& Susan Hood Trophy Race - Lake Ontario 300

LO300 Page 1The2010Lake Ontario300& Susan Hood Trophy RaceLake Ontario Offshore Racing Guide

Page 2 LO300 LO300 Page 1Offshore Racing CalendarLake Ontario is a hotbed of offshore racing, which has seen a lotof interest in the past few years, thanks in part to the success ofthe LO300 and the LOSHRS Series. This calendar lists the primaryoffshore and longer distance races as well as some of the associatedevents that will be held on or around Lake Ontario in 2010.March 25th 19:00 Offshore Racing Presentation– Newcastle Yacht ClubApril 10th/11th 09:00 US Sailing Safety at Sea Seminar– Hosted by RCYCApril 14th 19:00 Offshore Racing Presentation – PCYCMay 26th 11:00 Paul J. Phalen Memorial Race – RCYCJune 4th 20:00 Susan Hood Trophy Race – PCYCJune 6th 11:00 LOSHRS Race #1 – Course Race – QCYCJune 26th 19:30 Scotch Bonnet Light Race– Genesee Yacht ClubJune 19th 11:00 LOSHRS Race #2 – PCYC to YoungstownJune 20th 11:00 LOSHRS Race #3 – Youngstown to PCYCJuly 10th 19:00 Whitby 50 Miler – WYCJuly 17th 10:00 Lake Ontario 300 – PCYCJuly 26th 10:00 Centennial Cup Race– YYC to host LYRA RegattaJuly 28th 12:00 Freeman Cup Race – Buffalo Yacht ClubAugust 21st/22nd 11:00 LOSHRS Race #4 – 100 mile race – PCYCAugust 26th 09:00 CORK Offshore Race – Kingston Yacht ClubSeptember 10thBHYC Overnight Race – BronteSeptember 17th 19:10 Argosy Rose Bowl – National Yacht Club (TBD)September 18th 11:00 LOSHRS Race #5 – PCYC to Port DalhousieSeptember 19th 11:00 LOSHRS Race #6 – Port Dalhousie to PCYCSeptember 26th 10:00 Donald Summerville Race – ABYCOctober 4th 10:00 Boswell Trophy Race – RCYCPhoto: Andrea Mooney, 2005

Page 2 LO300The RaceLO300 Page 3An InvitationKeyDatesStartsJuly 17th,2010The LO300 Yacht Race is a 5-day event that includespre-race activities, internet tracking during the raceand post race party events. Boats are encouraged toattend the Open Regatta at PCYC the weekend priorto the LO300 and take in the week long festivities.DateEventFriday July 16Noon onwards Registration7:00 pm Skipper’s Meeting8:00 pm Pre-Race PartySaturday July 176:00 am Sperry’s Pre-Race Breakfast10:00 am Race StartSunday July 183:00 pm BBQ for Line Honours and Early FinishersMonday July 19All dayBBQ for Line Honours and Early FinishersTuesday July 205:00 pm Post Race PartySeptember 24 Award Banquet and CelebrationLO300 and Susan Hood Trophy RaceDear Racers,On behalf of the officers, directors and members of the Port CreditYacht Club, the Lake Ontario 300 organizing committee and the GreatLakes Singlehanded Society, it is my pleasure to invite you and yourcrew to participate in the 21st edition of the Lake Ontario 300 yachtrace, to be held Friday, July 16 to Tuesday, July 20, 2010.Thanks to our many sponsors, race tracking will be available again thisyear; it all begins with a BBQ and skipper’s meeting on Friday nightwith live entertainment, followed by the Sperry breakfast on Saturdaymorning and a great post race party on Tuesday evening.Starts for both the Main Duck Island Course and the Scotch Bonnet IslandCourse; multi-hull and mono-hull; and all divisions, fully crewed,double handed and single handed will take place on Saturday morning,July 17th off the entrance to Port Credit Yacht Club harbour. Wetrust the winds will cooperate, as they did in 2009, and that you’ll begreeted to an outstanding display of yachts under colorful spinnakersmaking their way towards the Toronto Islands in an attempt to havetheir name on the Sperry Cup trophy as the overall winner!We hope to see you in July.Sincerely,Guy PerrinChairperson2010 Lake Ontario 300

Page 4 LO300 LO300 Page 5The 2010 ExecutiveChanges and Highlightsfor 2010As the LO300 evolves, the organising committee seeks to make improvementsto provide the ultimate racing experience for participants and spectatorsalike. This year there are a couple of key areas where changes havebeen made.The LO300 has switched to a new tracking system - Kattack. The Kattack systemuses a GPS chip to track the vessel and uploads the data through a cell data networkrather than a satellite system as in some of the older systems.To ensure that the Kattack system would meet the needs of the LO300 a test flighttook place in December to evaluate the coverage. The test results were very goodwith only small gaps being found. It is important to remember that if cell service isunavailable, the device willstore the data until the signalreturns. Position uploads willtake place every 30 seconds.Shore-side tacticians are notgoing to get much sleep duringthe race this year!The other key changerelates to the call in procedures.Yachts are no longerrequired to adhere to a 6hourly schedule. In fact, youdo not have to call in at all. You can always, however open and close your ownsail plan with the Canadian Coast Guard, and this is recommended.These are important changes to the race, but as you will see in the rest of thisguide, the courses are the same as last year, and the key elements of challenge,enjoyment and safety continue to be a hallmark of the LO300.2010 Event Chair Guy Perrin PCYC2010 Vice-Chair Darren Gornall PCYCPast Chair Brian Townsend PCYCSponsorship Alex Libby RCYCRace/Fleet Coordination Gary Benner RCYCSafety Officer Carson Woods BPYCJury Officer Pat Lymburner PCYCGLSS Liaison Wally McMinn NCYCRegistrar Ron Watt PCYCShore Coordination Monica Doedens PCYCTrophies/Awards Ian McAllister PCYCTreasurer Ulrich Wickardt OYSMarketing Jonathan Vinden PCYCMedia Relations Val Matison RCYCCharity Liaison Frank Wiggington ABYCLogistics Andrew Newman PCYCRace Officer: Graham Dougall (QCYC) (egd@securefail.com)FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACTGuy Perrin (info@lo300.org)orIan McAllister (1 800 479-6603 Ext 656)orVisit our “Contact Us” page on the website for telephone numbersand e-mail addresses.FOR REGISTRATION INFORMATION, VISITwww.lo300.orgPlease complete the online registration.The Lake Ontario Offshore Racing Guidehas been designed and produced by BrickworksCommunications Inc.Printing courtesy of Pitney Bowes.It is only thorough the generosity and contribution of time from many of the 2010executive that this guide to Long Distance Racing on Lake Ontario has become a reality.We thank you for this effort, and look forward to enhancing this booklet duringsubsequent years.

Page 6 LO300 LO300 Page 7The Lake Ontario 300’sFirst 20 Years...Ian McAllister, a previous chair of the LO300, Yachtsman of the Year for 2007,and avid LO300 competitor has gone through the archives, and put together thisinteresing review of the race’s first 20 years.The Lake Ontario 300 originated through the interest and vision of severalsingle handed sailors at Oakville Harbour Yacht Club, now part of OakvilleYacht Squadron, and the Port Credit Yacht Club. Johan Pederson and hisgroup envisioned a long distance race to challenge the skills of those who usuallyraced single-handed in the Lake Ontario Short Handed Racing Series (LOSHRS)or around the cans on their club’s race nights, or went to regattas such as the LakeYacht Racing Association and sailed the Freeman Cup. Most, if not all, of theselong distance races were for fully crewed boats. Johan realized that often the sailingdone on Lake Ontario was by 2 people and racing double handed was a goodway to improve and challenge skills.The first race in 1990 had 67 double handedboats racing around Main Duck Islandwith 9 divisions. The highlight in its inauguralyear was the win by a C&C34 Cosmos,sailed by John Bleasby of RCYC.In 1991, sponsors were introduced to therace with Fuji sponsoring the first of threeyears, and the race was branded The Fujinon300. 87 boats were on the starting linethe first year.The overall winner for 1991 was Brian Chapman (now UK Sails) and Greg Bradkiew(now Evolution Sails) in a Dash 34 called Afterburn.For many of the LOSHRS sailors, the double handed 1992 Fujinon was a mustdo. The third running of the race had 83 boats and since it was solely for doublehanded boats, it was considered quite anachievement just to finish the race. Survival,an Abbott 33, with the father/son team ofBill and Peter Roscoe, won overall. Bandit,skippered by Bruce MacCorkindale, camesecond for the second year in a row, andthird was Dick Steigenga’s Macintosh.The 1993 race saw 75 boats start and 61cross the finish line. Division winners includedSurvival, a repeat winner and Macintoshat the top of its division.With this type of race, it is very hard to predict what conditions will be encountered,and 1994 had little or virtually no wind for the first two days which is almostunheard of on Lake Ontario. Only 14 boats of the 64 starters were able to completethe course, and Sand Storm, an Abbott 33 won overall.Interesting tidbit – Derek Hatfield raced a J92, Gizmo to a first in division andninth overall.Gary Benner, with Pat Sturgeon, won his division and was third overall on Amaroneand LO300 founder Johan Pederson was 2nd in his division.

