sailwriter

The Flying Dutchman and Contenders have combined their Midwinters this year.
Little Gulfport Yacht Club, a mostly performance catamaran club, is the venue. It is on a bay close to the Gulf of Mexico, the other side of the Saint Petersburg peninsula from Tampa Bay.
I'm the PRO, using North Sails Gulf Coast's marks and flags.
Since we will be a bit short-handed and need to man the two rescue craft with two persons apeice we have opted for 505-style rabbit starts.
Part of the Sailing Instructions advise to "leave the rudder on the Pathfinder boat." Most of these sailors have never done a true rabbit start before.
Ethen Bixby in the Contender and Lin Robsen in the Flying Dutchman, both 505 sailors, will be the Pathfinders in the first race in their respective classes, just to get things off on a good footing, hopefully.
Thursday's practice for a half dozen Contenders saw winds from 12 to 25 mph and short chop. Water temperature is 62-degrees. I thought it was chilly. A sailor from Toronto says he has had tea water cooler than that. Perspective.
Tomorrow it should be windy again, with the wind keeping up through the three day event.
Fun times.
The Flying Dutchman guys are still setting up their boats this evening. Lots of 'spaghetti'  lines in those boats.
I'll post updates each day after racing.
Dave Ellis
PRO of the event