CHICAGO NOOD

The Windy City keeps her promise and North Sails clients take the win in five classes overall, with local presence strong as ever

The windy city did what it does best! A fun weekend in Chicago for the NOOD regatta where 146 boats came to compete on the cold and shifty waters of Lake Michigan. The local representation at the Chicago NOOD was top notch, with all but seven boats from Illinois or Indiana area being members of CASRA (Chicago Area Sail Racing Association). The overall attendance was strong from the Midwest, with many familiar faces, families, and friends sailing together on their hometown lake.

As predicted by North Sails Perry Lewis and Andrew Kerr in the local knowledge and weather briefing Thursday evening, a solid breeze delivered excellent and very challenging racing on the great Lake Michigan. When the gradient breeze is battling the thermal, anything can happen on the lake. Choosing the correct side, maintaining boat speed, sailing out of a hole with light wind (specifically on Friday), and often taking a “chance” on a side were all concerns for sailors in the tricky, shifty conditions.

Being familiar with the breeze directions helped sailors navigate through Friday’s ups and downs. On Saturday it was a whole new ballgame with winds consistently above 20 knots, with occasional gusts over 30, leaving North Sails Saturday competitors and Rally Racers pushing their boats and crew to the max. Some, unfortunately, were unable to finish because of breakdowns, while most boats needed repairs at the end of the day. Smiling sailors still looked forward to redemption on Sunday and to hear stories of carnage and excitement from their fellow competitors at the regatta tent that evening. Sunday was a day for all, with the wind between 12-18 making it much easier for everyone to get around the race course. This upped the competition, with many close calls on the scoresheet as the sailors battled for 1st position in their class.

Congratulations to North Sails clients at the Chicago NOOD and a special shout-out to local sailors onboard Tartan 10 ‘Mutiny‘ who’s fantastic performance secured them a spot at the NOOD Championships in the British Virgin Islands this October!