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Lake Ontario Offshore Racing - Newsletter
February 14, 2023
Chair's Message:

Dreaming of Sailing!
 
The ground is still frozen but the days are getting longer and, just like us, we bet you are dreaming about sailing. The LOOR Committee is meeting regularly and planning for a full racing season in 2023.  

Registration for the 2023 Racing Season is Open
Rates & Dates have been set, NOR's are published, and logistics are well in hand. Registration links are below or on loor.ca.

LOOR continues to host our Webinar Series to help prepare racers for an exciting 2023 Racing Season.

  • February 21 – Webinar #1, LOOR Events - Two Mandated Items 
  • March 21 – Webinar #2, Ontario Sailing – Two Services for Racers

See registration information below to attend either webinar.

Thank you to those who stopped by the LOOR booth in the Sail Section during the 2023 Toronto International Boat Show to say hello or pick up your 2022 flags and learn about the LOOR racing events. We were glad to see so many familiar faces and meet some new racers.

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!

In-Person Seminars are also coming back this winter and both RCYC and PCYC will be hosting. 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.  See below for details.

Stay safe and warm,

Monica Doedens & Terry Kuehn
Co-Chairs, Lake Ontario Offshore Racing Organizing Authority
LOOR Seminars: Cruise into racing: a Roadmap

February 15, 2023 at 7:00 pm:
Royal Canadian Yacht Club
141 St. George St., Toronto

And

March 15, 2023 at 7:00 pm:
Port Credit Yacht Club
115 Lakefront Promenade, Mississauga.

Get a head start on the upcoming season by joining us at next weeks seminar - Cruise into Racing: A Roadmap presented by LOOR.

The Details:
WHAT? Offshore sailing seminar
WHO? All are welcome!
HOW? Registration not required, just come on by.
WHAT ELSE? Event is free of charge
LOOR Webinar Series 2023
 
Webinar #1:
19:30 EST, Tuesday, February 21, 2023
On Zoom 

Topic: LOOR Events - Two Mandated Items 

There are several items mandated for LOOR Events, whether LOOR OSR Category 3 or 4. This session will cover two of these that might be overlooked.

Concussions - Mandated by Ontario Law, and
First Aid – Awareness by, at least, one crew, A First Aid Manual and First Aid Kit, which " shall reflect the likely conditions and duration of the passage, and the number of crew.”

The Concussion component will provide what competitors need to know and briefly go over the Ontario Government’s material that competitors are supposed to review annually.

The First Aid component will discuss some of the factors that sailors need to consider when determining what First Aid Manual and First Aid Kit might be fit for their purposes, such as just racing versus blue ocean cruising, etc. 


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 interesting 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
If your club is not a member or at a marina, how to subscribe to Ontario Sailing’s Maple Leaf Fund to meet the eligibility requirement.

Mark Your Calendars. Racing Dates for the 2023 Season:
 
Great news!! 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! 

Also check out the Calendar on www.loor.ca


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 

For all dates and details, go to Lake Ontario Offshore Racing


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

To see what courses are scheduled at the moment, go to the Ontario Sailing Registration Web page, select “Offshore and Coastal Personal Survival Courses”. 
 
If you have any questions, email safety@loor.ca

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.
 
Go to the Crew Bank page on the LOOR site.
Race Registration:

Susan Hood Trophy Race presented by driveHG
Lake Ontario 300/600 Challenge presented by driveHG
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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