Lake Ontario 300 Challenge
- July 11, 2014
The Lake Ontario 300 Challenge is the premier offshore race on Lake Ontario, and it provides a challenging circumnavigation of the lake. A group of double handed racers originally developed The Lake Ontario 300 Challenge as the ultimate double handed challenge in 1990 and it still remains the longest annual fresh water race.
The Main Duck Island course is 300 nautical miles and starts at PCYC, it includes mark rounding at Gibraltar, the Main Duck Islands, Ford Shoal, Niagara R2 and finishes back at PCYC. The Lake Ontario 300 Challenge also incorporates a shorter 190 nautical mile course for slower yachts.
The Duck Course is open to monohull and multi-hull yachts and includes a Single Handed Challenge sail divisions as well as flying sail yachts with a PRHF rating over 180. This is the Scotch Bonnet Island Course, and it starts at PCYC, including mark roundings at Gilbraltar, Scotch Bonnet Island, Niagara R2 and then finishes back at PCYC.
The Lake Ontario 300 originated through the interest and vision of several single handed sailors at Oakville Harbour Yacht Club, now part of Oakville Yacht Squadron, and the Port Credit Yacht Club. Johan Pederson and his group envisioned a long distance race to challenge the skills of those who usually raced single-handed in the Lake Ontario Short Handed Racing Series (LOSHRS) or around the cans on their club’s race nights, or went to regattas such as the Lake Yacht Racing Association and sailed the Freeman Cup. Most, if not all, of these long distance races were for fully crewed boats. Johan realised that often the sailing done on Lake Ontario was by 2 people and racing double handed was a good way to improve and challenge skills. Thus the lake Ontario 300 was born with its first race in 1990.
The fleet will have Yellowbricks installed upon registration for the race. The trackers will wake up to collect and send data through the Iridium satellite network to Yellowbrick HQ severs. Once there the data is visualised onto the race player which is available on the race website. This means friends, supporters and loved ones left on shore can follow the entire fleet or an individual boat with just a click of a mouse.
For more information please visit the race website.
