Sign Up Now for Adult "Learn to Sail" Class That Starts Thursday

Time is growing short to sign up for the LSC Adult "Learn to Sail" class. The class begins this Thursday, June 21st from 6 to 8 in the evening and continues on Thursday evenings (except July 5) thru July 19th. For more information, including how to sign up, go to the LSC website at www.lansingsailing.org.

Laser Regatta Rescheduled for August 25th

Action from 2006 Laser Regatta

Laser Fleet Captain Doug Carlson has announced a rescheduling of the 2007 Lake Lansing Laser Regatta for Saturday, August 25th.

Sailors gathered several weeks ago expecting to sail, but an almost complete lack of wind kept the sailors on shore.

Hopefully the August 25th date will find both wind and an open space on laser sailor's schedules. Mark your calendar now.

America's Cup Starts Saturday - TV at 8:30 am on Versus

The 32nd America's Cup begins this Saturday, June 23rd. The New Zealand Team will challenge the defending champion Alingi with the first in a best of nine match races set to start at 9 am Eastern Time. Coverage on Versus (Comcast Channel 65 and DirecTV Channel 608) begins at 8:30. Versus will reair their coverage at noon and again at 6:30 in the afternoon (all times Eastern).

Watkins Buys Dolan Laser - Dolan Gets a New one

Scott Watkins had recently sold his Laser with the expectation of buying a newer ride. He ended up buying Pat Dolan's 2002 Laser that was one of those sailed at the 2002 World Laser Championships at Hyannis.

Pat Dolan continues to sail a Laser, selecting a new 2006 model from Avon Sailing in Rochester with a yellow upper hull. He managed to get his boat back, rigged and halfway to the starting area for Wednesday's race when he met the fleet coming back to the launch area due to lack of wind. Pat will have to wait until this Wednesday to put his boat into racing form.

Manistee to Cheboygan aboard Sacre Bleu

A calmer moment earlier in the journey

Editor's Note: Dennis Dudley is bringing his newly acquired Ericson 35, "Sacre Bleu", to Port Huron from Waukeegan, IL. This report from Dennis comes after the leg of this journey that took him to Cheboygan.

I arrived at Manistee with a crew of Jonn Quensen and Bob Miller on Friday afternoon May 25. My wife Suzanne drove the van back to Mason. The weather was nice with little wave action, so we decided to head for Frankfort - 20 miles north. We were able to make land fall before dark, tied up at the town dock and walked into town for dinner. Unfortunately, the only place open was a bar with a loud rock band. We ate quickly and walked back to the boat.

Saturday May 26 we got up early, sailed and motored all day. We passed between Sleeping Bear Sand dune and the Manitou Islands. Bob said he saw the snout of the Sleeping Bear. A small finch called a Redpol ( the male has a pink patch on his upper chest) hitched a ride on our boom for 20 minutes. He looked tired and cold but he kept an eye on us. We arrived at Charlevoix just before dark and again tied up at the town dock. We didn't see any other options. The dock front on land is under construction and there was no one around. We climbed over the caution tape and went into town. Another sail boat came in shortly after us and tied up . I recognized one of them who was a Lightning sailor from Gull Lake and we chatted on the dock after dinner. It had been sunny with a good wind the whole day. We had some beautiful views of the shore as we proceeded north. Made 65 miles.

Sunday May 27 - left early. Had to signal the bridge to open. Boy does that make you feel special, holding up all that traffic! Wind was strong from the west. The boat was heeling over under bare poles so we decided to motor until it moderated which it never did. The weather forecast was wrong . Waves were 6 to 8 feet from SW most of the day. Wind blew 25+ mph all day.

Extending out from the very northwest corner of the Lower Peninsula is a forbidding stretch of rocks and shoals called Grays Reef. It extends 15 miles to Hog Island. The only passage through is a narrow channel about 3000 feet wide. There are three light houses plus several bouys - some lighted. The day had turned cold and gray as we entered Grays Reef Channel. Quensen had programed into his GPS a series of waypoints which enabled us to follow the channel without difficulty. A freighter passed us to port in the middle of the channel to add to the excitment.

After Grays Reeh we turned east and headed for the Straits passing under the bridge in the late afternoon - an awesome sight. As we approached Mackinaw City a wave hit us side ways and got inside Quensen's foul weather gear, luckily it was the end of the day. 54 hard miles.

Memorial Day May 28 dawned bright, calm and warm. The good weather finally caught up with us. We had a short 18 mile sail to Cheboyan with a gentle following breeze. We flew the spinnaker for the first time for a couple of hours. We were met by my brother Don (Suzanne needed a break from all the driving she had been doing) and were home around 6 pm. Great day.