August 1, 2023
Sail Canada International Racing Roundup
Carlos Charabati from Montreal earned 6th (of 287 competitors) at the 2023 ILCA 4 Youth World Championships held until today in Greece. This is the best Canadian performance at this competition or Laser 4.7 Youth World Championships since at least 2005.
July 31, 2023
Defiant at IC37 Nationals
Our third regatta in Newport this summer was the IC37 US Nationals held July 13-16, hosted by the New York Yacht Club at Harbour Court. Two races were held on Friday inside on Narragansett Bay in very shifty, puffy conditions. We ended up with an 8, 10 in the 16 boat fleet.
July 31, 2023
The 17 Commandments…
Racing a sailboat, especially one-design racing, makes a sailor learn a new set of skills, tactical skills, needed to navigate through that 10 – 40 boat fleet of identical boats to win races. There are two distinct areas of focus for the tactician.
July 31, 2023
LOWISA 57 in NW Ontario
Serious racing, serious fun. Short for Lake of the Woods International Sailing Association, the LOWISA 57 Regatta is taking place this year from August 5 – August 12, 2023.
July 31, 2023
PCYC Steerers’ Invitational and Four Sisters Open Goes International!
Sailors came from as far as Hong Kong, Mexico, Vancouver, Nova Scotia, Beaconsfield, Frenchman’s Bay, Lake of Bays, Sarnia, Kingston and South Portland more to the 64th PCYC Steerers’ Invitational and the 22nd Four Sisters Open events this past weekend at Port Credit Yacht Club.
July 17, 2023
New Solo Speed Record For The R2AK
Eric Pesty became a fan-favourite in the 2023 Race to Alaska (R2AK), embarking on the incredible 750-nautical-mile race singlehanded, for the second time as Team Pestou. The R2AK is a two-stage event, with a 40-mile qualifying race.
July 17, 2023
This Month: CORK, FORK and Americas Championship
CORK has had a busy start to July with foiling taking the spotlight so far this summer. CORK hosted the 2023 WASZP Americas Championship from June 28th – July 3rd with an impressive fleet of 33 boats including competitors from Canada, the United States and Argentina.
July 17, 2023
Speed & Smarts: Take Control of Your Mainsail – Part 1
On most boats, the mainsail is easily the biggest upwind sail and therefore has a proportionally large effect on the boat’s speed and pointing performance. Because the mainsail must cover an incredible variety of wind and wave conditions, it has to be stretched and twisted into a wide range of aerodynamic shapes.
July 17, 2023
Race to Kingston 2023 – Update
Don’t miss out on the Race Social Event of the year! What to expect! We are less than a few weeks out from the start of the 2023 Race to Kingston Event, August 11th thru 14th. All race registration details can be found at Yachtscoring.com, Race to Kingston.
July 3, 2023
Strong Canadian Showing at 2023 Clagett
Thirty-one sailors competing at the 21st C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta have completed three days of racing which was preceded by a two-day coaching clinic.
July 3, 2023
The Rules Guy: How to Finish With a Shortened Course
In the last article I discussed how to finish. Things get a little more confusing if there is a shortened course. I am going to illustrate some of the scenarios. The definition of finish says, “A boat finishes when after starting, any part of her hull crosses the finishing line from the course side.”
July 3, 2023
Dirty Dog Reports Bowen Island Race
I felt quite lucky to have the opportunity to drive Dirty Dog with excellent crew Connie Leung spinnaker trim and Paul Watson foredeck and tactics for the Round Bowen race as owner Matt Collingwood was out of town. At the start things seemed relatively normal despite a steady drizzle and 12 C temperatures.
July 3, 2023
Large Fleets for Susan Hood and LOSHRS 2 and 3
LOOR is very pleased to report that this year’s LOOR race series presented by driveHG is off to a great start. You couldn’t ask for any better and we had more racers participate in both the Susan Hood and LOSHRS races then in each of the prior three years!
July 3, 2023
Chester Race Week Hosts World Class Racing August 16 to 19
Helly Hansen Chester Race Week 2023 will take place in scenic Chester, Nova Scotia from August 16 to 19 and organizers expect that the event will be bigger and better than ever. Billed as the largest fixed keel regatta in Eastern Canada, Chester Race Week offers an unsurpassed racing venue.
June 12, 2023
Susan Hood in Short Sleeves
The Susan Hood Trophy Race presented by driveHG, known as the Coolest Race, became the Hottest Race on the Lake with just under 80 boats at the startline and shirt sleeve weather for much of the ride.
June 12, 2023
Speed & Smarts: Take Control of Your Headsail
The mainsail may be the biggest sail on most boats, but the jib provides a relatively large share of the boat’s driving force, for two reasons. First, the jib is not sitting behind a mast, so it sails in clear air with minimal turbulence.
May 30, 2023
Reid Distilleries ABYC Open – Much Ado, Not Much Wind
The Lake Ontario Racing Circuit kicked off the 2023 season at Ashbridge’s Bay Yacht Club at the east end of the city of Toronto. The weather forecast looked spectacular with sunny skies and warm temperatures expected.
May 30, 2023
The Year of The Rabbit?
When September rolls around and teacher tasks you to write an essay on “how I spent my summer vacation,” you need some good stories! What better way to generate those than enter in the Van Isle 360 International Yacht Race.
May 30, 2023
Lake Ontario Offshore Racing Events Start Friday!
