NAMSA North American Championships &
2005 Tradewinds Midwinter Open Cat Nationals &
Harken Buoy Race Series (1st of 6 in the series)
hosted by
CABB (Catamaran Assn. Of Biscayne Bay)
NAMSA Chapter #1 & Hobie Fleet #36
Catamaran Sailor Magazine &
Rick White's Sailing Seminars http://www.sailingseminars.com
Catsailor's Online Marine Store http://www.onlinemarinestore.com
Jan 14-16, 2005
(ML King Weekend)
Here is a Flyer and NOR:
OVERVIEW OF THE NAMSA NA's & MIDWINTER NATIONALS:
On Jan 14, Friday afternoon from 1800 to 2000 will be Registration. Final Registration will be on Jan 15, Saturday Morning from 0800 to 1000
Skipper's Meeting at 1100. There will be a White Flag at 1200 with back-to-back races.
There will be a Beer Party at 1700 after the races.
On Jan 16, Sunday the White Flag will be at 1030 with back-to-back races.
Trophies will follow the races ASAP.
NOTICE: We need you to pre-register online. You can pay the fee upon arrival. Click Here to Register OnLine: http:/
THE REGATTA HEADQUARTERS:
Gilberts Motel and Resort is the regatta headquarters.
LAUNCHING
Gilberts Motel and Resort is free for guests
Rowells Marina, small launching fee
Azul Del Mar, free for guests
Caribbean Club, small launching fee
Neptunes Hideaway, Beach, but no launching
HOW TO FIND US:
Gilberts is located at 107.9 mile marker (all of the Keys are measured in distance from the end of US Rt 1 in Key West), which is on the right side of the highway (Bay Side) just before the Jewfish Bascule Lift Bridge.
It is an hour south of the Miami airport and on the Florida Bay side, which is the right-hand side as you come south from Miami.
(I'm very serious about taking the Florida Turnpike. If you are driving down I-95, you want to get over to the turnpike preferably before or when you get to Fort Lauderdale. We always switch over to the turnpike at Fort Pierce or Jupiter, where they are only a half mile apart. This will keep you out of most of the traffic in Dade and Broward Counties. And I-95 is bad news -- not only is the traffic really awful, it ends in Miami and dumps you onto U.S. 1 in downtown, meaning you have to drive for many miles in city traffic with endless traffic lights.)
NOTICE: We need you to pre-register online. You can pay the fee upon arrival. Click Here to Register OnLine: http:/
WHERE THE BOATS WILL BE LAUNCHED AND KEPT DURING THE REGATTA:
The boats can be launched from two places:
If you go to the back of the resort there is a lot of parking/rigging space and a small beach from which to launch
Or some boats may want to rig in the driveway and launch on the ramp in front of the motel
NOTICE: We need you to pre-register online. You can pay the fee upon arrival. Click Here to Register OnLine: http:/
ACCOMMODATIONS:
MOTELS:
Gilberts Resort, Mile Marker 107.9, bayside
800-274-6701, 305-451-1133
Website: www.gilbertsresort.com, Email: gibertspiz@aol.com
They are directly on the sound and have lots of units and a very nice little sandy beach and parking area that could accomodate lots of boats.
Neptunes Hideaway, Mile Marker 104.1, bayside
Phone: 888-251-4813, 305-451-0357
They are directly on the bay and have a small beach that will accoomodate several boats
Kellys on the Bay, about Mile Marker 104.2, bayside
Phone: 800-226-0415, 305-852-3017
Website: www.aqua-nuts.com
They are directly on the bay and have 18 units, ranging from $99 to $129.
Azul Del Mar, Mile Marker 104.3, bayside
Phone: 305-852-4131
Once was Rick's Place with lots of boat parking and good launching beach
Camping Locations:
America Outdoors, Mile Marker 97.5, bayside (5 miles north)(allow tents)
Phone: 305-852-8054
Website: www.aokl.com
They are directly on the bay.
Florida Keys RV Resort, MM 106 (closest)
305-451-6090
Kings Kampground (allow tents) on Blackwater Sound MM 103.5
305-451-0010
NOTICE: We need you to pre-register online. You can pay the fee upon arrival. Click Here to Register OnLine: http:/
ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO GET HERE IF YOU ARE FLYING AND DON'T WANT TO RENT A CAR:
If you are flying into Miami International Airport (which is about an hour from us) and are not renting a car, there are three possible transports:
*Airporter: They pick up three times a day at the airport. Phone number is 305-852-3413 for reservations and pick-up information.
*Upper Keys Transportation: They pick up any time, by reservation, and will also pick up at Fort Lauderdale Airport. Phone is 305-453-0100.
*Greyhound -- they leave the Miami Airport to the Keys four times a day. For schedule and reservations, call 1-800-231-2222.
