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Two Bits
What a wild and woolly week that was! I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many boat break-downs and, though we didn’t suffer any significant failures, I will certainly be spending this fall going over several new areas of our boat (like chainplates). You’ve got to hand it to the Cat in the Hat team Larry and Jackson. Three years ago, they dropped out because they finished nearly 6 hours behind the last boat on a light air affair to Cocoa Beach putting them in only an hour or so before the next start (we finished very late as well at around 3am that morning only minutes after the first place team). Last year, like us, they crashed and burned at Jupiter Beach in the light winds and heavy surf and didn’t sail that leg. Larry vowed that he would cut his hair when he completed, by sailing every leg, of the Tybee 500 and they did it this year. His wife Pam stood ready with a new pair of clippers and went to town.
Larry and Jackson have spent the time and energy in all of the right places in the last couple of years and their skills have vastly improved. At no time were they dramatically behind the fleet and most days this year they were finishing right up there with everyone else and racing to the finish line. Their story with being catamaran sailors for a short few years and overcoming the Tybee500 are a testament to what you can do or become with a little dedication, a great attitude, and an indestructible spirit. Here’s to Cat in the Hat!
Larry from the 2007 Tybee
Snip Snip! Buzz Buzz!
photos
In no particular order: first, here’s Chaos’ jury rig that got them home from 11 miles out:
