Friday, December 18, 2009

NYC 2009 Awards




2009 Novice Sailor: Ed Walker and Lynn Foley - Signe

2009 Family Award: Wendy, Blair, Peter, Ann Magnus - Grand Cru

2009 Racing Family: Ian Kelly, Carol Ann and Dana Kjartanson - Raven

2009 Super Cruiser: Dave and Nicole Luke - Airwave

2009 Volunteer of the Year: Paul Moorey - X-TA-SEA

2009 Single Handed Sailor: Roland Demarcke - His Nibs

2009 Race Committee: Blair Magnus – Grand Cru

2009 Safety Race: Ian Kelly, Carol Ann, Danna, Raven
1st Raven
2nd Blondie
3rd Vixen

2009 Tea Cup – Wendy, Blair, Peter, Ann Magnus - Black Pearl
1st Black Pearl
2nd AFTICA
3rd Intrepid

2009 Spring Sea Fever – Dave Nelson - Kite
1st Kite
2nd AFTICA
3rd D-Boat

2009 Summer Solstice Pursuit Race - Ian Kelly, Carol Ann Kjartanson - Raven
1st Raven
2nd Black Pearl
3rd Knock Out

2009 Warroad Race – Jim Fogg - Fogger
1st Fogger
2nd Sloop du Jour
3rd Bird Bath

2009 Commodore’s Cup Pursuit Race - Ian Kelly, Carol Ann Kjartanson – Raven
2009 Silver Commodore’s Cup Pursuit Race – Eric and Jill Vogan - Vixen
1st Raven
2nd Borderline
3rd Sorcerer

2009 Silver Rear Commodore’s Cup Pursuit Race - Wendy, Blair, Peter, Ann Magnus - Grand Cru
1st Grand Cru
2nd Anteaus
3rd Raven

2009 Club Championships 2009 - Ian Kelly, Carol Ann Kjartanson - Raven
1st Raven
2nd Grand Cru
3rd Vixen

Monday, December 7, 2009

New Vision for Canadian Sailing

The Canadian Yachting Association concluded its annual conference and AGM on November 21st with stakeholders present agreeing to work together to create a stronger, more vibrant sport in Canada. The four days of meetings focused on developing a clear strategy for the sport of sailing for the future and the CYA Board will now work to finalize the strategy and communicate it to all the stakeholders. The participants strongly endorsed the Long Term Sailing
Development model and are aware of the challenge ahead in implementing the
program.

Also at the AGM, two new CYA board members, Christine Searle (ON) and John Kerr (ON) were elected to replace retiring members John Abel (BC) and Dave Thomas (BC). Chair of the Nominating Committee and Chair of the Election of Directors, Jim Dike, declared President Gerry Giffin elected by acclamation as there were no other candidates. In advance of the election of Directors, the CYA membership passed a proposed bylaw change increasing from one to two athlete directors on the Board of Directors. In a process as outlined in the CYA By-Laws, Nikola Girke was elected by the currently carded Canadian sailing team members as the second Athlete Director to the Board of Directors.

The AGM also passed a new by-law which introduces a required gender balance to the Board of Directors. The effect of the by-law, when including the Athlete Directors, is to ensure that there are at least three directors of each gender on the Board. Annette Wildgoose, who represented Sport Canada at the AGM said: "I am particularly pleased to note that after many years CYA now has 3 female representatives on the Board of Directors. As you may be aware this is part of the National Accountability Standards that drive the Canadian Sport Policy through the NSOs as it relates to governance and technical development." --
Complete report

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Kenroa to get a few more Taxi's next year?


Newest radar cars in Ontario.

Just your "average Taxi" right…….. WRONG !

It's intentionally designed to look like a taxi, no special markings, etc..

Note the red lights, front and rear view mirror area.

The roof sign actually says "Police".

This is the latest in POLICE RADAR CARS….. Now in use in Guelph , Georgetown , Milton and Orangeville areas. ...........Soon to come to a city near you.

Monday, November 2, 2009

NYC Members Beware - The next pandemic

I went to a gathering last night, where I and other guests enjoyed copious amounts of alcohol.

I awoke this morning not feeling well, with what could be described as flu-like symptoms; headache, nausea, chills, sore eyes, etc. From the results of some initial testing, I have unfortunately tested positive for what experts are now calling Wine Flu. This debilitating condition is very serious - and it appears this is not an isolated case.

Reports are flooding in from all around the country of others diagnosed with Wine Flu. To anyone that starts to exhibit the aforementioned tell-tale signs, experts are recommending a cup of tea and a bit of a lie down. One should not expose himself to fellow employees for at least 24-48 hours. However, should your condition worsen, you should immediately rent a DVD and take some Tylenol. To ensure this Wine flu remains a minor case, refrain from consuming further amounts of alcohol and stick to Gatorade. Others are reporting a McDonald's quarter pounder can also help in some cases. Wine Flu does not need to be life threatening and, if treated early, can be eradicated within a 24-48 hour period.

NOTE
If you find you are complaining a lot, it may be that it has mutated into Whine Flu. This is particularly common in WOMEN and can quickly spread to their partners where the symptoms are detected as a serious case of eye-rolling.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Northern Sailors Hit the Ocean


Bob Webb, Paul Moorey & Dave Luke are joining Mike Scott to sail Zafu to Tortola. They are leaving for Rhode Island this Thursday and expect to depart for the BVI’s on Saturday Nov 7. Should be a 10 – 12 day passage.

They promise to send along some good stories and about one million pictures. Imagine 3 middle aged men, with cameras, taking pictures of each other taking pictures... for 10 days... nuf said...

Good luck and bon voyage!

People can track progress by logging in to this site:

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0WPOjngtoq7RESpfIEmg7ojymUPbJ791L

This is created by SPOT Personal satellite tracker.

Also here are some blog articles about Zafu where it now sits in Brewer’s Cove Haven Marina, Barrington, RI:

http://www.practicallysailing.com/blog/j44offshore-rigging-refit

http://www.practicallysailing.com/blog/j44offshore-rigging

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

May or Thanksgiving Long Weekend? - Let it Snow!


See the attached gallery of pictures from both the May and Thanksgiving Long Weekends. Hard to tell which is which. Hint! - the ones from Thanksgiving have green water...

CYA LTAD sets stage for organizational change


As we approach the Canadian Yachting Association’s 2009 Annual General Meeting we would like to draw your attention to the latest posting on the home page of CYA’s website. Along with the announcement and details about the 2009 AGM is a hyperlink to ‘Sailing’s LTAD’.

Since February 09 , the technical details in Sailing’s Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) Framework have been updated and revised by a national team of sailing experts. These details align the pathways for persons to enter our sport, develop through to international racing excellence and remain active in sailing for life. As such, our updated LTAD framework is considered to be the backbone for the CYA’s strategic plan.... ‘A Renewal Strategy for Canadian Sailing ‘.

Our LTAD addresses the following:
· Renewed Sailor / Athlete Programming
· Developing Coaching Expertise for each stage of sailor development
· Establishing a Competition Structure appropriate for developmental stage and age of sailors
· Established development framework for Officials
· A strong network for Yacht & Sailing Clubs

Implementing the LTAD and renewing the Canadian Sailing System brings plans for positive change. Through the summer of 2009, members of Sailing’s stakeholder groups were nodding with approval as they were presented with the changes that LTAD implementation will bring.

