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ON A
BUDGET |
Tips and Tricks to Help
You Save Time and Money! |
Send
us
your
tips |
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Less than
$100/pp/Night!
Share and Save
Find Crew
Save on Airfare
Save on Vehicles
Save
on Auto Rental
Try Camping
Have a Plan
Tips from Veterans
El Ocaso
Rhumb
Punch
Lunatic
Fringe on Expenses |
Campaigning one's boat - no matter how small - for a full week in the southernmost point in the United States is not an inexpensive proposition.
However, the perception that one has to have a maxi-boat budget to enjoy one of the ultimate experiences in sailboat racing, is dispelled by the boat owners who have been sharing their ideas with us over the years.
We
welcome your feedback and ideas.
Please email
us.
The majority makeup of the Key West fleet is not 70 foot sleds, Farr 40s and IRC 50 footers who may stay in 5-star hotels and fly first class. The
many "smaller to mid-size" one design and PHRF classes feature some of the most competitive racing in Key West, and at the risk of stating the obvious, a smaller boat translates into fewer crew and proportionally less expenses across the board.
How does the boat owner on a budget make this alluring event part of his or her racing calendar? Start by thinking out of the box.....
One this page well share some things we've learned and hope that
you'll send us your helpful hint, too.
Please contact us! |
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Race Week for less than $100 per person per night!
Tips from:
The
Accommodation Center
877-546-5824
305-296-4887
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Save on transportation
costs and meals with these host hotels:
Cypress House
- great location -
in room fridge, elaborate continental breakfast - teams can take a
few rooms that share baths with each other - walk to the Harbor - no
need for a car.
Budget Key West
– in room fridge,
microwave – walk to Historic Seaport and the Tent
1800 Atlantic
Condominiums
- located 1 1/2 miles from the Tent - a 2 bedroom 2 bath spacious
condo will sleep 6 with full kitchen and washer/dryer. ( $428 per
person based on 6 in the 2 bedroom unit.)
Truman Annex Shipyard
Condo's - 2
bedroom 1 bath will sleep 4 - full kitchen, less eating out -
($510.12 per person).
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Learn more on the
Accommodations Page
Key
West regular Kerry Klingler and his J/80 crew keep expenses down by
seeking lower priced hotels near Stock Island where his boat is
moored. "All we need is a place to sleep - it doesn't have to be
fancy." After all, the island is only 3 miles long - Race
Headquarters and the Duval Street nightlife are always within
striking distance. |
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Share and Save |
Pool resources and
make the regatta more affordable. Racing with crew and or fellow
owners willing to share expenses is a common and effective angle for
Key West owners. More
and more, there are crews willing to share in the costs of a
Key West campaign. Lunches and a special team dinner during the week
and then "on your own" works for many owners. Groceries and eateries
with reasonable prices are easy to find.
"You
can count on Rhumb Punch for Key West this year and years to
come. It is the last one off our schedule! We are a split
expenses effort rather than owner pay all (so money is not a
problem). NOOD regattas are okay but they are not Key West quality.
They should not be compared as similar buys".
Linda
and John Edwards |
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Find Crew |
The
Scuttlebutt crew board fills up
with people looking to crew and willing to share expenses. Some even
offer to share their local homes or accommodations. Be sure to check
it out. |
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Save on Airfare
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We all miss the
airfare bargains of the past, but there are still ways to save
here. Travel bureaus and online services are eager to help you find
a good deal. A round trip flight from anywhere in the U.S. to
Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Ft Myers, Marathon, or West Palm Beach is cheaper than one
that includes the connector to Key West.
Your crew can get
an inexpensive car rental to and from Key West and save
significant airfare - the layover and flight time nearly add up to
the drive time (3-1/2 hour drive from Miami)
The ferry is another
connector option - the terminal is about two blocks from the Key
West Express
www.seakeywestexpress.com. |
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Save on Vehicles |
Bicycles and
scooters
are primary means of transport for many sailors in Key West. Good
for the environment and great for your budget.
Save even more at
the Moped Hospital.
Special 10 percent
race week discount on scooter rentals!
Moped Hospital
- 601 Truman Avenue - Key West Fl 33040
1-888-296-1625 -
mopedhospital.com
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Save on Auto Rental |
Budget Rent A Car
The
official car rental supplier for Acura Key West 2007
Reservations:
call toll free 1-800-772-3773
Make reservations
online at
Budget.com
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How
About a
Campground? |
Boyd's Key West Campground
6401
Maloney Avenue
Stock Island
Key West, FL 33040
(305) 294-1465
Fax: (305) 293-9301
email: info@boydscampground.com
boydscampground.com |
Oceanfront RV and tent resort camping minutes from
Duval Street. Relax lounging by the pool, or enjoy area snorkeling,
fishing, diving and beaches.
Family owned and operated for over 40 years, our lush
tropical park provides the perfect setting for family vacations,
intimate getaways or an escape from cold winters. |
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More
Tips
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Bruce Bingman, a
Mumm 30 owner from Annapolis, Maryland has carefully worked out Key
West trailering specifics and his recommendations include
borrowing a trailer, ensuring permits are in order to avoid
surprise fines, and even tucking a few cases of low cost beverages
and supplies in the boat ahead of time. |
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KEY
WEST |
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Accommodations
Around Town Guide
Charter
Key West Marinas
Mopeds & Bicycles
Tourist Information
Weather |
Looking
for the perfect place to stay?
