Today the race is only open to Offshore yachts, but in years past, many different one design classes sailed this race.  The “old timers” will tell stories of battling through terribly light air all night in Dragons and International 14s and finishing late Saturday morning.

Personally, I love this race.  We don’t get much opportunity to do night racing in the eastern end of the lake, and this race is relatively gentle one compared to other overnight races on the lake, such as the Freeman Cup or the Susan Hood Race out of RCYC. 

I like this race because it takes all the concentration of a regular long distance race, with the added skills required to get things done in the dark.  (You haven’t lived until you’ve done a headsail change in 25 knots of breeze in huge bashing waves with a flash light between your teeth, and a skipper at the back screaming at you to hurry up and get off the foredeck.  Good times.

The skipper’s meeting will be held in the club house at 1800 on Friday July 7, and the first signal is scheduled for 1900.  Yachts are required to take their own finsih times, a finish sheet for the race is provided here (PDF).  This event is also part of the Kingston Keelboat Championship and should be a good opportunity to score some points!

One last friendly reminder to all:  After dark, crew are required to wear life jackets when working outside of the cockpit.  If you don’t, make sure to set aside sometime to sit through a protest(s).  (Also, please take the time to thank Rick Sellens for the clarification of this rule. hehe.)

KYC is usually the best place in Kingston to see the fireworks, this is a great way to avoid the crowds at Confederation Basin.

He describes it like this:

The central idea is: if we can create a network of sites that celebrate and
watchdog the waterfront, one that is genuinely aimed at people who work, play,
own, or have a psychological attachment to our waterfront — a big segment in
total — then this will eventually attract many of well-briefed visitors and
future residents who’ll arrive knowing what to expect, and better prepared to
make the most of their short (or long) time here.

The site includes an event calendar, photos from around the Kingston Area, and lots of great local environmental information.  I really like the paticpatory elements of the site, and applaud him/ them for getting the word out on the environmental issues that we face in Kingston.

I’m subscribed.

There is a great picture of Maurice Smith, who is a KYC member and the curator emeritus of the Marine Museum.

I just have to say this:  I TOLD YOU SO!

I guess the course was reversed due to the NW breeze (if you can call it that) and it was a real race until Quebec Head where the wind completely died.  Most of the smart people turned around at this point realizing that they were a quarter of the way around.  But not Offliction, Oh no, they were going to stick it out.

Well they bobbed and bobbed and finally around 2100 decided that they should throw in the towel and head for home.  (They were not even at the head of Wolfe Island yet.)  We all know that Offliction, being the stripped out racing machine that she is, has a tiny engine, with a tiny gas tank, and apparently a tiny backup tank.  The backup fuel got them to the head of Wolfe Island when the engine cut out and they had to put up sails to get the boat back to KYC.  (Apparently some of the crew got an introduction to sculling keelboats, hehe.)

Apparently a nice sea breeze came in about 0230 and got them back to the club for about 0300. 

I’m happy to report that everyone made it back alive, marriages still in tact, thanks to modern telecommunications technology.

Bill will be starting review of the material at 1230 and the test itself will begin at 1530.  The cost for the event will be $30 for members and $40 for everyone else.  You can register by calling 613-634-8528 or emailing pcoc@lighthouselinx.ca. 

Click here for all the details.

It will follow the usual format, skippers meeting at 0930 and the first signal at 1030.  Finish sheets are posted on the KYC site, so be sure to print one off so you can take your finish information.  (I'm sure Bill will have some available at the skippers meeting too.)  Just a quick reminder that this event is part of of the Kingston Keelboat Championship.

Just a bit of advice for yall:  Be sure to pack lunch, dinner, and maybe even breakfast. ;)

My sailing schedule has been a little nuts, and it's not getting any better, so Al and I are headed to the cottage this weekend so I'll be missing this one.  If you have a story or some pictures from the race be sure to pass them on to me and I'll be sure to post your comments with full credit to you.

The cruising fleet are meeting up at the club on Saturday and heading back to Kingston on Sunday.  A great opportunity to visit with friends from the club and meet some new folks from Trident.

If you're driving up to the club tonight the address of the club is 1699 Trident Yacht Club Lane, Hwy #2 East.

I just heard from Paul Davis that Abbott Boats in Sarnia has been completely destroyed. Here is an article from the local paper.  A fire tore through the entire complex destroying finished boats, molds, tools, everything basically.   It also destroyed the soling that he was building for the next olympics. 

I don't know Bill or his family that well, but anyone who has sailing in Canada for any amount of time has either met one of the Abbotts or sailing in one of there boats. 

This is a very serious loss for yachting in Canada and the world.  My deepest sympathies go the family.