The Midwest Open Racing Fleet (MORF) website has been updated with the 2008 Racing Schedule.

(Note: The MORF home page indicates the schedule is preliminary as of January 3, 2008.)

The Lake Michigan Sail Racing Federation (LMSRF) Area 3 2008 Preliminary Schedule is now online, download PDF here.

(Note: as of now, the 2008 Race Schedule/Results link on the LMSRF Area 3 website has not been updated.)

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.

Just a few years ago, the Big Kahuna party was a fun event marking the middle of September, to be followed with a few more weeks of racing, including Area III followed by two weekends of MORF Open. A good number of boats would stay in the water until October or November, soaking up what was left of the full season before cold weather.

These days, Area III racing ends quickly- Saturday is the last Area III race- and MORF Open has been reduced to only one-and-a-half race days. The weather has been milder and warmer, but boats seem more eager to get put away before crew assistance vanishes.

Crowley’s move to the south makes the end-of-the-season boat delivery more exposed to the weather, and less interesting than the former traditional river trip to the old location.

Oh well, boats still have the option to stay in until October or later, the MORF Open is still a great way to extend your racing season, and the Big Kahuna is still a fun way to celebrate and socialize after the final Area III race this season!

News has reached us that the long-running and highly-popular Dead of Summer party will not be held by Columbia Yacht Club this year.

What are they thinking?

Did anyone really think that “Rock the Dock” in June was rocking?

I think not…

Bring back the tie-dye!

Mark your calendar for Wed., May 16, 2007, 6:00PM at Columbia Yacht Club for Beer Can College. Beer Can Prep School is not a prerequisite!

Learn more about beer can racing. Open to all interested. In addition to Beer Can College, Gary Jobson will be presenting, followed by a party and cash bar.

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).