Page 8 LO300 LO300 Page 9The sixth annual race in 1995 was a difficult and particularly challenging onewhich saw 48 boats at the start and only 26 able to finish. Air Supply, a C&C 35with Johan Pederson onboard wasfirst overall.In 1996, 41 vessels braved theelements and a regular LO300participant, Dick Steigenga aboardMacintosh won overall. Bob Bugbee’sDefiant II, with crew MarkSearle, was first in division andsecond overall. Bob has sailed thisrace more than anyone else – 16times.In 1997, 39 boats started and againMacintosh won overall. Anothergreat distance racer, Bill Rosco on Survival, took second place and Roger Shaw,aboard Southerly Buster, was third overall.Despite opening up the event to fully crewed entries, only 27 boats crossed thestart line for the 1998 race. Dave Cowan with Chicken Soup from IYC, won overallfor the first fully crewed win and Gary Benner’s Shock Therapy, took the honoursin double handed.The declining numbers were of considerable concern to many in the racing communityand when only 10 boats crossed the start line in 1999, the second year offully crewed divisions, the need for greater promotion was obvious. The overallwinner in double handed was a perennial favourite, Defiant II, with Bob Bugbeeand Mark Searle aboard. In fully crewed, the winner was Sail La Vie.My first LO300 race was 2000 whenI had the privilege to join the crew ofWindriven, Jonathan Vinden’s Beneteau35s5. We thought we came in4th and were delighted with the result.The competition had been fierce andwe finished one half a boat lengthbehind Thumper which sailed out ofthe Oshawa Yacht Club. Initial divisionsplits showed Thumper with the samerating as Windriven, but when it wasdiscovered they owed us 3 secondsa mile and we had come in third,Dick Steigenga aboard MacIntosh has been competingin the LO300 since the beginning, and is a toughcompetitor. Extracted from Fuji video.The start of the 2000 LO300. This photocourtesy of the Oakville Beaver.everyone in the village of Port Credit could hear our cheers. Jan Steyn from theYoungstown Yacht Club, aboard his Trip 33 TrpXprs came in first and Bob Bugbeewith Defiant II was second overall.Trimpus, skippered by Lenny Alksnis won his division and was first overall indouble handed. Len passed away suddenly in December 2007 and Lake Ontariolost a fierce competitor, a wonderful sailor, and allround fun guy. 2007 also saw the passing of RogerShaw, and as a tribute to these two great sailorsfrom ABYC, memorial trophies are presented inboth the LO300 and the LOSHRS series.Although I had a great time on the race, the lowturnout, only 23 boats, was of great concern. AsRear Commodore and responsible for all on-wateractivityat PCYC, the need for a plan to bring therace back to its former glory and grow it was critical.It is my belief that every event needs a championand great volunteers to make it happen, soStep 1 was to attract new, dedicated volunteers, tochair and get involved.In 2001 the LO300 had a presence at the TorontoInternational Boat Show with a lake chart showingthe course of the race. The start for 2001 saw25 boats with Macintosh first overall in doublehanded, and Windriven taking top spot in fullycrewed.In January 2002 the LO300 and the LOSHRS had acombined booth at the boat show to promote theirrespective events. 31 boats, a modest increase,took part in the 2002 race which saw some of theworst weather ever. Only 9 boats finished, withScreaming Eagle first in double handed, and LaFollie D’eau taking top honours in fully crewed.The committee agonized over the number of finishers,the participation, and how to make it morefun. A move from June to July was proposed for2003, and at the boat show in January, there wasagain good interest. The efforts were starting toproduce results with 49 boats entering the race for2003. It was also the first race for Folichon whichwon her division and was third overall in the fullycrewed division. First in double handed went toOdyssey, with Windriven again taking top spot infully crewed.The LO300 had been jointly sponsored by OakvilleYacht Squadron, (which took over after the demiseof Oakville Harbour Yacht Club), and Port CreditYacht Club with great volunteers from both clubs.OYS was able to host the event when the numberswere not too great but with increases in both num-SAIL A COURSEWITH CPSInterested in learning more aboutnavigation, required equipment,GPS systems, electronics, weather,or VHF radio?CPS provides boating coursesacross Canada. Receive a complimentaryone-year membershipwhen you successfully completethe PCOC or Boating Course exam.The CPS operator card is valid inCanada and the US.Maritime Radio CourseElectronic NavigationWeatherExtended CruisingSailingSign up with CPS in yourlocal community.Canadian Power & Sail Squadrons1-888-CPS-BOAT | www.cpsboat.caPhoto: Mustang Survival

Page 10 LO300 LO300 Page 11bers and boat size, hosting the start of the event was becoming a problem for OYS.For 2004, 53 boats signed up for the fifteenth running and by all accounts thisrace was approaching marquee status once again. Radiance, a Catalina Classic 38from NYC won overall in fully crewed and Les a C&C35 from EYC won overall indouble handed.For 2005 the growth continued with 55 boats of varyingsizes on the start line. Thanks to the hard work of manyvolunteers, sponsorship was increasing, the media wasstarting to take notice, and the fun factor for participantscontinued to grow. Crew bags, the skipper’s meeting withprizes, and the Sperry Breakfast added to the enjoymentfor all participants. 2005 also saw the inaugural Skippers’Plan Team Challenge in which Robertson & RobertsonMarine Insurance provided a fund of $2,500 to bedonated to the Learn to Sail programs at the clubs of thewinning teams. The teams consisted of three boats fromthe same club on the long course or two on the shortcourse. The finish positions of each boat would count tothe winning score. Skippers’ Plan donated a great trophyand keepers as well as the cash.The 99 boats on the start line for 2006 was a great testamentto the work of the volunteers. With the increasein numbers, the division splits and groupings of PHRF-LO produced fun rivalries with exciting, close racing.Imxteme took top spot in fully crewed spinnaker, withStarcross the double handed spinnaker champ. On thewhite sail course it was Penguin’s Mother winning infully crewed and Air Force first in the double handedfleet.2007 had 107 boats on the start. The revised white sailcourse proved to be working, with 42% of the total registrationsailing it and 30 crossing the finish line. For 2007,Emerald took top spot for double handed spinnaker andFolichon won in fully crewed. For the white sail courseit was Arome for fully crewed and Doralla first in thedouble handed fleet.2008 was another record year for the race with 128 boatson the start line for the nineteenth running of the race.Although the non-spinnaker boats reached an all timehigh with 49, it was the Main Duck spinnaker coursethat saw a new high with 79 boats circumnavigating theGreat Lake. This was the year that the LO300 became aspectator sport with each participant having a transponderwhich allowed those on shore with a computer totrack their favourites (and the rest of the fleet) around thecourse.2008 was the first year both a PHRF and an IRC overallLO300 winner was declared. For its inaugural year thebeautiful Sperry Cup was awarded to a perennial participant,Dick Steigenga aboard Macintosh. 2008 also sawthe introduction of the IRC division with six boats takingup the challenge. Shock Therapy won the new IRCLeonard Alksnis Memorial Trophy.In 2008 the Skippers’ Plan Team Challenge produced 28hotly contested teams with 70 boats participating.2009 marked the twentieth running of the event and itexceeded all expectations with 172 boats taking part. 67competed on the Scotch Bonnet Course and 105 racedon the Main Duck Course. This number of boats far exceededthe highest total number of boats in the 90’s.Rampage from Rochester Yacht Club, John Odenbach’sConcordia 47, took line honours and completed the 300nautical mile course in record breaking time; 1 day, 19hours, 4 minutes and 45 seconds.The Sperry Cup was won for 2009 by Gizmo fromPCYC, sailed by the double handed father and son teamof Ric and Marc Doedens. This was their fourth LO300race, the first being aboard Requin competing in the longcourse.July 17th, 2010 marks the start of the next twenty years and we are looking forwardto another record breaking year.Ian McAllisterPast Chair LO300Weather provider for the winner of the2008 and 2009 LO300Sole weather provider for Evolution Sails TorontoTaking COMMAND of the weatherCOMMANDERS’ WEATHER CORPORATION1.603.882.6789 info@commandersweather.comwww.commandersweather.com

Page 12 LO300 LO300 Page 13The Graveyard of Lake OntarioAnonymousThe graveyard of Lake Ontario,The Main Duck is widely known,For a score of helpless vessels,On its jagged shores have blown.Duluth to Montreal. Cleveland to the sea,Veteran mariners spin tragic yarns,About an island near the Galoos.Ancient brigs and man-of-wars,Schooners, barques and frigates,Are derelicts on its shores.Laden freighters, tugs and tows,Have grounded on its shoals,Held prisoners by rocky tentacles,Unfreed in their struggling throes.The Graveyard of Lake Ontario,A sailor’s last port of call.For many a veteran seaman,Arrived not at home in the fall;Lulled by the wind and the waves,They sleep in the boundless deep.TheMain DuckIslandCourseThe Main Duck Island Course is a challenging 300 nautical mile clockwise circumnavigationof Lake Ontario, starting and finishing at the Port Credit YachtClub.The course takes the fleet past Toronto, keeping the Gibraltar Point mark tostarboard. From there, the boats head down the lake and round the infamousMain Duck and Yorkshire Islands, also keeping them to starboard.The next mark, the Ford Shoal mark, is on the US shore, just west of Oswego. It iskept to starboard before the fleet heads west past Rochester towards the Niagaramark.The final mark is the PCYC Turning mark, just west of the actual finish line. **What is the actual distance?302 nautical miles on the rhumbline.How long does it usually take?Average finishing time for the larger/faster boats is 58 hours and thehigher PRHF rating boats average 78 hours, weather depending.Which fleets are on this course?All IRC boats, multihulls, spinnaker boats that have a PHRF rating of180 or lower, and Solo Challenge competitors.** please refer to the Sailing Instructionsfor final definition of the course.

Page 14 LO300 LO300 Page 15Main Duck Island, twelve miles from the nearest mainland, 1005 acres insize, is the largest of a series of islands at the easterly end of Lake Ontarioknown collectively as The Ducks. A quarter of a mile off its shore is alittle duckling called Yorkshire Island. Farther west, and nearer Point Traverse, arethe False Ducks, comprising of False Duck, Timber, the Duckling islands, and awicked layout of duck eggs in the form of reefs and boulders.Main Duck Island, which the French called Isle au Couis is an outstanding entityof temperamental, but beautiful, Lake Ontario. It is synonymous with raw, starkhappenings. Two hundred years ago and more, Main Duck was as isolated asRobinson Crusoe’s island.In 1760, when both the British and French had a fleet on Lake Ontario, two Frenchships came to grief on Charity Shoal, eight miles north east of the Main Duck.One got off badly damaged, and with the survivors of the other wrecked vessel,drifted across to the Main Duck. They tried to drive her over the bar, into the littleboat harbour, but she fetched up to leeward of it, being unmanageable after hermauling on Charity Shoal, and pounded her bottom out at Gravely Point.The survivors salvaged what they could of provisions, war stores and treasure,including the pay chest, before their vessel went to pieces. They made it to theisland on rafts and with no other recourse prepared to winter there. It is said thatthey buried their French gold just in case their rescuers turned out to be British.Then they buried the dead from the wreck, washed up on the shore by the waves.Then they buried each other, one by one, as they perished of cold, exposure andcontinued on next pageMain Duck IslandFrom WHEN CANVAS WAS KING,by Robert B. TownsendThis image has been provided by Marinas.com

Page 18 LO300 LO300 Page 19The Scotch BonnetIsland CourseWhat is the actual distance?192 nautical miles on the rhumbline.How long does it usually take?About 49 hours for larger boats, and up to 54 hours for the smallerone, weather depending.Which fleets are on this course?All spinnaker boats that have a PHRF rating of 183 or higherand all white sail boats.The Scotch Bonnet Island Course was a new addition in 2009, and is expectedto become an event fixture. All white sail boats compete on this course, as wellas spinnaker boats that have a PHRF-LO rating of 183 or higher.The course is a 200 nautical mile navigation of Lake Ontario starting and finishingat the Port Credit Yacht Club. The course takes the Scotch Bonnet fleet pastToronto along with the Main Duck fleet. All the boats keep the Gibraltar markto starboard, before heading east towards Scotch Bonnet island. Keeping the island,with its ancient lighthouse to starboard, the Scotch Bonnet fleet then turnsand heads south west, back towards the Niagara mark.The final mark is the PCYC Turning mark, just west of the actual finish line.**S/H versionCMYK, X500 versionPantone 300 versionNorth Sails is the world’sleading sail maker. It haslofts throughout the world,including Toronto.North has been a tremendoussponsor of the LO300,producing the beautifuldivision winners flagshanded out each year at ourbanquet.** please refer to the Sailing Instructionsfor final definition of the course.

