Bradley Davis, 2020
I decided to join CRAM and sail as many regattas as I could this year, the first of which for me was the North Cape Regatta. When people heard I drove 601 miles (one way) from Alabama, the usual reaction was "Are you crazy?" to which I said "I just want to race!". And racing is what CRAM does, as well as communicate and promote events. They also welcome new members with open arms. It may be surprising, but in my experience some organizations/clubs don't do that fully, especially with regards to communication and promotion. I find CRAM to be a rare gem and appreciate being able to participate. The folks I've met have all been great, going back to 2018 Hobie 16 NAC where I met Austin, John, and Keith who all eagerly encouraged me to try out CRAM.
The North Cape regatta was a great event to get my feet wet with CRAM. I was fortunate to find a willing and able crew, Dominic, who I can't thank enough for all his help with setup, teardown, calling lay-lines, and enthusiastically crewing my Hobie 16 with me for the 6 races. Setting up your boat is always the first thing to do at a regatta. I enjoy rigging my boat, talking with competitors and offering assistance to fellow H16'ers with parts or advice. Straight away I knew I was at the right place with the friendly faces around me. Once we got on the racecourse, the friendly faces turn into competitive ones. This is, of course, the best part of a regatta. The competition was fierce and learned quickly that CRAM sailors came to race. Building skills alongside competitors is a great joy of sailing for me. A few moments stand out in particular with Austin (first place H16) and Kevin (third place H16) as the three of us were mixing it up with upwind crossings and mark roundings in every race. I'm looking forward to making a highlight reel from my GoPro footage. After the racing, the fun continued and I had an absolute blast hanging out with everyone and learning the Michigan pastime of euchre.
All in all, I just want to say what a pleasure it is to join this group. Thank you for having me. Racing and partying with you all will be some great memories for 2020 and beyond.
Thank you,
Bradley (Brad) Davis
Hobie 16 #115139
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2 comments
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![Jeff Rehm]()
Thursday, 25 June 2020 17:43
posted by Jeff Rehm
Great to have you Bradley. Hope to see you at Caseville in a few weeks!
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![Tom Tannert]()
Thursday, 25 June 2020 13:48
posted by Tom Tannert
I agree. Nobody does it better than CRAM. I lived in NE Ohio and raced with CRAM for 24 years. I was never disappointed. They are a wonderful group.
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