J/35 Learn to Sail Classes

Hey! Have you ever wanted to learn to sail a big sailboat? On January 24th at 1:00 we are starting a Zoom class on how to sail. There will be five lessons out of a book (provided by our instructor) and starting in late April there will be five on the boat lessons. The cost is $750.00, but you will get your money back if you race on any sailboat between June and September. We have put over 30 new people on the water racing in the last two years. This is open to all, and it just might be an opportunity to get the teenagers involved. Ian Pouliot is our class instructor. Ian has over 35 years of racing sailboats. He is the current instructor at North Star Sail Club for Junior sailors. Ian is also a sail maker and has just a wealth of knowledge about sailing.

The sailboat for you to get involved with is called a J/35. It is 35 feet long, weighs 10,500 lbs, and is the most iconic sailboat ever designed. It was the first sailboat to be inducted into the United States Sailboat Hall of Fame. It was designed by Rod & Bob Johnstone in the early 80s. We have enough boats to race ONE DESIGN (very important) all summer out of North Star SC. You will have a chance to learn the lines (ropes?) and positions on a J/35. Sign up with a friend and take this experience with you for the rest of your life.

You can call me- Mike Fitzgerald- at (248) 790-0666 or call Ian (586) 295-9344 and get registered. This is a great chance to get involved with a new sport that you will take with you even when you're in your 80s. I say that because I am 70!! Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/35 North Star Sailing Club Fleet Announcement

 

(Detroit, MI)- The renaissance of J/35 racing continues to expand! All sailors like to race stick against stick and that is exactly what we are doing this coming September 27, October 4th, 11th and the final race day on Sat. Oct 24th. This is North Star Sail Club's premier regatta of the year. 

According to J/35 Class leader- Dean Fitzpatrick- of Detroit, MI, "there is, as you know, a lot of pent-up racing enthusiasm this year. The finger is about to be pulled out of the dike and the J/35s are going to be cut loose. This is going to be the most exciting J/35 regatta because we will have ten J/35s registered to race. The J/35s are leading the way for one design racing in this region of the country, along with the J/120s I might add. There are other makes of boats that are now following the J/35 lead and putting in the effort to have their own one-design start. 

You know how tough it is to corral crew to be there every week to race. The J/35s at North Star have the pleasure of extra people wanting to be part of the action. That's right, extra! The people at North Star have the leadership to put over 40 new people on sailboats in the past two years. The J/35s are able to take advantage of so many new sailors wanting to race and sailors who want to return to their roots after being away for a while. It is all very
exciting for the entire sport. 

With strong leadership you can attract people who want to participate. Here are some examples below for you:

• Jim Watts purchased GRIFFIN earlier this year. Jim sold his other boat and joined the J/35 fleet. Being an excellent experienced sailor, Jim has trained lots of newbies on his boat. Jim is nipping really close to the 6-time National Champion Bill Wildner's, MR BILL'S WILD RIDE on weekday racing at NSSC. 
• Tim and Amie Ross with their newly fixed mast have been racing three times a week on BLACK HAWK. 
• Bill Vogan, is still riding high after winning the Port Huron to Mackinac. Bill and his team on MAJOR DETAIL like to battle with four-time National Champion Ed Bayer on FALCON. 
• Cheryl Miller has the youngest crew on her boat DEAN'S LIST. She will be watching the University of Michigan professor Robert Gordenker very close on TIME MACHINE. Robert sails in both Michigan and over in Europe, a very skilled and competitive sailor; which is why he's always in the hunt. 
• Dennis Meagher owner of SNIPE has his experienced crew on the fast track. Dennis used to own a different sailboat last year, but now he sings the praises of his J/35.

On the last day of racing, when the awards are being announced, we will raise our glasses and make a toast to Rod and Bob Johnstone, creators of the amazing J/35! We will take some pictures and post them for all to see. The J/35 is really a special racing sailboat. It was the first sailboat inducted into the US Sailboat Hall of Fame."  Thanks for this contribution from Dean Fitzpatrick, J/35 class principal "cheerleader"! Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Bayview One-Design Regatta FUN!

 

(Detroit, MI)- The 2020 pandemic edition of Bayview Yacht Club's annual Bayview One-Design Regatta had an unusual twist this year as it was the first major event the club has hosted all year long.  The event hosted a combination of both one-design fleets as well as PHRF handicap fleets...it certainly made for a lot of fun for the sailors. Perhaps the most difficult part of sailing the event was dealing with submerged docks and/or bulkheads due to the extremely high waters across all of the Great Lakes!

In the hotly-contested seven-boat J/120 Division, it was Charles Hess' FUNTECH RACING that took class honors with a 3-2-1-5-2 tally for 13 pts total. Second was Mike & Bob Kirkman's HOT TICKET just 3 pts back with a record of 1-4-4-3-4. Taking the final bronze step on the podium was Mike Fozo & Robin Kendrick's PROOF with a 2-7-5-4-1 scoreline for 19 pts, winning a tie-breaker over Henry Mistele's NIGHT MOVES. Fifth place went to Greg Baker's KAIROS.

In the PHRF handicap world, it was Brad Kimmel & Steve Young's J/111 DIABLO that grabbed the silver in the PHRF 1 Division. In the PHRF 2 Division, Jason Geisz's J/70 CHICHIRA took the bronze, followed by Mary Symonds' J/105 PTERODACTYL in fourth, and Cynthia & Jim Best's J/105 PHANTOM. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Throw-Down in MoTown!

Rumble in the Jungle- J/35 Style!
(Detroit, MI)- We had eight J/35's competing on August 15th and 16th. It was as good as it gets. At the end of the day on Saturday there was a bowline knot, for you rookies that is a three-way tie for first. Mr. Bill's Wild Ride 1st and 3rd, Snipe was 2nd and 2nd, and Dean's List was 3rd and 1st. The last race was called because of no wind.

There was a delay on Sunday do to a thunder storm. James Baker and his committee team told us all to standby that the storm will be over and he and his team at NSSC were all in to race more. Thank you NSSC for your dedication to being the real deal.

