I was just curious if there were others out there that might feel the same way that I do.... I would be willing to kick in say $10 towards sponsoring one of our top skippers to go to NZ. If we got enough people to contribute we might be able to pull it off.

Any thoughts?

visit us at www.LudwigRCYachts.com

O.k. Larry I'll chip in ten bucks if you can get the idea rolling . What a great reward for one of our better skippers. A subsidized trip to Kiwi land. I hope this might work.

Gene

Why not send the National Champion? I'd be all for supporting that![:D]

Good idea Larry - how many registered 12's up there?? - about 350 isn't there?? At 10 bucks each that will see a fair kitty to spilt up between all wanting to be here.

Remember too that you guys get a load more bang for the buck down here - todays exchange rate at around 70cUS = 1NZD means an instant 30% gain in spending power. The economists are also predicting the NZD to crash within the next 12 months to what they "consider" a real rate of around 62-64cents to the NZD which benefits you all even more.

As a comparison what does a cup of coffee cost in the US?? Down here around $3.50NZ.

Chris
NZL1 Longtack
&
NZL110 Swept Away

I think we could get it started now, and by the time the event came around we would have it ready. We need someone to organize and get things started, someone to collect and handle the funds, a method to determine who receives the aid, and how much should be distributed since it might be enough to provide air fare to get someone to go.

While I have not done extensive research, I do see ticket prices from around $1,000 round trip to Australia on Quantas that then advertise up to 3 more legs in country. So I was guesstimating that if we added another $500 on top of that... $1,500 would be the target to offer to one of our top skippers. That presents something of interest there as well. We would either have one person that would be willing to go... or several. In the case of the latter, how much fun would it be to have a regatta to determine who goes? Sure would make for an interesting prize. I would like to see it held in a location that would simulate the conditions down under where the race would be held.

If there are any of you that want to step forward and take this and run with it, I think it would be a tremendous opportunity for what would hopefully become a long list of our guys as the years go by and a milestone for the class as well. I have never seen another class support their own in such a manner. We can always simply vote on who we would chose to send as well.

There are a lot of details to be worked out.. but nothing that would appear to be too terribly difficult, and it sure would send a message to the other classes... might even bring in some new skippers also.





visit us at www.LudwigRCYachts.com

sail number NZ 119 can be used in the event,save bringing a boat down under,friendship for sailing should have no boundaries.
im sure the USA woud do the same.[:D][:D]

Gentlemen,
The discussion for years has been to get together among sailing friends where there are some other things to do. Philip Whitely has done the ground work and invited the world to sail EC12s in New Zealand for nearly of week of activities. One can hype a challenge for fun because of the Maori heritage of the country for good bar room fun but the purpose of this gathering is not that serious in the minds of those who have indicated their serious interest. Forgive me if I seem rude but I think the suggestions of this string are out of line with those that will ultimately go.

This is not an EC12 Class matter or function. It never was intended to be and will not be. If hired guns are sponsored they may find themselves there alone and at the one and only such event.

I may be more polite tomorrow but right now I am thinking, this is what forums do, stir up stuff. You forget what the purpose of this one is and the subject matter here is outside that line also.

...94

well said Rick,by the way what line?[?][?]

I agree with Rick, This is an invitation to come half way around the World for a good time and friendly competition. Anyone thinking of going would be wise to plan to make the most of it and travel NZ after the sailing is done. My folks went several years ago and said it is a must see country before you die.

I could not and would not take a dime from other skippers to send me there, even if I was good enough to represent the USA. I just can't see taking other peoples money to pay for my vacation.

But if anyone of you who does go, I will gladly pay you to bring back a Big Mac with beet root.[xx(]

Joe Walter #24

Hi Joe,

I agree, lets leave the pro skippers to earn there money on the Volvo boats.[:0]
I will glady send you a Beet Root and Marmite Samwhich.[:p]

Regards Davie Norris
Class President
New Zealand EC12 Class

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Capt. Flak</i>

I agree with Rick, This is an invitation to come half way around the World for a good time and friendly competition. Anyone thinking of going would be wise to plan to make the most of it and travel NZ after the sailing is done. My folks went several years ago and said it is a must see country before you die.

I could not and would not take a dime from other skippers to send me there, even if I was good enough to represent the USA. I just can't see taking other peoples money to pay for my vacation.

But if anyone of you who does go, I will gladly pay you to bring back a Big Mac with beet root.[xx(]

Joe Walter #24
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Davie, will these samwhichs be the lunch for the worlds? Sounds great, I can hardly wait. [:D]

Maybe they can be included in the boat charter!

John Rowley

Can be arranged, I'm sure.[;)]

When one of our US clients came to NZ to sail there new 50 footer home, we made Marmite samwhiches for there young sons. The look on there faces was priceless when they bit into them. [:0]

Regards Davie[:)]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by jrflorida</i>

Davie, will these samwhichs be the lunch for the worlds? Sounds great, I can hardly wait. [:D]

Maybe they can be included in the boat charter!

John Rowley
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Rick;
Excuse me for being naive. Within my offer to chip in, there was <b>no </b> thought of hired guns. The thought was for a small charitable contribution to one or more of the EC12 sailors who might venture into a far away land.

Many of us who'd like to go to the NZ regatta cannot afford to do so. Then there are those of us, I'm thinking of myself here, who sail so clumsily that we'd not want to cause annoyance to our good Kiwi friends. I'd want us to help send a decent sailor or sailors but not necessarily national champions. I agree ! This ain't the winter olympics so we need not send our best and brightest. What we do need to do, is send our most congenial. If that happens to be someone who would be financially strained, then what's the problem with helping out some nice guys or girls ? I arrived late in the EC12 world so I am puzzled at the apparent animosity toward some of the down under types. To quote Rodney King; "why can't we all just get along?"

I may be old, clumsy and in some areas naive, but there are some things I understand quite well. One of those things is that different regions or countries have different manners of speaking. For example: if you are a native of Mississippi and you moved to the Boston area your first impression is that the damn yankees are always mad. You'd soon discover that they are'nt mad at all, they just behave differently. You'd probably discover that many of those yankees are the finest, most generous people you could meet. Cut the NZ guys some slack !

I am toying with the idea of attending the NZ event but not to sail in the regatta. From all accounts New Zealand is a spectacular place to visit. Drinking beer and spinning sailing yarns with the hosts sounds great to me. Maybe some one might loan me a Footie, then I could claim that I had been half way around the world to sail. But above all, have fun and make new friends.

Gene - even you don't come "downunder" to sail but to attend - you'll get to have a go so you can claim to of sailed half way around the world[:D] I'll make sure NZL1 is refitted and available for those who "just want to have go" rather than compete![8D]

Chris
NZL1 Longtack
&
NZL110 Swept Away

My comment as to sending the National Champion was thought out because of a few reasons:
1. Mark is as fine a "gentleman" as we have in the class.

2. I would want to send someone who would represent our nations sailing ability to it's best. After all , he would be sailing against NZ's best , I'm sure.. along with Australia's best.

3. Mark's building skills would also be a "bright spot" for all nations involved. A lot could be learned by all involved! Could you see Mark and Davie N. comparing notes on building techniques?

4.Why not? Unless you just want to send "somebody" on a vacation.

Just MHO.... DB[8D]