iceboating.net Minnesota Ice Sailing Association

Heading home now, on the North Shore..

It was the ground hog day regatta. Friday we went out around 9:30 and waited till after 5:30pm.. then the light & variable breeze finally produced enough breeze out of the SW to set a line and a top mark. We started a race! You couldn't tell from the start line, but the breeze came in on the lake side. Many on the shore side starting line either noticed and tacked, or got barted.

The night before the race JD turned some 90deg min T's into 100deg.. and it helped.. It also didn't hurt that I was starting 22, the left most boat.

The regatta was a bit mixed. I was hoping for better results, but it was a light air regatta, but then I did end up with some nice 100deg runners that were proven, so my light air game will be better. The venue was spectacular, but then the turn-out was low. The ice was huge, and you could have run a 1.4mile leg, but there was no wind.

When we went to get our boats today (Saturday) there was wind in the range of about 10-12kts out on the ice. To bad it blows fri, sat, sun, mon before regatta. almost no wind tues, wed, thur, fri, and now saturday it's on again. That's why you have to be good in any condition. We didn't go for sail but, 5358 & (the boat 3909) were setting up because they are selling a boat to a Thunder Bay sailor. And he is going to join the class.

I had a great time, we went into Canada on Saturday, and left on Saturday.. a full week in Thunder Bay.. I learned a lot about the regatta control and management, so that was interesting..

I think it will be a very memorable regatta for all of the competitors.

Congratulations to us44, Ron Sherry for winning his Ninth (9th) North American. Amazing.