With that being said; Sunday Mr. Bill's Wild Ride was 1st and 2nd. Snipe was 2nd and 1st. Dean's List was 3rd and 3rd.

The THIRD RACE WAS THE BEST. In the final 7-tenths of a mile there were three lead changes. Dennis Meagher nosed out Mr. Bill by 1.5 feet and beat Dean's List by 10 seconds. Congratulations to all the sailors!

The party at NSSC and the awards were outstanding. We had Jake burgers cooked on the J/35 grill, and plenty of Guinness as we all talked about J/35 sailboat racing.

I heard there are several people with their big toes poking at the J/35 world. I will write you a hall pass! Please join in
you will happy you made the right decision. Do not buy yourself short, our renaissance is happening.

North Star Sail Club is the premier yacht club in Michigan. Their dedication to racing and putting out the effort to never be bogged down in politics is great. NSSC has the ability to keep 'the main thing the main thing'. Keep up your fine work!  For more North Star Sail Club information.

Eight Bells: Bill Alcott

William D. Alcott III (“Bill”) of St Clair Shores, Michigan sailed off over the horizon on February 3, 2020 at the age of 83. He had been winning a battle against cancer for 14 years when it finally overtook him, but he enjoyed life to its fullest, even during those battle years, living his life, not his disease.

During that time, he sold his company, immersed himself further in his favorite pursuit, sailboat racing, created an elaborate model train layout, married his long-time sweetheart, built a home on Lake St Clair, and adopted his beloved dog Murphy.

Bill traveled a lot, won a half dozen Mackinac races overall and had most recently shifted his focus to a classic mahogany Hacker Craft, as a tender to his cherished sailboat, Equation. There was no slowing down for retirement or disease.

Perhaps the best inspiration for his successful healthcare informatics business was his love of sailing. Bill was the proud owner of the “Equation” brand – seven sequentially larger racing sailboats (one was his beloved J/44 for ten years) and a long-time member of Bayview Yacht Club. Bill was also a member of the Storm Trysail Club, Society of Mackinac Island Old Goats (BYC), and the Island Goats Sailing Society (CYC), which put him in the illustrious group of “Double Goats” having completed in 25 races each.

Bill raced the Great Lakes, East Coast, Key West, and he especially loved the Caribbean with his devoted crew members, and these were long standing, close personal relationships for him. His crew were family members. His boat rules were simple – no shouting, always show up with a hangover, and if you were late for boat call you had to buy drinks for the entire crew.

His racing program and success on the course are well known and include 47 Port Huron to Mackinac races and 35 Chicago to Mackinac races. He is survived by every sailor who ever had the good fortune to participate on Equation.

Bill loved reading and always had his Kindle in his pocket. He was a skilled banjo and ukulele player and could harmonize to fit in with any barbershop quartet. He taught all his kids to play Frisbee and when they grew up, he taught the dog.

His personal loyalty, his passion for integrity, his bewitching intensity had the power to make everyone feel like family. The foundation of that ability, though, was his real family. He is lovingly and forever remembered by his wife and partner of 32 years- Kim- his three children, his two sisters, and multiple grand-children.

Fair winds and safe harbor, Bill. You will be missed by all of us. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Stormy Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race

(Port Huron, MI)- While last year was a drifter, this year was anything but for the 202 boats competing in the 2019 Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race. The 95th running of the longest consecutively held freshwater race in the country started Saturday, July 20 at noon on lower Lake Huron and served up a “little bit of everything” on its way to the finish line at Mackinac Island.

“It included reaching, running, a lot of beating, and a pretty nasty storm thrown in on Saturday evening,” said Bill Martin (Ann Arbor, Mich.), the skipper of a Santa Cruz 70. According to Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race Chairman Robert Nutter, the storm dumped torrential rain for three hours straight and harbored gusts in excess of 30-40 knots. Nutter commented, “there were some breakdowns, but most everyone persevered. and enjoyed a great race with average wind speeds of 15-20 knots.”

Cove Island Course
On the Cove Island Course of 259.0nm, the first leg northeast to the Cove Island buoy along the Canadian shoreline was a reach for the entire fleet. Then, a storm rolled through with winds in the 20-30 kts range from the west-northwest, with the fleet finding themselves beating for over 75.0nm. Then, as the storm passed, it veered as predicted into the northerly quadrants and got lighter, permitting most of the fleet to be lifted on starboard tack and some of the faster mid-fleet boats basically had a long fetch on starboard tack into the Mackinac Island finish line.

Out for redemption in Class D was Robert Christoph’s J/121 LOKI. As they did in the Chicago-Mackinac Race, LOKI set a fast, hard pace in the first part of the race to the Cove Island buoy, comfortably leading the class boat-for-boat and punishing the Chicago to Mac Race winner- the 1D35 Turbo called Chico 2. Thereafter, as the front rolled through, the J/121 LOKI reveled in the windy conditions, played the shifts for the favored tack to the Mackinac Island finish line, and continued to sail away from the class. Finishing at 4:34 AM Monday, they covered the track in 39:44:35 to win their class comfortably by nearly 2 hours corrected time! As a result, a very happy J/121 LOKI crew was now on the podium for the second time in just one week! Rounding out the top five were Jeff Schaeffer’s J/111 SHMOKIN JOE in 3rd, Don Hudak’s J/111 CAPERS in 4th, and Robert Klairmont’s J/133 SIROCCO 3 in 5th.

Class E was comprised solely of ten J/120s. Taking class honors was Henry Mistel’s NIGHT MOVES, joining them on the podium was Charlie Hess’ FUNTECH RACING in 2nd and Kenneth Brown & Mark Pikula’s J-HAWKER in 3rd (these two were only separated by 30 secs at the finish!). The balance of the top five included John Harvey & Rick Titsworth’s SLEEPING TIGER in 4th and Curtis Kime’s VICTRIX in 5th position.

Guess who won Class H that was made up of mostly J/35s? Yes, you guessed right! Bill Wildner’s infamous MR BILL’S WILD RIDE. Second was Dennis Meagher’s SNIPE and third was Bill Vogan’s MAJOR DETAIL. Fourth was Phil Velez’s AMANTE and fifth Cheryl Miller’s DEAN’S LIST.