Page 20 LO300 LO300 Page 21The schooners and steamers travelling down the lake from Toronto to Kingstonused to skirt the north shore, breaking off at Cobourg and circumnavigatingthe island county by the lights of the Scotch Bonnet, Wicked Point (nowcalled Salmon Point), Point Peter, and the Red Onion at South Bay, and the Ducks,False and Main. The two acre reef is about two miles from the mainland, whereHuyck’s Point juts out and the shore gallops away east into Big Sandy Bay, andcatches its breath to turn south again at Wellington. Across a short mile of shoallies Nicholson’s Island.The Public Worksa lighthouse is beorEgg Island, asoutheast ofin the direct linethe Mail and othervessels runningdown the lake fromCobourg.” The ScotchBonnet light was set on a 54foot high stone tower. It wasburning brightly by 1856 and wasfinally blown out July 1st, l942.report of 1852-53 stated “In Lake Ontarioing built on the Scotch Bonnetsmall low island lyingPresqu’ile andofThe area has been a famous corner ofLake Ontario for wrecks since the loss ofthe government schooner Speedy in 1804.Since then it has witnessed many other shipwrecks:the Ida Walker’s and the Queen of theLakes, and Belle Sheridan’s loss above it at Weller’sBay; the International’s and Jessie and Henry Folger’sat Wicked Point below it. In its own vicinity, the schoonerBlanche was lost, with Capt. Johnny Henderson and allhis Cat Hollow crew in 1889. It was near here that the Ellenof Hamilton perished, drowning all hands. Back of the reef, onHuyck’s Point, the Sarah Ann Marsh frapped in chains to hold hertogether, drove in a December snowstorm. Her crew were cared for bythe farmer’s wife on nearby Nicholson’s Island.The island is quite uninhabitable and awash in high spring water. In low water,it makes a good nesting ground for gulls. They like to hatch their eggs by theradiated heat of the sun-baked rocks. The keeper had to live on canned goodsand hardtack or use a house on Nicholson’s Island, a mile away, rowing acrossnight and morning to attend his light. There was a great succession of keepers upuntil 1919 when the light became an unwatched beacon and was maintained asrequired.It was a fixed white light in 1877 and was so for 56 years. In 1907 it was changedto “vapour lights” acetylene gas, with oil used in emergencies which sometimesoccurred. A hand horn, worked by the keeper when he considered it necessary,was part of the equipment and in the days of the schooners it was a grand assistanceby day and by night.The Scotch Bonnet light flashed a welcome gleam to many an anxious mariner inthe old days of sail for that narrow mile of water between Nicholson’s Island andthe mainland offered shelter for schooners and even for steamers against westerlygales if they had good ground tackle and were bold enough to wade through thewelter of seas piling over the Bonnet light itself and back-surging from the westernface of the island to leeward of it. Probably light keeper Pye’s record of using upeleven lamps in one season was due to seas and gales breaking the lighthousewindows.The Scotch Bonnet reef was too tiny and Nicholson’s was not big enough to makemuch of a lee but combined they broke the sea somewhat, and the man or theship nimble enough to round up sharply in the comparative smooth of thestrait between island and mainland had a chance for life if his anchorsheld and the wind did not shift and come too hard from the northor the south.Scotch Bonnet IslandFrom WHEN CANVAS WAS KING,by Robert B. TownsendThe Scotch Bonnet light remains in service formodern mariners and those that sail inproximity will see the remnants ofthe crumbling stone tower onthe island.This image has been provided by Marinas.com

Page 22 LO300 LO300 Page 23What Exactly isOffshore Racing Anyway?The Lake Ontario 300 is acknowledged as the longest annually held freshwater race in the world at 300 nautical miles and can be different things todifferent participants, taking on definitions ranging from an unbelievablethrill, the greatest challenge on the lakes, a marathon, an adventure, a test of skillsor for some a non-stop cruise.The LO300 is the Boston Marathon of Lake Ontario’s yachtingevents, but there are many other offshore raceshere that will challenge your sailing skills andambitions. These are listed on page 6 ofthis guide, and you can learn more aboutthem by contacting the host club or organizingauthority.Typically offshore racing refers to long distanceocean racing, but can apply to eventson large bodies of water such as the GreatLakes. Key features that help define an offshorerace include:1. A course without temporary marks adjustedto accommodate the wind.2. Long distance legs, usually at least 10 to 15 nm in length.3. Non-stop racing that frequently includes racing at night.4. Racing that is not postponed due to adverse weather conditions.Races that incorporate these attributes take on a personality of their own and ifthey are annual events, vary significantly year after year. The challenges differentfrom short course racing, requiring a different set of tactics, boat handling, and seamanshipskills. The skills needed vary dramatically depending on the time of yearduring which the race is run, it’s overall distance and the navigational obstaclesencountered on the course.Over longer distances, currentsmore of a factor and amplifyduring the race. Depending onyour boat may experience aimpacting performance forsame time, the longer distanceup lost time and/or distance.and uneven wind conditions becomethe effects of tactical decisions madeyour location to the rest of the fleetvery different weather pattern thusbetter or perhaps for worse. At theaffords greater opportunity to makeIn an offshore or long distance raceit is common to hear many different versions on thesame race for the same year. This means each boat isconstantly challenged to race their best and navigatethe course based on the weather conditions they arefacing. Offshore racing is a true test of sailing ability.Most sailors entering into an offshore race arewanting a new challenge and looking to testtheir skills against the other participants. Some,however, are looking for a more relaxed racingexperience that allows time for the crew toenjoy exceptional sailing and work towards acommon goal without the hectic course racingand parties of most regattas.First time participants in the Lake Ontario300 are encouraged to set realistic goals. Forsome, simply finishing the race constitutes atremendous achievement. Newbies are alsoencouraged to test their skills on a shorterrace or an overnight race like the SusanHood Trophy Race to determine their comfortlevel with offshore / long distance racing.There are a number of things to considerbefore entering an offshore race. These willaffect the outcome of the race and yourenjoyment of the experience:• Determine your crew size: doublehanded is popular, in part because of thechallenge, but also for the simple reasonthat you do not have to coordinate a fullcrew. It is more challenging but your boatneeds to be suitable for short-handed sailingand your partner needs to be committedand experienced.• Make sure you have the experience necessaryto compete. Navigation, tactics, shiftmanagement, night sailing, and even menuplanning take on a different characteristicin an offshore race and it is important thatyour crew has some experience in the variousareas.continued on next page

Page 24 LO300 LO300 Page 25• Set your boats rules on safety, shift changes, night time sailing. It is importanton a long race to adhere to a policy of wearing harnesses and PFDs at a chosentime before dark and keeping regular shift changesevery 3 to 4 hours depending on the boat and crew.Harnesses and PFDs should also be worn at all timesin heavy weather and through the night on watch.• It is important to understand the strengths ofindividual crew members i.e. some need lots of sleepThe Store / Mason’s Chandleryis a co-sponsor of thewhile others can survive on very little.festivities held the Friday • Determine whether you wish to compete whiteevening before the race sail only or with flying sails. This is important andThey have been dedicated ties into the fully crewed decision. White sail, eitherto servicing the needs of our double handed or fully crewed is a great way to getcompetitors from the beginningof this race.started with offshore racing. Unlike most offshore races,the LO300 offers a shortened course for white sailboats, providing similar challenges to the long course,but with the benefit that you can still get home withina decent time frame if the wind becomes fickle.They are knowldgeable inthe safety requirements ofthe LO300 amd work withthe LO300 committee tointroduce new technologyevery year.Robertson & Robertson isthe company behind Skippers’Plan Insurance.Their commitment to juniorsailing created the Skippers’Plan Team Challenge, donatingmoney to the winningclubs Learn to Sail program.This year’s Team Challengewill have some added newfeatures and increased prizemoney.Greg Bratkiw has been astrong supporter of the LakeOntario 300 and continuesthis tradition with theEvolution Sail Loft..• Understand all the events safety and equipmentrequirements. It is most important to ensure yourboat meets the minimum safety requirements postedfor the various offshore races since safety is a primeconsideration on any offshore distance race. TheLake Ontario 300 is a modified Category 3 race withthe most stringent safety requirements. It is recommendedthat you review the safety requirements wellin advance in order to determine what your boat andcrew require.• Ensure your crew has the time commitment andmind set to compete and complete the race. Unlikemost regattas you cannot change up crew half waythrough the event. Good crew interaction is extremelyimportant.• Check your rigging. Ensure you have the rightrigging, sails and tools to be able to compete. Inspectyour boat early in the season and look forweak areas or items that could break under sustainedheavy winds and repair or ensure you have adequatereplacements on board for the race. Typically, riggingfailures accounts for 40% of the boats not finishingthe LO300.• Training. If your crew has not done an offshorerace make sure they go for a long sail and ensure allcrew are familiar with all equipment on the boat,procedures and safety requirements.• Nutrition is important on any offshore race and it is important to have the rightcombination of healthy snacks, fruits and planned meals. Meals should bea combination of easy to prepare meals for heavy weather and pre-plannedmeals that can be prepared in normal conditions. It is important to ensurethere is plenty of water and hydrating fluids to last the entire race.• Commercial shipping lanes may have to be crossed and freighters are fast andunable to make sharp turns or stop quickly. Do not underestimate the speed atwhich freighters travel. Ensure that you have a high quality radar reflector andmonitor Channel 16 on your VHF at all times.Participation in the Lake Ontario 300 has increased at a rate of 25% per year overthe last 4 years. Participation in the LOSHRS events has also increased dramaticallyover the last 4 years. These trends are evidently being observed in other offshoreracing and have given birth to new long distance races, like the Whitby 50 miler.Participation from cruisers represents at least 40% of this new growth, primarily inwhite sail, but also spinnaker divisions. Many new participants in offshore racingare family members, fathers and sons looking for a shared experience.We urge you to participate in the Lake Ontario 300 (and LOSHRS) for the sheerfun of it. It is a real challenge, but it is also a fantastic way to enhance your skillsand capabilities on the water.

