Michigan Fall Sailing Outlook

As summer draws to a close and our Fall obligations and interests begin, many of us may be tempted to sigh at the passing of another sailing season. The following is a brief discussion of how sailing can heat up as the weather cools. First, what can we expect weather-wise from a Sept-Nov sailing season? The National Weather Service is predicting a greater chance for above normal temperatures in the Midwest (including Michigan) for Sept-Nov 2012. Specifically, for many areas of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, there is approximately a 45% chance that temperatures will be above normal, while this percentage is greater than 50% for the Upper Peninsula.  The chances for precipitation do not show a trend with equal percentage chances for above, below, and normal levels. Seasonal wind speeds should also increase in the Fall. According to historical data by Windfinder.com, the percent probability for Beaufort scale winds of 4 or greater increases for all the Great Lakes from September through November. Average wind speeds themselves also increase during this timeframe, generally from around 10 knots in September to approximately 15 knots in November.

Lake Medora (photo by Tim Burke)

Several annual regattas are held after Labor Day and take advantage of these conditions. Likewise, the beginning of the academic calendar heralds the beginning of the high school and collegiate sailing competition seasons. This year there are several championship regattas occuring post-Labor Day in the state, these are the J/22 North Americans, the Midwest Sunfish Regionals, and the MCSA Blue Chip Championship. Other notable post Labor-Day regattas include;  the MC & Laser Fall Regatta (Spring Lake),  the Clark Lake Fall Regatta (Clark Lake), the Michigan Hot Scot Regatta (Big Portage Lake), the No Sweat Laser regatta (Big Portage Lake), and the Fall Blowout regatta (Lake Erie).  Information on all these regattas can be found in the events section of the SailMichigan.org site. Additionally, many local (club-based) racing series continue through the September and October months. Check with your own club for details.

Midwest collegiate sailing begins Labor Day weekend with the Boiler Cup at Purdue and kicks into high gear Sept. 8-9 with the Fall Fury regatta at Wisconsin and the Action Up at Miami of Ohio. The Fall collegiate sailing calendar continues through Mid-November, culminating with the Timme Angsten Memorial regatta at the Chicago Yacht Club. There are currently 8 Michigan colleges and universities participating in the Midwest Collegiate Sailing Association.

Regional High School competition begins with the Kick Off Classic Regatta on Sept.8-9 at Wilmett, IL, with the first local (Michigan) regatta being held at the Grosse Ile Yacht Club on Sept. 15-16. Approximately 15 Michigan high schools participate in the Midwest Interscholastic Sailing Association (MISSA), whose sailing calendar also extends into November.

What can the recreational sailor expect for a September through October sailing extension? First, less crowded lakes, as many pontoon and motor boats begin their pull-outs. Warm water temperatures will be present as the lakes slowly release summer heat reserves, while air temperatures above the lakes begin to drop (with the average first frost date varying wildly from mid-Sept to mid-Oct). Winds on the lakes will freshen as the colors of the surrounding woodlands brighten. In summary, with the exception of large yachts requiring extensive pull-out and/or limiting storage opportunities, there are still opportunities ahead to enjoy some of the most vivid, and refreshing sailing of the year. Do you have a good Fall sailing story or event?  Please share through the Blog comments feature or on our Michigan Sailing Forum.