Recap – Madison 2024

We would like to thank the USF18 Class Association for support toward CRAW’s promotional event last weekend in Madison Wisconsin.  It was a great event!

CRAW organizes an outreach event each year to attract new sailors to catamaran racing.  This year the USF18 Class Association graciously offered to help with the costs of hosting the event.  Madison has a robust sailing community and is the perfect location to introduce F18 racing to young sailors that have not experienced the thrill of sailing an F18, or other beach catamarans.  We had an excellent turnout with ten new sailors for the event.  They met us at a lake-side park on Saturday morning, where they helped us rig the boats and then participated in a crew clinic on the beach.  Wide eyes and smiles were all around as we showed them how easily the spinnaker was deployed and retrieved, how to trapeze and basic sail trim.  The sailors rotated as crew on seven catamarans with their CRAW skippers for four races on Saturday and two races on Sunday in light conditions.  Although we would have liked more wind, the conditions allowed many of the new sailors a chance to also helm the boats at times.  Results were very close which added to the enjoyment of participating.  CRAW sponsored a wonderful dinner at our commodore Daniel Hearn’s home Saturday night by the lake.  Most of the new sailors are anxious to crew at one of CRAW’s next events and will be top of the list for skippers needing crew.  We also gave out information on used F18s for sale.

Again, thank you for your support as we work together to strengthen our USF18 Class Association.      

Steve Stroebel | USF18 Class Association President