Page 26 LO300 LO300 Page 27LO300 TrophiesTHe LO300 has over 30 trophies to be awarded. For all previous winners,please visit us online at www.lo300.org and www.pcyc.net.THE SPERRY CUP – Overall Combined Winner (PHRF & IRC)2009- Gizmo Marc Doedens PCYC2008- MacIntosh Dick Steigenga CBYCLine Honour TrophiesTHE TRITON SAILS TROPHY – Line Honours Fully Crewed Spinnaker (Main Duck)2009 - Rampage John Odenbach RYC2008 - Defiant Rossi Milev PCYCTHE NORTHERN LIGHT TROPHY – Liner Honours, Double Handed Spinnaker (Main Duck)2009 - Plika Ian Struthers RCYC2008 - MacIntosh Dick Steigenga CBYCTHE WINDANCER TROPHY – Line Honours Double Handed White Sail2009 - Flyer Ron Ciamaga, Jeffery Majka YYC2008 - Hotfoot E. Kokbas MBSCTHE LAKE ONTARIO 300 COMMITTEE TROPHY – Line Honours, Fully Crewed White Sail2009 - Stormtrooper Brian Wright BHYC2009 - Blaze Glen Yates OCOverall Fleet Winners, Best Corrected TimeTHE STORE MASONS’S CHANDLERY TROPHY – Fleet Winner, Fully Crewed White Sail2009 - Stormtrooper Brian Wright BHYC2008 - Messing About Peter Broecker QCYCTHE SOUTHERN CROSS CUP – , Fleet Winner, Double Handed White Sail2009 - Flyer Ron Ciamaga, Jeffery Majka YYC2008 - Hotfoot E. Kokbas MBSCPCYC COMMODORES CUP – Fleet Winner, Double Handed Spinnakers2009 - Gizmo Marc & Ric Doedens PCYC2008 - Macintosh Dick Steigenga, Dave Street CBYCOYS COMMODORES CUP – Fleet Winner, Fully Crewed Spinnakers2009 - Rebellion Michael Kahu BPYC2008 - Jester “B” Blair Dinsdale WYCDivision Winners, Best Corrected TimeTHE GORDON ELLIOT TROPHY – Double Handed Spinnaker Division 12009 - Plika Ian Struthers RCYC2008 - Macintosh Dick Steigenga, Dave Street CBYCTHE MAIN DUCK ROCK – Double Handed Spinnaker Division 22009 - Heart Breaker Michael Judd, D. Leonard BHYC2008 - Heart Breaker Michael Judd, D. Leonard BHYCTHE DOROTHY TROPHY – Double Handed Spinnaker Division 32009 - Gizmo, Marc & Ric Doedens PCYC2008 - Gizmo, Marc & Ric Doedens PCYCTHE PETER TAIT MEMORIAL TROPHY – Fully Crewed Spinnaker Division 12009 - Sassafras Colin Brown RHYC2008 - Mullet Kris Werner RYCTHE JOE FERNANDES TROPHY – Fully Crewed Spinnaker Division 22009 - Afterburn Darren Gornall PCYC2008 - Afterburn Darren Gornall PCYCcontinued on next page

Page 28 LO300 LO300 Page 29THE LIGHTHOUSE TROPHY – Fully Crewed Spinnaker Division 32009 - Seaspray Tom Reese DYC2008 - Jester “B” Blair Dinsdale WYCTHE PCYC ICE BOWL – Fully Crewed Spinnaker Division 42009 - Umi Taka Dennis Dice ABYC2008 - Folichon Ian McAllister PCYCTHE TOM BREWSTER TROPHY – Fully Crewed Spinnaker Division 52009 - Folichon Ian McAllister PCYC2008 - Rebellian Michael Kahu BPYCTHE PAST CHAIRMAN’S CUP – Fully Crewed Spinnaker Division 62009 - Rebellian Michael Kahu BPYCTHE LEANARD ALKNIS MEMORIAL TROPHY – IRC Division 1 Winners2009 - Rampage John Odenbach RYC2008 - Shock Therapy Gary Benner RCYCOntario Sailing Group Insurance Programfor Home, Auto & BoatAt HUB International we understand that proper insurance for your personalassets is critical to maintaining your lifestyle. See how we can providetailored insurance coverage for your personal needs:Latitude Pleasurecaft Program:• No exclusion for regatta use• $2 million liability upgrade included at no extra charge• Competitive PricingHome & Auto Insurance:• Ontario Sailing Member Discounts• $2 million liability upgrade on property included at no extra charge• 0% Financial for monthly payment plan• Earn AirmilesBE SURE, CALL HUB FIRST888.717.SAIL (7245)HUB International Ontario LimitedHome ● Automobile ● Cottage ● Boatontariosailing@hubinternational.comScotch Bonnet Island CourseJIM WILKINSON TROPHY – Double Handed White Sail, Division 12009 - Flyer Ron Ciamaga, Jeffery Majka YYC2008 - Windriven Jonathan Vinden, David Richards PCYCJOHN SEGAERT TROPHY – Double Handed White Sail, Division 22009 - Anne Bonny John & Alex Ball QCYC2008 - Hotfoot E. Kokbas, R. Foster MBSCTHE ENDEAVOUR TROPHY – Fully Crewed White Sail, Division 12009 - Stormtrooper Brian Wright BHYC2008 - Blaze Glen Yates OCSCOTIABANK TROPHY – Fully Crewed White Sail, Division 22009 - Arc-en-Ciel David Blizzard BPYC2008 - Messing About Peter Broecker QCYCLYN TOWNSEND TROPHY – Fully Crewed White Sail, Division 32009 - Impromptu Michael Cullen NCYC2008 - Advantage Glen Sears Wilson YCTHE RIGGING SHOPPE TROPHY – Fully Crewed White Sail, Division 42009 - Wayward Jim Wilkinson PCYC2008 - Glory “B” Ian Robertson WYCTHE YACHTSMAN’S CUP – Scotch Bonnet Double Handed Spinnaker Division 12009 - Doralla Kirk Allan RCYC2008 - Contessa B. Pfannkuche. T. Bubolz FBYCEXCALIBUR CUP – Scotch Bonnet Fully Crewed Spinnaker, Division 12009 - Sebana Stewart Lindsay BPYCTHE MOUNT GAY TROPHY – Multi Hull Division2009 - Triumphant David Fice IYC2008 - Flight Simulator Tom Reese YYCTHE PERSERVERANCE TROPHY2009 - Awarded to First GLSS Competitors; W. McMinn, D. Pavlat, W. Norris2008 - Afterburn Darren Gornall PCYC2007 - Time Bandit Bernie Richard, John Hunter ABYCSKIPPERS’ PLAN TEAM CHALLENGE TROPHIES2009 - Main Duck Course Nick’s Cafe, Defiant II, Seajay PCYC2009 - Scotch Bonnet Island Course Ticker Tape, Wayward PCYC2008 - Main Duck Course IMXteme, Thunder, Defiant PCYC2008 - Scotch Bonnet Island Course Windriven, Delta G PCYCLO300 CHARITY CHAMPION2009 - Nordic Belle Torstein Braaten EYC2008 - Nordic Belle Torstein Braaten EYC

Page 30 LO300 LO300 Page 31ShoreSide ActionAlthough the focus is on having a tremendous time on the water, there is anamazing amount of shore side action both before and after the race. This sectionoutlines a few of the main events.Please check out www.lo300.org for up-to-the-minute information, as well as allthe details.Photos by Jonathan VindenUpon arrival at PCYC on Friday, the registration desk is open - final documentsare handed in, transponders are picked up, skipper and crew kitsare distributed, the story telling begins and friendly challenges are put inplace. Throughout the day, PCYC hosts LO300 sponsor tents on the lawn overlookingthe busy harbour. There, while enjoying bar services, participants canpurchase regalia, last minute items they need for the race or browse for items theymay want to get in the future.Friday evening is also when the Skippers’ Meeting is held. Last minute information,tips about the race and a meteorologist’s report are some of the things thatwill be discussed with the sailors. A pre-race party with live entertainment andgreat food follows the meeting.Race day opens with a free breakfast sponsored by Sperry Topsider. Skippers andcrew can see the Sperry Cup (presented to the overall winner), enjoy a last deliciousmeal on land, and participate in final boasting about how well they willplace in the race.Throughout the race, a member of the LO300 committee is available 24 hours aday to provide any support that is needed. As the boats finish the race, everyoneis welcomed with a smile and free warm meal no matter the hour.On Tuesday evening, there is a special post-race BBQ with free rum or beer providedby our sponsors. A live band entertains racers while they eat, socialise andswap ‘true’ stories about the race.The awards celebration at the end of September is the yacht racing evening toattend with fabulous food, wonderful company and, of course, the presentation ofthe special prizes, trophies for all divisions, and the overall winner.The LO300 is an amazing experience on and off the water! See you in July.

Page 34 LO300 LO300 Page 35The 2005 race started with anunusual and very light northeastbreeze and a 1 to 2 foot powerboatchop. The wind backedgradually and built until it wasblowing out of the south at 25 to30 knots with occasional gusts to35. After the turn at Grey’s Reef,the trip down the Straights was ascreaming beam reach in four tofive foot seas.Hiawatha started in Section 8capturing the pin end of the startline and was just able to fetch the north end of the Chicago breakwall on starboardtack. She and Dandelion (another old IOR 1 ton) led the fleet along the Illinoisshore. As the wind clocked, she cracked off a bit and continued along the shore,then decided to parallel the rhumb line close hauled, then on a reach, and finallyon a run as she approached the Michigan shore.At the 45th Parallel radio call-in, Hiawatha led her section by just over 20 minutes.She ducked inside the Manitou Islands and again ran the rhumb to Grey’s Reef passage.Down the Straights, she went wing-on-wing until a Tartan 10 threatened toovertake her. Not to be passed, she launched her 1.5 oz. chute. About two hourslater, a gust and a wave caught Hiawatha instigating a 360 degree broach; blowingout her boom-vang; and bending the release pin on the spinnaker pole tip.She finished wing-on-wing in 49 hours, 29 minutes and 21 seconds but that wasstill good enough for a first in section and 12th overall in her Chicago to MackinacRace debut.Lake HuronBayview (Port Huron) toMackinac Yacht RaceLake Huron heads north from Port Huronand bends gradually to the west by the time itreaches the Straights of Mackinac. Huron boaststhree sizeable bays, Saginaw Bay, Georgian Bayand the North Channel and is the second largestGreat Lake. The Lake’s winds are predominantlywesterly though they curve along theshoreline and frequently go light near shore inthe upper 1/3 of the lake. This makes for someinteresting race strategies.The Bayview-Mackinac Island Race participa-tion totals around 250 boats, divided between two courses. The smaller boats andthe cruising divisions (asymmetrical chutes and no spinnaker poles) race from PortHuron to Mackinac Island along the Michigan shore (200 nm). The larger yachtssail north-northeast from Port Huron to aHiawatha is skippered by BobPorter, who sails under theburgee of the Oswego YachtClub, a club located on thesoutheast shore of Lake Ontario.Bob’s significant other,Kristine Krak, also did all theraces and deliveries, whileserving as cook, foredeckcoach, crew coordinator,social director, and alternatehelm (for two of the races).Hiawatha’s adventures requirea crew list of 24 and logisticsof nightmare proportions.turning mark just off Southampton, Ontario,Canada, then northwest to Mackinac Islandand the finish (250 nm). For 2005, the 134long course boats sailed under the InternationalRating Club (IRC) Rule (a measurementrule providing a single time on time multiplier)while the 116 shore course boats utilized PerformanceHandicap Racing Fleet (PHRF) Timeon Distance scoring.To get things started, the City of Port Huronhosts a pre-race party that is unrivaled on theGreat Lakes. Friday evening between 50 and70 thousand “landlubbers” turn out to walkthe docks of the Black River and admire theassembled yachts, dressed out with decorativelights, brag flags, and an occasional“pirate”. Morning brings the raft break upand boats pack the river preceding each ofthe two lift bridges, while bagpipers play to send off the fleet. And, as racers headalong the Canadian shore of the St. Clair River (to avoid the current), they arecheered by hundredsof Canadianspacking the water’sedge, reminiscent ofscenes in the movieWind.The 2005 PortHuron to Mackinacrace started with anultra-light air reachthat backed andbuilt to a hefty 18to 22 knot run bythe Southampton mark. Hiawatha sailed the rhumb with Freeway (a 1973 Morgan42) and Flyer (a 1985 Oyster 35) leading the division from the start to Southampton.By the turning mark, 100 nm into the race, Hiawatha was in second, just a fewminutes out of first. The 100 degree turn put the wind on the beam allowing Hiawathato power-reach along the rhumb toward the Island. The other leaders fell offa bit to the north while Hiawatha sailed too close to the rhumb line and Michiganshore, caught some light air, and dropped back to finish in 45 hours, 7 minutes and14 seconds. Good for 6th place out of 13 yachts (Oops).continued on next page

