Ahoy EC-12 Class,

The Entry Form for the 2012 National Championship Regatta in St. Augustine, FL has been posted to the website here: http://www.floridaec12.com/2012_nationals.html

You will find the PDF and On-line versions of the entry form under "Entry Form & SI" link. Be sure to read all the other info on the site.
For those of you not familiar with the venue, it is sailed on a lake with a big hotel right there. You might be able to save a dollar or two at another hotel 5 miles down the road, but why would you want to. You will be able to stay in a great room right at the lake and store your boat fully rigged in the private room that opens onto the patio and the lake. Make sure you mention the regatta when booking your rooms.

Just got the hotel to lower the rate to $79.00 per night.

Come back here to see the list of entries in order received.
I will post the final list in seeding order to the NCR website after the close of the entry period.

1. Rick West, CA
2. Merv Jones, SC
3. Ray "Skip" Hall, NJ
4. Dr. Robert Greer, FL
5. Alan Perkins, FL
6. Fred Pfeil, FL
7. George Balaschak, FL
8. Dick Reinke, FL
9. Tony Shoaf, NC
10. John Cleave, Isle of Wight, UK
11. Jon Luscomb, FL
12. Tom Germer, FL
13. Dave Branning, MD
14. James Donohoe, SC
15. Steve Pfeil, MI
16. Skip Allen, GA
17. Reichard Kahle, SC
18. Martin Gray, FL
19. Jack Ward, FL
20. Scott Vernon, GA
21. Jerry Fernald, SC
22. David Holmes, FL
23. Richard Hedderick, FL
24. David Dellenbaugh, CT
25. David Ramos, MD
26. Tom Evens, GA
27. Geoffrey Cohen, SC
28. Jim Rutherford, GA
29. Rick Gerry, SC
30. Becky Gerry, SC
31. Jake Leo, FL
32. Chris Kakavas, NC
33. Ken Shaw, VT
34. Frank Novak, FL
35. Brenda Pardee, FL
36. Jim Kaighin, Abaco, Bahamas
37. John Bottensek, FL
38. Bill Ewing, NJ
39. Tom Phillips, FL
40. Don Barker, MD
41. Dick Gerry, SC (in the mail)

Drop outs: Unfortunately Chuck Luscomb can't attend now. We will miss you Chuck.
I got word that Al Dion is not going to make it now. Sorry to hear it. Take care of your son and we will see you next time.
David Brawner is not able to attend now as well as Dave VanCleef. Sorry you guys can't come, you will be missed.
Mark Rinehart is our first victim of Hurricane Sandy. He has a lot of cleanup to do at work, his home and his dad's home. Sorry to hear it Mark. Be safe and we will see you next time.

I just registered on line! Super easy. Looking forward to seeing all of the fleet at one of the best venues ever!


Jon
45

GET YOUR ENTRIES IN EARLY!

Folks, there is a lot of planning that goes into an event like this. The sooner you get your entries in, the better it is for planning. We need to know what our budget is going to be so we can figure out what kind of things we can do for you. Things like a welcome reception on Wednesday evening. Will we be able to get a keg or not, will we have enough to cater some food or just buy a bag of chips. Are we going to get you a cheap t-shirt or an embroidered jacket?

You will really help us out by filling out your entry sooner rather than later. I know we gave you to October 19, but help a brother out.

There's a drink in it for you.

Jon & Dr commit to funding the keg.

Only about two weeks left to get your entries in. I am expecting 40 plus boats. There are at least three more skippers who I know are coming. It is going to be a great time in our Nation's oldest city. Plus we will have some great items up for silent auction (including stuff for the ladies, "COACH") as well as some really nice boats for sale. We are planning a welcome reception on Wednesday as well. The lake will be open for practice all day Wednesday and I promise registration and measurement will be quick and easy.

See you all at the lake.

Joe and all,

Sorry I cannot be there. Was really looking forward to this one. I am really excited to see our club members sail well
In this event. Al Dion sailed very well all year up here with his new boat. Dave VanCleef has also showed that he has the skills to finish well. Dave Dellenbaugh is our newest member and I know once he can translate his immense big boat skills, he will be giving me lessons. Jake, even though you now live in FL, you can never leave the Mystic River Radio Sailors fraternity. Best of luck to everyone this November and I will be following the event closely.

...always a quiet and steady consistent competitor at big events. We will miss #84 with Chuck at the helm.

Thanks Chuck for a great Thunder Mug regatta.
Hope you don't get into too much trouble for our "Breaking and Entering" stunt Sunday.
We will miss you (none more than your brother Jon, I'm sure).
And lets keep our thoughts going to Al Dion's sons recovery.

I will miss him...alot! After all he is the one that started me on this "sickness". I hope I can represent!

Why don't we call him from the bar and pass the phone around? Greer's phone will work. Remember Brawner's webcasts? He will enjoy it for sure!

Miss you bro

Jon L
45

Did I see Margarita Mike on the entry list ?
He became something of a legend at a previous Nats.

There are a number of regular names missing from the list. Some have already told me they can't make it this year and they will be missed. I do know that John Bottensek and Tom Phillips will be coming from the local club. I also expect Dick Gerry. Have not heard from Frank Vella and Margarita Mike. I hope they can make the trip down. If Mike wants to send me the shopping list for Margarita ingredients, I will be happy to make the run to the liquor store.

Just a little over a week to enter folks. I feel good that we will hit 42 boats. 45 would be better.

HOTEL RESERVATIONS

There is a rumor that the hotel is full. Not true. Please book your rooms ASAP and be sure to mention the model yacht regatta to get the special rate and fill up our room block.

I have 33 rooms reserved for 43 skippers, staff and guests. Some of you are not on the room block list. This can mean that you did not say you were with the regatta, or that you used another service like hotels.com. OR it could mean that you have not reserved your room yet.

The room block ends this weekend. So don't delay.

To put it simply folks...You need to call the Comfort Suites to make a reservation on the room block list at $79 a night. If you have reserved a room and did not call the hotel, you are not on the list. The price difference is huge.

Support the hotel. They are providing all their facilities for our stay. 904-940-9500. I made mine yesterday and there is no issue for rooms. There are now no King Beds left, though.

Hotel Update

Ok, After checking with the hotel for skippers listed in the room block versus skippers who registered in another way, we came up with just a few who do not show reservations at all. This could be because you are sharing with another skipper or that you have not yet made your reservations, or that you are staying somewhere else.

Rick Gerry
Dick Gerry
Tom Evens
David Ramos
Skip Hall

Everyone else has a room or is accounted for.

No need to call me back unless you need some help. I just want to make sure you have a place to stay.
The number to the hotel is 904-940-9500 and the room rate is $79.

Thanks