I’m very pleased to say that I just got confirmation that our Footy Nats will be in Orlando on March 13 and 14.
Darrell and the gang did a great job last year, and I’m happy to have them host us again…and I’m looking forward to another appearance by Miss Footy. 
Start making plans to join us for some fun racing. Darrell will get the NOR out shortly. :zbeer:
Bill
Great news, Bill!
Bill Nielsen
Ft. Lauderdale, FL USA
Well here we go again, the NOR is now available at the club site www.sundaysloopers.com
Please get your entries in early, and welcome aboard!
One more year and maybe I’ll have enough experience to warrant (or better yet justify) the trip to florida for the nationals!
Well…I’m frustrated.
I’m sitting in Eau Claire, Wisconsin in the middle of a blizzard…and back home in New Hampshire we had six inches of snow Saturday, and Sheila says we’re getting another foot(y) of snow today. When I left home Monday, local ponds were skimmed with ice, and it was starting to form on the big lakes, too.
I think winter is beautiful, I really do, and I’m all for a white Christmas, but I’m afraid it means going to the Nats with an untested boat again. I’ve got 2 boats I built recently, and I was hoping to get some real good comparative testing done before going to Orlando. Oh well.
They are Razor4 and Razor5.
R4 is an attempt to build a light hull, but keep a fairly heavy displacement. The all-up weight is 540 grams, and the bulb weighs 440 grams. So the ballast ratio is pretty incredible without going beyond typical Footy weight.
R5 is a lightweight boat that I built to beat Moonshadow (he he.) All up she’s 300 grams, with a 200 gram bulb. Not as impressive a ballast ratio as R4, but I like her acceleration. Of course, she stops on a dime as well! There’s no free lunch when it comes to boat design.
I also have a new rig (thanks G) that I want to try on both boats…but the weather hasn’t cooperated at all.
So I guess I’m going to have to flip a coin to decide which boat to take to Orlando…and I’m sure I’ll take the wrong one!!
Nuts.
Maybe I’ll build an R6 and take that instead…then I’ll have no idea what to expect. But then again, so what…it’s gonna be a great time, and I’m looking forward to seeing this year’s Miss Footy!
See you there!!
Bill
Hey Bill,
Don’t make your decision in New Hampshire! Take both boats and rigs and get to Orlando a couple of days early and get some stick time on each. Then choose the one you are most comfortable with. I’ve done that with much larger boats than Footies. Footies are so small (particularly the designs of yours that Scott has been sailing) I would also consider taking whichever one is the best of your active fleet as well. You could always loan the ones you are not going to race with to other sailors.
That’s an excellent suggestion, Niel. Unfortunately, my work committments won’t allow it…can’t get to Orlando until Friday, after traveling through Thursday night.
So I’ll make a decision and make the best of it. As usual, I can take comfort in the fact that there will be other guys sailing my designs that are better skippers anyway!!!
Happy Holidays…Bill
Ah Wisconsin… but you did get more snow this time at home Bill 
Always remember that if you are ever on the east side of Wisconsin there is a warm welcome waiting here for you.
As to Orlando, that was my dilemma too last year. This year if I make it I will take Dragon which I have had a decent summer’s sailing on. But I’m bound to have fiddled with something by then of course. Happy white Christmas
Graham
Hi guys! It will be fun at the Nats again this year!!! I will have a Cat this year!!! It will be fun!!!
We’re steadily getting closer and we appreciate getting your entries in soon. We motel is the same as last year, but $10 per night less. We’re doing shirts this year so if your entry in past the end of Feb, rexpect an XL.