Flibs 2019

[Freeebird]

It’s easy... if you know what you’re doing. It obviously requires reasonably calm waters, but spring lines and tight lines are key. A total of four fenders between boats is really all you need. This is typical (maybe not this year) on football weekends in Knoxville.

These boats are rafted side by side with only one being tied to the dock. The other trick involves deploying anchors and keeping them from becoming entangled during a wind or current change. That’s not an issue here, but it is when the raft up is free floating. FLIBS is basically a huge raft up

[krush]

Why would anybody willingly involve oneself in such a potential for disaster like that huge raft up?

[Scarlett]

Randy that photo is amazing because not more than 10 minutes ago a friend was showing me an almost identical photo. He was there on his new boat at the Tenn. Georgia game, and the reason to do it is you can hear the noise from the stadium while you watch the game on your boat on TV and drink beer. John

[Freeebird]

Why would anybody willingly involve oneself in such a potential for disaster like that huge raft up?

Because it's fun?

The biggest problem with a raft up like the one I pictured is not knowing those with whom you are rafted up. That's where the biggest liability issues come in, not to mention ladies trapesing across your deck wearing heels.

I remember one year when some a$$hole in the middle of such a raft up decided he wanted to leave early. He proceeded to cast off his lines and let the boats outside him drift. Luckily they were gathered up before any damage was done, but I don't remember the outcome. It does take some skill, coordination and cooperation to make one like that work, but most of my raft up experience has been with friends and limited to about six boats or so. No big deal at all.

[Freeebird]

Randy that photo is amazing because not more than 10 minutes ago a friend was showing me an almost identical photo. He was there on his new boat at the Tenn. Georgia game, and the reason to do it is you can hear the noise from the stadium while you watch the game on your boat on TV and drink beer. John

The Alabama home game is THE game to attend by water as the Bama faithful show up in boats too. It's a case of one-upmanship, and there are some huge boats in attendance. I'll never forget seeing that 135' Christensen pass by my house en route to the game. It even made the news as it was too big to dock and they had to ferry people to the docks.


I attended the Alabama game in 2016 along with another HOF'er who brought his Hatt up from Alabama alongside a huge houseboat full of Tide dwellers. I was the token Vol fan on that boat which was equipped with a big screen TV and later a live band. I know I was on TV somewhere as a number of media folks shot video of the event. I thought it was pretty tacky that ESPN showed up after reneging on their earlier deal, but they were there too. This event lead to the infamous beer spilling aboard Paul's boat which allowed Dottie to refurnish the salon. Best $50 bribe I ever took.


I was actually supposed to bring the Hatt up with an ESPN crew who wanted to experience such a thing, but they bailed at the last minute. With that, the owner brought up the boat but invited me to partake in the festivities. I will tell you this much, it's much more fun to attend such games on someone else's boat. I've taken mine to one game and decided it just wasn't worth the effort.

[Passages]

You can count us in for Friday! Will there be a raft up at all?

Pretty much decided to pass on the raft up this go around. The most logical spots would have been Sunrise Bay or Lake Sylvia.
Sylvia is closer to the show but it's surrounded by private homes so non-boaters would have been hard pressed to join in. Sunrise Bay is big, calm water with great holding ground. It's about 20 minutes from the show at no wake speed. Plenty of parking and dingy docks at Coral Ridge YC for non boaters needing to get out to the party.

Maybe Miami would be a better venue if there is enough interest.

[Eddieclemons]

Any food favorites? Must See? Must Do? Any Boats, Electronics, Tender, PWC that you plan to see?

[Freeebird]

Yes, there are.

[Passages]

All of the above

[Eddieclemons]

Same, I will look to the locals for food recommendations.