Required Registration, $495.00.

[CapnK]

(Registration includes "free" t-shirt. Maybe...)

That's what it costs for one (1) sailor/skipperperson to participate in the Everglades Challenge 2024.
Want a crew, to go with?
They will be another $495, thank you.
There were over 80 boats entered last year. Do the math; that's a big chunk of change.

I understand there will be expenses/time incurred in the organizing, and I certainly don't begrudge the folks who do all that some compensation, not at all.
Otherwise this is an event where boats are unsupported, skippers left entirely to their own devices. There is no lodging, food, beverages, or dancing finish line girls provided. No support boats or help along the way, other than maybe a "Good job, ol' fella" at checkpoints. I think I saw that you get a t-shirt with your Registration.

But damn, I wanted to do this, and yet I simply cannot justify the cost. Certainly not on my current budget.

Does anyone know why it is so spendy? My possible crew suggested we just go there and start, and skip getting the fancy (and expensive!) t-shirt. I guess that's a possibility...

Or maybe I could go to BEER, and enlist some of y'all to sign up for the inaugural PensaCedar Sailathon***?



(***Free Registration; no t-shirt, unless you make one)

[rfrance0718]

Yup, Thistle Nationals was $500 and we got all that and more. (No finish line girls) I'm wondering if Everglades Challenge has high insurance expenses? Do they have to pay to keep tow boat u.s. to be on station? Do they have to pay to use DeSoto park for the launch? Still seems like a lot.

[CapnK]

Yup, Thistle Nationals was $500 and we got all that and more. (No finish line girls) I'm wondering if Everglades Challenge has high insurance expenses? Do they have to pay to keep tow boat u.s. to be on station? Do they have to pay to use DeSoto park for the launch? Still seems like a lot.

You have to sign a release/waiver, and the terms are all and explicitly about how "you are on your own", so I doubt there's much liability. No tow boats or similar. Not sure on the Park.

I've done some research, and have yet to see anything which references why it costs so much.

[Spot]

Did he say Pensa-Cedar? Very interesting....

[Captain Kidd]

I'm sure there are expenses. and this is America after all (ever heard of profit).

Maybe it serves to "weed out" all but the most serious sailors and partcipants.

[Norm L.]

That might be the answer. If it was $50 imagine what the starting line could look like. You could say I was in the FL 200 but had to drop out (an hour after the start)

[Noemi - Ensenada 20]

Kurt, you SHOULD go to BEER, at least once.  It's not so much a TSBB gathering these days, though.

[noelH]

It's the T-shirt .

Are not all "yacht-tees" wealthy   ?

Seems like most the events up here are all relatively pricey. Registration fees of $100 to +200.  Those are one day events. Most are fund raiser for some cause or organization.  Must be the t-shirt.