Page 36 LO300 LO300 Page 37Lake SuperiorThe Trans-Superior Yacht RaceLake Superior is the largest (31,820 sq. mi), deepest (1,279 ft), coldest, and clearestof the Great Lakes. It is oriented from east to west and bends around the massiveKeweenawPeninsula as itprotrudes outfrom the ruggedMichigan UpperPeninsula shore.The Lake’sshoreline is, forthe most part,untouched andspotted withwonderful scenery:the ApostleIslands, Pictured Rocks National Shoreline, the sand dunes of Grand Marais, IsleRoyale, Thunder Bay, and much, much, more.The race starts at the south end of Whitefish Bay, after an up-bound trip throughthe Soo Locks and a twelve mile, 2 hour, motor from Sault Ste. Marie. From thereracers head northwest to the tip of the Bay (Whitefish Point) and bear off slightlyto port to a west-northwest course fetching the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula.Rounding the peninsula, the fleet turns west southwest as the lake funnels to Duluthand the finish.The Trans-Superior Yacht Race is held every other year at the beginning of Augustand follows the start of Bayview’s Port Huron to Mackinac Race by two weeks. Itis attended by a brave contingent of single-handers and a modest group of heartyfully crewedALL THE GEAR &EXPERT ADVICE FOR THELO300!•Wide selection•Approachable expert staff•Specializing insailboat rigging• Shopping onlineLawrence Ave.or in person!44 Midwest Road, Toronto, ON, M1P 3A9Tel 416.752.1711 Toll Free 1.877.752.1711E-mail info@riggingshoppe.com Web www.riggingshoppe.comDVPHWY 401Ellesmere Rd .Kennedy Rd.44 MidwestRoadMidlandAve.monohulls. Therace featuresa call-in everyeight hours todesignated boatswith satellitephones, permittinga “poorman’s”onlinerace tracking.The towns at thestart (Sault Ste.Marie, Ontarioand Michigan) and at the finish (Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin) arecharming with plenty of things to do and warm, friendly people. The race organizationis casual and accommodating and the trophies and flags are spectacular.The 2005 race began mid-day with just two starts for the 45 boat fleet in ultra-lightair. However, the one mile long line accommodated the windless start very well.After a couple hours of drifting within a stones-throw of the start, the wind filled infrom the west and built steadily through the afternoon, evening, and into the night,reaching about 20 knots. The next afternoon the wind lightened as the fleet andHiawatha approached the Keweenaw Peninsula. It stayed light until midnight andwell after Hiawatha rounded the peninsula tip. Hiawatha led the division to thepeninsula, but failed to recognize an adverse current there.By late morning the wind filled in from the west and strengthened to a moderate15 knots, held steady for the day, then backed slightly by the next morning withthe approach of some squalls, highlighted with a bit of lightning and a few clapsof thunder. The wind died as Hiawatha finished in the late morning and the laketurned to one uninterrupted sheet of glass by noon. Hiawatha took 68 hours, 21minutes and 2 seconds to complete the course and managed a second in division(13 minutes behind first and 11 hours ahead of third) and 6th overall.Lake ErieThe Trans-Erie Yacht RaceLake Erie is 200 nm long, 48 nm wide, and oriented from east to west. The Lake isthe shallowest of the Great Lakes (averaging about 30 feet) and with the prevailingwest winds, canquickly throwup quite a shortand deep chopthat can wreakhavoc in a smallboat fleet, especiallyin the shallowwest end.Racers sail fromthe mouth of theDetroit River inLake Erie’s westend, to just off the entrance to Presque Isle Bay and the city of Erie, Pennsylvania.Along the way, they must clear Point Pelee, a point of land and shoal along LakeErie’s northern shore. To finish, racers must round Presque Isle and finish at the R2buoy that marks the entrance to the Erie harbor. The 140 nm course is 60 nm shyof reaching Lake Erie’s eastern shore but none-the-less is a rather challenging 24hour adventure. The event is co-sponsored by the Grosse Ile, Michigan and Erie,continued on next page

Page 38 LO300 LO300 Page 39Yacht Clubs with the course direction alternating each year.In 2005, boats sailed from west to east with the prevailing winds. And that windprevailed, giving boats a 20 knot screaming downwind start on a starboard jibewith the wind at about 170 degrees true. Most yachts were clearing Point Peleejust after sunset and jibed there to follow the rhumb. During the jibe, Hiawathamanaged to put her spinnaker pole through the chute and tore about 5 panels.However, the change to the 1½ oz. chute was the right decision as the windcontinued to build. It peaked at about 30 with some 35 knot gusts at just aboutmidnight, then eased and went south. During the next day the wind continued tolighten and when the division leaders were about five miles out of Presque Isle, itturned wildly variable.The Hiawatha crew picked up on the changing wind and executed a jibe and thenwent to a genoa before the fleet knew what hit them. The maneuvers let her sneakahead, crossing the line 17 minutes in front of the next boat in division. An elapsedtime of 25 hours, 12 minutes and 51 seconds gave Hiawatha a division first and 5thoverall.Lake OntarioThe Lake Ontario 300Lake Ontario, like Lake Erie, is oriented from east to west and is about 200 mileslong and 45 miles wide. Although it has slightly less surface area than Erie, itcontains morewater due to itsmuch greaterdepth. It fills withwater from theother Great Lakesafter it passes overNiagara Falls. Boatsmust traverse theeight locks of theWelland Canal tomove from Erie toOntario and back.The east end ofLake Ontario is subject to frequent healthy seas as the prevailing winds can drivewaves its full length.In 2006, the Lake Ontario 300 race began just off the Oakville Yacht Club, 10miles west of Toronto. As now, it had two courses, a 300 kilometer (~180 nm)course for non-spinnaker boats and a 300 nm circumnavigation of the lake forspinnaker sailors. The long course in 2006 headed east to Toronto and duckedinside the Gibralter Buoy just off the Toronto Islands (that form her harbour). Fromthere racers cleared the Toronto headland and followed the Lake’s northern shoreto a pinch mark off Whitby, Ontario.The course rounded both Main Duckand Yorkshire islands keeping the MM2buoy to starboard near the northeastend of the lake. From there, competitorsmade a 116 nm trip to the R2 buoyjust off the Niagara River (Youngstown),before turning to starboard for a lightedderrick in 20 foot of water at the extremewest end of the lake. Anotherstarboard rounding and racers headeddown the 25 mile home stretch toOakville and the finish.The Lake Ontario 300 is an older racethat saw numbers reach into the lowtwenties in the late 1990s. However,with some dynamic advertising and improvedtrophies, it has generating newinterest in offshore racing. In 2006 therace registered just under 100 yachts,70 in the 300 nm spinnaker divisionand some 29 in the 300 km non-flyingsail division.The 2006 running of the race sawunusual conditions. The afternoon startand a light west wind brought a longand slow spinnaker run to Main DuckIsland. There a squall line brought a 25to 30 east wind for the 116 mile trip toR2. Between R2 and the derrick, thewind died and the lake became a sea ofglass. For Hiawatha the 116 mile stretchtook but 16 hours to complete, (7.25knot average), the next 25 miles took12 (2.0 knot average). Hiawatha took64 hours and 19 minutes to finish, placingfirst in division and second overallin the fully crewed spinnaker division.The race is scored using a PHRF Timeon Time multiplier so as the race takeslonger, the handicaps increase (andvice versa).Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 52DSTRAVELERSTECH TIPMAKE CRUISINGSAFER AND EASIERAdd a Harken ball bearing traveler to your boat toprovide sail control in all conditions. Wind light?Adjust the traveler to power up the main. Windhowling? Depower by easing the car to reduceheel and maintain speed—faster than releasingand retrimming the sheet. Harken captive balltraveler cars are modular with 2:1 to 6:1purchases so a small crew can play a highlyloaded mainsail. Systems can be tailored forend-boom or for mid-boom configurations withrisers and high-beam track to move the travelerout of the cockpit.To reduce heel slack the windward adjuster line so thetraveler car slides to the boat’s low side, depoweringthe leech and spilling air from the main. After tackingmake the same adjustment. Mark both lines at the camfor no-guess trimming when it's windy.Transat Marine—Division of Western Marine Co.70 Ellis Drive Unit 1, Barrie, Ontario, CANADA L4N 8Z3Tel: 705.721.0143, Toll Free: 800.565.9561 • Fax: 705.721.0747Toll Free Fax: 800.390.5336Email: info@transatmarine.com • Web: www. transatmarine.comWestern Marine Co.1494 Powell Street, Vancouver, B.C. V5L 5B5Sales Tel: 604-253-7721 • Fax: 604-253-2656Toll Free Tel: 1-800-663-0600 • Fax: 1-800-663-6790Email: sales@westernmarine.com, Web: www.westernmarine.com