Strategic Planning sessions are to begin in sessions at CYA AGM, November 20 & 21, 2009. In these weeks prior to the CYA AGM, please be sure to become informed. Here’s how:
1. Review ‘Sailing’s LTAD’ / ‘DLTA de voile’;
2. Ask questions / provide input – feedback@sailing.ca, or talk to CYA office or members of Sailing’s LTAD advisory or competition review group as listed in the presentation; and
3. Review the world-renowned principles of LTAD at www.canadiansportforlife.ca / www.sportpourlavie.ca.

We look forward to seeing you at CYA AGM in Toronto, or hearing back from you with any questions.

On behalf of the CYA Board of Directors and Staff, all the best to you through the fall season!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Hall of Fame Induction for Sailing

Every year, Manitobans from across the country nominate their Manitoba sport heroes for induction into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. It's an honour held by an exclusive group of athletes, teams and sport builders. This year Sandy Riley will be inducted in the Hall of Fame in the All Round Category. We would like to show a strong support for Sandy Riley and we hope to fill a few tables with MSA members and friends.

The 2009 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on Saturday, November 7 at the Victoria Inn on 1808 Wellington Avenue. This event is open to the public. Tickets are $125 each with a portion eligible for a charitable tax receipt. Ticket and event information can be found at: http://www.sportmanitoba.ca/events/events.php or reserve your tickets by calling 925-5605.

MSA Awards Ceremony

The Manitoba Sailing Association is pleased to invite members of all Clubs to the 2009 Awards Ceremony on Friday, November 6th at 6:00pm at Fort Whyte Alive. We feel that it is extremely important to honor the volunteers, instructors and athletes who have contributed so much to sailing over the past year. Please help make this evening a great end of season event and take the opportunity to have a good chat with other sailors about this past season’s events.The cost for the banquet will be $20 per person. Please contact the office at 925-5650 as soon as possible to confirm your ticket.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Cross Country Snowboarding

Ok, this has nothing to do with sailing, but winter is comming and I think it's funny!!!

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Tips on how to provision for Cruise Week next year...


LITTLE KNOWN TIDBIT OF NAVAL HISTORY...

The U. S. S. Constitution (Old Ironsides), as a combat vessel, carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators (i.e. fresh water distillers).

However, let it be noted that according to her ship's log, "On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum."

Her mission: "To destroy and harass English shipping."

Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum.

Then she headed for the Azores , arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.

On 18 November, she set sail for England . In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchant ships, salvaging only the rum aboard each.

By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, although unarmed she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland . Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed home.

The U. S. S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whisky, and 38,600 gallons of water.

Start Planning for LOWISA 45



Many of you will know that it has been LOWISA’s tradition to run the week-long regatta in the first week of August which coincides with the Canadian Monday Civic Holiday. We’ve begun with the Arctic Glacier Youth Regatta and the Main Regatta Registration and Sailors’ Social on the opening Saturday. The main regatta has always sailed Sunday through Saturday of the following week with Wednesday as a Layover day of optional standalone round the buoys racing and concluding on the Saturday with the Commodore’s Banquet and Awards Ceremony.

Enter Fred Finlayson and Rob Eby who, as Commodore and Vice-Commodore, taking the helm for 2010 and LOWISA 45. Fred and Rob bring with them not only their collective experience in many LOWISA’s but exciting, innovative and fresh new ideas as well as a newly designed and “blog” centric Website that’s under construction for 2010.

According to their unfolding plans, LOWISA 45 will be a 5-day event with consecutive racing and sailing Monday, August 2nd through Friday, August 6th. The Layover day will become optional and it will fall on the final Saturday, August 7th, 2010 year. This optional buoy race will be, in terms of the overall results, a standalone race. The Commodore’s Awards and closing ceremony will be held on the Friday evening. It is believed that this new format will provide more travel and rigging time for many of us who can’t take extended time away from work, family and our many obligations. This ground-breaking format is already creating new interest by PHRF, the growing one-design and Portsmouth fleets on both sides of the border. You will best be able to keep abreast of next year’s developments by visiting our Website often at www.lowisa.org .

LOWISA is definitely a “Ya'Gotta Regatta”; please join us in 2010. For more information on our sponsors, pictures or regatta information go to www.lowisa.org, search for us on Facebook “SAILLOWISA”or contact us at saillowisa@gmail.com.

LOWISA 44 Wrap-up

By: Bob Nuttall

Woot woot another amazing LOWISA regatta! The 44th LOWISA (Lake of the Woods International Sailing Association), opened its annual event August 2nd at the Kenora Harbourfront in glorious weather; the spectacle of all the boats rigged and ready to sail drew a crowd of onlookers as the fleet anticipated the week-long regatta. Each day’s course was designed to be about 25 miles long and included all points of sail in the predominant southerly winds. With 60 square miles of lake, the sailing possibilities are almost endless. For LOWISA 44, the Race Officers once again set great courses which were point-to-point so that a new wilderness anchorage could be enjoyed each day on this pristine lake of 16,662 islands and 65,000 miles of shoreline. For the avid racers, careful tactical work and sharp sailing skills produced great competitive racing with tired but happy crews by the end of each day.

Sailing and racing on Lake of the Woods is always spectacular. And the alternatives for accommodations and eating are very good; proximate 5-star wilderness lodges, houseboat rentals each with their complimenting food and fanfare choices or pitching your tent each night under magnificent star filled skies provided options that suit every lifestyle and every budget. This year’s host lodge was Totem Resort’s Wiley Point Wilderness Lodge and for as for me, the accommodations were comfortable and the deserts, well maybe because we were in the wilderness with all that fresh air, the deserts were “to die for”!!

LOWISA’s racing on the Lake of the Woods is world class with the post racing afternoons and evenings always delightful. I couldn’t begin to count all of the international friendships that have been created over the years or the annual reunions between racing rivals or its cruising enthusiasts. LOWISA traditionally gets its start with the Arctic Glacier Annual Youth Dinghy Open Day Regatta and closes with the Commodore’s Awards Banquet. Social highlights are many and included, to mention a few, the always anticipated annual Mt. Gay, Pepsi, Arctic Glacier Wilderness Adventure (rum party), LOWISA’s own Star Search talent contest, the Canadian Tire Kids’ Fishing Derby, the LOWISA Scavenger Hunt and the Arctic Glacier Frozen T-Shirt contest. Come one, come all, you can even find time to kick back and read the latest Dan Brown novel – the choices are many and yours to make.

Our participants came from far and near (my daughter Erin Grealy may have been our most distant participant having traveled from Melbourne, Australia. My eldest daughter, Kristin, travelled from Whistler, BC, too – simple proof that there’s nowhere else they’d rather be than at the LOWISA regatta). There too, were Old Salts and Young Salts alike, with every skill set imaginable. We have many “firsts” on LOWISA each year but it is especially important to mention that our youngest competitors on LOWISA 44 were Michael Nelson (13), and Jack Clark (11), who on their tiny Weta 4.4m trimiran piloted, navigated and with amazing courage and skill, sailed the entire regatta without aid or abetting from parent or fleet – impressive, eh?

