Lake Ontario Offshore Racing - Newsletter
February 14, 2023
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Chair's Message:
Preparing for Racing!
The start of the 2023 Lake Ontario Racing Season is less than 12-weeks away…can you believe it?
Registration for the 2023 Racing Season is Open!
Rates & Dates have been set, NoR's are published, logistics are well in hand and safety is top-of-mind.
Thank you to those who attended our In-Person Seminar at RCYC.
Our next In-Person Seminar will take place at PCYC on March 15th. Our information this year will be directed towards showing cruisers how easy and fun it is to participate in distance racing. These will be open to all racers and will also try to broadcast these online
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LOOR continues to host our Webinar Series to help prepare racers for an exciting 2023 Racing Season.
March 21 – Webinar #2, Ontario Sailing – Two Services for Racers
April 18 – Webinar #3, Search & Rescue Services on Lake Ontario
See registration information below to attend either webinar.
The LO600 is on again this season so time to think about whether you and your crew are ready for that extra challenge. Even if you don’t race the LO600, all racers of the Susan Hood TR, LO300 and LO600 are welcome to join us at our post race party after the LO300/600. We have already booked the post race party on July 21 to give out flags and party with our crews. Special thanks goes to Chris Bobyk from Mimico Cruising Club for hosting this year!
LOSHRS Celebration Dinner & Flag Pickup will take place on Saturday, April 22nd @ PCYC.
Cost is $45 per person which includes taxes and service charge. Please see menu information below and register before April 09th.
Stay safe and warm,
Monica Doedens & Terry Kuehn
Co-Chairs, Lake Ontario Offshore Racing Organizing Authority
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LOOR Webinar Series 2023
Webinar #2:
19:00 EST, Tuesday, March 21, 2023
On Zoom
Topic: Ontario Sailing – Two Services for Racers
Covers Personal Survival Courses and the Maple Leaf Fund provided by Ontario Sailing of interest to racers, especially offshore.
Ontario Sailing is the Provincial Sports Organization (PSO)/Provincial Sailing Authority (PSA) responsible for sailing, including sailboat racing. Amongst the various services that Ontario Sailing provides to sailors, two are of specific interest to racers, especially those participating in offshore events such as those organized by Lake Ontario Offshore Racing (LOOR).
They are:
The Sail Canada Personal Survival Courses organized by Ontario Sailing
The Maple Leaf Fund
Personal Survival Courses
Taking one of the two Personal Survival Courses is becoming more and more a requirement for a percentage of the crew participating in a race that is run as an Offshore Special Regulations (OSR) Category 0, 1, 2, or 3. More information on LOOR’s phased implementation can be found at this LINK. While developed for offshore racing, these courses are of interest and use to cruisers, especially those considering blue water cruising.
Learn why you should take one of the courses, which one is the right fit for you, and how to register at Ontario Sailing.
The Maple Leaf Fund
There are requirements to participate in events conducted under World Sailing’s Racing Rules of Sailing and Sail Canada Prescriptions. The general method to comply in Canada is for the Person-in-Charge (PiC) to be a member of a sailing or yacht club that is a member of their Provincial Sailing Authority/Sail Canada. To allow those that do not comply this way, i.e., as being at a marina, Ontario Sailing offers its Maple Leaf Fund.
If interested in or planning to race, learn how:
To confirm your club is a member of Ontario Sailing/Sail Canada
Webinar #3:
19:00 EST, Tuesday, April 18, 2023
On Microsoft Teams
NOTE: This Webinar will not be recorded nor posted on LOOR’s YouTube Channel.
Topic: Search & Rescue Services on Lake Ontario
Covers Search & Rescue Services on Lake Ontario – what as a sailor you need to know.
How they are organized, coordinate, and interoperate with each other.
How to engage them if you need assistance.
The dos and don’ts when rescue services arrive to assist.
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LOSHRS 2022 Season Celebration Dinner & Flag Pick-up @ PCYC on Saturday, April 22nd, 2023.
Location: Port Credit Yacht Club
Date: Saturday, April 22nd, 2023
1700 to 1800: Flag Pickup
1800: Cocktails
1900: Dinner
Dinner Menu
Carved roast top sirloin of beef, red wine au jus, creamed horseradish
Roast chicken Grandmère, mushrooms, pearl onions, smoked bacon, natural jus
Fresh vegetables in season
Herb roasted new potatoes
Caesar salad and seasonal salad bar
Chef’s sweet table
Fresh rolls and butter
Coffee and tea service
Note: Vegetarian option please request upon reservation:
Roasted acorn squash stuffed with wild rice, grains, lentils, dried fruits, roasted nuts and seeds with a Berbere scented tomato sauce
Cost $45 per person including taxes and service charges.
