ok i think i have the date 13/10/07

how does that sound anything happening then?

I don't think there's anything else windsurfing wise that weekend. Good chance of Wind at that time of year too

Sounds good Rob, hope it comes together.
Probably a good idea to try and line up who you want there as soon as and get the date in peoples diaries

OK ive' had a look at the dates to adn they look good,

i've got 2 power boat drivers who are willing to help out,

Just wondering what companies to contact,
looking at: starboard, turfdog and gaastra/tabou,

any names suggestions for the event, thinking Welsh Raid,

Will produce a poster soon and contact media for promotion

is any one good at writing disclaimers?

this is going to be awesome!!!

In terms of demo kit, I think there are only four importers for most of the brands

604 Distribution (F2, Fanatic, Mistral, Arrows, North)
Ultrasport (JP, Bic, Neil Pryde)
Surf sails (Exocet, Tabou, Gaastra)
Tushingham/Starboard

I can dig out email addresses for surfsails and 604 I think PM me if you want them - or I'll contact them if you want

Boards mag are always looking for stories so you should get something in there

It'd be great to see a good event around here

i have managed to get hold of an experienced long distance race officve who runs cat races, got a intresting reply read on

Robin,

Well you ask a BIG question. Safety is paramount. You have to say "What if ?" and then say it again and again and again!! WE don't allow single handers into most long distance cat races due entirely to safety reasons. You are setting off with ALL single handers.
For safety you MUST ensure that ALL are carrying flares and that they are checked and that they are not out of date. (many are !!, I have seen old ones passed around from sailor to sailor in the car park and then passed on again AFTER scrutineering. )
We make sure that all sailors are carrying a mobile phone in waterproof bag, this again is checked. BUT it may be very difficult to get a phone to work when sitting on a board or even worse lying in the water.
Try and ensure that the first time you have competitors of equal ability. I KNOW that this is difficult but it will mean that the fleet stays fairly well together. BUT you have to be brutal and tell some people that you don't think that they are good enough to compete. We do NOT do this but some on the Continent do, you have to put in sailing CV to say what you have done BEFORE you are accepted.
Make sure that you put maker buoys so that the fleet cannot get too far spread. If you allow boards to go on a five mile leg, especially upwind, what happens if some go to the port side and other to the starboard side of the course, you are then covering 25 square miles of sea !!!!!!!!!!!! AND you cannot see boards as easily as you can see catamarans.
Make sure that sailors are using correct buoyancy aids , many , worryingly, are now reducing the amount of floatation as "it gets in their way" when racing.
You are sailing in a VERY tidal area, examine tides with great care and see where sailors are going to go if anything happens to them.
I suggest you go to the RYA /ISAF websites where they give the legal answers to many questions.DON'T rely on the RRS 1,3 and 4. Especially RRS 4. That rule states that "it is the responsibility of the sailor to sail and nobody else" This is very difficult, if the Race Officer says "Yes, it is fine , let's go" That very decision can influence others who say "The PRO said it is OK so that why I decided to go!!". So sailors decision is influenced by someone else, some who is assumed to be in control with greater experience.
When I did the International Race Officers course, the first lecture after lunch was a lawyer who started by saying "" What do you say to the coroner when he says "and you thought it was safe to go sailing ??" ""
Read RYA and ISAF, then have a trial run with one or two ribs and say FIVE boards, think where the tide is then and where it will be when you want to run the event. Then de-brief with real care, especially the poorer sailors. All the long distances we have done, we have sailed the course first, at Abersoch/Pwllheli, I must have sailed it 10 times before we thought of making a it a long distance race.
Hope this helps.
Don.

Lawyers??? 2 ribs to 5 sailors?? I always thought sailors were jessies, but now this is for sure.......