Winning the all J/Boats Class I was yet another familiar name at the top of the podium, none other than the Chicago Mackinac Race winning J/109 GOAT RODEO sailed by Robert Evans! And, yet another champion team took the silver, Mark Symond’s J/105 PTERODACTYL- winners of the J/105 class in the Chicago Mackinac Race. In fact, both boats earned the honor of being the winning J/109 and J/105 for the second respective Mac Race, a feat that has been repeated in previous Mac Races for these two teams. Third was Chris Mallet’s J/109 SYNCHRONICITY, fourth was Jim Murray’s J/109 CALLISTO, and fifth went to Mark DenUyl’s J/105 GOOD LOOKIN.

Gary Gonzalez’s J/42 DOS MAS took the silver in Class K Cruising Sails. Then, Brad & Ian Faber’s J/111 UTAH took the silver in the DoubleHanded Class L division.

Third in Division N in the Shore Island Course was Brett Langolf's happy crew on the J/34 IOR KNEE DEEP!

A total of 20 classes sailed in three divisions at the 2019 Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race, which prides itself on being one of the most spirited events on the Great Lakes. On Friday night (July 19), participants lined the Black River with their boats to participate in Boat Night. They paraded to the start on Saturday morning to the cheers of spectators lining the shore. After finishing on Sunday and Monday, skippers and crews found their way to the Pink Pony (an iconic bar on Mackinac Island) to get a delicious Bell’s Beer once they cleaned up, and Tuesday afternoon they attended a giant awards party and concert on the grounds of Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel.  Follow the Bayview Mackinac Race on Facebook here  For more Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/35 Class Seeking Offshore Sailors

(Detroit, MI)- A J/35 owner in Detroit, MI- Dean Fitzpatrick- is organizing an offshore racing clinic for just 20 people this May 2019.  It is a six lesson program, five hours per day, that will teach wanna-be offshore racers how to rig, sail, and race one of the most iconic offshore racing sailboats ever designed- the J/35.

Detroit has some of the best offshore sailors in the USA that are going to volunteer their J/35s and time. The boats are WHIPLASH, DEAN’S LIST, FALCON, and BLACKHAWK.

On the last day of the clinic- May 19th- there will be W/L races against several J/35s from the local fleet to test everyone’s knowledge and skills.

A candidate must be at least 18 years old and know how to swim.  The program is open to ANYONE that wishes to learn how to sail offshore. The six-day, five hours per day, program cost is $1,000.  But, you will get ALL your money back IF you race five races on any J/35 (or similar big boat) between May and September 2019.

Please call Dean Fitzpatrick to lock in your enrollment, it just might be the best move you ever made! Call Dean at ph# (989) 305-2985 or (248) 790-0666.  Or, email him at- dean_fitzpatrick@msn.com Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Detroit sailors having some fun in Naptown!

(Annapolis, MD)-  According to J/34 IOR owner of KNEE DEEP, Brett Langolf, “a group of us sailors from Detroit represented Bayview Yacht Club at the Annapolis NOODs. We competed in the competitive 23-boat J/80 Fleet on the boat KOPP-OUT. The group of four had never sailed together, but knew each other from their hometown (Port Huron) and college (Michigan State). This was the owner/skipper’s (Tom Kopp) second regatta and, amazingly, our team took 2nd Place, one 1 point out of 1st after 8 races (3 days)!! We lost out to some local Pro’s that know the Bay waters well. They also led the fleet with three 1st place finishes throughout the weekend. Kudos to our crew- CJ Ruffing, Steve Young, and Tom Kopp!  We had a blast!” Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Record-setting Bayview Mac Race

J/Teams Excel Across Five Divisions!
(Port Huron, MI)- Racing for the 93rd Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race concluded when the last team of 191 to complete the race finished on Monday, July 24. The celebrations, however, continued through Tuesday for more than 5,000 sailors, their family members and friends gathered on the grounds of Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel for a prize giving and party that included live music and the awarding of special trophies as well as Larry Bell’s announcement of a two-year extension of title sponsorship for Bell’s Brewery.

After the start on Saturday, July 22, there were 123 teams competing on the 254 nautical-mile Cove Island course and 82 teams racing on the shorter 204 nm Shore Course. With rain and several storms to encounter, some boats retired, but for most, the race was extraordinarily fast and satisfying, even accounting for one record-breaking performance.

As one sailor noted, this was the fastest “Bayview Mac” they had ever logged, a Volvo 70 set a course record in 21 hours! "We were never off the breeze all the way to Cove Island. I can’t ever remember going upwind (for 140 miles) that long, or getting that wet. Saturday was torrential rain. After getting around Cove Island, it became a fun, fast downwind course. We ran into storms, but thankfully, you could see them coming. They really blasted us, so we took down the spinnaker. Then, the last 15 miles the wind died!”

First to finish in the J/fleet was the J/120 PROOF sailed by Mike Fozo & Robin Kendrick, completing the longer Cove Island course in just over 33 hours.  As a result, PROOF won Class C (all J/120s) quite handily.  Those crew members included Al McNally, Tom Vern, Sara Atkinson, Joshua Mankowski, Bill Miller, Steven Harthorn, Wally Cross, and Brad Restum. Taking 2nd place in class was Henry Mistele’s NIGHT MOVES, with crew of Nancy Kuspa, Steve Falcone, Tom Dawson, Jeff Mueller, Eric Petersen, Cynthia Ross, Kurt Hohn, John & Johnny Hughes, and Peter Siek.  Rounding out the podium in 3rd place was Geoff Brieden & Jeff Clark’s SCOUT with crew of Tom Enders, Brian Francis, Matt Malley, Stephen Beskange, Kevin Lewand, Jerry Bresser, Greg Engels, Brian Wagner.

