U20's in the SE

[Chuck Ballew]

Sailing in a one design class is fun. I want to share my excitement with others, U20 owners and others who might be interested in buying one. I am a nobody in the U20 class but would like to make a suggestion among the southeastern U20 captains.

Let's have a SE campaign. A championship. Do the Hospice regatta's in different cities. The Outback in Columbia. CRW on the coast. Make it 6 races. The lowest score in 5 races sailed wins. I'll spring for the trophy for the first year.

Let's come up with a schedule. I suggest we get SAYRA involved. They can help pass the word on their website and it would be good exposure for the boat. Where are all the road warriors??

Chuck Ballew
 HappyHours #58

[Jim Pearson]

Everyone is important in this Class. Being from Canada, I could probably not make 6 races but would commit to a couple, say Columbia and CRW. Class really needs to get kick started again in the East. I would suggest that Number of Regattas is not so high as to use up budgets and have people skipping the NA's in Holland. We Need another good turnout there. We can not afford another Ottawa turnout.
Jim Pearson
CAN200

[Chuck Ballew]

Jim, I don't know how to get this process started but let's start mentioning some races and gauge the response. The midwinters in March at Lake Norman. The CRW in April. The outback in Columbia in May I think. The Hospice in Anderson in Oct. Lake Norman in November. Lake Norman gets hit twice because there's 12 boats up there already. Maybe some will travel. Who is the South East Rep for the group?? The SAYRA group meets in Hilton Head this weekend. It would be nice to have something in hand to put in their schedule.

[Billy Ellis]

The Key is the Lake Norman Boats and getting them to travel. It is mightly difficult to commit to travel when most of the Lake Norman boats don't. Of the boats in the South East we have a hand full of boats from Lake Norman, a team in Columbia, a boat in Huntsville, one in Anderson and one on the Gulf Coast that has shown as much as a passing interest in travelling. I find it sad that we have more Canadians willing to come to our events than locals. Most of the boats outside of Lake Norman that race will travel some and do. To get the numbers up we need a better commitment from the Lake Norman Fleet.  I agree with Jim that 6 races would be difficult for me as it is a 10hr haul but 3 races is doable. If three were scheduled then you could do one at home and only travel to two. (except for me and Chris Mcgraw it would be three travel regattas.) If more Lake Norman guys won't pack up for two regattas that are 3 hours or less from home then what the point?

[Jim Pearson]

If your plan was to have these races over the full year, I would suggest you start with about four races. This year, Lake Norman in March. While there try to get commitment out of Lake Norman to travel a little. Skip CRW this year, so maybe some will have funds to do NA's in Holland. Include Holland in Series this year.
Maybe a Columbia in Fall and one other Hospice that I am really not aware of.
Following year if Norman is traveling do.
1. Lake Norman in March
2. CRW in April since NA's will probably be out west. Few travel that far, so funds may be available price of CRW.
3. Columbia in fall.
4 One more somewhere. Maybe Winter Regatta.
Just my thoughts. Feedback really should come from your area.
Jim Pearson
CAN 200

[Chuck Ballew]

I would like to mention WCSC's Hospice regatta in Anderson SC. Oct. 14-16. We have on average 4 to 5 U20's every year. Don has been coming for ten years. Steve brought his two boats last year. It's an hour and a half from Columbia. People could leave their boats there and we'd ferry them to Columbia for that event. That would be two regattas in March and April, and two in the fall, October 14-16 and November in Columbia. Anyone know the exact date for the Columbia regatta??

How's that sound??

[Billy Ellis]

Interesting thought Jim. Three regattas in the SE plus the nationals = SE season champion.

[Chuck Ballew]

Just received an email from Emily. We have a class start if we can get enough boats on the line. Inshore course with Vipers and Melges 20. Three boats are already online. It would be great to have ten boats signed up.

[Emily Jones]

BJ and I are registered. That makes 4.  let's see if we can get to 10 before tomorrow!

[Gregg Henning]

USA 58 HappyHours Chuck Ballew Greenville, SC, USA Ultimate 20 20
USA  203 Honour David Crall Loveland, OH, USA Ultimate 20 20
USA 148 Lotsaknots Chet Wiesenmayer Mooresville, NC, USA Ultimate 20 20
USA 151 Rumbullion BJ Jones Cornelius , NC, USA Ultimate 20 20
USA 227 You Sassy B! Stephen Rose Columbia, SC, USA Ultimate 20 20
USA 174 Zulu Peter Marriott Charlotte, NC, USA Ultimate 20 20


6 so far.... Keep Registrations coming in!!!  Let's show the U20 is alive and well.

Gregg
#149
Goombay Smash

[Don Corey]

OK then, looks like the U20s serious about this one.  GREAT!  All along I said I'd be the seventh one to register and did just that, done.  Hope more U20s jump in and join us for this big event.  They ain't no better place for good food than Chalston (no, I didn't leave any letters out).
Hopefully these road warriors will also commit to traveling north to Holland MI for the U20 NACs on August 12-14.
Don Corey  #159 scram 

[Rick Sellens]

Dragon Bait will be at Lake Norman in March (just two of us, but wind should be light to moderate, right) and I can commit to Charleston if we can get a weight limit waiver. Can anyone confirm no weight limit for Charleston so I can sign up as number 8?

Cheers,

Rick
158

[Chuck Ballew]

Rick, I don't know who would make the call on that issue. Maybe our SE Rep??

Aother decision we need to make. What races make a SouthEast champion?? I suggest one race each in Charleston, Columbia, Anderson, Charlotte and another locale. The more the boat is seen, the more interest and excitement we'll build in our class.

[Emily Jones]

Just like with the owner/driver rule, we should poll the U20's who are registered to see if everyone agrees to waive the weight limit and permit non-owners to drive. Hoping the latter will get someone racing Steve Rose's other boat.

[Jim Pearson]

Just registered for CRW. If waiving weight limit and owner driver gets more out, I say go for it. We really need a good showing to get class Jump Started again in the East. Maybe Mr. DOBIE will make his trek to the East and sail Steve's other boat. Maybe Don can get a charter for one of his other boats if he wants. Hope everyone agrees to let Rick in.
Jim Pearson
CAN 200