Page 40 LO300 LO300 Page 41Gill Tech TipsKeeping dry and comfortable during an offshore race such as the Lake Ontario300 is a critical safety consideration, and is key to making the event enjoyableand fun.Gill is the official supplier of LO300 regalia, and other marine clothing designedspecifically to help you “Respect the Elements”. Included here are a series oftech tips to help you understand a Gill based solution to keep dry, warm andsafe while offshore racing.Layering is essential to make the most of your waterproof, breathable clothing.The first layer should be a wicking layer to keep you dry next to the skin.Gill’s RC Technical layer collection (example at left) is the idealsolution for a combination base/next to skin layer. Featuring 50+UV protection the RC Technical Layer features an ultra lightweightfabric that wicks away moisture from the skin. The ultrawick dry fabric features a soft comfortable handle that allows itto double as a base layer. Light weight and highly protective, theRC Technical Layer is a premium first layer for the active racerwhere protection, mobility and comfort are must haves.The second, the mid layer, is the insulating, warming climate control system.Gill’s Crosswinds (right) is a highly functionalperformance mid layer. Designed to be wornover a base layer and beneath a waterproof layerfor thermal insulation. The Crosswinds provideswarmth through an ultra compact syntheticinsulation that will not absorb moisture andremains warm when wet. In light conditions theCrosswinds can be worn as an outer layer as thewaterproof fabric is fully taped.An alternate light mid layer isexemplified by the RaceCollection Softshell(left). Designedwith the athletic keelboat racer in mind, theRC Softshell features a highly breathable3-layer fabric. It has an athletic cutwith minimalist features yet providessignificant protection from the elements.Waterproof, highly breathablestretch fabric is laminated to amicro fleece lining that aids agilityand comfort afloat and ashore.The final outer layer is the real protection againstthe elements - completely waterproof, windproofand breathable.Gill’s OS2 range is designed for seriouscoastal and offshore conditions. Featuringa durable 3 Dot fabric it has all ofthe features you are likely to needcombined with an excellent fitthat makes it easy and comfortableto wear.Highly breathable and waterproofwith fully taped seams,its hydrophobic micro porousfabric, developed exclusivelyfor Gill, offers improvedbreathability and comportover standard fabrics. TheOS2 range provides yearround protection with dayslong comfort.In order to work efficiently allof the layers must be highlybreathable. Always look for multi-task garmentssuch as mid layer that are waterproofand windproof - versatility is key inall layers especially in distance racing.My Lake Ontario 300 KitBase LayerShortsMid LayerOuter LayerRC Technical ShirtRC Technical ShortsRC Race Padded front Impact HikingRC Race Lycra Padded Front Impact TightsCrosswinds i5 Jacket & SalopettesRC Softshell JacketOS2 Coastal Offshore Jacket & TrousersAccessories Gloves -Championship Short FingeredExtreme Insulated Long FingeredWaterproof Breathable Leather BootUV Sailing Cap & Wide Brimmed HatPolarized Floating SunglassesTarp Barrel Bag 80LDry Bag 25LThe Store, Mason’s Chandleryis the exclusive dealerfor the complete line of GillLO300 regalia. Please dropby The Store and see Lori.Telephone: (905) 278-7005Toll Free: (800) 263-1506Email: info@thestoremasons.com

Page 42 LO300 LO300 Page 43Keeping It SafeLake Ontario, even in July can be temperamental and capricious. There havebeen a number of races where as few as 9 boats have finished!In fact, fewer boats complete the LO300 on a percentage basis than those thatcomplete other major races on the Great Lakes.Safety at Sea SeminarApril 10, 2010OISE Auditorium, TorontoFor more information, go to:www.safetyatsea.caThe Royal Canadian Yacht Club will be presenting a Safety at Sea seminaropen to all sail or power boaters on April 10, 2010 at the OISE Auditorium.This information rich, one day seminar, is sanctioned by US SAILING andall attendees will receive a US Sailing Certificate of Attendance at a Safety at SeaSeminar. This course provides excellent exposure to offshore and short handedboat handling in an emergency that is an asset to any boater.Seminar topics include: water survival and flotation options; crew overboardprevention and recovery; boat and crew preparation for offshore or long cruisingpassages; life raft inflation; safety equipment and abandon ship procedure; CoastGuard and marine police capabilities and limitations; how to use flares; crewoverboard recovery; weather on Lake Ontario; damage control and repair; first aidafloat and getting help; life on board - watches, routines, food, and rest; a viewfrom the bridge - big ship interaction; giving and receiving aid; formula for disaster.Our featured speakers are John Rousmaniere and John Bonds. John Rousmaniereis a writer-sailor-lecturer who has experienced 40,000 offshore miles, nine NewportBermuda races, two Fastnet Races, and numerous other long-distance raceson the Great Lakes and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. John has moderated orspoken at 100 US SAILING or North U boating safety seminars in the U.S., Canada,and England. He is a member of the U.S. Sailing Safety at Sea Committee, theBermuda Race Organizing Committee, the Cruising Club of America, and the NewYork Yacht Club. Capt. John Bonds, USN (Ret.) is a First Director of Navy Sailing,former Commodore Naval Academy Sailing Squadron, former Executive DirectorUS SAILING and a past chairman US SAILING Safety at Sea and training committees.He has extensive offshore experience and holds a USCG 100 ton license andUSN Master Skipper designation.John Rousmaniere

Page 44 LO300 LO300 Page 45Pitney Bowes does moreto help you navigate business waters.More than ever, our business solutions help you get where you want to go.You know us for mailing...Pitney Bowes has been the leader in mailing technology for more than 80 years. It's notsurprising that today we offer the latest digital postage meters to save you time and money.But there's more, like dmworks.ca.dmworks.ca is an exciting online direct marketing tool that lets you create customisedbrochures, direct mail and email campaigns right at your desktop. It's the fast, powerfulway to promote your business.And shredders that protect your privacy.When business data is “For your eyes only”, trust document shredders from Pitney Bowes.These hardworking privacy protectors come in a range of sizes and destruction capabilities.We'll also enhance your image.Every document you produce is 50% content and 50% image. The COVERBIND ®document binding system creates professional-looking documents in minutes.Choose from a range of spine sizes, colours, and formats.Pitney Bowes wishes you a safe and successful 2010 season on the water.Visit pbdoesmore.ca todayto see how we do more to makebusiness smooth sailing!2010 LO300 Notice of Race1. ORGANIZATION: The Lake Ontario 300 Yacht Race (LO300) is organized bythe Lake Ontario 300 Committee under the authority of the Port Credit Yacht Club.2. EVENT: The 2010 Lake Ontario 300 Yacht Race shall commence at 10:30hrsSaturday, July 17, 2010 from the waters off Port Credit Yacht Club.3. MAILING ADDRESS: The Lake Ontario 300 Yacht Race, C/O Port Credit YachtClub, 115 Lakefront Promenade, Mississauga L5E 3G64. INSPECTION: All yachts shall be inspected for the mandatory equipmentrequirements listed in Appendix A to the Notice of Race, available at www.lo300.org. The inspection may be undertaken by a Safety or Flag Officer of the entrant’sYacht Club, or by arrangement with the Lake Ontario 300 Safety Officer. A yachtmust successfully complete this inspection prior to the start of the race.5. RULES: The race shall be governed by the ‘rules’ as defined in the Racing Rulesof Sailing 2009-2012 (RRS). Canadian Yachting Association Prescriptions found atwww.sailing.ca/racing/racing_rules_of_sailing shall apply.5.1 Advertising shall be permitted as per Category C, International SailingFederation (ISAF) Regulation 20.5.2 The International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972found at www.imo.org/Conventions/contents.asp?doc_id=649&topic_id=257 shall replace Part 2 of the “RRS’’ between 20:00hrs and06:00hrs for the duration of the race.5.3 Individuals and yachts shall comply with the mandatory safety requirementsfor this event which are listed in Appendix “A” to the Notice ofRace found at www.lo300.org/registration-info/race-documents. Thesafety requirements are based on the 2009-2010 ISAF Offshore SpecialRegulations “Category 3 Monohulls.” found at www.sailing.org/specialregulations.php.5.4 Rule 41 – “Outside Help” is modified herein to allow all forms of communication.Each yacht may communicate with any person, competitor,yacht or outside source of information available using any means availablethroughout the race.5.5 The changes will appear in full in the sailing instructions. The sailinginstructions may also change other racing rules.6. FLEETS, DIVISIONS: Classes shall be divided into Spinnaker and White SailFleets. Multihull Classes shall be spinnaker only. Fleets shall consist of one or moreDivisions based on IRC, PHRF-LO, or GLMRA rating. The LO300 shall assignyachts to Divisions based on number of yacht registered.6.1 The Main Duck Island Course is open to fully crewed Multihull yachts,fully crewed and double-handed Monohull yachts racing underSpinnaker (with a maximum PHRF rating of 180 FS).

Page 48 LO300 LO300 Page 49prior to the Skipper’s Meeting.7.6 DISPOSAL OF TRASH: This event is designateda CLEAN REGATTA by the Sailorsfor the Sea organization. By entering, allcompetitors agree to abide by CLEANREGATTA Certification Level requirements.Boats observed discharging trashinto the water will either be disqualifiedfrom all races the day that the infractionis observed or be subject to other suitabledisciplinary action, or both.8. SAIL NUMBERS, IDENTIFICATION: Competitors’yachts shall only display a sail number registeredspecific to the yacht at the time of its commission.Requests to display alternative sail numbers to theyacht’s commission may be approved by the LO300Race Committee if filed with the registrar prior to19:00hrs on Friday July 16, 2010.8.1 Each competitor provided with bow stickers shall place the stickers onthe port and starboard bow of the yacht prior to the race.9. FEE: $185 (Can.) per entry Until March 31, 2010 and $224 (Can.) afterwards.10. SKIPPERS’ MEETING AND SAILING INSTRUCTIONS: A representative ofeach yacht shall attend the Skippers’ Meeting to be held at the Port Credit YachtClub. The meeting shall be held on Friday, July 176h, 2010 and shall begin at19:00. The final Sailing Instructions shall be distributed at this meeting.11. CHECK IN DURING THE RACE: Yachts shall file a mandatory Sail Plan withthe Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) prior to 10:00hrs on Saturday July 18th, 2010 butnot before the Skippers’ Meeting. Mandatory Call Ins shall be made to the CanadianCoast Guard (CCG) to report location every six (6) hours until the Sail Plan isclosed. The procedure shall be defined in the Sailing Instructions.12. STARTING TIMES: The Warning Signal for the first Divisional Yachts shall beat 10:25hrs on Saturday, July 17, 2010. The Starting System shall be posted in theSailing Instructions.13. THE COURSE:Sperry is a leading providerof marine footwear designedfor sailors who want to win.They are the proud sponsorsof the Sperry Breakfast...your opportunity to fuel upbefore the long race. Theyalso provide all competitorswith an great t-shirt!Sperry provides excellentgiveaways at our skipper’smeeting and has donatedthe Sperry Cup, presentedto the overall winner of theLake Ontario 300.13.1 The Main Duck Island Course shall be a 300 nautical mile clockwisecircumnavigation of Lake Ontario. Starting at Port Credit, then on to GibraltarPoint mark, Main Duck and Yorkshire Islands, Ford Shoal Buoy,Niagara mark, PCYC Turning mark and the Finish mark. All marks of thecourse shall be taken to Starboard.13.2 The Scotch Bonnet Island Course shall be a 190 nautical mile coursestarting at Port Credit, then on to Gibraltar Point mark, Scotch BonnetIsland, Niagara mark, PCYC Turning mark and the Finish mark. Allmarks of the course shall be taken to Starboard.13.3 Marks shall be defined in the Sailing Instructions.14. RACE TRACKING: The utilization of transponders to track the fleet is dependentupon the securing of sufficient sponsorship revenue to cover the cost. Participantsshall be advised on, or before June 17, 2010 whether transponders shallbe supplied and the following provisions apply. The use of transponders shall beoutlined in the Sailing Instructions.15. SCORING: PHRF-LO time on time formula, IRC Rule and GLMRA shall beused. Yachts shall be scored in their own Fleets and Divisions. The L0300 Committeereserves the right to adjust the scratch sailboat when converting the PHRF-LO Time on Distance to Time on Time based on the registrations received by thedeadline. The Time on Time ratings will be published along with the division splits.16. AWARDS: Trophies and/or flags shall be awarded to the winning yachts ineach Division and Fleet. Awards Night shall be Saturday September 25, 2010 at thePort Credit Yacht Club. www.lo300.org/registration_info_trophies.php17. DISCLAIMER OF LIBABILITY: Sailing is an activity that has an inherent riskof damage and injury. Competitors in this event are participating entirely at theirown risk. See RRS 4, Decision to Race. The race organizers (organizing authority,race committee, protest committee, host club, sponsors, or any other organizationor official) will not be responsible for damage to any boat or other property or theinjury to any competitor, including death, sustained as a result of participation inthis event. By participating in this event, each competitor agrees to release the raceorganizers from any and all liability associated with such competitor’s participationin this event to the fullest extent permitted by law.18. INSURANCE: Each participating boat shall be insured with a valid third-partyliability insurance policy with a minimum cover of $2,000,000 CAD per event forCanadian boats and an adequate level of third-party liability insurance applicablein Canadian and US waters for non-Canadian boats.19. FURTHER INFORMATION: For further information and for amendments to theNotice of Race, see www.lo300.org.Don’t start without us.•Safety Gear•Rigging Setupwww.foghmarine.com1-800-342-FOGH (3644)•Foul Weather Gear•Technical Rope901 Oxford St. Toronto ON M8Z 5T1