In Class D was a battle of the 35+ footers in the J/stable, with the J/105s winning on handicap, followed by a gaggle of J/111s and J/109s.  The J/105 crews were tough, sweeping the top two spots and placing 3 of the top 4 in class!  Winning was Mark DenUyl’s GOOD LOOKIN’ with crew of Brennan Churchill, Brock & Bryson DenUyl, Kevin Irland, John Anter, and Ron Churchill.  Taking 2nd place was the Chicago to Mackinac Race winning crew- Mark Symonds’ PTERODACTYL, with crew of Robert Bailey, John Quinlan, Kevin Morin, Michael Morin, Thac Nguyen, and Duane Rose.  Fourth in class was the J/105 WIND SHADOW sailed by skipper Jim Murphy with crew of Daniel Burleson, Dan Gidcumb, Lauri Ellias, Mike Hendrie and Ruth Barrett. Finally, rounding out the top five was Don Hudak’s J/111 CAPERS, with crew of Chad Atzemis, Eric Jackett, George Miller, Todd Imbler, Al Buescher, and Brian Epp.

Class F saw Dick & Dan Synowiec’s J/33 SHENANIGAN take 6th place overall with crew of Chris McCardell, Rob & Ian Reimel, Jody Kjoller, and Brian Smith.

The Level 35 Class G had a record-setting eleven J/35s in the race.  Not surprisingly, the winner was Bill Wildner’s J/35 MR BILL’s WILD RIDE!  For this year’s race, Bill only had along a few crew, such as Colleen Wildner, Jim Kostoff, Tom Kopp, Mike Zanella, Kent Schwandt, John Jamieson, Rob Rabine, Tim Schley and Eric Westen- where do you put all those people on a J/35??  Taking third place was Ed & John Bayer’s J/35 FALCON (Ed became a Grand Ram- 50 years!).  The FALCON crew included Brian Beaudet, Max Merget, Mike Welch, Mary Allen, Fred Blackmer, Ron Rossio, William Blackmer, and Mark Allen.

Finally, in the Class I- Cruising division, Gary Gonzalez’s J/42 DOS MAS won their class with relative ease! Their crew included Ilja Vreeken, Eric Messerly, Mark Pytell, Bill Bishop, Geoff Vernon, Brett Dodds,
Henry & Charles Gonzalez, James Lieder, Lynn Pytell.

Sailing the shorter “Shore Course” that goes from the start and straight up the Michigan shoreline to Mackinac Island were two J/crews. In Class N, Don King’s classic J/30 CONUNDRUM took 4th place, with crew of Mark Elliot, Kevin Meiselbach, Tom Cadotte, Brian Hawkins, and Tyler Johnson.  For more Bayview Mackinac Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race Preview

(Port Huron, MI)- When it comes to send-offs for distance races, nobody does it better than Bayview Yacht Club with their Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race, which starts Saturday, July 22nd for 229 teams. Friday is “Boat Night,” when entries line up their boats along both banks of the Black River for some last-minute frolicking with friends and fans during the coinciding Blue Water Fest in Port Huron. The next morning, the fleet will motor to the starting line in a parade that passes under the Bluewater Bridge and past more fans that set up lawn chairs on the shore and cheer on their favorites. Then, after logging either 259 or 204 nautical miles on their choice of two courses (Cove Island Course and Shore Course, respectively), all “Bayview Mac” sailors will be welcomed on Michigan’s magical horse-and-carriage island of Mackinac with more celebrations, including a giant awards party at the Grand Hotel’s Woodfill Park on the Tuesday after the start.

“It’s like no other race in this country,” said Greg Thomas (Gross Pointe Park, Mich.), who is set to sail the Cove Island Course. “The fun factor is huge, but more important, it’s a 92-year-old tradition where whole families live 12 months for the next race.”  Moreover, while the race is a platform for family fun, it’s also a true test of fortitude, says Thomas.

“First of all Lake Huron is a big lake. You’re alone, it’s cold and there are no cities along the way (as opposed to Chicago Mac where you are passing towns with hundreds of thousands of people). Then, on the Cove Island Course you are near the Canadian shore, so you are very alone – there weren’t even cell phone towers until five years ago. You experience this significant challenge of survival instincts and your sailing abilities, so when you finish the race you feel like you’ve really done something: you’ve met a challenge and prevailed.”

And because the race happens at the height of July and finishes at a fairy tale destination, there’s a migration of families and friends to Mackinac Island, instead of sailors getting on a plane to get out of there as fast as they can.

“It’s truly out of a postcard, with the clop, clop, clop of horses everywhere, no cars, the fudge, the cannons going off…it’s a place turned back in time,” said Thomas.  “It’s no wonder Bayview Mac racers who get there Sunday night and Monday morning want to stay through to the awards party on Tuesday and then head back on Wednesday. It’s a great challenge followed by a great festival.”

Imagine these scenes each year of the Bell's Beer Bayview Mackinac Race (from top left: Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, camaraderie after racing, overall winner Il Mostro near the finish, the fleet at Mackinac Island. (Photo Credit: Martin Chumiecki/Bayview Yacht Club)

The weather forecast for the race is intimidating from a tactical point of view, and a challenge for the crews based on the recent experiences of the Chicago-Mackinac racers from the previous weekend.  Shown here, the forecast wind direction (streamlines) and wind speed (color contours) 0200 hrs on Sunday morning is from the GEFS forecast model. The GEFS is the ensemble version of the GFS, a long-standing global model used by the National Weather Service. The image shows the center of the low passing over southern Lake Huron and its counterclockwise wind field (red arrows have been added for clarity).  Check out the dramatic differences in wind direction based on low's quadrants along with the very weak winds associated with the low's center (1.7 knots). As mentioned above, modest differences in the timing and low's track across Lake Huron will have a dramatic impact on the wind forecast; and to adopt the correct strategy to play the wind field as it moves over the lake and switches from N/NE to SE/SW and around the clock, FAST, to W/NW!

Most of the J/Teams are sailing on the longer Cove Island course that takes the teams up to the Canadian shoreline “turn left” to head to the famous Mackinac Island finish line with the candy red and white lighthouse marking the offshore end of the line.  In Class D there is an eclectic mix of J/35s, J/109s and J/111s- all about 35 to 36 feet in length, representing nearly the entire history of offshore racing J/designs in one class!

