Lake Michigan Distance Race/Midwest C34 Regatta?

[Kyle Ewing]

Lake Michigan Sailors,

I'm involved with the Chicago Yacht Club's Verve Cup committee this year.  We're promoting the Verve Cup distance race to be held Saturday, August 20 (Chicago Air and Water Show Weekend).  The Verve Cup Distance race started last year and is in addition to the 3 day regatta over the same weekend.  The entire regatta attracts two hundred plus boats.

The distance race is a roughly 20 mile course starting and returning from north of downtown Chicago (near the Wilson Crib).  We're offering a fun event that appeals to the more casual racer and cruising sailor.  We're planning Jib and Main, ORR Cruising, and Full Racing sections.

The entry fee of $2.50/foot includes social events and rafting at Monroe Harbor (some limitations, see NOR).

There's also the opportunity to form a one design section.  How many Catalina 34 owners would be interested in racing?  I'd love to meet and sail with other Catalina 34s.  It could be the backdrop for a midwest Catalina 34 regatta (see 2011 Officers Meeting Notes in the C34IA section of the forum).

Is anyone interested in participating?  Here's a link to the Notice of Race (NOR):  (http://www.yachtscoring.com/event_documents/495/2011_verve_nor.pdf). 

I also wrote an article in my blog about the race and why I'm participating:  http://www.saildonnybrook.com/2011/06/chicago-yacht-clubs-verve-cup-distance.html

Leave your ideas here or contact me directly via email (kyle (at) saildonnybrook.com), or this board's private messaging.

I look forward to hearing from you!

[Ralph Masters]

Great blog site, thanks for the posting.

Ralph

[Ralph Masters]

Kyle,
Next time your over by the Navy pier, look at the big anchor sitting on the end of that pier, it came off of the best ship I ever served on, USS Chicago.

Ralph