greater detroit 2013 Sunfish race schedule

the Greater Detroit Sunfish Club (GDSC) has released their 2013 Sunfish race schedule (you can find it with additional information posted at their Yahoo Group).  you can also check them out on their Facebook page.

this year is also the 50th anniversary of the GDSC!

• April 28th – Maceday Lake (only a month away!)
• May 19th – Watkins Lake
• May 26th – Watkins Lake [10:30am start!]
• June 9th – Sailing & Rigging Workshop @ Big Lake
• June 29th & 30th – Lakeport State Park – a camping & sailing weekend with an Open Regatta.  sailing this year will be based at Armstrong’s Resort in Lakeport.
• August 17th – Portage Lake
  • this one is part of the Scowfish Invitational (Sunfish & MC Scows)
• August 31st & September 1st – Tawas Bay – a camping & sailing weekend at Tawas Bay on Lake Huron (launching from Timber Lane Resort‘s beach)
• September 22nd – Watkins Lake
• October 6th – Big Lake

all Sunday races start at 12:30pm [uno]

the Sailing & Rigging Workshop day is planned to be:

a day of teaching-learning for sunfish sailors.  Topics suggested include rigging strategies, maintenance, repair, practice starting.  Bring your boat and whatever lines, parts, and tools you think you might need

I said this last year, and didn’t get a chance, but I’m again going to do my best to meet up with this group for some races this year.  it’s shaping up to be a pretty busy summer already, though!

october 2012 sunfish midwest schedule

there is just one upcoming (and final) Sunfish race in the Midwest Region during the month of October.

Saturday, October 20th – Great Pumpkin Regatta (Open)

this is the last Midwest event of the year, and from what I’ve heard – it’s a pretty great time.  the event is held at the Johnson Slough Yacht Club, in Hinsdale, Illinois.

This is the one you’ve heard about! Loaner boats available. Sail it shore to shore. It’s just deep enough for Sunfish draft. If you capsize, stand up! Lakeside home serves as “host yacht club.” Six races, one day, coffee/donuts, hot lunch, post race snacks, libations, great fun! No matter the weather …

• 9:00 Registration
• 9:30 Skipper’s Meeting
• 10:00 First Race
• 12:30 Lunch
• 4:00 Awards
• 5 Trophies, 6 Races, 1 Discard
• $25 entry fee

september 2012 sunfish midwest schedule

there are (5) upcoming Sunfish races in the Midwest Region during the month of September.  the full Midwest region schedule can be found as part of the entire Sunfish 2012 regatta schedule here (.pdf file).

Saturday, Sept 1st – Highland Park Labor Day  or “Summer’s End” Regatta (formerly Mayor’s Cup Regatta)

this one-day event will be held by the North Shore Yacht Club in Highland Park, Illinois.  it is a multi-class regatta, with Sunfish, Buccaneer’s, Lasers, and more. the notice of race can be found on the club’s website (here), and a map to the site (here).

Saturday, Sept 1st and Sunday, Sept 2nd – GDSC Open Regatta – Labor Day

the Greater Detroit Sunfish Club (GDSC) (also check out their Yahoo Group, it’s sometimes a bit more up-to-date) hosts an annual camping trip with Sunfish racing to be held over Labor Day weekend.  they are repeating things from last year, with the event being held at Tawas Bay, Michigan, with racing to be held on Tawas Bay which is part of  Lake Huron.  many from the group will be camping at the Tawas Point State Park, but the group will be launching their sailboats from the public ramp next to Timberlane Resorts, where some of the group is also staying.

my family camped at that state park two summers ago – it is a pretty nice park, and a absolutely beautiful area, but sailing is not really feasible from the state park and campground area, as the water is very shallow for several hundred and up to a few thousand feet off the shoreline.  I also sailed on Tawas Bay that weekend, launching from the same ramp the GDSC will be using.

Saturday, Sept 15th and Sunday, Sept 16th – Midwest Sunfish Regional Championship #2

this event will be held at Devils Lake Yacht Club in Manitou Beach, Michigan.  it is the “Bruce Goldsmith Memorial Regatta”, and typically includes 2 fleets – Sunfish and Lightnings.  this is the event I was able to attend as a spectator (and photographer) in 2009.

Saturday, Sept 22nd and Sunday, Sept 23rd – Clark Lake Fall Regatta

this 2-day event will be held by Clark Lake Yacht Club in Clark Lake, Michigan.  a couple things from the notice of race:

Note:  5 boats minimum required for individual start –3 boats minimum for a fleet! Rebels, Interlakes, Sunfish, Wayfarers, Buccaneers, and Snipes!

sounds like a great time!  the official notice of race can be found here (.pdf file).