Reservations must be made prior to April 09, 2023.
Contact Dave Sutman at davids@pcyc.net or 905.278.7911 with the following info:
First Name and Last Name of each person attending
Name of the Boat, and Yacht Club
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Racing Dates for the 2023 Season:
For all those long-long distance racers, the LO600 returns in 2023. The Lake Ontario 600 Challenge occurs every other year and 2023 will mark the FIFTH opportunity for you to circumnavigate the lake twice – giving your fly swatter a really good work out!
Susan Hood Trophy Race presented by driveHG (SHTR)
Fri. June 2nd into Sat. June 3rd
A 75 NM overnight race on western Lake Ontario from Port Credit Yacht Club (PCYC) and finishing at PCYC. This race is open to single handed, double handed and fully crewed keelboat and multihull sailboats. A component of Ontario Sailing’s Offshore Championship for PHRF
Lake Ontario 300/600 Challenge Race presented by driveHG (LO300/LO600)
Fri., July 14th with start on Sat. July 15th and onwards
Two Courses:
- 180 NM
- 300 NM with the follow-on 600 NM race
On Lake Ontario from PCYC and finishing at PCYC. This race is open to single handed, double handed and fully crewed keelboat and multihull sailboats. A component of Ontario Sailing’s Offshore Championship for PHRF.
Lake Ontario Short Handed Racing Series presented by driveHG (LOSHRS)
LOSHRS is a series of races for single and double handed keelboat and multihull sailboats on western Lake Ontario.
Race 1 Sunday June 4th, 2023
A course race between PCYC and Toronto Islands via Clarkson.
Race 2 Sat. June 17th, 2023
A coastal race from PCYC.
Race 3 Sun. June 18th, 2023
A coastal Race from PCYC.
Race 4 Sat. Aug. 19th into Sun. Aug. 20th, 2023
A 100 statute mile race starting at PCYC and ending at PCYC. This is a qualifier for Great Lakes Singlehanded Society (GLSS)’s series of solo races on the Great Lakes.
Race 5 Sat. Sep. 16th, 2023
A race from PCYC to DYC.
Race 6 Sun. Sep. 17th, 2023
A race back to PCYC from DYC.
2023 Offshore Racing Dates!
Registration is now open! Click on the links above.
The Early Bird registration rates end:
- Susan Hood Trophy Race and LOSHRS full season is Sunday, April 30th
- LO300 is Wednesday, May 31st
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Safety
LOOR is phasing in Sail Canada’s Prescription to the Offshore Special Regulations (OSR) for Category 3 Requiring Crew Training in Offshore Personal Survival. The details of this are found in this LOOR Blog entry. It’s important to review the entry to understand,
- Which of the two courses is right for you.
- What the crew, including person-in-charge, must meet in each year up to the full phase-in in 2025
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Going for Gold: Sailors for the Sea.
For the last number of years LOOR has aimed to increase its commitment to adhering to Sailors for the Sea Clean Regattas. Sailors for the Sea has different levels of participation recognition ranging from Participant, through Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. LOOR this year is attempting to achieve Gold for 2023.
The Clean Regattas program is the world’s leading sustainability certification for all on-the-water events. Since the program’s inception in 2006, over 3,400 events have shown their commitment to sustainability by becoming Clean Regattas. This program has reached over 850,000 sailors and attendees in 53 countries. The certification process accounts for the range of capabilities and constraints of both large and small events happening all over the world.
The Toolkit lists five areas in which organizations and participants can contribute meaningfully, the first of which can make a huge difference: Elimination of Single-use Items. This includes thing like the committee replacing bow sticker for the LO300 with a more sustainable alternative, organizers and racers not using disposable plastic water bottles but rather using refillable bottles of their own, and/or foregoing plastic straws.
Help us help the Lake by reducing or eliminating waste!
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Crew Bank - Need Crew or interested in Crewing?
If you are a sailor and interested in participating in one of the Lake Ontario Offshore Races, or a skipper who needs crew, use the Crew/Boats Boards on the Yacht Scoring Registration and Official Document page.
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Stay Connected with Offshore Racing!
Facebook: @LOOR300
Twitter: @LO300
Instagram: @LOOR300
Join the conversation. We want to hear from you! Hashtags you can use include:
General: #LOOR
LO300 Specific: #LO300 or #LO300Challenge
LOSHRS Specific: #LOSHRS
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