Sailing World for the Avid Racer

You could spend days sifting through all the different sailing magazines out there, each one discussing anything from boat building, cruising, or racing, trying to find one magazine that really hits home with you. Although I am a fan of many different magazines, on many different sailing topics, when it comes to racing Sailing World magazine has it down. As you read, however, you have to distract yourself from the adds pushing the newest most expensive equipment, clothing and technology which can lower your course time a few seconds. Besides this subtle point, you can consistently find several well written articles on many pertinent racing topics applicable to any tear of racing.

In this months issue, May 2008, there are columns on racing technique, tactics, and rules, as well as interesting news in the world of racing. The news is very informative and covers topics from the Barcelona World Race, collegiate standings, to the new full length sailing movie on the trans pac due to be released this fall. With all this very applicable information, there is also quite a bit of info that appeals to the wealthy racers out there who can afford the newest and greatest spinnaker material or new developments in two wheal steering systems.

If you are not interested in a subscription , which I highly recommend, you can stop by the sailing center and browse through the magazine sitting at one of our picnic tables. Also check out Sailing World online at www.sailingworld.com

US 470 Nationals 2008

The Sarasota Sailing Squadron hosted the 2008 470 Nationals Regatta in March this year.  The regatta was preceded by a three day clinic taught by Olympic Gold Medalist, Allison Jolly.  The 6 day event included 11 boats from all over North America.  Two boats called southern Florida home, 2 boats hailed from Houston Texas, 1 from Victoria British Columbia, and 6 boats from the Midwest.  The Midwest boats included two from MCSC: Doug Drake, Joe Fillingham, and John and Jeanne Michael, and one from Milwaukee Yacht Club: Patti McMahn and Susie Rieck.  

The regatta began in moderate weather with a 10 knot north west breeze allowing the fleet to race 3 full races in the open Gulf.  Day two was a bit more fickle with variable winds and occasional rain showers allowing only 2 races in the bay between Lido Key and the main land.  The final day brought heavy air reaching to 25 knots with only 2 races after at least 3 capsizes.  These incidents allowed for the changing of a few different places by the end of day 3.  

With former Olympian Allison Jolly and her crew Molly, a US sailing team member, on the course there was little chance of fighting for first place however the drama followed in fights for second and forth place.  The top five places were rounded out with 2 midwest boats: Hunter Ratliff and Chris "Topher" Williams, and Doug Drake and Joe Fillingham taking 3rd and 5th respectively.  

The midwest 470 fleet is hoping to have another full season of racing with regattas scheduled on Opeka, Lake Carlyle, the Milwaukee Yacht Club, and at MCSC.  

100th Annual Chicago Mac Race

This year's Chicago Mac Race will be the 100th installment of the event.  According to Chicago Yacht Club's web page, there are a record breaking 460+ entries for the race.  The race will be held on July 19, 2008.  

The Mac Race is the longest fresh water regatta in the world, covering 366 miles of Lake Michigan.  The race is world famous for its length, location, and intensity quite often being subject to challenging weather conditions over the 2 to 4 days of sailing.  

You can watch the regatta online as the race's host, the Chicago Yacht club offer the racers transponders which will make their position available to interested viewers.  Although sailing coverage is always at a premium, covering a race in this way has raised controversy at different levels of the sport as racers argue about the fairness of being able to see the position of competitors while sailing in open water miles apart.  

More information on the 2008 Chicago Mac Race is available on the Chicago Yacht Club's Web Page.  

Crew Search

South Shore Yacht Club will be hosting a Crew Search on Saturday April 26, 2008 from 3:00 to 6:00 PM. Although this is the same day as MCSC's opening day of sailing, the meeting will be a great opportunity for local racers to meet other racers sailing out of south shore and in the Milwaukee Bay area. The purpose of the meeting will be for potential crews to meet skippers and skippers to find potential crews.

South Shore Yacht Club hosts several racing series throughout the season, including an extremely popular Wednesday Night Series which supports several PHRF divisions on different buoy courses every week.

Single Handed Sailing On Lake Michigan

Long distance racing is one of the sports greatest challenges, and often generates the greatest press and prestige among the sailing community. Making Lake Michigan's most popular long distance races, the Queen's Cup and the Chicago Mac Race, look like cake walks the Lake Michigan Single Handed Society annually hosts two extreme short handed, long distance races: The Double Handed Championship and the Solo Challenge Race.

A similar group, who organizes long distance short handed races all over the Great Lakes is the Great Lakes Single Handed Society. This prestigious group organizes the Chicago to Mackinac Island Solo Challenge and Port Huron to Mackinac Island Solo Challenge, the Great Lakes most challenging sailing feats. This year will be the 12th annual single handed Mac race and the 30th single handed Port Huron to Mac race.

The Lake Michigan Single Handed Society will be hosting its annual Double Handed Championship on June 19, 2008, and its Solo Challenge Race on August 15, 2008.

The Great Lakes Single Handed Society will be hosting the Single Handed Mac Race on June 21, 2008.