Now the intrigue has thickened just a bit by the fact that both Michael and Jack are 3rd generation LOWISA participants. Michael is the son of David Nelson who sailed his rocket/mother ship, Kite, a state-of-the-art Ultimate 27 (and it would be more accurate, perhaps, to call her father ship since mom was not on board). David is the son of 80-something LOWISA enthusiast Earl Nelson whom scores of us know and remember from many LOWISA’s past – that’s three generations of active participants.
Similarly, Jack is the son of Lori and Bruce Clark and Lori is the daughter of Pat and Angie Kabris of the always competitive J100, Hurricane Bar and Grill. Jack’s mom, Lori, is an important and dynamic member on Hurricane. Again, that’s 3 generations of active participants! And Jack’s father Bruce is always present at LOWISA, too. Bruce busies himself as a fisherman during LOWISA, but have you ever noticed that he’s often conveniently and at times, inconveniently, anchored over one of those lurking and sometimes ominous reefs? “Just fishing”, he will say but I say that he is keeping vigilant watch over our fleet and I’d be quick to dispel the fisherman guise. After all, I’ve never seen his catch, have you?

And for the first time ever, Bruce found more fishing spots on the course than you might ever begin to imagine; never advising or interfering with our 11 and 13 year old competitors, he was always close and kept a special but distant watch over them, all the while, ready to lend the fleet a helping hand wherever and whenever needed. And so it was with so many of our participants…spirit, passion, love for the lifelong sport of sailing and the LOWISA regatta. Fish away, Bruce, and thank you!

On behalf of outgoing LOWISA 44 Commodores John and Marcia Sexton of Burnsville, Minnesota, I’d like to thank our generous sponsors, our volunteers and our participants. LOWISA is one of the longest and oldest sailing regattas and boasts 44 continuous years of historic and international success - each year’s success is the direct result of sponsors’, volunteers’ and enthusiastic participants’ contributions.

Northern Yacht Club 2009 Race Results – Club Championships


Raven 21.25
Grand Cru 24.25
Vixen 45
Sorcerer 45
Fogger 49.75
Borderline 52
Bird Bath 53
Blondie 53
Knock Out 54
Kite 54.75
Anteaus 55
Sloop du Jour 55
Intrepid 56
Rebel 57
Sanity 57
AFTICA 57
Aubergene 60
D-Boat 60
Oh Boy 62
Scotts N Water 64

Monday, September 28, 2009

Golden Eagles on Lake of the Woods


On September 25th Rob Eby, Fred Finlayson, Jim Sloan and Doug Skoog embarked on a sunset cruise aboard Doug’s inflatable ‘Woof”. At the end of Needle Point they had a close up sighting of a Golden Eagle. Don Fillion [Baroness] has also reported seeing a golden on the lake.

While we are all familiar with the many bald eagles we see, the Golden Eagle is a special treat.

The Golden Eagle is the largest of the genus, buteo, a bird of prey. Their wingspan can reach up to 7 1/2 feet, and they are the soaring "specialist" among all buteos which includes bald eagles, hawks, and buzzards. They use their large wingspans to catch rising masses of warm air (thermals) and can glide longer and further than other birds. They are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their heads and necks with a wingspan averaging over 2 m (7 ft) and up to 1 m (3 ft) in body length. Their sheer size and coloration distinguish them from immature Bald Eagles. This one was much larger than any Bald Eagle the boys could recall seeing.

They are extremely swift, and can dive upon their quarry at speeds of more than 150 miles (241 kilometers) per hour. They have even been known to attack full-grown Deer. Golden Eagle pairs maintain territories that may be as large as 60 square miles(155 square kilometers). They are monogamous and may remain with their mate for several years or possibly for life. A lesson a number of us missed.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Sea Ray AquaPalooza

The worlds largest boating party... looks like Frock Night has been trumped...




AQUAPALOOZA KEEPS GETTING BIGGER!

For the fourth time in a row since its debut in 2006, AquaPalooza broke its own records with an amazing total of approximately 15,600 boats and 84,000 people showing up to share in a grand celebration of the boating lifestyle. In the past four years, AquaPalooza has more than tripled in size! We'd like to thank all the attendees, dealers, sponsors and employees who made this summer's 122 events the most successful yet.

If you don't already know, AquaPalooza is the name given to a series of on-water celebrations held during the last two weekends in July at more than 100 locations around the world. Created by Sea Ray Boats, AquaPalooza is free and open to all boaters and non-boaters. Each gathering features fun activities for family and friends of all ages, such as live entertainment, games, giveaways and much more.

Be sure to read all about this year's Signature Event, which featured a concert by country superstar Alan Jackson, and check back soon to find out where next summer's AquaPalooza with splash down. (Or, better yet, send us your recommendations on our Facebook page!)

Check out photos and videos from last year's AquaPalooza, and don't forget to show your support on our Facebook, MySpace and YouTube pages. Remember to sign up for email updates, and mark your calendar now for the 2010 AquaPalooza celebration near you!

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Congratulations to the Sonar Team Racers


On August 28-30, Fred, Rob and Jim from Northern Yacht Club participated in a team racing clinic and regatta at the US Sailing Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin located on the western shore of Lake Michigan. Bert Foster of WYC coordinated the event with Hans Graf, Executive Director of the US Sailing Center.

What is team racing? The game involves two teams of 3 boats each racing against each other. It’s a combination of fleet racing - getting a good start, sailing fast, catching shifts etc. and tactical moves to help your team mates move up in the race standings. If you leave your team mates behind, the other team will try to slow them down so their own boats move ahead. Since there are 21 possible points, the goal of each race is for your team to finish with a “winning” combination of 10 points or less. The best winning combinations are 1st, 2nd and anything or finishes of 2nd, 3rd and 4th place. With these “stable” combinations, it’s difficult for the opposing team to pass your team mates. On the other hand, if your team has a 1st and 3rd during the race watch out because the opposing 2nd place boat will attack your 3rd place and try to slow them down with a “pass back” move. If you don’t go on the offensive first and are attacked by the other team you may find yourself going from 2nd to 6th place in a hurry.

Three teams competed at the Sheboygan Invitational Team Clinic and Regatta – Wayzata, Canada and Sheboygan. Teams arrived on Thursday afternoon to launch boats and do a little shakedown cruise. Cocktails and appetizers followed at the yacht club. Friday was a practice day for the teams followed by a debriefing by Coach Ken Legler, Head Coach of the Tufts Sailing Team. Ken provided valuable instruction to the entire group throughout the weekend on the nuances of team racing strategy, tactics and rules.

The three teams competed in a series of round robins to determine who would make it into the finals. The top two teams would compete in a best of five series after all the round robins were completed.


Competition started on Saturday in a Northwesterly wind of 15-20 mph. There were a lot of close races and everyone was trying to figure out the competition. Sheboygan showed early dominance and Canada rallied after lunch winning 4 races to put them in contention to make it into the final.

On Sunday morning the wind clocked to the Northeast which brought 3 to 4 foot swells and winds of 10 – 15 mph. Team Wayzata had a huddle before racing began and decided to change their starting strategy from “one boat start on the boat end, one in the middle and one at the pin” to – “get a good start, sail fast and go from there”. The strategy paid off. Team Wayzata rallied to win 3 races in a row and make it into the “Best of 5” final against Team Sheboygan. Team Canada watched the final from the coach and umpire boats and listened to Coach Ken Legler’s commentary on the radio about the plays that were developing on the race course.