The J/111 crews include Don Hudak’s CAPERS, Jim Cooper’s FREEDOM, Dave Irish’s NO SURPRISE, Jeff Schaeffer’s SHMOKIN JOE, and Dan Kitchen’s SKULL CRACKER.  Amongst the J/105s, top teams will include Mark Denuyl’s GOOD LOOKIN, Mark Symonds’ PTERODACTYL (recent J/105 class winner in the Chicago to Mackinac Race and hoping to complete a class double!), Doug Livermore’s VENOM, and Jim Murphy’s WINDSHADOW. The leading J/109 teams include Jim Murray’s CALLISTO, Bob Evan’s GOAT RODEO (recent winner of the J/109 class in the Chicago-Mac and also hoping for a class double!), Bill Hamilton’s PHOENIX, and Chris Mallett’s SYNCHRONICITY.  Finally, thrown into the mix for good measure will be John Stromberg’s J/92 KOHATSU and Bob Klairmont’s J/133 SIROCCO 3!

Class C, a.k.a. the ten-boat one-design J/120 class, will have a number of the top dogs competing, such as Frank Kern’s CARINTHIA, Charlie Hess’ FUNTECH RACING, Mike & Bob Kirkman’s HOT TICKET, and Dave Sandin’s J-HAWKER.

Class F will have only one competitor from the J/stable, Dick & Dan Synowiec’s very fast and well-sailed J/33 SHENANIGAN.

The Level 35 Class G will have a record-setting participation of ELEVEN J/35s in the race (at least a recent 20 year record!).  So many new owners and faces on the J/35s, but for sure some of the veterans will be teaching the “newbies” a thing or two about the race.  These crews have done well and won class or overall Bayview Macs more than once!  They include Tim & Amie Ross’ BLACKHAWK, Ed & John Bayer’s FALCON (his 50th Mac??) and, of course, perhaps the most famous J/35 of all time in the Great Lakes- Bill Wildner’s MR BILL’s WILD RIDE!

Finally, in the Class I- Cruising division, Gary Gonzalez’s J/42 DOS MAS will be looking to cruise faster than everyone else for the coveted class win— something J/42s are known to do with relative ease!

Sailing the shorter “Shore Course” that goes from the start and straight up the Michigan shoreline to Mackinac Island are two J/crews.  In Class K is the J/34 IOR KNEE DEEP sailed fast and smart by Brett & Katie Langolf from Lake Erie- hoping to add another class win! Then, in Class N is another famous J/classic, Donald King’s J/30 CONUNDRUM.  For more Bayview Mackinac Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/70 Stadium Sailing Hits Detroit Race Track!

Four Sailing League Events @ Grosse Pointe YC
(Grosse Pointe Shores, MI)– For this summer, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club in Michigan has organized a series of three stadium-style regattas – scheduled May 20, June 23 and September 16 – and will host the Premiere Sailing League USA’s Freshwater Cup/ Great Lakes Challenge on August 12. All four competitions will be sailed in one-design J/70s, with the May 20 event promising “adrenalin-fueled action” at the club’s Great Lakes Boating Festival.

“The May event, like the others, is free, open to the public, and designed to capitalize on fast-paced sailing in close quarters that is thrilling for both competitors and spectators,” said Grosse Pointe Yacht Club Sailing Director Wally Cross, explaining that in a timeframe of four hours, 18 races will be sailed.  Each race will have four legs and last between two and three minutes. Skippers and crews “sail nine, watch nine,” giving them an opportunity to interact with the shore-side crowds. “It’s based on the concept introduced by Premier Sailing League USA and tested with great success last Fall here at this club. Because of the fun factor, word has already spread and people are excited to get involved.”

There are approximately 20 J/70s that regularly sail in the Michigan area, and Cross says the club’s three-race series is open to anyone who owns or can get their hands on a J/70. Points will be cumulative, with the series winner determined at the final event in September. The Premier Sailing League USA event will be separately scored and slightly different. It will be a yacht club challenge open to all clubs on the Great Lakes, and each club (as many as 30 are expected) will be allowed to sail one J/70 in the one-day event. It also guarantees exciting action close to shore, with as many as 20 short windward/leeward races

“When the action is literally right out in front of the dock, where the dock is part of the course (meaning you tack to avoid it), people standing there really get a feel for it,” said Cross. “The J/70 is the perfect boat; it’s sporty but manageable and really fun to sail.”

Because of the need for three marks to be constantly moving due to changing wind direction and length of course desired, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club and the Premiere Sailing League USA plan to test a new remote-controlled buoy system for the races.

“There are so many elements that make all this truly exciting, but the key thing is that it starts at one time and finishes at another, just like a basketball game,” said Cross. “Life today is all about justifying your free time, and if you can clearly say that from beginning to end something will last four hours, that our families can join in, and we’re going to have a lot of fun, it’s going to change the way people view the sport of sailing.”

Please contact Grosse Pointe YC Sailing Director Wally Cross for more information regards GPYC’s stadium sailing project- cell# 586-596-8854 or email- wcross@gpyc.org   For more information about Premiere Sailing League USA  For more information about the Great Lakes Boating Festival Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Stadium Sailing: Re-defining Sailboat Racing

(Grosse Pointe, MI)- Sailmaking professional and Grosse Point Yacht Club Sailing Director Wally Cross shares his plan for changing the way we view the sport of sailing.  Wally has been coordinating with Ben Klatzka, founder of the Premiere Sailing League USA, to help jump-start broad-based participation in one-design keelboat racing for Corinthian yacht club members.  This past fall, Grosse Pointe YC co-hosted their first “test event” for the “college-style” sailing league program using their fleet of J/70 class sailboats; all participants considered it an enormous success.  Here is Wally’s commentary on what he considers to be THE evolution of sailboat racing for kids, parents, families and friends.

“Ben and I have been discussing this concept of sailing in front of sailing clubs for two years. His business is the Premier Sailing League. His goal is to provide boats around the country in specific yachting venues, and create live entertainment in a ‘stadium sailing’ environment that has never been realized for the sport in America. The goal is to have regional yacht club challenges and eventually crown a national champion.