Sunday, Sept 3oth  – OktoberFast Sunfish Series #4 Regatta

this is the final event for the year hosted by the Hueston Sailing Association at Hueston Woods State Park (map to lake here).  they have hosted several of the “Just for Fun” Sunfish racing series over the summer.

july 2012 sunfish midwest schedule

there are (6) upcoming Sunfish races in the Midwest Region during the month of July.

Saturday, June 30th & July 1st – GDSC Regatta (Open)

first up is a repeat from June’s schedule, as it falls right on the end of June and start of July.  this is a weekend camping event with the Greater Detroit Sunfish Club (GDSC), who have a full summer schedule of racing in the greater metro Detroit area (see full schedule here).  they will be camping at Lakeport State Park on Lake Huron, only a few miles north of Port Huron, and will hold several races on Saturday and Sunday.

this is usually one of the GDSC’s most heavily attended events, with most families camping at the state park for the weekend.  due to the late notice, if you would like to attend – your best bet is to probably join the GDSC Yahoo Group, and let them know, so they can get you visitor pass information for the state park.

Saturday, July 7th and Sunday, July 8th – Sam Meyers Memorial Regatta (Open)

this is another 2-day regatta, hosted by the Pymatuning Sailing Club at the Pymatuning State Park in Linesville, Pennsylvania, to honor the late Sam Meyers.  this is technically a race in the Mid-Atlantic Region event, but is close enough to the Midwest if you’re willing to travel that far.  it is a multi-class event, with Sunfish, Laser, Force 5, Hobie 16 and Hobie 18 sailboats racing (if enough pre-register). rustic camping is available.

Sam Meyers Regatta

Sunday, July 8th – Just for Fun #3 (Open)

this is the same day as the Sam Meyers Regatta above — the Hueston Sailing Association (map to lake here) already hosted Just for Fun #1 back in May and the Just for Fun #2 back in June.  this is their 3rd race in the Just for Fun series (one more in August).  once again:

Racing 1:30pm to 4:00pm – no fees, no trophies, just fun!

Saturday, July 21st – Lake Wawasee Sunfish Open

this race will be held at Wawasee Yacht Club on Lake Wawasee in Syracuse, Indiana (Google map), home to previous Midwest Regional Championship races.

Wawasee Yacht Club (photo by Stuart Webster)

Saturday, July 28th and Sunday, July 29th – PBC Invitational Regatta (Open)

this race will be held on the Maumee River, and will be hosted by the Perrysburg Boat Club.

image from: Perrysburg Boat Club

Sunday, July 29th – Fun Sunfish Regatta (Open)

similar to the Fun Sunfish Regatta held in June, this race will be held at Kiser Lake State Park in Ohio (map of state park here, .pdf file) and is hosted by the Kiser Lake Sailing Club.  the lake is popular for sailing as motorboats are not allowed on the lake.  per the Midwest schedule notes:

2:00pm Start. Open to all, no fees.  There are trophies, relaxed atmosphere, short courses, numerous starts, FUN!

may 2012 sunfish midwest schedule

there are (2) upcoming Sunfish races in the Midwest Region during the month of May.  the full Midwest region schedule can be found as part of the entire Sunfish 2012 regatta schedule here (.pdf file).

Saturday, May 19th, Northern Warmups (Open)

the 1st Sunfish race of the year for the Midwest region will be held at Wolf Lake Yacht Club (map to lake here). I don’t see a NOR posted on their website yet, you can also follow the yacht club on Facebook for more updates.

Photo by Jeff Fenton

Sunday, May 20th, Just for Fun #1 (Open)

this is the 1st in the series of “Just for Fun” races held at Hueston Sailing Association (map to lake here).

(picture from Hueston Sailing Association)

greater detroit 2012 Sunfish race schedule

the Greater Detroit Sunfish Club (GDSC) has released their 2012 Sunfish race schedule (you can find it with additional information posted at their Yahoo Group).  you can also check them out on their Facebook page.

• April 29th – Watkins Lake
• May 6th – Maceday Lake
• May 20th – Watkins Lake
• June 3rd – Stoney Creek Metropark
• June 17th – Stoney Creek
• June 30th & July 1st – Lakeport State Park – a camping & sailing weekend with an Open Regatta
• July 15th – Stoney Creek
• July 29th – Stoney Creek
• August 18th – Portage Lake
  • this one is part of the Scowfish Invitational (Sunfish & MC Scows)
• September 1st & 2nd – Tawas Bay – a camping & sailing weekend at Tawas Bay on Lake Huron
• September 23rd – Watkins Lake
• October 7th – Big Lake

all Sunday races start at 12:30pm.

I’m going to do my best to meet up with this group for some races this year.