In the final, Wayzata won the first race against Sheboygan. In the 2nd race, Sheboygan rallied and won the race to tie-up the series 1 to 1. In the third race, the race was close ending in a 5 boat pile up at the finish line. When the dust settled, one of the umpire boats informed a boat from Sheboygan that they had fouled a Wayzata boat near the finish line and had to re-finish. This infraction gave Sheboygan a losing combination and put Wayzata up 2-1. In the 4th and final race, Team Sheboygan had created a wedge at the start with two of their boats on either side of Wayzata boat #5. The Wayzata boat was an innocent victim with nowhere to go. To make things more interesting, Mark Kochendorfer from Wayzata fell overboard trying to clear a competitor’s boom from the forestay and get clear. The penalty against the windward Sheboygan boat that failed to keep clear was fair and immediate. An umpire watching the mayhem required the guilty Sheboygan boat to do penalty spins until Mark could get back on board and sail on their way. One of the other Sheboygan boats who helped create the incident retired. The other two Wayzata boats had a clean start and finished in a winning combination of 1st and 2nd place to seal the victory for Wayzata in the final over Sheboygan with a score of 3 wins and 1 loss.

It was a great weekend of sailing and learning about team racing. Sonar Fleet 5 will continue to practice their Team Racing skills and compete next year in Sheboygan to battle it out on Lake Michigan with other teams.

Team Wayzata
WYC Boat #4 – John Rainaldi, Ernest Brody, Becca Lundberg
WYC Boat #5 – Marty Fossen, Kathy Fossen, Mark Kochendorfer
WYC Boat #6 – John Sligh, Liz Sligh, Jeff Harris

Team Canada
CYA Boat “Captain Hook” – Bert Foster, Carmella Foster, Leonard MacKinnan
CYA Boat #7 – Tom Brown, Dan Hollinger, Chandra Wobschall Millner
CYA Boat # 8 – Fred Finlayson, Jim Fogg, Rob Eby

Team Sheboygan
SYC Boat #1 – Hans Graf and Crew
SYC Boat # 2 – Albert, Rachel and Max of Tufts Sailing Team
SYC Boat # 3 – Greg, Duane Olmsted and Crew

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Fall Sea Fever


Race Recap:

We got one race in Saturday and one race in on Sunday. Six participants: D-Boat, Vixen, Auberg, Raven, Blondie, Grand Cru. Prior to the Saturday start we had winds around 4-5 knots. The pursuit style race at noon. The wind disappeared about five minutes after D-Boat started. Painfully slow sailing ensued but the day was gorgeous with the sun shining and the temp around 25 degrees. The race was scheduled for 7 miles, but shortened during the race to 3.5 miles to end at the rounding mark. D-Boat opted to drop their main sail for the down “wind” portions of the race. Auberg and Grand Cru past the finish line at roughly the same time around 3:45. That averages to less than 1 knot per hour VMG. Raven was next to cross at 4pm. Estimated finish times were given to the remaining boats and final places for the race were: Auberg, Grand Cru, Raven, D-Boat, Vixen, Blondie.

Sunday’s race brought us a little more wind - pretty solid 1-2 knots for most of the race. Some boats didn’t make it to the start line. Pursuit style start for a planned 5 mile race. Some kind of squall came through and we saw wind speeds hit four knots – Raven dropped their headsail to, we assume, protect against sail damage caused by this unexpected double in wind speed. After the squall subsided, it was back to normal racing in moderate winds of 1 knot. Auberg started at 10:20 followed by Raven and Grand Cru. Again, the race was shortened to 2.2 miles and Grand Cru finished shortly after noon, followed by Auberg and Raven. Average VMG of just over 1 knot!

Final results:
1 - Grand Cru
2 - Auberg
3 - Raven
4 - D-Boat
5 - Vixen
6 - Blondie

Harmonized Sales Tax Petition


This petition is available to sign at the Northern Harbour Boat Club and at the shop if people are interested.

When Ontario’s 13% harmonized sales tax (HST) comes into effect on July 1, 2010, the 8% provincial sales tax (PST) will be combined with the 5% good and services tax (GST). The ‘harmonized tax’ of 13% will cover a wide range of services previously exempt from Ontario PST. This basically means that Ontario boaters will pay 13% instead of 5% on almost all marine services. We estimate that OMOA member boaters will pay an additional $20,000,000 per year in taxes.

The government does not fully understand the impact of the implementation of the HST, especially the impact on businesses like yours. OMOA is taking a proactive approach on your behalf to stop the HST. We are circulating the attached petition and asking for your assistance. It is imperative that you as a marina operator inform your boaters of the effects that the HST will have upon them. Some items boaters will begin paying an extra 8% on include and are not limited to:

- Dockage, mooring
- Repair services
- Marine surveyor services
- Legal services
- Safety equipment
- Brokerage sales fees
- Winter storage
- Launching and haul out
- Mast stepping
- Holding tank pump out,
- Fuels (gas, oil, diesel)

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Lifting large sailboats



Due to the number of large sailboats Northern Harbour will be lifting large sailboats prior to 12 noon on weekends. This is a change from prior years where most large boats where scheduled during the week.

Contact nharbour@kmts.ca if you have any questions.

Monday, August 31, 2009

Canadian Yachting Association Appoints New Executive Director

After an eight month national search the Canadian Yachting Association is pleased to announce Paddy Boyd is its new Executive Director effective September 15, 2009.

Boyd is a skilled executive with experience in both the administration of the sport of sailing, and the boating industry. A former Chief Executive and Training and Development Officer of the Irish Sailing Federation, in addition to a skilled administrator, Paddy is an experienced offshore racer, cruising instructor, yacht broker and master mariner. As the manager of the Irish Olympic Sailing Team at both the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the 2000 Sydney, Australia Olympic Games, Paddy brings a wide range of skills to carry the CYA to the next level of sailing excellence, with the support and guidance of the Board of Directors.

Paddy, has and continues to serve on a number of committees of the International Sailing Federation including the Youth and Development Committee (2000 2004), and the Offshore Committee 2000 to the present. He also was the Irish representative to the European Boating Association and holds a number of commercial and sailing competency certificates including Deck Officer Class 1 Master Mariner.

Paddy is married and three children. He and his family are in the process of relocating to Kingston.

In order to ensure continuity Peter Wood, Interim Executive Director since October 2008, has agreed to assist in the transition by being available on an as needed basis.

The Canadian Yachting Association is the national governing body for the sport of sailing in Canada. It is financially supported by Sport Canada, Federal Government Department of Heritage. The Associations mission is to encourage participation and excellence in sailing and racing. The CYA achieves its goals through collaboration with its 10-member provincial sailing associations and close to 300 member sailing clubs. The Associations head office is located in Kingstons Portsmouth Olympic Harbour complex.

Witch Bay Pursuit Results



Grand Cru 3:09:30
Anteaus 3:27:30
Raven 3:29:35
Rebel 3:30:00
Sorcerer 3:37:15
Knock-out
Sanity
Borderline
Oh Boy
Scots and Water DNF
Intrepid DNF

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Official NYC Rum Punch - Cruise Week Approved



Punch comes from the Indian word "panch" which means five. The five refers to the fiver ingredients of sour, sweet, strong, weak and spice. The poem for rum punch goes: One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong and four of weak, a dash of bitters and a sprinkle of spice, serves well chilled with plenty of ice.

You will need the following ingredients:

1 measure of lime juice, freshly squeezed
2 measures of sugar syrup - see method
3 measures of dark Caribbean rum, the older, the better
4 measures of water
Dash of Angostura Bitters and freshly grated nutmeg

Place two measures of sugar in a saucepan with a little water and cook until the sugar has dissolved and add to the juice.

Add the rum and water. A good quality passion fruit juice can be used instead of water but reduce the syrup slightly.

Serve with plenty of ice, a dash of bitters and a grating of nutmeg.

LOWISA Rum Baba Cake - Explained


Rum Baba Cake a new LOWISA Tradition.