This past September, we decided to try a stadium sailing concept event at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. We had ten J/70’s from the Detroit area divided into four divisions; the goal was a four-hour schedule with a total of 18 races. Each team sailed during half the schedule to complete their nine races, splitting time on the water with time ashore spectating. On the dock, we had a grill and bar set up for spectators and participants (a very popular place to be!).

With so many demands on our time with family, work and competing sports, it is my belief that our passion for any sport can only be justified for a shorter period of time than what it takes to do the conventional sailboat race.

I always thought 18 holes of golf would be the maximum time we could set aside for a sport, yet even with that four to five hour time frame, golf is struggling with participation rates due to the various elements required to play; their challenges are similar to sailing- total travel time, actual play time, and the cost involved.

Stadium sailing is set up to be a four-hour experience, yet participate for half that time.  More importantly, the stadium-style event creates a far better ratio of actual sailing/ racing time to your total hours invested!  Compare that to the normal day of racing from your home yacht club or on the road for a travel event! That is one of the key goals – to maximize actual racing time relative to the entire time devoted to sailing for a given day or weekend.

The sailors are the ‘actors’ on the water and, then, the ‘ambassadors’ on land. We asked the participants to mix in with the audience to explain what is happening on the water, so there is a natural synergy that evolves both onshore and on the water. Coincidentally, this interaction naturally helps grow the sport! It is a byproduct of the stadium concept that fosters more participation for a sport that has been challenged to grow!

To sail the 18 races, each race had to be between 11 and 13 minutes. There is no down time and practicing is not allowed. Once the first flight completed the three races, the next group had to be ready to go without any gap in time, thus helping to maximize the actual race time for the sailors.

The course had three movable buoys that provided a windward-leeward course. The start, finish and leeward gate are all the same. The race is four legs and each leg is less than four minutes. The starting sequence is a 3-minute control box on shore (just like college racing) and a judge for the line sits in a RIB with a loudhailer.  We also followed the boats and whistled/ flagged the teams for any fouls. The penalty was a 360-degree turn or a last place finish for that race.  Fouling was not an option if you wanted to do well!

This style of sailing places a premium on quick tactical decisions and boat-handling skills and, consequently, focuses participants on rapidly improving their game!

The sailors faced many more strategic/ tactical situations in one day, than they would in a traditional 2-3 race day regatta!  The goal was to make racing quick, easy and decisive, so you provide instant gratification for all competitors and virtually continuous action for the spectators.

In order to run 18 races in four hours, the marks had to move a lot. The wind speed and direction directly affect the time the fleet takes to sail the course, so the marks have to adjust fast!  Based on the first lap time, the windward mark was either increased or decreased in distance.

To facilitate mark movement, Grosse Point YC is working with a buoy manufacturer that expects to produce a motorized mark that can be controlled with a smart phone. The mark will lock into a GPS setting, unless changed by the ‘course manager.’ On top of each buoy will be a Go-Pro style video camera that can wirelessly transmit images back to the sailing center. As a result, one person can adjust the course constantly for wind direction and speed; the goal is to keep the time close to 11 minutes and the course true to the wind.

We have plans for three events next summer with each event concluding with awards, but at the end of the three event series we will have a grand prize that will be awarded to the top three overall finishers. All the awards will be items the sailors can use to improve their performance.  Here is GPYC’s 2017 sailing league schedule:

• May 20 – concurrent with Great Lakes Boating Festival
• June 24 – concurrent with Great Lakes USODA Optimist Regatta
• September 16 – Grand Championship Finals

We plan to sell sponsor branding on the moving marks, along the sailing wall (the pier in front of the club), on our new sailing center (located on-the-water), and on the asymmetrical spinnakers.  As the concept takes off, we anticipate strong sponsorship interest as well as significant growth in spectator attendance.

It is important to note that sponsors will get VIP treatment for seating and food/beverage service. The GPYC’s sailing center will allow spectators to watch the racing from a balcony looking over the water and race course area (just 50 yards away!), plus we plan to add bleacher seating for better viewing.”

To learn more about Grosse Pointe YC’s sailing league plans for 2017, please contact Wally Cross at phone# 313-640-7014 or email- gpycsailing@gpyc.org.  And, for Premiere Sailing League USA information, contact Ben Klatzka at phone# 617-480-8775 or email- benjaminklatzka@hotmail.com.

First Premiere Sailing League Great Success!

(Detroit, MI)– Showcasing the stadium sailing concept that the Premiere Sailing League USA is working to bring to the U.S.A., the league held its first-ever event at Detroit’s Grosse Pointe Yacht Club (GPYC) on September 10 with ten teams of four sailors racing J/70s. In just over four hours the 10 boats rotated through the 18-race exhibition event: each team sailed a total of nine races and watched the action for a total of nine while mingling with spectators.

“This was a good first step in changing how we view sailing,” said Wally Cross, Sailing Director of GPYC. “The format is proof that you can watch our sport and make it entertaining. This was a test, and based on the success of this event we plan to have another major stadium sailing event next summer at GPYC for the Premiere Sailing League USA.”

Cross feels the format is a new direction in sailing – and entertainment. “This is new, fast paced and entertaining,” explained Cross. “In my opinion, our sport takes too much time to do and takes time away from family. With the Premiere Sailing League’s concept, you can sail from noon to 4:00, watch for a couple of hours and have your family come down to be a part of the action. The total time of the regatta is equal to one round of golf. Someone can come and watch the action and talk to the competitors while viewing the races.”

GPYC is the first of over a dozen planned venues with which Premiere Sailing League USA will partner to stage sailing in a stadium-style setting; each regatta will be held close to shore and will utilize the latest social media technologies to engage both live and virtual audiences.   For more detailed information on the Premiere Sailing League, please contact via email or visit http://www.premieresailingleague.com.

J/120 USA Nationals Got “Hammered”!

(Detroit, MI)- The mighty SLEDGEHAMMER, based out of the Buffalo Yacht Club, won the J/120 National Championship August 19-21 with a first place finish in last race of regatta held on Lake St. Clair outside of Detroit. Bayview Yacht Club in Detroit hosted the event. The SLEDGEHAMMER team beat fourteen boats from Detroit, Toronto, Buffalo and Hudson, OH in the regatta billed as "the heavyweight fight on the lake".