Our
HOST HOTELS and INNS OFFER YOU THE BEST OF KEY WEST!
Click here to learn more....
The
Accommodation Center can provide you with rates, availability and
amenities on hundreds of vacation accommodations in the Florida Keys,
Key West and the South Gulf Beaches. South Beach and Ft. Lauderdale. |
The
Accommodation Center
877-546-5824
305-296-4887
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Hit The Road, by Rick Wesslund
From Sailing World June 2006
Many owners consider traveling to events a daunting undertaking, but
that shouldn’t be the case. The first time I did Key West I worried
about everything, but now it’s a real snap-fit program. Here’s what
I’ve learned after four years of hauling my program cross country to
Key West.
1. Get your crew pumped up and make Key West (or any other
event for that matter) your goal, your destination. You want to get
to wherever it is as a team. It’s a reward to work toward, and it
keeps motivation high during the season knowing you’re going to the
most competitive event in the country.
2. Plan early. For Key West, the first week of July is the
time to start getting things in line – your trucking company, the
boatyard you’ll use, your slip, and your meals and accommodations.
3. Find a reliable rigger. My rigger travels with the boat.
It’s trucked to Florida in December and the rigger goes down early
to put it together. You can share the cost of the rigger with other
teams, especially teams with similar boats because the rigger knows
what needs to be done.
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4. Get reliable local
contacts who know the area, the services, and the people. The
first time you go, take the time to meet these folks.
5. Get a slip early.
6. Spread the cost by having crewmembers pay for their airfare,
and have them contribute to the housing and meal budgets.
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Off to the Races
- Sailing a
trailerable boat opens up a whole world of premier regattas, but getting
there requires careful planning
By John & Linda Edwards from Sailing May 2006
“... the excitement and fun of sailing at Key West Race Week is worth
all the preparation, which is why we’ve been driving our J/29 Rhumb
Punch to Key West from our Solomons Island, Maryland home since 1999.”
“Big ticket regattas like Key West, the St. Petersburg NOOD Regatta and
Charleston Race Week require planning that starts months before leaving
home. The team needs hotel rooms or a house for a week, a crane to
launch and recover the boat, a slip for the boat, permits for traveling
and escorts across certain bridges, confirmation of entries and ratings,
and most importantly, a menu.”
"In addition to the extra steps we have to take to plan for the
land-based portion of the journey, we have to do all the other things
common to all racing programs, regardless of the size of the boat.”
“Dealing with the crane situation is another thing we’ve perfected over
the years. The trick is to be ready when it’s your turn, but there is a
lot to do to get ready before the crane even comes into play. We use a
company called Stout Marine and we keep in close touch via cell phone
with Tom Stout to make sure everything happens in a timely fashion.
There is a list you want to get on, but it all comes down to making sure
you’re ready at the right time. Crane operators don’t sit around and
wait for crews to get their boats ready. They plunk them in the water
one after another like clockwork.
"When we finally get to Key West, the routine is one we’ve developed
over the years that we quite like. We unhook the trailer and head over
to Sloppy Joe’s bar where we reconnect with sailing friends we sometimes
haven’t seen for months. Although there is a lot of work to be done,
that’s something we’ll worry about another time, because that time in
Sloppy Joe’s is when it all becomes real. The weather has changed from
frigid to downright warm and the rather stressful job of getting the
boat to Florida is over. It’s that combination of trading in your parka
for a pair of shorts and an ice cold beer shared with good friends that
lets you know it’s time for the sailing vacation to begin.”
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Last, but not least, a
timeless all time favorite from the Sailing World web site - Posted by Rob Lehnert on February 02, 1999 at 15:54:10:
In Reply to: Thanks. I'm curious, Steve, what you're missing? posted by John Burnham on February 02, 1999 at 14:03:06:
"What a bargain! Compared to going to a regatta like Block Island Race
Week, Key West was a bargain. Our boat, a Tripp 26 - LUNATIC FRINGE, is owned by my brother Bill & I. Whenever we go away with the boat, the team
shares all of the living expenses. Excluding the boat (sails, hardware,
etc.) from the expenses, We found the Key West Race Week was cheaper than Block Island Week.
"Broken down among 6 people, it came to $400 a head. That included, a condo
at the Truman Annex, all food in the condo & on the boat, party tent bracelets. Not bad for a week in the sun.
"On top of that, Bill & I picked up the race entry fee, & fuel for the car,
crew gear (t-shirts, etc.) All total, it was about a $1000. Still not bad for a week in Jan.
"This was our first time at Key West Race Week, but on adding up the # comparing it to the last 4 years at Block Island Race Week, this was
cheaper. Hell, by the time we're finished with lunch, beer, and a round of
drinks at the bar after the race, it still costs about $100 to race on a Sun. afternoon locally.
"I think everyone should stop crying about the cost of these regattas. Anyone with so much as a J-24 can race. You don't need a big hi-tech boat.
The competition in PHRF is still better than anything at home on Eastern
Long Island. If you need any info for your article, please drop me a line.
Thanks, Rob"
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