In the late fall of 1996 The Trans Erie website became one of the first websites dedicated to a specific sailboat race.

16 skippers registered for the first race which was to run from Erie to Grosse Ile. Only 10 boats made it to the starting line due to the extreme weather conditions many skippers encountered delivering their boats to Erie for the start.

Of the ten original boats that raced the inagural race, five of these yachts skipper/co-skippers, have completed all Trans-Erie's to date. They are:

Jim Bourgault, Matt Dubois, Dave & Sue Grassley, Kevin Lemonds, Roger Pollack, Tom Vancleave.

Out of the above group, Jim Bourgault is the only skipper to do all his Trans Erie races on the same boat (GUS who).

Biggest boat to enter: Earth Voyager 60' trimaran,

Fastest boat to enter: Earth Voyager 60' trimaran,

Largest monohull: Tara, Luders 54

Smallest boat: Gampian 26

PHRF OVERALL WINNER OBSERVATIONS

Out of the nine current winners, four of the races were won by cruiser/racers, four more races were won by X 3/4 ton yachts, and one race was won by a sport boat.

Five of the PHRF overall wins were by members of the race committee. This could be a great reason to get involved with the race committee!!

Three of the overall wins were by the guy that sailed all the races on the same boat!!

MORC OVERALL WINNER OBSERVATIONS

One MORC overall winner went on to win PHRF overall four years later.

Two MORC overall winners sailed S2 7.9s

One MORC overall winner stopped midrace for thirty minutes to fix a rudder and change a few kids diapers before continuing on to win.

All MORC overall winners sailed boats designed to the MORC rule.

TRANS-ERIE WEATHER

Many naysayers said the Trans-Erie Race would flop because there is no wind on Lake Erie in August. Well, what we have found is that we do have wind on Lake Erie in August and no matter which direction we run the race we seem to get more than our fair share of beating .

1997 Racing East to West. Winds Westerly 25 kts

1998 Racing East to West. Winds SW - NW 5-20 kts

1999 Racing West to East. Winds North 15 - 20 kts

2000 Racing East to West. Winds North 15 - 20 kts

2001 Racing West to East. Winds East - Southeast 10 - 20 kts

2002 Racing East to West. Winds West - Northwest 5-20 kts

2003 Racing West to East. Winds NW-NE-NW 10-20 kts

2004 Racing East to West. Winds 0-25 Variable

2005 Racing West to East. West 0-25 kts

TRAILBLAZERS

Bruce Geffen Endo( aka Nice Pair) for running the multihull course alone the first year to get it going. His first finish card......

Boat Ahead: None

Boat Astern: All of Them

Bill Kruger on Jabberwocky for running the SINGLEHANDED course alone in 2004 to start the class.

The Boys of Feelin Groovey (Non Such 30) just because they were out to just enjoy life.