In three days of racing on Lake St. Clair, owner and helmsman Tom Lewin led his son Tommy and Mark Christensen of Santa Cruz CA, Doug Bienko, Pat and Mike Augello, Larry Militello, Peter Johnson, Anthony Alexander (all from the Buffalo area) to the hard fought victory.  The regatta featured very close racing in high winds for most of the 11 races. The winning team had five 1st place finishes and 31 total points to beat NIGHT MOVES skippered by Henry Mistel of Bayview Yacht Club, that ended with 46 points in the low point, no throw out, scoring system.

In third place was JAYHAWKER, who battled her way up in the standings on Sunday. One of the co-skippers, Doug Scheibner of Bayview and Crescent Yacht Club, was a previous winner in the year 2000 Nationals. Notably, SLEDGEHAMMER also won the Bayview Port Huron to Mackinac race in 2013.

This is the first time since 2003 the Nationals have been held on the Great Lakes and there was an overwhelming enthusiasm from owners and crews. The sailing conditions were from 14 knots on Friday to 25 knots on Sunday. Amazingly there were zero protests although there were some penalty turns.  Eleven J/120s are now based in the Detroit area, that makes a very strong offshore one-design fleet in big 40 footers!

Special thanks go out to Race Chairman Charlie Hess for all time in putting together a successful event. When the event goes back out to the west coast, it will be a very tough order to top this regatta!  Many other huge “Thanks” go out to:

• Paul Halsey, Assistant Race Chairman- three days is a huge time commitment that is really tough with two kids at home. Being on the water to help with the mark-set boat and observe the racing is where stepping up to be Race Chairman was completely exceeded in the call of duty.
• Dick Neville, PRO, his willingness to travel to Detroit and stay at local housing is appreciated as well. It is a big commitment of time and energy for certain.
• Eric Peterson for the thankless job of measuring all those sails.
• Luiz Kahl, his mentorship was valuable and because of it, we avoided so many mistakes that could have dulled the quality of this event.
• Lance Smotherman, chief judge, encouraged Corinthian conduct by racers at every opportunity. This is a high-value leadership quality that allows an event like ours turn out to be a success. Being the avid racer that he is, we also appreciate the time commitment he made to assemble a judge panel, coordinate their travel, and support this event. Four days is a big contribution of time and energy.
• Greg McCliment, CujoGraphyx contributed the numbers, set up the website and delivered a lot of shirts to our teams.
• Kelly Olligschlager, instrumental with the social side of our event. The steel drum band was a terrific hit, and with her help, we pulled together a complete social agenda.
• Nick Vincent is the 'quiet champion' for our facility. Providing berthing for our visitors and making them feel welcome through his attentiveness gave them an extremely positive impression of BYC. After setting up the tent and finding it a mess, Nick and his team went the extra mile to make it look as good as new. Everyone enjoyed the outdoor atmosphere 'under the tent', so it was well worth the effort.
• Jarvis Hales and his team were fantastic with both the quality of the food and the service. There was never much food left, nor were the kegs or punch bowls left with any reserves. This team is responsive to the needs of guests and strives to please. We are very grateful for the job they did all weekend, as are all of the guests that attended.
• Aaron Wagner, club manager, he has great energy and ideas and has the priorities right. He collaborated with the chef and myself to successfully meet the requirements you and the board have set for him with food and beverage, while meeting my somewhat demanding pricing requests. I really enjoyed the planning and collaboration with Aaron that could have otherwise have been a stressful or contentious process. Most importantly, Aaron stayed 'present' with the details and flow of the weekend.

Finally, special “kudos” go out to the owners and crews of SLEDGEHAMMER, VIVA LA VIDA, and STORM WARNING for traveling to Detroit from Lake Erie, and especially THE CAT CAME BACK who had to travel from Lake Ontario to get here!  For more J/120 USA National Championship sailing information

J/120 Nationals Preview

(Detroit, MI)- An excellent turnout of fifteen J/120s will be treated to gala social events and awesome racing by Bayview YC in Detroit, Michigan from August 19-21st in the J/120 USA National Championships.  Boats are participating from Michigan, Ohio, New York and Toronto, Ontario.  Racing will be taking place on Lake St Claire, a tricky venue based on the combination of shallow waters producing short, steep chop and breezes that are frequently blowing offshore, making for shifty, streaky winds.

The usual suspects of top Detroit boats will most certainly be in the mix, like Frank Kern’s CARINTHIA, Dave Sandlin’s J-HAWKER, John Hughes & Ed Vermet’s NAUTI BOYS, Charlie Hess’ FUNTECH RACING and Mike & Bob Kirkman’s HOT TICKET.  Joining them from Toronto is Graham Toms’ THE CAT CAME BACK; from Hudson, OH is Tim Yanda’s VIVA LA VIDA and from Buffalo, NY is Tom Lewin’s SLEDGE HAMMER.  For more J/120 USA National Championship sailing information

J/Teams Dominate Bayview Mac Race

(Port Huron, MI)- The Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race proved to be a fast ride for the 214 boats that started Saturday, July 16, from Port Huron with all but 14 teams completing the contest in Mackinac Island.  After looking at weather models) most of the top boats stayed to the west of the fleet.

According to one winning navigator, “the first couple of hours were tricky, because the wind didn’t do what it was supposed to, but we still stuck with our plan, hugging the Michigan shoreline. We had some traffic issues in the first 6-8 hours, which cost us- by 7pm Saturday night, we were 3-4 miles behind everyone. But we stayed patient, and as the overnight hours came, we were able to see the rest of our class starting to sail higher and slow because they were being lifted toward the Canadian shore (that is what we wanted to avoid). Once we saw that, we made the effort to sail lower and keep getting the separation on our competition. We made our gains and passed them. There aren’t many passing opportunities on the second part of race, so we just got to the finish as fast as we could.”

The largest fleet of J’s sailed the longer “Cove Island Course”- from the start off Port Huron, the fleet headed NNE to Cove Island just off Canada in northern Lake Huron, then they headed practically due west to the Mackinac Island finish line.

