TO
PORT THE TRANS-ERIE YACHT RACE
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION!!!
The Trans-Erie race committee is excited to announce that the 2007 race has changed directions again. This is one of the few offshore races that changes the course direction every year. This year the race will start in Grosse Ile, MI . with a finish in Erie, PA.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RACE
The concept of the Trans Erie Race was talked about for a few years before it became a reality. Jim Bourgault, Matt Dubois and Kevin Lemonds were sitting in a local tavern in 1994 talking about long distance racing. Kevin had the long distance bug after purchasing a new boat two years before. He wanted to do the Buffalo to Toledo Race and was trying to find information. Matt, the man with all the info, found out the race had been discontinued. Jim, Matt, Kevin (THE THREE MUSKETEERS) started talking about how someone should run a long distance race on Lake Erie. This talk continued through 1995. In 1996, we decided that "we" were the someone. We discussed what we thought it would take to make a long-lasting race and then proceeded to decide on where to race from. At first Buffalo was looked at to run the race from. As time went on Erie Pa. became the obvious choice. The distance was right. In most years the race could be completed during a week-end. Transits could be made at one's convenience. Matt, (ex MORC International Commodore) had friends from MORC station 31 in Erie who were Erie Yacht Club members. These friendships made getting the race off the drawing board and into reality much easier than dealing with unknown people at opposite ends of the lake. Also the best of what we'd seen in other races was incorporated into the Trans Erie Race. Such as 3 foot by 7 foot flags for the first three places in each class, and a hot meal for each sailor when he hits the dock at the finish. Also, a website to keep sailors informed about the race was started day one. Skipper's surveys would be sent out yearly to help shape future races. As the race matures hopefully these basic ideas will keep the Trans Erie Race going for many years.
The inaugural race in 1997 is almost the race that didn't happen. Sailors battled 10 foot seas and forty knot winds to arrive in Erie for the start. On the eve of the race the Race Committee postponed the start till the following morning due to the extreme weather. It did not seem prudent to send the sailors off into these conditions with dark approaching so soon after the start. The next morning the wind settled to 20kts and the race was a beat all the way to Grosse Ile. Ten of eighteen boats made the finish.
The 1998 race was again run from Erie to Grosse Ile. The race had 27 entrants with 24 on the start line. Fourteen different yacht clubs were represented in the race, which was viewed as a sign of growth. The race was a light to medium air race with a combination of beating and running. The race was a success!
For the 1999 race, a new twist was added. The direction of the race was reversed. The yearly skipper's surveys indicated that this was the desirable thing to do. This is the only offshore race I'm aware of that changes its direction yearly. Just like the first Trans Erie Race, the first race from Grosse Ile to Erie was memorable. Thirty-three of the thirty-six registered boats were on the starting line. Strong reaching conditions made for a fast race. Most of the fleet broke all the existing elapsed time records.
The 2000 once again set some records. As the tradition dictates, the direction was once again reversed. The course from Erie, PA to Grosse Ile, MI. brought brisk reaching conditions that allowed the elapsed time honors set one year before by Bob Coleman's Soveral 39 Hellion, be replaced with new times set by Jon Somes J44 Sagitta, 18 hours, 25 minutes. Also the race had its first multihull run the course. Bruce Geffan's Crowther 38 catamaran Endo, finished the race in 17 hours and 43 minutes.
The 2001 race was run from Grosse Ile to Erie, PA. The headwinds assured that this would not be a record breaking year. The X-Yacht "RACER X" skippered by Matt Dubois was first overall in PHRF, unseating Jim Bourgault's X-Yacht GUS who" who was overall PHRF champ in 2000. This was the first year that an official multihll class was run with great results.
The 2002 race was from Erie, PA to Grosse Ile, MI. 34 boats made it to the starting line.The race was an upwind affair with Gus Who, Jim Bourgaults X 3/4 ton taking overall PHRF honors. Taco the Town did likewise in the multihull fleet, and Doug Beers C&C 40-2 Station Break rounding out the winners in the Doublehanded fleet.
The 2003 race was run from Grosse Ile to Erie, PA. with 41 boats on the starting lineThe race which over the years has been an upwind affair, no matter which direction the race is run, had a good mix of sailing conditions from beating to running, and brisk winds to drifting. The fleet was making good time down the course till Saturday morning when the wind died. The fleet spent most of the day Saturday inching towards the finish. Early Saturday evening, the wind filled in from behind and built to 25 kts, hurdling the fleet into the finish. Overall PHRF honors were captured by Ted & Denise Wagners Cal 29 "CAL GIRL". The Doublehanded class was won by Dave Lattie's J-105, Patriot. The multihull class winner was the Corsair F-27, Conker, sailed by Phillip Wadsworth, who traveled from Annapolis, MD to participate in the race. Ryan Howe's Formula 60 trimaran, Earth Voyager, which finished just before 9 am on Saturday morning, setting a new elapsed time West to East record, covering the 140 nautical mile course in 15 hours, 54 minutes, and 30 seconds.
The 2004 race had racers looking to the skies as they left the docks for the start. With weather reports of 15-25 kts of wind and 3 " of rain predicted with significant wind gusts, sailors were preparing for a bumpy ride. Winds at the start of the race were light northwest winds which allowed the fleet of 36 boats to bunch up after the start. Soon after this the wind shifted northeasterly which allowed the fleet to hoist chutes. The wind built to 20kts and started backing to the north by midnight making for fast reaching conditions. By daybreak most of the fleet was approaching Point Pelee and the wind became lite and variable. The last 30 miles of racing was in this light and variable mode which made changing gears a premium for the eventual class winners. Most of the fleet finished Saturday before nightfall. Overall PHRF honors for 2004 went to Bill Braun and crew on Horizon, a Sabre 38 out of Vermillion. Other PHRF class winners were, PHRF A , Andy Siudara "Crazy Horse" Frers 50... PHRF B, Lee Howley "Canvasback"... PHRF C, Roger Pollack/Matt Dubois "Racer X" X3/4 mk2...
The 2005 race will be remembered by most racers as the perfect sailboat ride the first evening. Winds were blowing 20 kts out of the west which made for a great downwind ride to Erie. As the sun set a full moon greeted the sailors. Many sailed all night in shorts and T-shirts in the 70 degree winds. There was a bit of excitement before sunset when one of the multihulls (R33) flipped off of Point Pelee (All were OK).
The 2006 race started off as a very light air affair in Erie. Those that hugged the shoreline after the start were rewarded with better winds to sail in. As the race progressed the winds shifted from a SE run to a Westerly beat. Many boats finished with 20 kt headwinds. PHRF overall was won by Dick Synowic's J 33 Shenanigan.
THE DATE:
THE RACE WILL BE FROM AUGUST 17- 19, 2007
WHO MAY RACE:
QUALIFIED PHRF, MORC, MULTIHULL AND DOUBLEHANDED DIVISION RACERS .
THE COURSE:
AN OFFSHORE EVENT BETWEEN GROSSE ILE, MI. AND ERIE, PA.
140 NAUTICAL MILES
FEE:
THE FEE WILL BE $95 (US).
2007 PRELIMINARYSAILING INSTRUCTIONS