Rum Baba cake is a delicious party dessert. Rum Baba cakes are dense, yeast cakes that are traditionally saturated with rum. They are often topped with a whipped cream, but add whatever topping will make it your own. Rum Baba cake has a Slavic origin and the name means old women or grandmother in Slavic languages. The cake is often called "baba" for short, throughout Europe.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions -

Things You'll Need:

6 eggs 4 teaspoons active dry yeast ¾ cup sugar Flour sifter 2 cups flour 2 tbsp. baking powder Whisk 1 cup raisins 9 tbsp. melted butter ¾ cup lukewarm milk ½ cup water Bundt cake pan ½ cup white rum

Homemade Rum Baba Cake

Step 1 Combine the eggs, yeast and sugar. Beat vigorously until they are not only combined but light and airy.

Step 2 Sift the flour and baking powder together until they are fully combined.

Step 3 Add the flour and baking powder gradually to the eggs and sugar. Whisk until it's a smooth combination, about 2 minutes.

Step 4 Add the raisins, butter, lukewarm milk and water to the mix. Blend until the mixture is fully combined.

Step 5 Pour into a greased bundt cake pan and bake for about 30 minutes at 325 degrees. When the cake is cooled, saturate with rum.

Baba (BAH-bah) – Baba is called Babka in Poland and in France. In French, the word baba meaning, "falling over or dizzy." These are small cakes made from yeast dough containing raisins or currants. They are baked in cylindrical molds and then soaked with sugar syrup usually flavoured with rum (originally they were soaked in a sweet fortified wine). After these cakes were soaked in the wine sauce for a day, the dried fruits would fall out of them.

1600s - It is believed to be a version of a kugelhopf, which was invented in Lemberg in the 1600s. The baba was brought to Paris, France by King Stanislas Leszczynska, the deposed king of Poland and the father-in-law of King Louis XV (1710–1774) of France when he was exiled to Lorraine. According to legend, he found the customary kouglhopf too dry for his liking and dipped the bread in rum. He was so delighted that he named the cake after one of the heroes of his favourite book, Ali Baba from A Thousand and One Nights. Later, his chef refined the sweet bread by using brioche dough and adding raisins to the recipe. The dish was then simply called “baba.”

Baba Au Rhum/Baba Au Savarin - A Savarin is a yeast dough baked in a ring mold and soaked in rum syrup, the center hole brimming with pastry cream, crème chantilly, or fresh fruit. The dessert is a close relative of the Eastern European baba, which includes dried fruit in the dough and is served without a filling.

According to the famous book called Larousse Gastronomique, The Encyclopedia of Food, Wine & Cookery, by Prosper Montagne:

"At the same time a Parisian Maitre Patissier, Julien, by omitting raisins from the dough, giving the cake another shape and changing the syrup in which it was steeped (this syrup remained the secret of his establishment for a long time) created the Brillat-Savarin, which later became simply savarin."

The Oxford Companion to Food by Alan Davidson says that one of the Julien brothers, from a family of Parisian pastry-makers, set his mind to experimenting with the baba recipe sometime in the 1840s. The result was this rich and tasty dessert, which he named in honour of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826), celebrated French gourmet and writer on gastronomy.

The dessert became very popular in France, but the people called it Baba Au Rhum and soon dropped the name Savarin. In other parts of the world, the cake is known as simply Savarin. In Turkey this cake is called "father's cake."

Thursday, July 23, 2009

The 44th Running of LOWISA!


By: Robert Nuttall
July, 2009

The Lake of the Woods International Sailing Association’s LOWISA Regatta has distinguished itself as a pinnacle event within the sport of sailing by virtue of its traditions, longevity and by the pristine waters of its majestic setting on Lake of the Woods. Although it is first and foremost a racing event, there is something for everyone. There are fleets for family cruising, pursuit starts, white sails and fleets with hard-core crews - down and dirty (but always gentlemanly of course), which ensures racing and sailing at its best.

The Commodores and committees change each year and for 2009 John and Marcia Sexton of Burnsville, Minnesota will fly the Commodore’s Pendant from the rigging of their 31’ fiberglass Farrier designed trimiran. John, Marcia and their two girls, Tracy 19 and Betsy 15 are very tight. In fact they would be the perfect example of “the one for all and all for one” family. As a family, they’ve participated in many LOWISA regattas. Their boat is sweet; it’s very fast and very exciting; it reaches at speeds in excess of 22 knots. And they know their boat very well; it took the Sexton family 11 years to build this state-of-the-art performer. But it’s not just Lake of the Woods that they love – John and his family will have sailed in the Bahamas (Regatta Time in the Abaco Islands), before heading north for the long journey to Lake of the Woods.

Traditionally PHRF and one-design, the main regatta gets its start each year on the first Sunday of August. The addition of the Arctic Glacier Youth Dinghy Open Day Regatta activities get underway on Saturday, (August 1st, this year). Now in its 4th year, the Arctic Glacier Youth Regatta promotes sailing development and racing for youth 18 years and under while giving publicity to the week-long main regatta.

The regatta week starts with registration, the Skippers’ Meeting and the Sailors’ Social on Saturday at the Kenora Harbourfront. The start sequence for the week-long main regatta begins at 10:00 hrs on Sunday, August 2nd in Kenora’s Safety Bay. Daily races are typically 25 miles and are point-to-point, ending usually, in the proximity of a wilderness lodge. Sailors have the choice of pre-booking lodges, renting a houseboat, staying on board their own boats or camping on shore. Routes and mid-week Layover Day destinations vary widely from year-to-year.

Social events are many and include the uniquely enjoyable Mt. Gay, Pepsi, Arctic Glacier Wilderness Adventure (yup it’s a wilderness rum party), the Canadian Tire Annual Youth Fishing Tournament, a LOWISA scavenger hunt, a mid-week Commodore’s Dinner and reception, Friday on the lake wilderness pizza and a movie, and the Grand-Finale, the Commodore hosted buffet and Awards at the end of Day 7 sailing.

Wednesday is Layover Day and distance-wise, it is typically the furthest point from the Day 1 beginning. This year we are pleased to be going to one Totem Resorts 5 Star lodges, Wiley Point Wilderness Lodge. You are free to relax and enjoy the lodge’s amenities and services or get out again for the optional series of around-the-cans racing. Whatever you choose the day is yours to enjoy. The lodge is to host a wonderful dinner followed by the always popular LOWISA Talent Contest and perhaps a key-note speaker or two. The entire racing and socializing agenda will be posted on our website at http://www.lowisa.org/ so check on it often.

The year 2009, marks its 44th running. The longevity of this event is evidence to its enduring tradition as well as its rich and colourful history. Friendships which have been made, are rekindled, families and friends bond and crew teams meld throughout the week of sailing, racing and socializing. Many of the participants come from mid-western Canada and the USA and still yet some come from as far away as Europe, New Zealand and the Cayman Islands each year.

It is not only the world class racing and camaraderie that makes the week amazing; it’s the 65,000 miles of shoreline and the 16,662 islands chiselled out of granite, eons ago, by advancing and retreating ice. As well, the abundant wildlife and soaring White and Red Pines collaborate to make Lake of the Woods truly majestic. The 60 mile x 60 mile lake is itself international, and is part of the Canadian Shield or if you are American, the Superior Uplands and borders the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario and the American state of Minnesota.

