Less then Two weeks to Go & a Big Announcement

Lake Ontario

Offshore Racing

May 2013

In This Issue

Susan Hood Trophy Race

LOSHRS News

LO300 Big Change

Looking for Crew

Quick Links

Lake Ontario 300 Challenge

Susan Hood Trophy Race

Lake Ontario Short-Handed Racing Series

Port Credit Yacht Club

SHTR on Yacht Scoring

LO300 on Yacht Scoring

LOSHRS on Yacht Scoring

LOSHRS on eRegister

Featured Sponsors

Archived Newsletters

Only 13 days and counting

Time is quickly creeping up on us and the first of the Lake Ontario Offshore Racing Series is only 13 days away. Many of us have launched our boats and are preparing for the races. The LOOR committee is working hard to make sure this is the best season ever. Be sure to catch up on some of the big changes coming up in both the Susan Hood Trophy Race and the LO300 Challenge.

We wish to recognize the continuing support we get from our many sponsors. Coming to the forefront for the upcoming Susan Hood Race are: Sperry Topsider, North Sails, and Mount Gay. We thank them for their contribution to this outstanding race, making it a outstanding experience for all.

With everyone getting ready for the upcoming race, we would like to make sure you remember our loyal retail sponsors The Rigging Shoppe and The Store Masons Chandlery who can provide you with of your offshore requirements.

The Store is once again our official apparel supplier for the Lake Ontario 300 Challenge and will be set up for online orders prior to the race, watch for further announcements.

Sincerely,
Darren Gornall
Chair, Lake Ontario Offshore Racing Group

Susan Hood Trophy Race

We are only days away from the first LOOR event of 2013, The Coolest Race on the Lake, The Susan Hood Trophy Race!

This year there are a few changes to the format aimed to improve the whole experience.

This year there are a few changes to the format aimed to improve everyone's experience.

The schedule for this year's Susan Hood Trophy Race is as follow,

Registration deadline for online registration is: May 27, 2013 23:59 EDT

Mandatory "Participants" Meeting is at 1800 EDT, May 31, 2013 on the patio at Port Credit Yacht Club. A representative of each boat shall attend this meeting and, is open to all participants.

The warning signal is at 1945 EDT, Friday May 31

Sperry Topsider/ North Flag Post Race Party - Saturday June 1, 1400EDT

The Sailing Instructions are now posted on www.YachtScoring.com

At this year's participants meeting you will receive:

Food tickets for the Sperry Post Race BBQ and Flag Presentation Saturday June 1st.
Weather Routing Inc. wind prediction for this year's race
Sperry Topsider Skippers T Shirts

PCYC will be hosting a great BBQ at an excellent price.

The Official Drink of the Susan Hood Trophy Race is sponsored by Mount Gay and will be a Warm Apple Pie (Mount Gay Eclipse Silver & Apple Cider). This drink features the New Mount Gay Eclipse Silver and will be delicious after a cool night of racing.

The Sperry Topsider Post Race Party will kickoff mid afternoon with the presentation of the Division Flags sponsored by North Sails. We expect to start be3:00pm.

We are looking forward to another exciting race with some great competitors back again to kick off the Offshore Racing season!!

Be sure to get to PCYC early to get your Sperry Post Race party food tickets, weather briefing and skippers shirt.

LOSHRS News

Are you ready to rumble ?

The 2013 racing season is just around the corner. Is your trusty steed ready to do battle all over again? Do you remember your rivalries from 2012, the races you lost by seconds because of one bad tack! Revenge is sweet so now is the time to sign up. Go to our new website and sign up today. Just click on the link. http://loor.ca/loshrs-race/

It's never too late to register.
There are new shirts for 2013 which come free with your registration. Yellow is out and navy is in. Matching hats for you and your crew are also available at a great price.
We are anticipating a large number of entries this year so the racing will be better that ever. Please feel free to promote the series with your fellow club members. Once they have tried it they will be hooked just like you. If anyone has any questions please emailsetanta227@gmail.com or phone Joe Doris at 416-801-6551.

First race is Sunday June 2nd. Skippers meeting is 9.30am at the Port Credit Yacht Club. Be there to be eligible for the bottle of rum draw.
As an added bonus, come do the Susan Hood Trophy race on Friday night, stay over Saturday and race LOSHRS on Sunday. Remember, the first race finishes at the Gibraltar mark so boats from the city are close to home.

PCYC would also be happy to accommodate any boats wishing to show up a day early and enjoy great food and facilities. Please check the club website to contact the harbour master for docking assignments. Here is a helpful link.http://www.pcyc.net/index.cfm?ID=234

LO300 Challenge- Big Change

Yes, the rumours are true! For 2013 there will be a new Main Duck Course (long course) for the Lake Ontario Challenge. We will still using all of the same permanent marks.

The new long course (Main Duck only) will follow this route:

PCYC (Start) --> Gibraltar Buoy (1st Mark to Starboard) --> Ford Shoal Buoy Mark to Port (Oswego) --> Yorkshire and Main Duck Islands (including MM2 and M9 to port) --> Niagara (R2 to Starboard) --> PCYC Turning Mark --> PCYC Finish Line.

The length of the course remains approximately 300 nautical miles.

Why the change?

The LO 300 organizing committee received feedback from many participants that the current course has some limitations that might be improved if the order of the marks was changed.

In particular, rhumb lines running along the north and south shores of Lake Ontario in a circumnavigation style reduces many possible options for racers and in some cases, lock in the positions of the fleet for large distances, which is no fun. Many commented this was especially true on the leg between Oswego and Niagara, where the rhumb line bends around the curve of the shore and makes it overwhelmingly favorable to hug the shore for a majority of the leg.

In contrast, if course rhumb lines cross diagonally through the middle of the lake, not once but twice, it opens up an entirely new range of strategy options for competitors and offers two 'long' legs with open space on either side and many passing lanes. Competitors can elect to follow the rhumb line, or pick a side of the course that takes advantage of local micro-climates and currents. Participants who've raced in the LO 300 for many years know that conditions can change significantly between out in the middle and close to shore.

Old salts, get out your charts, Gen X'ers boot up Google Earth and lets all start thinking about the many different strategies that can unfold after the start and what this means for the best event of the year!

Just a reminder that all Lake Ontario 300 paid entries received before the start of the Susan Hood Trophy Race skippers meeting will automatically qualify for a pair of Sperry Gold Cup Shoes.

Don't forget to sign up and register for this year's great challenge and get your new Sperry Topsider's in time to break them in for the race.

Simply register at the Lake Ontario page on yachtscoring. LO300 Registration

Are you looking for crew?

Crew night at PCYC was a huge success with over 20 potential crew that came to PCYC and several more who submitted resumes. Several skippers and crew were teamed up that night, but if you are a skipper still looking for crew for the Susan Hood Trophy race or the LO300 please send us a note and we will send you all the resumes and you can contact the people who meet your criteria.

If you have any questions, please contact Monica Doedens mndoedens@gmail.com

About Us

The Lake Ontario Offshore Racing Group is responsible for the planning of the Lake Ontario 300 Challenge, the Susan Hood Trophy Race and the Lake Ontario Short Handed Racing Series under the organizing authority of the Port Credit Yacht Club.