going…

Going…

GONE!

another great day

long courses well-chosen to provide more racing, amidst rapidly changing conditions

spectacular views, interesting weather challenges

more later

2008 Proposed Area III Schedule

5-17 Jacobs Day 1 / BPYC
5-18 Jacobs Day 2 / BPYC

5/24 Reinholtzen / CCYC
5/25 Olympic Cup / CCYC

5-31 Chicago – MC (or distance substitute) / ColYC
6-1 MC – Chicago (or distance substitute) / BPYC

6-7 Colors Regatta / ColYC (non Area III)
6-8 Colors Regatta / ColYC (non Area III)

6/13 NOOD / CYC (non Area III)
6/14 NOOD / CYC (non Area III)
6/15 NOOS / CYC (non Area III)

6-21 Chicago – Waukegan / WYC
6-22 Waukegan – Chicago / GLYC

6-28 Hobelman / CCYC
6-29

7-5 Kaczmarek – CCYC
7-6 Mayor Daley / ColYC

7-12 Lutz / JPYC
7-13

7-19 Mac / CYC (non Area III)
7-20

7-26
7-27

8-2 Commodore’s / ColYC
8-3 Fran Byrne / ColYC

8-9 Zukasky / BPYC
8-10 Horton / BPYC

8-15 Verve / CYC (non Area III)
8-16 Verve / CYC (non Area III)
8-17 Verve / CYC (non Area III)

8-23 Lukemia Cup / ColYC (non Area III)
8-24

8-29 Chicago – St Joe / ColYC
8-31 St Joe – MC / MCYC
9-1 MC – Chicago / JPYC

9-6
9-7 Commodore’s / CYC

9-13 Clark / CYC
9-14

9/20 MORF Open / MORF
9/21 MORF Open / MORF

Reportedly, the J105 and T10 fleets have decided NOT to sail to Michigan City in the 2008 Tri-State Regatta, opting instead to sail home to Chicago on Sunday.

Hungry finches visited many boats returning to Chicago on the third leg of the Tri-State Regatta this year. The animated birds seemed very friendly, sometimes landing on or near racing crewmembers. Hopping around the boat, the little birds brought good cheer and happily ate tiny insects and pesky flies.

The finches were occasionally joined by bats. Our boat had several bats swoop by. One took a break by clinging upside down on the jib, while another one flew to the boom gooseneck and disappeared into the boom. He could not be seen anywhere inside, but outhaul adjustments or tapping the boom did not seem to disturb the heavy sleeper. After docking the boat in the harbor and night fell, the furry stowaway decided to come out and flew away.

Recognizing the nimble agility, light weight, and insect-eating abilities of the little finches, we decided to recruit them as alternate crew. The slow race gave us time to train them with the necessary basic skills to fill all crew positions on the boat. Take a look at the finch crew pictures here.

More fun this weekend…

Sunday’s race will be the first Boat of the Year series race for all Area III fleets, except Beneteau 36.7, who had their first BOY race on May 20.

The current unofficial schedule is posted here on the sailfastchicago.com wiki.

The official schedule (which currently does not indicate Boat of the Year series races) is available at the LMSRF website: http://www.lmsrf.org/area3~07.asp.

The schedule is also mirrored on the sailfastchicago.com calendar, which provides you with automatic calendar updating (for users of Apple iCal, Mozilla Sunbird and other similar calendar software).