Page 50 LO300 LO300 Page 51What Can Go Wrong You Ask?The cruise to the start includes a lastminute hoist of our co-skipper CraigPirie up the mast to tune upper spreadersof the rig under the guidance ofIt is a quiet morning, light winds with the potential to build under the partlycloudy skies, warm and a perfect day for a yacht race. One hundred and twenty Doug Gornall who has been broughtfour yachts and their crews prepare their boats at dockside and eagerly anticipatefrom the quiet solitude of the Baythe start. The crew of Afterburn is no exception and to get pumped up for therace the cockpit stereo is playing the theme song from “Chariots of Fire” and motivatingtunes like “I Get Knocked Down But I Get Up Again”. We are fully loaded,batteries charged and all our high tech gear istested and ready to perform.of Quinte to do the 300 for the firsttime since the Gornall family boughtAfterburn in 1993. The rest of the crewincludes more family, Darren Gornallco-skipper and Cameron Renwick whowas Afterburn’s first foredeck specialistin the ‘90s. Other crew members arenew to Afterburn since her return toPCYC in 2007. Mike Watkinson roundsout the foredeck crew and his brotherLiz & TomChris works the runners and rules thepit and galley. The final crew member,Up the mast to tune the rigging.Elliot Mackay is our master jib trimmerand jack of all trades.Our 1980 CapeDory 33, is ourThe start of the race and legs to theWhitby mark were typical offshore racingin 4-8 knots of breeze. Full mainsand light spinnakers were pulling butdefinitely not overpowered. We wereleading our division and were delightedwhen we passed some larger boatswho had fallen into a “hole”. Veteranslike Macintosh, friends like ImExtremeand oddies like a trimaran who shot byus earlier were now in our wake. Weset a course a little further offshore toavoid any “holes” that may lurk ahead.We were keenly assessing each sail,watching the puffs and eyeing thecompetition when Mike called out“Wow, look at that!” Several boatswell behind us appeared to be broaching!Then we watched as a larger boat,a J35 I think, just astern , with a largecolourful chute started to broach andthen the spinnaker exploded in a hundredtiny shreds. Darren yelled, ”Holycr-p, we better get our chute dow....”.Too late, the squall hit us so hard that“It was always our dreamto have a home with amooring right out front.”dreamboat, sowhen a branchcrushed our headfoil and furlerin storage last winter, we werevery disappointed.Skippers’ Plan understood theproblem, located a replacementfurler and expedited our repair.We barely missed any of thesailing season. You never wantto have a claim, but when youdo it’s great to deal with peoplewho speak boating fluently.They really do get it.Robertson&RobertsonYacht Insurance Ltd.1950201060 YEARS1-800-661-7211 in Toronto 416-789-7211www.skippersplan.comUnderwritten by Aviva Insurance Company

Page 52 LO300 LO300 Page 53even with the helm pointing Afterburn almost dead down wind, the force drovethe bow down so hard that I could feel the rudder release from the water. Withoutrudder contact the boat spun like a top – we did one death roll and were blownflat on our side, mast fully in the water, the main jibed and fouled on the runners.Craig scrambled to release the main and guy while Darren dropped waist deepin water to release the runner and save the mainsail, Mike leaped up outside thelifelines and literally onto the high side and the rest of us grabbed something solidand hung on. The spinnaker halyard somehow was released but too late to saveour masthead instruments. They were whipped like bits of spaghetti.We lay on our side for two to three minutes. An eternity it seemed. Every time thekeel tried to right us the wind caught the top of the chute and down it went again.Finally the wind slackened, almost as suddenly as it had started. Back to 6 - 8knots. Afterburn popped back up immediately, facing back to the west. The crewscrambled to pull aboard all the sails, spinnaker pole, lines and debris that werein sight. Mike had returned from the high side and found the pole still attached tothe mast ring but the track was in four pieces and the topping lift cable clamp wassnapped in two. The question on everyone’s lips was, “Can we put these piecesback together?” The sails were all intact.Cam hollered, “Get me a big screwdriver and some sail ties”. A short bit of trackwas screwed back on the mast, the topping lift clamp was replaced with a sailtie and the track slide secured to the mast with a longer sail tie lashed around themast so the slide could not slip off the end of the track. After 45 minutes of whitesailing, we were back under full spinnaker heading east. Craig, now at the helm,spoke the best line of the day when as a few crew were acting a bit shaken heremarked, “Suck it up guys, it’s not a holiday, it’s a yacht race!”Was that all? Not in 300 miles it wasn’t. We still had a boomvang to repair sincethe knock down had ripped it off the boom. More sail ties and a bolt in one holefixed that.We should have clear sailing from now on, right? Not to be!That night, in the middle of several changes between close and spinnaker reaches,Darren and Mike were half way through their two hour sleep shift when Camhoisted the chute, right to the top, or so he thought. When the jib came down, thechute was on the deck, the popped open shackle was fully hoisted at the top ofthe mast. How to get it down? Only one way. First, wake Darren, he knows whatis up there. So much for sleep. Drop the main (bad for speed), hoist Darren, man itis rough with little wind and lots of waves, get the halyard down, re-hoist main andchute. Thirty minutes later, we are in full flight again.Surely that is all there is. Not quite!As we approach the Niagara mark we notice that our GPS is behaving strangelyand the display is fading on all our instruments. Then the warnings started, LowBattery, then OFF. First the GPS, then the Sailcomp then everything else. But wecharged our batteries, what is wrong? All efforts to charge the batteries failed. Ouralternator must not be working. What can we do? It is night and we can see theNiagara mark but have only a rough compass bearing to Oakville. Chris to therescue. He borrowed a tiny hand held GPS from a friend just before he left for therace and now he pulled it out, turned it on and to the relief of all it worked. Wefollowed that little GPS through several sets of AA batteries across the lake andfound the Oakville mark with its flashing light that did not flash (probably deadbatteries). Every time Chris called out a range and bearing we all cheered.We rounded Oakville at dawn and the beat back to Port Credit was uneventful.Our spirits were very high as we saw who our company was up the final leg. Weknew we were in very good position for a first place finish. At the finish there wasa big cheer. As we looked around our magnificent boat was a mass of sail ties,crumpled instruments and no power but we were flying high. We were very thankfulto see Derek Hatfield and his wife who came out to greet us in their Zodiac.They were just in time to push us into our PCYC slip and save us the effort of startingthe motor without any power. When we arrived ashore there was a greetingparty with champagne at 08:00 and we cranked up our favorite song, “We GetKnocked Down, But We Get Up Again!” (Title slightly altered)Our perseverance paid off!FOR SAILS THAT GO THE DISTANCEGET UK-HALSEY ON YOUR TEAMOpen 60 Spirit of Canada preparing to go around the world.www.ukhalsey.comWe are here to help yoursailing program.Phone or drop by the loft todiscuss you needs with,Brian Chapman, Sail DesignerTristan Story, Sail Consultant1869 Gerrard St416 915 9134toronto@ukhalsey.com

Page 54 LO300 LO300 Page 55Sailing Safely Offshoreyears and is reviewed annually as new issues arise. Each offshore race should havetheir own version of the mandatory safety requirements specific to that race.It is important for the first time racer to investigate the equipment requirementsprior to making the decision to participate.The rewards of completing an offshore race are numerous and have been thereason participation has increased dramatically over the last 5 years. Therewards range from testing and enhancing all aspects of your sailing skills, ,to enjoying teamwork and comradeship amongst your crew and competitors andenjoying success based on individual goals.Regardless of the motivation to participate, safety is the first and foremost concernof everyone involved in the organization and management in any offshore race. Asa participant, safety should be the foremost consideration in your decision to registerfor an offshore race. The thought involved in race preparation, crew selection,provisioning and even race tactics are critical aspects in determining the successfulcompletion of a race.What makes safety in an offshore race so important is the need to respond to anysituation in a quick and calm manner day or night. Using common sense andproperly equiping your yacht makes the offshore experience easier, less stressfuland more fun.Safety regulations and requirements are dependant on various criteria includingthe distance and location of the race. Safetyrequirements for offshore races have been developedand are governed by The International SailingFederation (ISAF).These regulations are categorized for races of differingrescue potential as follows:Category 0Category 1Category 2Category 3Category 4Trans-oceanic racesRaces of long distance and well offshoreRaces of extended duration along or not far removed fromshorelinesRaces across open water, most of which is relatively protectedor close to shorelines.Short races, close to shore in relatively warm or protected watersnormally held in daylightOffshore races and double or single handed races on the Great Lakes followa modified version of the Category 3 ISAF requirements. Generally the longerovernight races adhere more closely to the international guidelines than a shorterday time race. No matter how a race is categorised, basic safety requirements areimportant for every competitor to understand and adhere to. If there is confusionon any requirement of the race it is important to contact the organizing committee,well in advance for a clarification to ensure you are compliant.The key safety requirements are listed on the www.lo300.org website and arecommonly referred to as Appendix A. This document has been modified over theThe most common equipment upgrades that first time racers evaluate are: man overboardequipment, flare requirements, harness and jack lines, permanently installedhead, and proper fitted life lines. Other requirements include back up steering, drinkingwater requirements, flashlights, communication and boat structural or designregulations. The safety guidelines for most offshore races also include many recommendations,which are not requirements, but are worth considering. Common senseand a good understanding of your boat’s performance in various weather conditionswill dictate what safety adjustments you need to make on your boat.Last year the Lake Ontario 300 mandated that all yachts competing in the raceperform a man over-board drill with the crew that will be participating in the race.This is to ensure that all crew members are sure of what to do in the event of aman overboard situation. Skippers are required to sign a waiver confirming thatthe MOB drill has been completed.Boat inspections are required for the Lake Ontario 300 and all skippers must sign awaiver certifying that they have had the inspection, will maintain all required safetyequipment on board, and that the crew understand the use and location of theequipment. The safety inspection can be done any time in the year and is recommendedearly in the season as a tool to identify any areas on your boat that needimprovement. If you have any questions on the safety requirements for the LakeOntario 300 or offshore racing please send an email to info@lo300.org, or attendone of the Offshore Racing Presentations scheduled for March and April. Visitwww.LO300.org for dates and locations. You can also contact the race organizers.The following are some items to consider when planning for your next offshorerace or the Lake Ontario 300.Race / Course Selection: make sure you choose a race that fits your time-line andcomfort level for the first time. If you are considering the LO300 for the first time, itis advisable to pick a smaller race as a tester, such as the Susan Hood Trophy Race:Crew Selection: it is important to develop a crew with the necessary skills andchemistry. Ensure there is leadership on each shift. Everyone on your crew must beaware of the potential conditions throughout the race.Objectives: set your objectives for the race early and ensure all your crew are inagreement. Make sure your crew are aware of the time commitments and nature ofthe race. Many first time participants focus on just achieving a finish in the race.Rules of the Boat: set your boat’s rules on safety, shift changes, night time sailing.It is important on a long race to adhere to a policy of wearing harnesses and PFDsat a chosen time before dark and keeping regular shift changes every 3 to 4 hoursdepending on the boat and crew. Harnesses and PFDs should also be worn at alltimes in heavy weather and through the night on watch.