Winning Class B was Chris Saxton’s J/145 VORTICES from Bayview YC.  Class C was the J/120 One-Design class with eleven boats entered.  It was a battle the entire way for this group, as it usually is!  Winning by just 7 minutes overall was Geoff Brieden & Jeff Clark’s SCOUT.  Taking second was Frank Kern’s CARINTHIA, third was Mike & Bob Kirkman’s HOT TICKET, fourth Ed Vermet & John Hughes NAUTIBOYS and fifth Dave Sandlin’s JAYHAWKER.

Winning Class D by well over two hours corrected was the dynamic duo of Jim Mitchell & Bruce Danly on the J/109 TOA!  Third was the J/105 PTERODACTYL (Mary Symonds), followed by yet another J/105- GOOD LOOKIN (Mark DenUyl) in fourth position. Port Sanilac Marina’s J/88 SARALYSIA was fifth place.

Crushing it in Class G- the Level 35 boats- was none other than Bill Wildner’s famous J/35- MR BILL’S WILD RIDE!  Second was another J/35- Ed & John Bayer’s FALCON and in fourth was the next J/35- Gregg Whipple’s WHIPLASH.

Four J/teams sailed the shorter “Shore Course”.  That fleet started off Port Huron and basically went straight north along the eastern Michigan shoreline until they turned left to the finish in the Straits off Mackinac Island.  Taking third in Class I was Brett Langolf’s J/34 IOR- KNEE DEEP.  Duplicating their past success, the J/29 PATRIOT sailed by Lyndon Lattie took the silver in Class L Doublehanded Racing!  For more Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race sailing information

Bayview Mac Race Preview

(Port Huron, MI)- The annual traditions for two of the largest cities on the Great Lakes is about to commence over the next two weekends- the “Mac Races” that start from Detroit/Port Huron and from Chicago.  This year, the Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race starts first, as is the case in even-numbered years (odd-years’, Chicago starts first).  There are 220 boats registered and they have to choose one of two courses: the Cove Island Course of 259nm and the Shore Course of 204nm.

For the first time in its seven-year history, the Pro-Team Challenge at the Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race, known unofficially as the “race within the race”, will be recognized officially as a class. The announcement was made at a media event in June where celebrity representatives from the Detroit Lions, Detroit Pistons, Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers participated in a blind draw to choose four Michigan boats to represent them in the famed race to Mackinac Island that is hosted by Bayview Yacht Club and begins its 92nd edition on Saturday, July 16.

The Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association, working with Bayview Yacht Club and Detroit’s four professional sports teams, started the race in 2010. Since then, the competition has become a favorite among sailing crews. The chosen owners and crews each plan a visit to their respective team and are outfitted in team gear and given flags to fly during the race.

“Six years ago, when we were brainstorming this concept, we never could have thought it would become so popular with the sailors and Detroit’s pro sports teams,” said Bill Harrington, Officer, Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association. “I was a bit surprised at the competition between the teams and the pride they take in winning. Everyone has really embraced this competition.”

This year’s Pro-Team Challenge also will include representatives from Set Sail for Autism as honorary team members, giving them the opportunity to participate in all activities associated with the program, including the pro-team visit. Set Sail for Autism, a program to help young adults with autism reach their full potential, benefits Oakland University’s Center for Autism and is a community partner of the Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race.

Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race Pro-Team Challenge contenders for 2016 include Ed Vermet & John Hughes’ J/120 NAUTI BOYS, representing Bayview Yacht Club/ Detroit Yacht Club/ Detroit Pistons on the Cove Island Course.

The Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association presented a plaque recognizing all the past winners of the Pro-Team Challenge and the pro team they represented. The team with the best overall finish in its respective division will be declared winner of the Pro-Team Challenge.

The largest fleet of J’s is sailing the longer “Cove Island Course”- from the start off Port Huron, the fleet heads NNE to Cove Island just off Canada in northern Lake Huron, then boats head practically due west to the Mackinac Island finish line.  It can be a brutal course since the last 100nm or so can be a punishing beat into 15-25 kt westerlies (the prevailing breeze) with mountainous “chop” to pound through for over 24 hours. Class B has Chris Saxton’s J/145 VORTICES from Bayview YC.  Class C is the J/120 One-Design class with eleven boats entered, including class cheerleader Frank Kern and his merry bandits aboard the long-distance traveling CARINTHIA, Fleet Captain Charlie Hess’ FUNTECH RACING, Mike & Bob Kirkman’s HOT TICKET, Dave Sandlin’s JAYHAWKER and Henry Mistele’s NIGHT MOVES.

Class D has J/111s, J/109s, J/105s and a J/88.  Sailing this class is Tim Clayson’s J/111 UNPLUGGED, Port Sanilac Marina’s J/88 SARALYSIA, three J/109s- CHASE (Charles Schroeder), PHOENIX (Bill Hamilton), TOA (Jim Mitchell & Bruce Danly), and three J/105s- GOOD LOOKIN (Mark DenUyl), PTERODACTYL (Mary Symonds), WINDSHADOW (Jim Murphy).

Class E has one J/42 entered, Gary Gonzalez’s DOS MAS from Grosse Pointe YC. Class F Cruising sails has one J/35 registered, Gary Warner’s DYNOMYTE from Grand Traverse YC

Class G is essentially a Level 35 class that has eight J/35s and one J/33 in their midst along with two Thomas 35s.  Most of the top J/35 teams in the Great Lakes are participating, including Ed & John Bayer’s FALCON, Bill Wildner’s MR BILL’S WILD RIDE, and Gregg Whipple’s WHIPLASH.  The lone J/33 is Dick & Dan Synowiec’s SHENANIGANS.

Four J/teams are sailing the shorter “Shore Course” (a.k.a. the easy cruising course since it’s virtually always reaching).  That fleet starts off Port Huron and basically goes straight north along the eastern Michigan shoreline until you can take a slight left and finish in the Straits off Mackinac Island.  Included in the fleet are Brett Langolf’s J/34 IOR- KNEE DEEP, John Stromberg’s J/92 KOHATSU, Lyndon Lattie’s J/29 PATRIOT and Tom Day’s J/30 CONUNDRUM.  For more Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race sailing information