Since 1966, sailors have continued to thrill in the competition and to savour the splendour of their surroundings. But as awesome as it is, Lake of the Woods is not fickle…nor is it totally predicable. The weather and winds are more often than not, fair – a perfect water wonderland, a perfect venue for sailing. With all its elements of challenge, and excitement, LOWISA attracts sailors from around the world! The 2009 Lake of the Woods International Sailing Association’s LOWISA Regatta gets underway August 1, 2009 in Safety Bay, Kenora, Ontario, Canada.
Visit our Website at http://www.lowisa.org/ for details and updates. Better yet, join us for an unforgettable week!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Hail Ceasars Night

Suggestion for this years Frock Night on Saturday September 5th - “Hail Ceasars night”. So from Cleopatra to Claudius, Greek or geek gods to eunuchs get out your bed sheets and vine leaves and come dressed in you best Toga!

Our “special” Olympics will start with the competition to find the best made Caesar. Everyone is to bring straws for the tasting competition. Medal and crowns of leaves for the rum and spoon and three legged race; make sure your toga is decent! Prize for the best dressed people and prize for the best dressed dog.

Location weather dependent but suggestions are Hidden Bay or Yellow Girl.

Fine print - Sailing in your Togas could damage your health. Sail responsibly!

NYC Fish Fry Raises $250 for LOWISA


Another successful fish fry is in the history books, more pictures posted here. Many thanks to all who helped organize and volunteer.

NYC is pleased to donate $250 to LOWISA as part of the fund raising 50/50 draw that took place during the fish fry. Congratulations to Kim White who won.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Commodores Cup Results


In a tight finish Raven catches Borderline in the last few minutes of the Race.


1 Raven 15:00:35
2 Borderline 15:00:45
3 Sorcerer 15:04:10
4 Grand Cru 15:05:05
5 Vixen 15:09:55
6 Sanity 15:13:55
7 Blonde 15:17:15
8 Aftica 16:04:00

Thursday, July 16, 2009

A couple of notices from Northern Harbour to pass on

Dinghy Docking Plan - Please note that Northern Harbour has assinged dinghy docking spots to all customers, please see the assinged spots posted at the end of each dock. Please do not park in spots that are assinged to others as this is leading to confusion with spots.

Wake in the Bay - Please be advised that there have been some concerns brought to our attention from boaters at Northern Harbour as well as the residents of Pine Portage Bay regarding the amount of excess wake from power boaters. In order to assist in resolving this matter, we would ask that power boats use the west track to and from Northern Harbour and keep wake to a minimum around the harbour as well as to the end of the bay. We trust that all boaters are willing to abide by this however failure to do so will result in removal of the boater from Northern Harbour.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Warroad 2009 Results




Race 1, Race 2, Overall
Fogger 0.75, 5, 5.75

Sloop Du Jour 5, 2, 7

Bird Bath 4, 4, 8

Raven 2, 6, 8

Kite 8, 0.75, 8.75

Vixen 3, 9, 12

Grand Cru 10, 3, 13

Intrepid 6, 8, 14

Blondie 9, 7, 16

Borderline 7, 10, 17

Aftica 11, 11, 22


Race 2 Corrected Times TOTF Corrected
Kite 1.1512 5:52:47

Sloop Du Jour 1.0653 6:01:59

Grand Cru 1.1512 6:06:22

Bird Bath 1.0959 6:07:13

Fogger 0.9541 6:08:09

Raven 1.0703 6:11:15

Blondie 1.1174 6:22:06

Intrepid 1.041 6:26:29

Vixen 1.0224 6:33:37

Borderline 0.99566:39:59

Aftica 0.9956 6:58:29

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Cruise Week 2009 - Friday July 24th to Friday July 31st



Cruising with a group of boats is an ideal way to be introduced to Lake of the Woods sailing. Navigating, popular anchorages, and some of the lake’s amenities can all be learned from a group of people who have been sailing these waters for years. The intent of Cruise Week is to be laid back and hassle free with lots of fun for the whole family.

The cost to register for Cruise Week 2009 is $115.00 (CDN) for NYC members, and $135.00 (CDN) for non-members. Included in your registration fee are:

- Hawaiian Luau dinner at Northern Harbour (July 24, 8:00 pm)
- Punch Party on Sanderson’s Beach (July 25, 2:00 pm)
- Birthday party champagne (July 28th)
- Two adult dinner tickets to the buffet at Totem Lodge (July 29)
- Activities such as Radio Bingo and Beach Bocce Ball with lots of prizes

Cruise week is set up in a loosely structured format. Participants are welcome to join in any or all activities or just sit back and relax.

ITINERARY & ANCHORAGES:

FRIDAY: Hawaiian Luau dinner by Andy Ormiston (Stravaigin) in the Northern Harbour Boat Room at 8:00 pm on Friday July 24th (Dress code Hawaiian, BYOB), followed by registration and a brief meeting.

SATURDAY: Get Acquainted Punch Party” on Sanderson’s Beach starting at 3:00 pm. Please bring a boneless (because of the dogs) hors d’oeuvre to share. Overnight anchorage will be at “The Funnel”

SUNDAY: On to Whitefish Bay with the overnight anchorage at Twin Island or Bell Island, depending on the weather.

MONDAY: Bocce Ball and swimming on Timber Island beach. The overnight anchorage will be at Bell Island.

TUESDAY: Back to Timber Beach for a half day of lazing around in the sun. Overnight anchorage will be in Hidden Bay where we will have a Birthday Party for cruisers celebrating birthdays that week, with chilled champagne and fresh birthday cake. The cake will be from the birthday-cake-baking contest, a hotly contested event last year in which “Deja Blue” showed you did not need an oven to win a prize.

WEDNESDAY: Overnight at the docks of Totem Lodge, a beautiful 5-star resort.

Your registration fee includes 2 adult tickets for the buffet dinner. Additional tickets are available at $40.00 CDN each. Children’s tickets (12 and under) are $15.00 CDN each.

There will be a children’s party on the beach in the afternoon (providing a parent volunteers to run it).

There’s a shuttle bus to Sioux Narrows for shopping ($6.00 return).

An Awards Presentation hosted by Kevin Booth (Windseeker) will follow dinner. Please submit nominations for Awards by 5:00

Totem is offering a special Cruise Week cabin rate of $150 per couple. (Last year it was $135 per person.)

Pump-out is available ($20.00) at Lake of the Woods Houseboats, about half an hour away.

THURSDAY: Back to Sanderson’s Beach for a more relaxation, games and swimming. Overnight anchorage will be at “Newfoundland Island”.


FRIDAY: Return to Northern Harbour.

To register, please complete the attached registration form and pay by Friday July 17th. Either email the form to me and pay by PayPal, or give the form and cheque to me or one of the committee members below. The cheque should be payable to Northern Yacht Club.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Bill and Pam (Oasis)
Phone: 237-7577
bwhitehe@mts.net

Andy and Deb (Stravaigin)
Phone: 253-0478
aormiston@lssd.ca

Kevin Booth (Windseeker)
Phone: 339-7908
windckr@mts.net

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Hey Northern Harbour has its own band???




Northern Harbour are Canada's ultimate Jimmy Buffett tribute band, and perform an authentic concert show that Parrot Heads all over North America have come to love! Formerly known as Margaritaville Express, this Toronto based band has crafted an amazing re-creation of the Head Parrot's musical Gulf Coast journey, which is now in its 4th decade. All delivered in the fun-loving style that has made Jimmy Buffett one of the top grossing touring acts in North America. Canada's favorite trop-rock party is still going strong too, with a continually evolving live show that delivers all the energy, colour, fun, and especially the sound of Jimmy in concert! Drawing from a truly massive catalog of honed Buffett songs (& more), the band has been bringing the islands North since 2003. And they're just getting warmed up (takes longer in Canada, eh)! They have headlined many top-tier festival bills in the U.S. and Canada, and have performed private shows from Anchorage to Tortola!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Be Afraid! Be Very Afraid!


