Team Seacats

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.