2009 Chicago NOODs - New Info On Page 2

[Tom Elsen]

I've been on the phone several times with the regatta organizers last week, trying to nail down a few details RE our race courses etc etc. In addition, I'm putting up a special prize. We should have an announcement early this week, as soon as the Sailing World team gets back from Seattle.

[Doug Frye]

I will be signing up later this week Tom...just got go ahead from wife. So now we have 6 boats.

[Tom Elsen]

Terrific Doug. It will be great to see you there.
I'm still putting the strong arm on some of the Minneapolis contingent who are holding out. This will help.

[Tom Elsen]

Great News about the Chicago NOOD this year -

I've just confirmed with George Brengle (who is running the NOOD regattas) the following:
1) We will be on a course with only the Etchells and Sport Boat class. So no waiting in line for a bunch of starts/restarts/resets/last-guy-to-finish etc etc etc. That should be a GREAT improvement for our class.
2) The course will be set north, near Belmont Harbor. This is what we've hoped for.
3) Any of our members can launch at Diversey (there is a fee just like at Montrose Harbor) and keep the boats at Belmont (no charge) for the duration of the regatta.

This is terrific news for a bunch of reasons -
+ If anybody wants to sleep on your boat, Belmont is quiet, calm and protected. This is a great way to economize.
+ You can keep your vehicle and trailer right next door. The parking fee is very cheap.
+ Launching at Belmont is easy. I will post maps later this week.
+ CYC facilities at Belmont are very nice. We've been treated very well there in the past.

I'm putting up the following prize for the winners -
For the first place boat: Pick any member of your crew. The prize is your weight in beer. And no cheap crap beer either. In the spirit of supporting those who support us, I'll buy the beer of the sponsor of the event. Must be present at the award ceremony (south station) for the weigh-in. This is my contribution. We're not using class money.

SO ------ Come on down/up/over to the wind city. Sign up today. Let's go racing!!!

Contact me if you have any questions or if I can help in any way. We'll have plenty of hands up at Belmont to help with rigging etc.

[Tom Elsen]

To make things easier, here is the Google maps pic of Diversey Harbor. You can see the launch ramps north of the center. Here is the link: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 9&t=h&z=16

For those coming from the north or west, take the Fullerton Pkwy Exit 47A, from 90/94.
Then take Fullerton (which gets narrow for only a few blocks at the end) to N Cannon Dr.
The boat launch entrance is the second right, not the first.

For those coming from the south or east, it's likely better to come up Lake Shore Drive.
From the Dan Ryan (90/94) exit onto the Stevenson (55) east onto northbound South Lake Shore Dr.
Watch your lanes in this section.
Exit LSD at Fullerton, go west under LSD. Turn right onto N Cannon Dr
Alternatively, if the Dan Ryan is clear, stay on it. Go up to the Fullerton / Western exit (47A). Then take Fullerton west to Cannon. I don't recommend the Mapquest version of this route which pulls you off at Armitage and takes you up Ashland. It's possible, but the turns at Armitage and Ashland are quite sharp.

Good luck to all of the Detroit guys this weekend. Have a great regatta. Wish I could be there.

[Tom Elsen]

When launching at Diversey: NOTE THIS - Do not set up your boat there. You will need to exit the harbor under the LSD Bridge. So just put on the motor, exit the harbor (definitely obey the traffic signal under the bridge), then take the boat up to Belmont.

Here is the G-maps link for Belmont Harbor. Note the parking lot at the south end. That's where to park your trailer:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 17&iwloc=A

The easiest way to get the trailer up to Belmont is via Lake Shore Drive. From the launch area at Diversey, exit onto Cannon Dr going south. Turn left onto Fullerton, go under LSD then left (north) onto the Drive. Take the Belmont Dr exit. You will need to make almost a complete "U" turn at the bottom of that exit, so eat up some of the left lane if you can. Trailer parking is at the south end of that lot. you can leave your vehicle attached if you wish.

Come on down guys!!!

Congrats to Jeff and Joe on a great first day at Detroit.

[Jeff Bonvallet]

Let's go guys. Time is running out. We need to have 8 registered by Monday June 8th. Need 2 more to make it official. It's a great place to race and a great city to visit & party in!