THE SAILING AREA:
We will be sailing on beautiful Blackwater Sound, which is a subsection of the Gulf of Mexico. It is a beautiful body of sailing water. We have a vast amount of unobstructed water about 6-8 feet in depth throughout and usually have good wind and flat seas.
NOTICE: We need you to pre-register online. You can pay the fee upon arrival. Click Here to Register OnLine: http:/
WEATHER CONDITIONS:
Air temperature usually is in the 80's in the daytime and around 60 at night. Water temperature should be in the low to mid 70's. Wind is normally 10-15 out of the eastern quadrant. If we get a cold front, the air temperature could be as much as 10-15 degrees colder, and the wind would blow out of the west as much as 10 mph stronger than the norm.
WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING (AND DO) FOR YOUR BODY:
Wetsuit and/or drysuit and/or spray suit. We don't really expect any serious cold fronts that early in the season, but you never know -- this regatta has had some serious winds in the past. The weather has been weird ever since they invented the bow and arrow. And even in warm weather you are going to get cold when you are wet -- and these cats can be very wet if it is windy and choppy.
Bring a water bottle and a piece of shock cord or something to attach it to the tramp. You are going to be out there for a lot of races, so personally I would take a gallon jug of water like I get at the local supermarket.
A little toolkit is always nice to have on the boat -- small vice grip (or pliers), a Swiss Army knife that has both types of screwdrivers on it, extra ring pins and shackles, small pieces of line for jury-rigging.
WHAT YOU WILL GET FOR YOUR ENTRY FEE:
* T-shirt for all competitors, both skipper and crew
* Beer & Soft drinks after sailing each day
* LOTS of racing. In two days
*Launching fees at Gilberts free to guests.
*Entry Fee is: $45 for two-handed boats, $40 for single-handed boats
NOTICE: We need you to pre-register online. You can pay the fee upon arrival. Click Here to Register OnLine: http:/
TROPHIES:
3 places deep for each class.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Mary Wells or Rick White
PO Box 2060
Key Largo, FL 33037
tel 305-451-3287
fax 305-453-0255
email rick@catsailor.com
NOTICE: We need you to pre-register online. You can pay the fee upon arrival. Click Here to Register OnLine: http:/
--------------------
Rick White
Catsailor & OnLineMarineStore
http://www.onlinemarinestore.com
Great job Rick!
For the Tradewinds Regatta I just finalized everything with Gilbert's yesterday. They gave us reduced rates, but not as low as I would have liked. For Friday and Saturday, their regular rooms are $130 downstairs and $120 upstairs. That's for two people. Those rooms will sleep four people, $10 for each additional person. So team up for rooms.
Gilbert's also has three larger, more expensive suites at $150, that will sleep six ($10 a person for each additional beyond two people). If you are coming earlier or staying later, the rates Sunday through Thursday are all $20 less.
They only have 33 rooms total, and some are already taken, so book early. The front desk now has the information about all the regattas including Tradewinds.
Gilbert's has a swimming pool and a big tiki bar and a very good restaurant.
Next best choice is Neptune's Hideaway, 305-451-0357, because they have a nice little beach. They are four miles as the car flies and by water they are probably equidistant from the race course as sailing from Gilbert's. They can probably get eight of the bigger boats on their beach and more if there are some smaller boats, and if you pack them all in efficiently. You can't launch from there, but you can launch from the Caribbean Club, a couple of hundred yards south of there or from Rowell's Marina, maybe a tenth of a mile north of there, leave your trailer where you launch, and just sail your boat over to Neptune's beach. Their rates range from $65 for a regular room to $175 for a three-bedroom that will sleep seven people for that price. They are aware of the event and already have one reservation for a Tradewinds participant. Just be aware that their beach size is limited.
Azul del Mar, which used to be Rick's Place. You might as well forget it. They have a three-night minimum for that weekend, and you cannot launch your boat there and you cannot keep it on the beach there because their "upscale" clientele might not like it. They think sailors are cheap yahoos who throw beercans into the shrubbery. But you can stay there if you keep your boat at Rowell's or elsewhere.
The other close motels are Kelly's and Amoray. Phone numbers are in the NOR, I think. No place to launch or keep boats at those motels, but Rowell's Marina can accommodate lots of boats. Problem is just the one launching ramp.
More information to come as I find additional options. But get your reservations in early on the best ones.
Please PreRegister as soon as you can. Everyone preregistered will get a t-shirt.., otherwise we are not sure. Just go to www.catsailor.com/registration
Thanks,
Rick
I know there are lots of folks that have not yet preregistered that say they are coming.
Please help out! Preregister at www.catsailor.com/registration
Thanks,
Rick
PLease help us out by registering on the internet. It will also guarantee you a great
I'd rather be sailing
Tshirt
Just click on the following hot link: http:/