Page 56 LO300 LO300 Page 57After the RaceTuesday Post Race PartyIn 2009, over 90% of all participants had completed the race by midnight onMonday. This is important as it meant that racers could catch a few hours sleepand be ready for a great post race party at PCYC. Fiddlestix provided entertainmentand Steam Whistle generously provided kegs for everyone to enjoy. It isa great opportunity to celebrate the success of the race and tell tall tales of whattranspired on the water. Make sure you and your crew include the Tuesday eveningparty in your plans for 2010.Awards BanquetMark your calendars now. The date for the 2010 LO300 Awards Banquethas been set for Saturday, September 25th and the planning is well underway. This is a great evening to re-live the memories of the race and makethe stories even bigger and better than they were in July. The evening is celebratedby acknowledging our sponsors, all who participated and awarding the winnersin their respective divisions. A slide show provides a collective overview of theevent and the display of trophies, flags and prizes does not disappoint. Post dinnerfestivities are accompanied by a band to close out the evening.Photo by Jonathan Vinden

Page 58 LO300 LO300 Page 59For die hard sailors, there is now a single handed version of the Lake Ontario300 called the Lake Ontario 300 Solo Challenge. It is run in partnership withthe Great Lakes SingleHanded Society, or GLSS.The GLSSLake Ontario 300Solo ChallengeThe Great Lakes Singlehanded Societyis an organization established for theperpetuation of the sport of solo sailing.It is one of the few organizations whereno amount of money will purchase a membership,only by successfully completing aPort Huron to Mackinac, Chicago to Mackinac,Sault Ste. Marie to Duluth, the LakeErie Solo Challenge, or the Lake Ontario300 Solo Challenge (LO300SC), is lifetimemembership conveyed by the Society.To date, there are just over 235 members,far fewer than the number of astronautswho have orbited earth, or climbers whohave scaled Mt. Everest. Within GLSS, you will find the true spirit of single handedsailing, a spirit which is not defined by age, gender, or boat type. You will findcompetition on the race course, as well as assistance. Annual meetings, scheduledsocial functions as well as impromptu get togethers, ensure that the camaraderiedeveloped on the race course is allowed to grow into lifetime friendships.For those who qualify, the Lake Ontario 300Solo Challenge is the most challenging singlehanded race held on Lake Ontario.It is offeredwithin the largerLake Ontario300 Yacht Race,but the rules aresomewhat differentthan thosefor the crewedclasses. If youare interested incompeting, visitthe GLSS web siteat www.solosailor.org/lo300.php to downloadthe notice of race,entry form, andrequired equipmentlists.There are also anumber of specialrequirements fornon GLSS members that want to complete.Remember that the LOSHRS 100 mile race is avalid qualifier race for the LO300SC, and in theLOSHRS portion of this Offshore Racing Guide,we include information that will help you getprepared.During 2009, Walt Norris competed in GLSS events oneach of the Great Lakes. Here he is shown holding up hisfirst place flag for the LO300SC. Walt sailed a Hobie 33called Yuk Fu II, completing the race in a very respectableelapse time of 2 days, 5 hours and just over 39 minutes.

Page 60 LO300 LO300 Page 61For those that don’t know,the Susan Hood Trophy Raceis the first overnight race ofthe season and is sometimesaffectionately referred to asthe coolest race on the lakes.Because the race is run inearly June the race offerssome extra special challengesand serves as an great tune uprace for the entire season.The Susan Hood Trophy Race was created in1955 by Doug Hood, a PCYC member whooffered to put up a trophy if someone wouldproduce a simple measurement system for handicappingcustom built yachts. George Cuthbertsonof C&C Yachts suggested a rule that was designedby Colonal Grant from Royal Military College. Itwas put to the test in an early season race with atrophy named after Doug’s newborn baby daughter,Susan. Twenty five boats were measured for the firstrace using this rule, which become known as theLake Ontario Rule and was used for 35 years beforePHRF took over. Today, the Susan Hood Trophy ispresented to the yacht winning PHRF overall, withother trophies for the division winners.The Susan Hood Trophy race is approximately 72nm, starting at PCYC and rounding the Burlingtonweather tower, the Niagara R2 buoy and returningto PCYC. The race starts on the Friday evening ofthe first weekend in June, making it an overnightexperience on very cold water.The Susan Hood Trophy Race has always been held at PCYC and for many years hasbeen the start of the LORC offshore series. Starting in 2010 the race is organized andmanaged by the LO300 Organizing Committee.This race is recommended to anyone planning on participating in the LO300 orlooking for an offshore challenge early in the season. To ensure it is a proper tuneup race, a double handed division is being added this year, which will provide anew challenge for the experienced double handed racers.The Susan HoodTrophy RaceJune 4th, 2010Starting at 8:00 pm

Page 62 LO300 LO300 Page 632010 Susan Hood Trophy RaceNotice of RaceJune 4th – June 5th, 20101. RULES:Port Credit Yacht Club.1.1 The race will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rulesof Sailing.1.3 The Susan Hood Trophy Race Equipment Regulations available at susanhood.pcyc.netwill apply.1.4 Racing rule(s) will be changed as follows:The provisions of Appendix Q (CYA Prescription) of the Racing Rules ofSailing shall apply to the period between 20:00hrs and 06:00hrsRule 41 – “Outside Help” is modified herein to allow all forms of communication.Each yacht may communicate with any person, competitor,yacht or outside source of information available using any means availablethroughout the race.The changes will appear in full in the sailing instructions. The sailinginstructions may also change other racing rules.2. ADVERTISING: Boats may be required to display advertising chosen and suppliedby the organizing authority.3. ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY:3.1 The race is open to monohull boats in a one design class or handicapclass, with valid PHRF-LO or IRC certificate, and that comply with TheSusan Hood Trophy Race Equipment Regulations available at susanhood.pcyc.net.Classes under PHRF-LO will be Flying Sails (FS) and NoFlying Sails (NFS).The boat must have the valid handicap certificate on board for thehandicap class in which she is racing.Skippers in the Fully Crewed Classes shall be not less than 18 years ofage, and at least one other crew member shall not be less than 18 yearsof age.Boats entered in the Double Handed Classes shall be crewed only bya skipper and one other crew, both of whom shall be not less than 18years of age.The double handed classes for those with experience in either single ordouble handed racing and the organizing authority at their sole discretionand without appeal, accept or reject such boat and crew as suitablefor this race in the double handed classes.3.2 Eligible boats may enter by registering at susanhood.pcyc.net.3.3 The Organizing Authority will create the fleet splits and starting sequencebased on the registrations received and publish tem at susanhood.pcyc.netby June 1, 2010.4. FEES: Required fees are as follows:5. SCHEDULE:All Classes$50.00 CAD5.1 Registration online at susanhoad.pcyc.net until 2359 EDT, Wednesday,June 1, 20105.2 There is an information meeting for competitors at 1830 EDT, FridayJune 4, 2010 on the patio at Port Credit Yacht Clubs.5.2 The warning signal is at 1955 EDT, Friday, June 4, 2010.6. MEASUREMENTS AND INSPECTIONS: A boat may be inspected at any time.The Race Committee may, at the finish of the race, direct a boat to proceeddirectly to a designated location at Port Credit Yacht Club. A boat which fails tofollow such directions or which subsequently fails the inspection may be protestedby the Race Committee7. SAILING INSTRUCTIONS: The sailing instructions will be available at susanhood.pcyc.netby May 25, 2010.8. VENUE AND THE COURSE: The venue is Port Credit Yacht Club, with thestart and finish off Port Credit Yacht Club. The course is 73 NM in length and willbe from the start, to the Burlington Weather Tower, to the Niagara Buoy “R2” tothe Port Credit Yacht Club or from the start, to the Niagara Buoy “R2”, BurlingtonWeather Tower, to the Port Credit Yacht Club.9. SCORING: For boats racing under PHRF-LO, PHRF-LO Time-on-time will beused to calculate the corrected time. For boats racing under IRC, the IRC Rule willbe used.continued on next pagepaymoreforenergy.ca

Page 64 LO300 LO300 Page 6511. RADIO COMMUNICATION: Each yacht may communicate with any person,competitor, yacht or outside source of information available using any means availablethroughout the race.12. PRIZES: Prizes will be given as follows:Prize flags will be awarded as follows for each fleet, in each race:Number of Boats Starting the Race in Class: Flags awarded for:OneFirstTwoFirstThreeFirst and SecondFour or moreFirst, Second and ThirdThe following trophies will be awarded:Line HonoursOverall Best Corrected TimeC&C 34IRC IIRC IIPHRF IPHRF IIPHRF IIIPHRF IVWhitesail Best Corrected TimeJ.J. Morch Rose BowlSusan Hood CupLou Winters TrophyMemorial CupJohn Watson TrophyCommonwealth TrophyWhite Hawk TrophyDave Heron CupSnail’s Pace TrophyGeorge McCloy Wheel13. DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY: Sailing is an activity that has an inherent risk ofdamage and injury. Competitors in this event are participating entirely at their ownrisk. See RRS 4, Decision to Race. The race organizers (organizing authority, racecommittee, protest committee, host club, sponsors, or any other organization orofficial) will not be responsible for damage to any boat or other property or theinjury to any competitor, including death, sustained as a result of participation inthis event. By participating in this event, each competitor agrees to release the raceorganizers from any and all liability associated with such competitor’s participationin this event to the fullest extent permitted by law.14. INSURANCE: Each participating boat shall be insured with a valid third-partyliability insurance policy with a minimum cover of $2,000,000 CAD per event forCanadian boats and an adequate level of third-party liability insurance applicablein Canadian and US waters for non-Canadian boats.15. FURTHER INFORMATION: For further information, including social eventsand for docking arrangements, please see susanhood.pcyc.net .Photo by Jonathan Vinden