Hurricane Ian update: “To all our 2.4mR sailor brothers and sisters around the world …”
To all our 2.4mR sailor brothers and sisters around the world, we would like to say we are blessed in spite of the hurricane damage around us, all boats and sailors are alive and well. As I believe everyone knows, we just had our home club and the club hosting our World Championships nailed by a hurricane. Both clubs, Davis Island Yacht Club and Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club, made it without any major damage. Tony's boatyard in Port Charlotte was hit hard with the majority of the big boats in it being blown over!
Most of the 18 club boats were inside Conex Boxes with 8 or so being outside strapped down on trailers. Unbelievably, each one was undamaged and is ready to race in Worlds as they were before the hurricane. Difficult to understand how all of them escaped unharmed in light of the complete carnage around them. Tony and anyone who helped him prepare for the storm did a phenomenal job locating them so the winds missed directly working on them or getting squashed by any of the big boats as they got blown onto their sides.
That means the 2022 World Championships will be ready to host all the sailors from all corners of the world November 5th thru the 11th in Tampa Bay. We are still without power, water, and cell services but these services are being restored. Our individual preparations for Worlds are interrupted by some of the more urgent and pressing items being tended to. Tony will be sorting out his boatyard and will be relying on others to complete what he has been shouldering preparing for this event. We hope that Tony can still make it and sail in this year's Worlds but for now his hands are full restoring a yard full of vessels and his business.
If you get the chance to send him your heartfelt wishes and prayers they would be appreciated. The major highway is still shut down for 14 miles as it is completely underwater in the Port Charlotte area.
If you know of anyone who hasn't signed up yet, please urge them to do it now. There are still boats available for charter and if someone is interested do not delay and miss out. For questions, concerns, and charters please contact John Seepe at john.seepe@gmail.com.
Here is the LINK to Davis Island Yacht Club for the event.
Here is the LINK for registering for the 2022 World Championships.
Very Respectfully,
US 2.4mR Class Vice-president
