Got this letter from Dave Calvert on the Hogsbreath-Keys 100 Distance Race in April:
I am writing this to confirm that we will not be in a position to host the Hogs Breath Keys 100 race this year.
I won't be in the country at that time and Ric (Calvert's Office Manager) isn't qualified to do this on his own.
If you can't do this, or don't know of anyone else willing to pick up the ball, we'll have to cancel the event for this year.
Would you please list this on your website and Catamaran Sailor Magazine.
David Calvert
UK Halsey, Calvert Sailmakers
Since Calvert's merger, Dave Calvert has sort of moved to the Bahamas.
He asked me to run the race, but every year it coincides with my two back-to-back weeks of seminars and I am usually just swamped that time of the year. I usually do the scoring for him, but am unable to do so this year.
Also, last year was poorly attended as well.., not making it inspirational to put on in the first place, I guess.
Sorry about the news,
Delivery person,
Rick
Hi Rick,
Sorry to hear about the cancellation. I was not going to be able to do the race this year because of a work conflict but I was going to hand off the reins to Rob and let him run the boat in the race.
Thanks again for all your hard work on past races and hopefully the event will be back on next year. I love the race, people who run it and people who attend.
Not sure if many folks know, but it was really difficult to get the scheduling where it was initially. There were already two very major, traditional, and well-attended distance races in existance at the time -- the Miami-Key Largo Race and the Mug Race.
We thought the Keys 100 would fit perfectly between them, but spend the best part of two years working it out to get the two yacht clubs involved.
The scheduling worked backwards from the Mug Race in Jacksonville, which was always scheduled the first weekend of May.
Miami Yacht Club's event was never really established for many years (one year it was the same weekend as the Mug Race, which was really bad). Back then I had convinced them to make it the weekend before the Mug.
When Calvert and I decided the Keys event would be a great venue, I had to go back to MYC and convince them to move it back a weekend so that the traffic would flow smoothly -- Miami-Key Largo, (leave your boat there) and then Key Largo to Key West, then pack up and stop at Jacksonville on the way home.
Great plan.
Meanwhile, after talking to the Commodore of MYC yesterday, they are going to discuss the possibility of taking over the Keys 100 race themselves.., possibly teaming up with the Upper Keys Sailing Club.
Won't be this year, for sure. But, it would really be nice to have the event operated by more than one person.
You might all remember Leslie Fumat, who single-handedly ran the event for several years. She was great! One year, while out on a small powerboat, scoring finishes, the boat took on water, partially sank and rolled upside down.
Leslie clambered over the top, sat on the upside down hull and continued to take finishes.
What a trooper.
Can't find many folks that dedicated anymore. <img src=
alt=
/>
Rick
One of my biggest disappointments in sailing is being unable to participate in either of these races. I try but things just don't seem to come together.
Best of luck to the folks trying to carry on. I hope to be able to join in eventually.