and SailMax II. It was another light air start with paddling allowed through the surf this morning with Pirates getting well away of the other boats followed closely by Tybee. Both SailMax teams had a good start as well. Morada seemed to struggle a little bit through a couple of waves, but then made up time and quickly pulled ahead. There was some talk of delaying the start of the race for an hour to allow the sea breeze breeze to build, but they began exactly at 10am. The racing committee has determined that two teams will incur a twenty minute penalty from their overall time. Hopefully, they will be able to make up that time with a strong, competitive leg up to Fernandina today. There have been some threatening clouds overhead further onshore today but they have begun to clear and now it’s just a hazy, sunny day. Oh, and our resident naturalist, Chris Zander, found a nurse shark egg on the beach this morning. There’s a photo of it in today’s photo gallery. Also, a big Thank You to the Steve Caron and the local Hobie 80 fleet out of Daytona Beach for the great Italian buffet dinner last night!

It was like waiting for the right wave on a crummy day of surfing today for the cats finishing at Ormond Beach. Upon reaching the finish coordinates, they all stuffed their chutes only to be hit with a (slight, but strong enough) beach headwind that resulted in the race officials allowing two members of the Ground Crew to help get them through the surf up to the finish line. Pirates of the Tybeean hit the beach first without much trouble, as did Team Coconut Grove and Team Tybee Island. Rounding out the top five were the guys from SailMax I and SailMax II within a few minutes of each other. It would not have been such a very few minutes had not SailMax I rested on a series of waves, waiting for just the right one, until Chris Zander and David Strickland went out to help bring them in. When Chris went back to do the honors for SailMax II, he ended up being dragged underneath the port hull for about twenty feet through the surf before regaining his footing. Then, the spinnaker came out of the bag and rolled into the water, filling up and dragging under the starboard hull. People were screaming instructions and tipping the port hull way up to try and release a stuck daggerboard. My heart was pounding. They finally got things under control and safely parked. All the boats were in by the time I came up to make this report and batch my photos, except for Team Velocity. At last report, they were in view of Team Key Sailing. Their Ground Crew is a little worried over the fact that Key Sailing is back on the beach and yet Trey and Tad are not in view and have not checked in since that time. Don’t make your Ground Crew worry, fellers, or else you won’t get the keys to the car this weekend!

In the South we have an expression of sympathy and I’d like to extend it now to all the sailors involved in the Tybee500: Bless your heart. They are bobbing for apples, folks. The fleet, or the greater portion of it, anyway, is clustered within a mile of each other at about a distance of twelve miles from Ormond Beach. And there they sit. For the Ground Crew, it’s turned into a wet bar in one of the Morada hotel rooms and one of the guys from Key Sailing has ordered pizzas for hors de oeuvres. We feel really bad, but what can we do? As for the Sailmax teams, the only news we have is that SailMax I fell into a hole in a bid to maintain their position among the frontrunners. When the wind dies, everyone was making a bid to gain momentum in the less than favorable circumstances. Reportedly, Coconut Grove has Tybee in sight as they lead the pack.

Late breaking news is that as of 6:11 SailMax I is in the lead, Morada is second, and Key Sailing is third! It looks like they have and ETA of 7pm.

Still nothing visible on the horizon. The last word we had was from Lisa of Space Coast, who heard from her husband, Mark, who was still 27 miles out as of 4pm. What I don’t know is if his team is near the front or back of the fleet. I do know that he’s had some other problems today: broken crossbar, tiller, and rudder (I’m just guessing starboard since he didn’t ask her to come bring a replacement). There was some scuttlebutt of another team breaking a rudder, but that’s completely unsubstantiated and may have been information that was being confused with that of Space Coast. Here on Ormond Beach at 5pm, the race officials and most of the Ground Crew have been commiserating in light showers that have faired off to a generally overcast sky with glimpses of sunlight. There were storms lingering earlier on the horizon. I was mildly worried about the concept of, “When lightening meets hyper competitive alpha males” until Captain Morgan convinced me that everyone would be okay. If anything, the storms quickly abated and took all the wind with them. The fleet should be meandering in eventually.

I’ve just heard a report that two of the boats did not honor one of the buoys and opted to sail to port. I don’t yet know if it was intentional, but it does not seem that they have been apprehended. It remains to be seen whether or not there will be unfortunate consequences for them tonight.

All the teams got away clear in a light air spinnaker start off the beach this morning in Cocoa Beach. SailMax I seemed to have a little more trouble than SailMax II getting out to the deeper water required to reach the three mile clearance course set up by NASA. We were lucky to be allowed within that range, as Chuck said it had been discussed that the teams were to be held to a five mile clearance. Shortly after the start, one boat flipped over on its side and remained in that position for about five minutes. I’m certain that the trouble was due to having so much water in the spinnaker. I can’t be sure, but it looked like Team St. Louis Cats. Speaking of lengthy capsizes: Team Velocity is fine after theirs yesterday. There was nothing broken and they still made it in with a great time, considering.

Nothing yet to report yet today, but I wanted to mention a few things. First, we really appreciated seeing our good friend Brian Karr last night here at the Cocoa Beach finish. He has put together a video of yesterday evening’s events. He also has an incredible video available of last year’s Tybee500 for sale. Check out all of his work at Adventure Online and the link to yesterday’s video plus some other great catamaran footage can be found on this page: Adventure Sailing Catamaran Videos The second item on the agenda this morning is that I’m finally getting around to posting the individual and combined weights of the teams at the bottom of the page with the team information, courtesy of Lisa Herendeen with Team Space Coast. Some people like to know this kind of stuff. I’m one of them; but alas, alack, I wasn’t writing it down during the weigh-in. Third, and lastly, for those of you who want to be ultimately, intimately, in tha know, I’m going to post the GPS coordinates for the clearance course for Cape Canaveral below, too. It may come in handy when you’re sailing around here someday, who knows?

After the skipper’s meeting, Mike Krantz pointed out the one of the first buoys cuts a corner into the restricted area and JC of Team Tybee generously offered to follow them through there on the start today. I’ve always said what a sportsmanlike and kind man he is! Chuck said that it would be fine if the fleet does indeed have to cut that one particular corner as NASA is aware of our presence. There is also a dredge with a pipe offshore, marked by a yellow buoy, of which the sailors were made aware. That’s all for now from this, as yet, un-caffeinated woman.

Some of us are planning a nighttime swim. Some of us are going to bed. I don’t yet know which one I am. Dinner was good and the guys are stoked and looking forward to tomorrow. SailMax I are keeping their goal to improving their position among the frontrunners in the fleet while SailMax II are working on stepping up their game and maximizing opportunities on the water as well as during starts. Everyone think good thoughts for us at around 10am EST tomorrow for the start and I’ll let you know something as soon as I hear anything noteworthy about any of the teams. Let’s hope that everyone has a safe passage around the Cape tomorrow! Also, be sure to check out Mary Wells’ Tybee500 Hotline thread over at Catsailor for updates too. I’m not just going to cut and paste, lifting updates off of her sources, y’know! Speaking of which, Kirk Newkirk of Key Sailing did a most excellent and helpful job of posting updates for us as he traveled up A1A today. We took the Interstate and couldn’t see anything cool. Okay, swim or bed? See you guys tomorrow…