Seven boats for the first counter of the season?!? What should we expect
towards the end? Three or Four? If you guys don't support the fleet, IT WILL
FALL APART!
Get some people together and SAIL! You won't learn much sailing against the
usual junk that shows up club racing, (Boy we sure smoked that Hunter with
the roll bar and bar-b-que didn't we?)
If this fleet falls apart, you will end up sailing against Catalina 38s, Wabbits, Express 27s, Concrete fishing smacks, and god knows what else that you will get lumped together with.
If you don't think you are competitive with the top boats, then you are competitive with the middle boats or the tail enders (IF EVERYBODY SHOWS)! The cool part about class racing is that no matter what, you always have a boat to attack or defend against. Who cares if that boat is first or 13th? The key is to get EVERYBODY out there. When it is your turn to move to the front, won't it suck to have no fleet to move to the front of?
As for the arms race part, it is just that. We just spent a nice chunk of change on rags, and yes, it does make all the difference in the world. But not having all the latest trick crap on the boat does not mean that there isn't someone else out there in the same boat! (Not to mention that getting good at starting doesn't have much to do with speed, and wouldn't you really rather have your newer crew learning with disposable stuff?)
When worse comes to horrible and all you're left with is rust stained white sails, mossy bottom, and grandma trimming, it doesn't mean that there isn't another boat out there to pace with!
Winning is great, but I for one have alot more respect for the guy who, although not totally prepared, gets out there and supports the fleet!
If anyone needs help, ASK FOR IT ON THE WEBSITE! Lets get talking, this fleet is way to good to let fall by the wayside...
Ranting...
Steve
Tortuga
Received on Thu Mar 8 11:27:42 2001