Team Seacats

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!