Best experience on a maricat!

[johno]

Please share the best experience on a maricat.

For me it was a summers afternoon, with a very constant 20 knot noreaster, the water was warm and spirits were up. I remember being on a tight reach, standing very close and almost on the rudder to keep her upright, flying along without a care in the world. Me and three other mates went out that great day. And we just went out for fun like you should! That was a great day!

[Guest pete1]

Not a story about maricats, but i bet it was some ones best experience.

funny little story about sex and hobie 16's.

for many years the lcoal Pt. Lookout hobie "fleet" would keep there cats pulled upto the dune on "hobie" beach.

a reoccuring problem we would have is local teenagers hanging out on our tramps partying and occassionally leaving a cig butt burn or hole.

then 1 summer we started to have a problem where when we went to setup the main halyard had been untied and run up the mast!? hence we would have to pull the h16's down, tip them over to retreat the

sail connector at the end of the halyard from the tops of our masts.

this went on for awhile until one of our more devious members finally fugured out

what was going on.

apparently our cats were involved with some bondage sex! the teenagers were using to the halyards to tie up their GF's to the tramps! after we explained what was happening to local law enforcement a couple of partolman who had teenage daughters actually started to get out of thier patrol

cars and trudge thru the sand and chased these S&M teenagers off and away from our cat's for good.

[Humungus]

The first day of last season. 14 years away. What was I thinking! Back into it and another best day for me will be at the presentation night of the 06 nationals when I pick up my trophy for winning the cat rigged division.

[lachy pudney]

Hey Mick you didn't seem to finish that letter were you short of time. It should read another best day for me will be at the presentation night of the 06 nationals when I pick up my trophy for winning the cat rigged division 2nd place behind the great Lachy Pudney

[This message has been edited by lachy pudney (edited 06 May 2005).]

[ZAX]

Dream on guys !

[Pointed Reply]

In the early eighties there was a bunch of Maricats racing out of Port Stephens Yatch Club at Salamander, led by the now Rev. Alan Ward. Being lazy we rarely set out markers but used the channels markers and buoys. On most summer afternoons the seabreeze would pick up to 25-30 knots. The reach from west-bank-marker to navy buoy was an absolute 10/10th screamer. We would do this triangle a few times until someone broke something or pitched poles. Still the best sailing I have done. Now after an 18 year break I hope to get a few more rides like this.

[QB2]

In the early 80's I started work in Newcastle at 4am so I had many afternoons out on Lake Macquarie. One day I started in a drifter when the wind piped in. I went from lying on the tramp to out on trapeze absolutely flying along, I couldn't stop laughing my head off in blinding spray, whitecaps and gale force winds as I tried to stay upright. I went up and down the lake hanging right on the edge. By the time I got back to shore I was absolutely stuffed but so exhilarated.

The next best time was the complete opposite. Racing two-up off Townsville against QBs, A-class, Tornados, cobra's & H16's in a drifter the adult crew and I went from 10th to 3rd as we ghosted thru the fleet picking them off one by one. It was the most satisfying sailing as we looked for and found wind patches and used the swells to our advantage, we kept the bows deep and rudders/sterns almost out, weight forward and downwind, sails full. We just blitzed the local top sailors in their hi tech expensive cats. It was Immensley satisfying!