B.E.E.R Cruise

[Scott Dunsworth]

I am planning (50 50 chance) on this cruise. I was wondering if any other BandB family members are considering it? The Texas 200 sounds more fun ( more sailing ) but I have been thinking about the B E E R cruise sense my Belhaven was a stack of plywood. If I do get to go I'll spend a week sailing the area. Its a 1200 mile round trip for me and 3 days is not long enough.

Scott

[John Turpin]

Don't know about BEER, but there will be multiple B&B boats on the Texas Coast again this year. Travis' Princess and Kevin's CS17 will be in the Texas 200. My Lapwing will be in the Geezer 100--an alternative cruise that arrives at Seadrift at the same time as the Texas 200 sailors. I also wanted to attend the Florida 120, but it falls on the same weekend as my kiddo's high school graduation.

Keep us posted on which event you decide to attend.

[Doug Cameron]

Geezer 100? Tell us about it.

[Jim Stumpf]

I am planning (50 50 chance) on this cruise. I was wondering if any other BandB family members are considering it? The Texas 200 sounds more fun ( more sailing ) but I have been thinking about the B E E R cruise sense my Belhaven was a stack of plywood. If I do get to go I'll spend a week sailing the area. Its a 1200 mile round trip for me and 3 days is not long enough.

Scott

We did the BEER cruise in 07 and 08 and have been dieing to get back again. It was about 1600 miles round trip but for us Midwesterners it is a very special treat. Jumping off the boat full of sea water and sand and walking into a restaurant with sand floors is my idea of paradise. Great sailing, great people and great surroundings. I think there are many folks that stay beyond the scheduled event to do some extra sailing so if you are looking for folks to cruise with I would bet you could find someone. Cajun John and the GRITS folks know how to have a good time, not a wild drunken brawl like the name might imply to some.

Jim

Hanging out with the fleet on sand island, note the feet hanging out the transom of PRIMROSE, cruising is tough but someone has to do it.

[John Turpin]

Geezer 100? Tell us about it.

The Geezers. It's an exclusive group with a strict membership qualification. To become a member of this sailing group, you must have fallen off your boat at least once while it's in a parking lot--with witnesses. I barely got in. While technically I didn't meet this requirement, I gave a detailed explanation of the time I was rigging the boat and (in front of several onlookers). At some point I decided to hop into the Lapwing. As I threw my leg over the side deck, my wet shoe slipped off the trailer frame at a critical moment and I landed heavily while straddling the gunwale. Actually, my fall was cushioned by a trio of Spinlock clutches which may have actually entered a tender part of my body. I very effectively impaled myself before interested spectators. I must have made an alarming face, since someone in the audience asked if I was okay. I remember answering him with "Sneeeee nnnnnnooofff wheeeeemmmmmm." At some point, I was able to return to my feet but I never regained my dignity. In hindsight, falling off my boat would have been preferred.

Well, the Geezers thought that public impalement was close enough and proclaimed me to be a Geezer. This group can be found at Texas lakes or here --> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/geeziers/

The Geezer 100 is still somewhat being planned, but it's an alternative to the longer TX200. A couple of days before the end of the TX200, this group will leave from Palacios, TX (which is further north than the TX200 route) and arrive in Seadrift on the same day as the TX200 participants. We will celebrate and eat and attempt to steal some of the TX200 sailors' glory. At that point, I'll load up and go home. But, most of the Geezers will sail on. They'll sail out of Seadrift, meander down to Army Hole and then eventually get back to Palacios a few days later.

I considered doing the TX200 again this year, but just can't justify taking that time off work this year. This little cruise should be a fun alternative to the longer event. ("fun" assumes that I don't do anything stupid or dangerous down there. Again.)