Friday June 2nd is the start of our 2023 season with the Susan Hood Trophy Race (SHTR) presented by driveHG. Running since 1955 and fondly referred to as the ‘Coolest Race on the Lake’, the Susan Hood Trophy Race is a 75 nautical mile overnight race that kicks off the racing season.
May 30, 2023
Speed & Smarts: Familiar Layline Dilemmas – Part 2
A layline seems like such a simple thing – a dotted pathway on the water that leads you straight to the next mark. But dealing with laylines while you are racing is not always so straightforward.
May 15, 2023
Pursuit of Happiness: 5 Tips for Reverse PHRF Racing
Every dog has its day, and pursuit racing is an excellent way to make all competitors feel like they have skin in the game. Pursuit racing, commonly called reverse handicap racing, is a variant of PHRF racing where boats start in reverse order, with their start times pre-determined by their ratings and the course length.
May 15, 2023
Speed & Smarts: Familiar Layline Dilemmas
There are certain scenarios that always seem to play out when you get near a layline. Somebody tacks on you or you have the chance to tack on somebody. The wind shifts so you are no longer on the layline. You have to make a choice about whether to do two more tacks or sail straight, but slowly, toward the mark.
May 15, 2023
Royal Van May One Design Series
The May One Design Series Regatta was held at Royal Vancouver Yacht Club on the May 6/7 weekend. Fleets included a mixed collection, old and new: Dragon, Elliott 6 SuperSport, 6mR, Star, Martin242 and VX-1.
May 15, 2023
Six Canadians at the 2023 Optimist African Championships
The 2023 Optimist African Championship featuring 89 young sailors from 18 countries representing six continents. Six Canadians took part in the 2023 Optimist African Championships which ended Monday, May 8, in M’DIQ in Morocco.
May 1, 2023
Cruel Jane 2.0 Takes 4th at Etchells Worlds
I have been really fortunate to be able to sail on and with some great sailing teams. Actually just got back from the Viper 640 worlds with another Canadian team of friends.
May 1, 2023
2023 Shark World Championship Aug 18 – 25 Update
With just under 4 months until the Worlds come home to Niagara, the organizing committee is working hard to make this a memorable event on and off the water.
May 1, 2023
Speed & Smarts: Part 3 – Six Ways to Identify a Layline
Before you round any mark you have to get to the layline, so it helps a lot to know where the layline is. To avoid overstanding or understanding (and losing time or distance), find a good method for making consistently accurate layline calls. Here are some tips.
April 30, 2023
Lake Erie’s 2023 Mills Trophy Race – The 99th Edition
Originally started in 1907 as a test of sailing and navigational skills, the Mills Cup Race has evolved into a premier sailing race event on Lake Erie. This annual race in the west-end of Lake Erie, is unique in that the race is held at night.
April 18, 2023
Speed & Smarts: Part 2 – Factors That Influence Layline Position
A layline is the path you would sail, when steering your optimal upwind or downwind course, to get around the next mark on one tack. We all know that laylines are invisible, of course, but many sailors don’t realize how much (and how often) laylines move around.
April 18, 2023
A Reminder: Governmental Laws, Regulations, and Rules Do Apply While Racing
Not all items that an owner/Person-in-Charge (PiC) needs to adhere to are in the rules. The Racing Rules of Sailing defines a rule to include the Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions, or other documents governing the event that have been made to rank as rules.
April 17, 2023
Southern Straits 2023
This year WVYC put the ‘Southern’ back in Straits, with courses taking all boats eventually to the ODAS marker south of Point Grey. Other than the big boats, most Straits skippers will not have been this far down the map since before 2010.
April 17, 2023
How to Win the Pin
Many times in your racing career, you will find that the race committee has favored the port end of the line. The more the line is skewed, the more of a lead the boat at the pin will have once the starting gun goes off.
April 3, 2023
Speed & Smarts: Laylines – Part 1
Layline – An imaginary line on a beat or run that shows a boat’s course when she sails her optimum upwind or downwind angle in the existing wind conditions and is heading straight toward the leeward or windward mark.
March 21, 2023
Incredible comeback for the Canadians to Win the New Zealand Sail Grand Prix!
After hitting their podium in their first two events in this, CAN SailGP’s inaugural season, winning results have been scarce for the Canadians. But this weekend, the Canadians were the ones to watch, consistently moving up the leaderboard and challenging the hometown favourites.
March 14, 2023
Seeing the Big Picture (Staying in the Game Upwind)
One of the major challenges of any upwind leg, is seeing the big picture and regardless of where you are in the fleet and making the right choices. At any given moment there’s a decision to make… are we doing the right thing… what are the options?
March 14, 2023
Race to Kingston Returns Aug 12
Last year Kingston Yacht Club and Mimico Cruising Club joined forces to co-host a new destination distance race, Race to Kingston. The response was excellent, and 37 boats took part.
March 14, 2023
Laser 28s Coming to Golden Horseshoe
The summer regatta schedule for the coveted (if homemade) Laser Cup is Royal Hamilton Open July 1, NOLSC’s Niagara cup July 15 and then Cornucopia at DYC Sept 2. We will race to class rules, and we will likely have our own starts!
March 8, 2023
Serious Fun at the 43rd St. Maarten Heineken Regatta
Serious Fun! The motto of the 43rd St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. Canadian Yachting had the chance to attend this bucket list event to capture all of the action over the course of four days of world class racing. And world class partying!
February 27, 2023
The Rules Guy: How To Finish
Last summer I observed several boats getting confused about where to finish. I am going to illustrate some of the scenarios. The rules are actually quite simple, but the application can sometimes confuse sailors.