[Tom Elsen]

I got a call from George Brengle this weekend. We will have a class this year, even if we're down to six boats. The NOOD guys are trying really hard to work with us and they've been nothing but gracious about it.
So, come on guys.
Put the boat on the rolling bunks and come on in to Chicago!
This is a great venue.
Fresh water. Great breeze. (One regatta in the past dozen years with lousy wind). Your choice of restaurants or 'fun tickets'. Terrific competitors. Really nice accommodations if you want to stay aboard. Nice price for the regatta fees. Let's go!!

[JP]

Very sorry I had to withdraw. Foot injury from the Detroit NOOD has slowed things down a bit. Sail fast and have some fun!

[Tom Elsen]

Jeff - We'll miss you down here in Blago-land. Hope that your foot heals well and fast.

If you're coming in on the southern route -------

I called the Chicago DPS today RE towing trailers on Lake Shore Drive. The public safety officer told me that it's ok as long as you do not have a Class "B" licensed vehicle. "B" is a commercial vehicle. HOWEVER the state patrol gave me conflicting information. I'm still trying to sort it out, so stay tuned.

[chriscraig99]

Relentless has arrived in Chicago! Getting in the Belmont parking lot takes some finesse, especially with the boat on it. Take up both lanes as you come off the exit from Lakeshore. It's a real tight turn. You will not be able to get in the entrance with somebody coming out of the drive, honk and they will move:) Upon approaching the gate to pay, hug the right side and get out and pay. You will not be able to maneuver the trailer around the curb if you don't. Each try will cost $10. Two tries is all we needed. The gate will probably come down after your truck passes through. No big deal if it's just the trailer. It may or may not be bent as of recent times:) If anyone needs any help or directions/info, give me a call. I will be around all day Thursday.

Chris
248-760-4579

[Tom Elsen]

Thanks for the help Chris.
Anybody else coming up the drive - If for any reason you get stopped for having a trailer, tell them that you called the city information line (311) and you asked for the City of Chicago Traffic Enforcement division. They told you that trailers on Lake Shore Drive were permitted on passenger vehicles, but NOT permitted on "B" class commercial vehicles.

For those coming in on Fullerton --- There are two "low" bridges. The one at Wood is 13' 0". The one at Sheffield is 13'5". It may well pay to measure your boat on your trailer.

There are also some very very low (~12') and very light bits of tree greenery in the last two blocks of Fullerton. You shouldn't have a problem if everything is well secured. But you'll likely collect some leaves on the boat.

[JP]

http://www.sailingworld.com/nood-regatt ... 72828.html


DAY 2 CHICAGO NOOD RESULTS

[Tom Elsen]

Chicago has been a crazy event this year. Unlike any other time we've been here for more than a few reasons.

My reports are all second hand. I massively screwed up my back Wed in Minneapolis. 5 1/2 hours in the ER late Wed & early Thrs. Massive amounts of muscle relaxants + copious amounts of Oxycodone have barely made a dent. Could barely walk on Fri. Not at all yesterday afternoon. I did make it back to CHI late Fri for a short debrief of the day.

Friday - It looked like nasty weather moving in, but that didn't deter the RC from sending everybody out. Here's a tip: When there's more red and purple on the radar feed than there is green and yellow......you might want to reconsider the race schedule. On land record rainfall hit O'Hare and 72mph breezes pasted the shore just inland of Monroe Harbor.

The RC got in two races (a 'miracle'), with an insane dash back to the harbor in what was as close to survival conditions as you want to get. Chris Craig said that they had all of their crew hiked out just to keep the boat flat under bare poles! It was unbelievably fortunate that the Etchells had already decided to sail only Sat and Sun. It's bloody likely that some of those boats would have gone down. The racing was pretty tight for everybody except on our boat. We've got two newbies (due to my last-minute emergency), one of whom has never been on a sailboat before.

Saturday - Well....except for the mad shiftiness of the breeze, Saturday was the polar opposite of Friday. Light. No weather moving in. Thermals disrupting everything. Postponements. The ever-dangerous Padnos boys really dialed things in and put two bullets in the bag. Doug Frye got on the wrong side of a couple of shifts in race two and had to settle for a fourth, after having being tied for the lead Day 1.

Today - It looked very very dangerously light this morning. Glassy water and light fog at 9:30 AM. But things filled in as a tiny cold front began to move through and it looks like racing got under way at about 11AM. (More Later)

We will have a presentation of the "Your Weight In Beer" prize for the winners....but I'll need to do it at this year's Class Championship. WTH, that will just be more fun for the big group at MBYC anyhow.