On Thursday April 5 2007, Team Zwitserleven Booth/Nieuwenhuis (NED) finished ninth at the Tornado Europeans 2007 and eleventh in the overall results for the Mats Nyberg Trophy. This was the final outcome, as the Dutchmen just missed the medal race. Sixty teams representing twenty-one countries participated in this year’s European Championship raced in the Bay of Palma. The fleet was the highest standard assembled with many World and Olympic champions taking part. The event was conducted during the annual Princess Sofia Trophy, part of the grade one Olympic Class circuit.

Team Zwitserleven started the ten race series well and by the half way mark it was placed fifth overall. Races seven and eight cost the team badly as they slipped back to sixteenth before recovering to finish ninth overall. This result is awarded with a B-status of NOC*NSF (national Olympic Committee). Skipper Mitch Booth commented: “The conditions were brutal with storms every day over the course that caused the wind to do circles. We are generally happy to have made the top ten in this event, but still have a lot of work in preparation for the World Championships in Portugal this July.” Crewman Pim Nieuwenhuis added: “We have made real progress with our sail development program and now feel confident that we can go and race the best of the best. The new sail designs we are using have improved our light wind performance dramatically.”

The 30th Zwitserleven Round Texel Race in the Netherlands shows several innovations. First, the recreational sailors will have their own classification, the so called silver fleet. That means they don’t need a measurement form and they pay a lower entry fee, which makes participation in world’s biggest cat race more economical. The party tent is the second change, as the new licensee and caterer will restore the original social atmosphere. As of March 6th, all participants can register for the Zwitserleven Round Texel Race 2007, that will start on June 23rd.

Despite the two classes, the whole fleet starts together, so the sensation of hundreds of colourful catamarans on one line remains the same. The top three performances in the silver fleet will be awarded with encouragement prizes. During the Round Texel Week, the recreational sailors can also enjoy the traditional Horsttocht and social beach culture. Their entry fee is 100 euro, whereas the competitive racers pay 110 euro. In addition, the Golden Fleet competitors still have to meet the requirements for participation. Foreigners only need a measurement form, but Dutch equips also need a starting license, eventually a sponsor certificate and a membership at a sailing club that is associated with the Royal Netherlands Sailing Federation. All of this gives them the right to participate in the official Dutch Championship Catamaran Sailing, called the Texel Dutch Open, commencing on June 20th. That competition runs over three days.

We’re ready to celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Lake Hartwell Spring Fever Regatta.

The dates are firm, the food is ordered from the Honey Baked Ham Company, the sponsors are being lined up, the campsite's reserved, and several dozen other items are being finalized. In short, we are ready except for your preregistrations. Click here for The NOR, along with most of the details, and the on-line Preregistration pages are up and running at http://www.TwinHulls.com/springfever.

As in previous years, you do not need to send your money when you preregister. We will collect it upon your arrival. (Honest, we won't forget.) Once you have preregistered, we do ask that you notify us should something come up that would keep you from attending. Be sure and visit the "See Who Else is Coming" page and make sure your name is on the list. It will be updated every couple of days as time permits. Although we strongly encourage you to be active and support your class organizations and US Sailing as well, current membership in these organizations is not a requirement for this year's Spring Fever Regatta.

As always, we are open to all catamarans. All boats must carry appropriate insurance and all adults attending will be required to sign a Liability Release form before participating in any regatta events. Come join us for a guaranteed good time and we'll do our best to have enough wind available. See you in the spring! .....Nigel & Mr.Ernie

The 52nd annual Miami to Key Largo race will be held April 23, 2007. For the past 25 years this race has had a strong beachcat presence. The expected classes for this race in all categories are PHRF, ARC, Laser, Westphal, Hobie 16, Hobie 20, Nacra 6.0, Tornado, ACAT, and MASF. Additional one-design classes will be added with a minimum of 4 boats.

First held in 1956 with 33 boats, the annual Miami to Key Largo Race represents the "rites of spring" to South Florida sailors. This race now has 200 or more boats participating in the various classes.

Boats start just south of the Rickenbacker Causeway and proceed directly to Jewfish Creek area of Key Largo.

On Sunday November 12 2006, the 16de Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta started off with a strong fleet. Former winners, national champions and double Olympic medallist Mitch Booth lined up for the annual Caribbean catamaran classic. The 46 participating teams representing the UK, Netherlands, Aruba, France, Belgium and Austria enjoyed today’s trade wind, the sun and the heavy competition. After the practice race in the morning, the first official starting gun was fired at about 2.30 pm local time. Mark Rijks en Brenda Liefhebber (NED) scored two bullets with their Dart 18 and are in the lead of the smaller boats. The British James and Gillian Power, sailing a F18 Capricorn, were unbeatable for the bigger catamarans.

It is Gillian Power’s third participation in the Aruba Heineken Catamaran Regatta and she is defending her title. Last year she took the victory with Stuart Gummer, who sails with Hannah Burke this week. Gillian Power was surprised by today’s success: “I can’t believe it. It was great to win the practice race, but I did not expect that we would win the next two as well.” Although they went fast, it was not an easy day. First they had to deal with Mitch Booth and Pim Nieuwenhuis (NED, F18 Hobie Tiger) and than they were chasing Peter Vink and Mark Pols (NED, F18 Nacra Infusion). Power: “If Peter and Mark did not have had a tingle in their spinnaker at the second hoist, the competition would have even been closer. There was also an extreme wind shift in that race. The boats that had gibed directly after the mark, were gone.” It was an exciting competition on the first day, which caused close results. Numbers two till four are tied on six points. The new combination Gummer/Burke (GRB, F18 Capricorn) finished fourth and second. Wouter Samama and Paul Buyse (NED, F18 Nacra Infusion) were consistent with two third positions.

