SLOG – BLYC Sailing Log

Cleveland Race Week (CRW) is the largest sailing regatta on Lake Erie and has become one of the largest in the country. The annual event, now celebrating its 38th year, attracts over 300 boats from across the U.S., Canada and internationally. Nationally, Cleveland Race Week ranks as one of the largest sailing events based on number of sailing classes and attendance at the event. Founded in 1980, CRW has developed into 10 days of racing and special events. Edgewater Yacht Club, which recently celebrated it’s Centennial and underwent a clubhouse renovation, will be the host club for this event, scheduled to take place June 15 – 24th. CRW annually draws over 2,000 national and international participants and offers significant marketing exposure to a premiere demographic of sailing professionals, nationally ranked amateurs, junior sailors and female competitors. One design fleets that participate include J/22, J/70, J/24, J/105, Melges 24, Melges 32, Tartan 10, Thistle, Highlander, Dragon, Ensign, Jet-14, VX, Interlake, and Star classes. The Handicap (PHRF) Class is represented with nine racing divisions and three JAM divisions. CRW continues to be the premier sailing regatta on Lake Erie, and has consistently maintained or increased participation year after year. Our strong sponsorship network provides continuous support placing Cleveland Race Week in the upper echelon of US sailing events and further enhancing CRW’s status as a major national regatta.

When getting started in the sport, many people find themselves a bit overwhelmed by the apparent complexity of the racing rules.  After all, there are 92 rules, many with sub-sections and sub-sub-sections, and the book is nearly 200 pages long!  That said, however, the basic rules that you really need to get started are few and relatively easy to understand.

CLICK HERE for a brief primer from Ken Quant with the Milwaukee Area Sail & Trail association that will help you get started.  Feel free to download, print, and distribute at will.

CLICK HERE for an animated version of US Sailing’s “Handy Guide” to the Racing Rules.  (It’s a few years behind, based on the 2009-2012 rulebook, but the changes since that time aren’t really applicable to this basic primer so it’s still a very good introductory resource)

We hope to see you on the water for our first Sail on Sundays race on May 27th!

The Interlake Sailing Class has announced their 2018 Regatta Schedule and BLYC is honored to be hosting the final event of the season this year. The dam remediation project has kept us off the water in recent years, but we are confident that we’ll have enough water this year and the class agrees with us.
All Interlakes are invited to join us at the 2018 Snowball Regatta on Saturday, October 13. It will great to
welcome all of our Interlake friends back to BLYC and we’re looking forward to a great day on the water!
CLICK HERE for more information on the Interlake class.

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2018 Regatta Schedule

In an effort to better serve sailors, US Sailing, the national governing body for the sport launched a new, improved website on May 1, 2018.  The new site is more streamlined, user-friendly, and easier to navigate.  Check it out!

www.ussailing.org

Learn more about what US Sailing does and the advantages of membership in the following video:

The Mills Trophy Race is the premier sailing race on Lake Erie and is sponsored by the Toledo Yacht Club. It began in 1907 as a test of navigational skills on Lake Erie. The race has been held nearly every year since then and is unique in that it is raced at night. Although the race was originally configured as a triangle beginning and ending at the Toledo Yacht Club, since 1981 the race has begun at the harbor light and ended here at Put-in-Bay. That makes it a 35+ year tradition for the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club being involved. Come visit the island this weekend and see hundreds of sailing ships lining the docks in downtown Put-in-Bay.

The weekend kicks off with the Mills Party (open to the public) at Toledo Yacht Club on the evening of Thursday, June 7th.  The races start the afternoon of Friday, June 8 and the racers continue on one of three long distance courses overnight, ending at Put-in-Bay.  Saturday afternoon brings the Sailors Party at Put-in-Bay Yacht Club and plenty of fun on the docks and around South Bass Island.  The weekend culminates with the Awards Ceremony on Sunday morning and the racers depart for home.  Once again this year, BLYC’s Steve Harris will serve as the Principal Race Officer for the event.  If you’re thinking of coming up and enjoying a fun time on the island with fellow sailors, let him know!

For more information on the Mills, click on the image above.