LOWISA and Warroad just got a lot more interesting. Dave Nelson participated in this Sunday's Spring Sea Fever with his new Ultimate 27, named 'Kite". PHRF 81, 40% of the weight of a J24, articulating bowsprit, carbon fibre toliet...

More Photos of Dave's boat from prior owner.

Spring Sea Fever Results

1st Kite 2:00:53
2nd Black Pearl
3rd D-Boat

It was great racing until the last 2 miles – when the wind completely disappeared. Black Pearl and D Boat sat parked for 20 minutes until Kite drifted past the finish.

We stopped racing as soon as Kite was done. Dave finished with an elapsed time of 1:45:00 (estimated). At that time, we were 1 ¼ mile behind Dave just at the entrance to Pine Portage Bay. D Boat was around the south west tip of Copper, about 2.9 miles from the finish. Finish times where estimated for Black Pearl and D-Boat.

Tea Cup Results

1st Black Pearl 2:09:49
2nd AFTICA 2:11:55
3rd Intrepid 2:22:22
4th D-Boat 2:31:52

Change of format this year which I think will prove popular next year, rather than a round the buoys race in harbour, we raced an 8 mile course around islands. Starting at the end of Pine Portage Bay, leave Copper Island to Port, Leave Kipling Island to Port, Leave Copper Island to Port, finish at the end of Pine Portage Bay.

Race was shortened at Kipling due to fading wind.

Fix Leaky C&C Windows...


A few people have been asking about a new solution for fixing C&C windows. A couple of boats from Gimli tried this out over the winter. Thought I would pass on this information.

Finally a permanent repair solution is available for those boaters tired of annoying window leaks!

Leaks and their resultant damage can now be eliminated permanently by utilizing a patented system combining custom fabricated marine grade aluminum extrusions and the latest adhesive and sealant technologies utilized in both aviation and marine industries.

Read more...

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Warroad 2009 - Gull Rock Yes or No - Vote Now!

It has been suggested that we consider removing Gull Rock as a mark on the course for Warroad. Historically Gull Rock was not a mark on the course and boats had the freedom to sail different sides of the lake. Gull Rock was added later as a mark to remove the hazard of a few unmarked rocks. With the advent of GPS it has been suggested that we consider removing Gull Rock as all boats have the ability navigate safely. Lets put it it to a vote. Please make you choice by clicking on yes or no on the side banner. Happy voting!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Premium Fuel at Gas Dock

Gary wanted to advise everyone that Northern Harbour has now gone to premium fuel and will will no longer be selling regular fuel due to ethanol issues in the marine environment.

What is the problem?

Recent initiatives aimed at improving air quality have negatively impacted many boaters. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires the use of oxygenated gasoline to improve air quality. Many regions use Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE), but ethanol is replacing it in many areas due to its own environmental problems. MTBE has links to cancer and easily leaks into groundwater aquifers. Ethanol use as a powerboat fuel can cause a number of headaches including fiberglass fuel tank failure, fuel system blockages, engine damage, and increased fuel contamination.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner


The crew of Raven was treated to dinner at Wiley Point Lodge as the winner of this weeks pursuit race. The Sgt Dick Booth Memorial Safety Race Trophy will be awarded for this race as all boats where required to complete a man overboard drill at some point in the race. Racing was tight with all boats finishing within 5 minutes of each other. It was exciting to see most of the boats leave their man overboard drill until the end, more than a few nail biting finishes...

Complete Results:
Raven
Blonde
Vixen
Fogger
Sorcerer
Intrepid
Black Pearl

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

LOWISA 43 - Feature Article on Sailling Breezes


On the top of the map of Minnesota is a “knob”, which extends towards Kenora Ontario. This “Lake of the Woods” has become the site for an annual, historic week of sailing, sunshine, and socializing. I first joined this week of sailing in 1981 and have returned to Kenora several times since then.

Entering it’s 44th annual regatta, LOWISA or Lake of the Woods International Sailing Association brings sailors from Canada and the US together in a broad mix of boats to compete in several different fleets. Although it is a first class race, LOWISA is also a time to appreciate some of the most pristine waters of North America. The experience is akin to sailing in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area of northern Minnesota.

Read more...

Friday, May 22, 2009

Friday, May 8, 2009

Atlantic Cup - Daily Updates from Nana Maria


Thursday, May 7

It is a gorgeous morning here in the Atlantic Ocean. The sun is shining, the seas are calm and we are moving along very nicely. Our hope is to be in Bermuda by the wee hours of the morning. The boys are busy rigging "Nellie’s Bag of Terror" yet again, in preparation for a wind switch to the south. The day should prove interesting... at the very least. The strategy dance has begun. Which side of the course is favored? Do we stay farther west in anticipation of the winds clocking more to the south? Or do we start heading up toward Bermuda to give us more boat speed and hope that the wind won't switch till after we arrive?


We finally saw other boats yesterday. I know that is not a big thrill for most, but after seeing nothing for the last few days, little diversions become a huge deal.


It is finally calm enough that we all are going to shower... You may be wondering why I am mentioning this? Anybody that has been out to sea knows that trying to shower in rough seas in a tiny cubicle, is a recipe for Sea Sickness, if you are so prone. Most people try to avoid it, therefore showers are calm day activities and something to look forward to. You have a tendency to seek out the simple pleasures of life on a boat. ie bathing, eating, sleeping and Ice Cream at the finish line.. and maybe a spot of bubbly or two.


Wednesday, May 6

Today is Wednesday and we have made significant catch up to the fleet. I am happy to say that we have our own secret weather router located somewhere in Gaithersburg Maryland and doing a wonder job of telling us where to go. The winds and seas are beginning to calm and the fishing line is out once again. If we don't catch a Mahi today it will be Hamburger Helper for dinner.


Tuesday, May 5

Yesterday was a mixed bag of wind.. Sometimes we had it, sometimes we did not and in the end too much. The boys were overjoyed to fly "Nellie’s Bag of Terror" and had several lessons in deployment and take down. They did it very well, I might add. Good old Nana Maria had a great start but when the wind died so did our speed. It hurt to see so many boats pass us, but now that the wind has picked up we are flying at speeds of 9 to 11 knots. Not too shabby.


We have had several glitches in equipment, but nothing that can't be fixed. Our AC fridge is not working as it should; Thank Goodness the DC side is available.


We lost yet more lures yesterday, two in total. We did manage to land a mahi-mahi on board the back deck but....... the gaff slipped out and Mrs. Mahi wiggled herself right off. Guess she did not want to be the guest of honor at dinner last night.


The really big news is that "I" was able to shower. I am so not going to be like these smelly boys....haha.


Monday, May 4

We are a few hours away from completing our first day out to sea. We have had picture perfect weather and seas. Nana Maria could use a little more wind to really get here flying but we are maintaining a steady 6 knots. This weather pattern will hold almost to Bermuda we are told.


Last night we dined on freshly caught tuna. What a treat...and the good news is that we still have more in the fridge..ummmmm While Fred and Jim were cleaning the one we caught, Rod just thru in the hook to get it out of the way and wouldn't you know another one jumped up for the hook less than 5 feet off the back of the boat.. In fact it ate my hook :( We did persevere and put ON yet another hook on which was promptly devoured by an unknown fish..I guess the old sea superstition is true. If you have Bananas on board the fish won't bite-- So this trip we have no bananas…


The morning net just finished and we are in for another light air day, It may well be a "Nellie’s Bag of Terror Day".. (aka the gennaker sail)

Monday, May 4, 2009

New Boat Alert!

