Lake Ontario 300 Challenge is shaping up to be another classic race.

by Steve Singer on 14 Jul 2017 All previous docking issues due to the high-water levels have been resolved and all last minute entries have been confirmed; 97 yachts are ready to take on what Lake Ontario has to offer in the annual 300 Nautical Mile Yacht Race this weekend.

'This year's numbers are down, but given the extreme conditions at most clubs, the number of entries are higher than anticipated one month ago' stated Joe Doris, Committee Chairman.

The Lake Ontario 300 Challenge is regarded as one of the toughest offshore races as it requires yachts to circumnavigate the lake rather than going from one point to another like most races of similar distances to the LO300.

Saturday morning all yachts will depart from Port Credit Yacht Club located in Mississauga and sail around a Humberview Mark located a few miles offshore. The fleet then travels across the lake to the Ford Shoal Buoy near Oswego NY at the far-east end of the lake. After rounding this mark the yachts will head north toward Kingston ON., where they round the Main Duck and Yorkshire Islands before making a long trek to the Niagara River Mark just off Youngstown NY. The final leg is returning to Port Credit Yacht Club.

During this challenge yachts will experience all types of weather from light winds expected at the start, to growing cross winds, to thunder storms, high seas and everything else the lake can dream up over the 56 to 84 hours of nonstop racing it takes to finish.

For smaller yachts and yachts choosing to sail without a spinnaker there is a shortened course that sails around Scotch Bonnet Island off Prince Edward County before returning to PCYC via the Niagara Mark.

Hopefully all yachts will be finished by Tuesday evening, but it is totally dependent on the wind and to a lesser extent the currents, which is why crews needs to ensure there is enough water and supplies aboard to feed everyone on board.

There are no coffee breaks in this endurance race and the glory is getting your name on either the Sperry Cup or the Sperry Gold Cup trophy, or getting one of the very nice division flags provided by North Sails.

To put a positive note on the higher water levels on Lake Ontario, many yachts who like to follow the shorelines as part of their strategy to pick up shoreline breezes will have a higher level of comfort in what are normally considered shallow waters.

The start of this race can be watched from the headlands in Mississauga at the end of Lakefront Promenade and anyone can observe the race online through the YB Tracking System.

Dates:

• Friday July 14th - Pre-Race activities start:
• Saturday July 15th – 10:00 AM Race Start at
• Saturday July 15th – 9:40 AM Media Boat Departure from dock
• Monday July 17th – First Finishers are expected (dependent on wind)