Canadian national Mike Dobbs and American national Glenn Brown, both full time residents of Southern California, attended the U.S. Tornado Nationals in San Diego.  They sailed on Mike’s Marstrom Tornado “Full Tilt.”  Mike immediately follows the Nationals with the Olympic Pre Trials. Mike began Pre Trials with a fellow Canadian as crew but was looking for a new crew when Glenn Brown made this post to Catsailor.com.

" Mike Dobbs broke his crew, and another team may have, too. If you're in the San Diego area, and you can crew for him tomorrow and/or Sunday, give me a call..., and I will put you in touch. I'd do it myself if I didn't have prior commitments. (I crewed for Mike in the Nationals this week.)"

A genuine tale of the underdog gaining new ground, you should find these reports a very pleasant read.  Thrills, spills, and collisions with beasts are all contained herein.  Here are their reports, so far:

Fri Oct 6, 2006 9:20 am
I'm dragging the boat on the tilt trailer there tomorrow morning...should be quite a sight as I pull in to the yard with the Mini Cooper rig!

The new Carbon mast is already there as is a new main to go with it. From the registrant lists, looks like the usual suspects will be there, including the Canadian team of Alain & Eve-Marie from Montreal and Martin & Ben from Michigan...these boats are our nearest rivals, so far I've only beaten them rarely.

We have high hopes...got a day of pro coaching under our belts now...though we now have a better idea on what to improve, it remains to be seen if we can execute on those things in a race situation.

I plan to make race reports nightly if time permits...starting Monday. Mike

Be sure and read the rest of the reports, great stuff from on the scene!

September 11-15 The 36th Hobie 16 North American Championship, aka: the Continentals, starts Monday off Roger Wheeler Beach in Narragansett, Rhode Island. The regatta will continue through Friday.

Sailors from fourteen states and five countries have pre-registered for the event. For Hobie 16 racers from Guatemala to Canada this is the year’s main event. Year after year the 16 Continentals attracts the biggest one-design catamaran fleet on the continent with the competition and the parties to match. Some come to measure their skills against the best and some for the parties but everyone comes to celebrate this simple one-design that started it all.

This year’s championship will double as the country qualifier for the 2007 Pan American Games. The top four countries from the NAs will qualify for the Pan Am games.

Nine past champions will be racing this week making this event as tough as ever. A complete list of past champions and daily updates during the week can be found at www.HCA-NA.org

Only 11 days more before Wayward Winds Regatta at the Texas City Dike. This open multihull event has been running for over 30 years. Its shaping up to be a good one this year with strong participation anticipated from many classes of boats, including the Hobie 16, Tiger and A-Cats. There will also be a novice class which looks like it will be a good size. You can get more information, including the Notice of Race and contact details at the TCDYC (Fleet 8) website.

Last years event was well attended despite being rescheduled due to Hurricane Rita. You can get a good view of some of the A-Cat fleet that showed up in this picture.

Chris Green
Chair, Division 6.

September 11-15, 2006, Narragansett Rhode Island - In September 2006 the thirty sixth Hobie 16 North Americans, aka: The Continentals, will land on the beach in Narragansett Rhode Island. For Hobie 16 racers from Guatemala to Canada this is the years main event. Year after year the 16 Continentals attracts the biggest one-design catamaran fleet on the continent with the competition and the parties to match.

Some come to measure their skills against the best and some for the parties but everyone comes to celebrate this simple one-design that started it all. This years host, Hobie Fleet 448, would like to extend an invitation to Hobie 16 sailors everywhere to come to Rhode Island and be part of the story.

Narragansett is truly one of the worlds best sailing sites. The venue offers a unique combination of open water racing and protected launching and beaching inside a man made harbor. The average wind speeds for September are consistently in the low teens with an average temperature of about 75F.  You can't beat it so don't miss it.

Go to www.HCA-NA.org for registration information.

July 1, 2006 - Ventura Sailing Club - First and foremost, we want to thank every for participating in this years event. Unfortunately, this year's Rum Run didn't make it to Anacapa Island. Although a mark was successfully set in Frenchy's Cove for the race, the Race Committee decided to abandon the scheduled course to the island due to a small-craft advisory on the inner waters and a reported 25-35 knots of wind on the outer waters of the Santa Barbara Channel. Not wanting to push the limits of safety for the fleet, we decided stay closer to shore and in more friendly conditions with this alternate racecourse:

• Start at Mandalay Buoy
• Gina to starboard
• "A" mark (Fishsticks) to starboard
• VH Whistle Buoy to port
• "A" mark to starboard
• Finish in Ventura Harbor.
• Course length of 19.6 nm

Conditions on the course were ideal - brilliant sunshine, 2-3 foot white-capping seas, and a warm 15-18 knot breeze. The fleet of 18 racers included 6 PHRF Non-spinnaker, 4 ORCA, and 8 Beach Cat boats. The race began at 11:00.00 for the PHRF non-spinnaker, 11:05 for ORCA, and 11:10 for the Beach Cat fleets. Full Tilt, a 20 ft. Tornado catamaran skippered by Mike Dobbs, was the first boat to complete the course at 13:17.30. The last boat to finish was the SpitDog, a Del Rey 24, at 15:28.06. One PHRF Non-spinnaker boat did not start due to lack of an adequate crew, and 2 Beach Cat and 1 ORCA boat DNF'd.  This left 14 of the 17 original entries finishing the race.