Blair just closed the deal on a brand new Beneteau First 36.7. A new shoal draft keel is being manufactured by Mars Metals with boat due to arrive the end of June. He hopes to have it ready for Warroad.


Black Pearl will be up for sale if anyone is interested give him an email at bmm@magnusbuffie.ca.


Congratulations Blair, Wendy and family...

Sunday, May 3, 2009

SNAFU Sailing in Thailand on Paso Doble


Ian and Sally joined sailing friends from Clear lake to charter a Lagoon 41 in Thailand. After leaving -37 in Winnipeg, the plus 37 degrees in the shade took some adjusting to. Mid day sunshine took the temps up to 47 degrees. That week the wind gods refused to blow so we used our sails for shade! We had one day of sailing at around 6 knots! Unfavourable winds but favourable beers compensated. Prawns the size of ones head, fabulous hospitality, breath taking scenery, easy navigation, clear sailing guides to follow, quiet anchorages if desired, party spots if preferred and even cheese burger in paradise could be purchased on an occasional island. We met sailing families, couples and groups of guys. Provisioning was easy at the large supermarket. We took our own wine supplies from home with out any trouble but our unopened mayo got us into trouble at Tokyo Airport as it was mistaken for C4 explosive! The usual SNAFU with us. They let us keep it once they understood the North American need for keeping our arteries insulated.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Rock Lobster


As per last year we will not be providing a dinner for the IceBreaker but will have social type food available during the evening.

This event is free and open to all, with donations being accepted for non-members.

The Kinsmen Club of Kenora will be hosting a Lobster Fundraiser the weekend of May 15th. For those that are interested you can order a Lobster (1.25 - 1.5 lbs avg. weight) pre-cooked or live for $20 through our website using PayPal. We will accept orders through the website until May 10th, that is the final date that we have to submit our order. Lobsters will be delivered to the harbor in the afternoon of the 16th - in time for dinner...

Special prize for the best Lobster hat or costume...

Friday, April 17, 2009

Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation - Spring Newsletter

Dear Friends of the Lake of the Woods:

Attached is a the March 2009 newsletter of the Lake of the Woods Water Sustainability Foundation. Please take a few moments to read our newsletter -- as you will see, we have made significant progress on water quality research and policy initiatives towards instituting international coordination and elevating the priority of Lake of the Woods with our governments.

The Foundation, along with its partners, has just run the 6th Annual International Lake of the Woods Water Quality Forum. International coordination for Lake of the Woods was highlighted as the emerging issue on the lake, complementing the scientific reports on research underway on the lake, including an update on the nutrient budget study being sponsored by our Foundation.

We released the State of the Basin Report for the Lake of the Woods and Rainy River Basin on March 11 at the Water Quality Forum.

The State of the Basin Report is available electronically for download at the Foundation’s website: http://www.lowwsf.com

This 140 page report provides a landmark baseline assessment against which to evaluate future environmental changes and the effectiveness of future management strategies for the lake, its water quality and its biological communities.

Preparation of the State of the Basin Report was a collaborative effort of our Foundation, the Ontario Ministry of Environment, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and Environment Canada. In addition, many other agencies and researchers in Canada and the United States generously provided data and analyses to this project.

Friday, April 10, 2009

BVI adventure aboard CACA FUEGO

Here are some pic’s of our BVI adventure aboard CACA FUEGO our chartered Beneteau 473. We had tons of fun and even got to share the entrance channel at Gorda Sound with the Maltese Falcon. We snorkeled every day and took some underwater pictures. George Luchka and Mike Scott joined us for a few anchorages and are in some of our shots along with Mike’s boat Zafu 444. Check out the pic’s of the famous Bomba’s Surf Shack too.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Faces of LOWISA 43

The 44th Running of LOWISA!

By: Robert Nuttall

The Lake of the Woods International Sailing Association’s LOWISA Regatta has distinguished itself as a pinnacle event within the sport of sailing by virtue of its traditions, longevity and by the pristine waters of its majestic setting on Lake of the Woods. Although it is, first and foremost, a racing event, there is something for everyone. It includes, fleets for family cruising, pursuit starts, white sails and fleets with hard-core crews - down and dirty (but always gentlemanly), to ensure racing and sailing at its best.

Traditionally PHRF and one-design, the main regatta gets its start each year on the first Sunday of August. The addition of the Arctic Glacier Youth Dinghy Open Day Regatta activities get underway on Saturday, (August 1st, this year). Now in its 3rd year, the Arctic Glacier Youth Regatta promotes sailing development and racing for youth 18 years and under while giving publicity to the week-long main regatta.

The regatta week starts with registration, the Skippers’ Meeting and the Sailors’ Social on Saturday. The start sequence begins at 1050 hrs on Sunday. Daily races are typically 25 miles and are point-to-point, ending usually, in the proximity of a wilderness lodge. Sailors have the choice of pre-booking lodges, renting a houseboat, staying on board their own boats or camping on shore. Routes and mid-week Layover Day destinations vary widely from year to year.

Social events are many and include the Mt. Gay Pepsi Arctic Glacier Wilderness Adventure (yup it’s a rum party), the Canadian Tire Annual Youth Fishing Tournament, a LOW scavenger hunt, wilderness on the lake pizza and a movie, capping it off in grand finale style, the Commodore’s Ball and Awards Banquet.

Wednesday is Layover Day and distance-wise, it is the furthest point from the Day 1 beginning. This year we are pleased to be going to the Wiley Point Wilderness Lodge. You are free to relax and enjoy the lodge’s amenities and services or get out again for the optional series of around-the-cans racing. Whatever you choose the day is yours to enjoy. The lodge is to host a wonderful dinner followed by the always popular LOWISA Talent Contest and perhaps a key-note speaker or two. The entire racing and socializing agenda will be posted well in advance on our website at http://www.lowisa.org/ so check on it often.

The year 2009, marks its 44th running. The longevity of this event is evidence to its enduring tradition as well as its rich and colourful history. Friendships which have been made, are rekindled, families and friends bond and crew teams meld throughout the week of sailing, racing and socializing. Many of the participants come from mid-western Canada and the USA and still yet some come from as far away as Europe, New Zealand and the Cayman Islands each year.

It is not only the world class racing and camaraderie that makes the week amazing; it’s the 65,000 miles of shoreline and the 16,662 islands chiselled out of granite, eons ago, by advancing and retreating ice. As well, the abundant wildlife and soaring White and Red Pines collaborate to make Lake of the Woods truly majestic. The 60 mile x 60 mile lake is itself international, bordering the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario and the American state of Minnesota.

Since 1966, sailors have continued to thrill in the competition and to savour the splendour of their surroundings. But as awesome as it is, Lake of the Woods is not fickle…nor is it totally predicable. The weather and winds are more often than not, fair – a perfect water wonderland, a perfect venue for sailing. With all its elements of challenge, and excitement, LOWISA attracts sailors from around the world! The 2009 Lake of the Woods International Sailing Association’s LOWISA Regatta gets underway August 1, 2009 out of Safety Bay in Kenora, Ontario, Canada.

Visit our Website at http://www.lowisa.org/ for details and updates. Better yet, join us for an unforgettable week!