Wednesday Fun Sailing

Local Toledo Area BoardSailing Assocation members meet Wednesday afternoons all season long at Maumee Bay State Park. Usually people start showing up around 3:30 and if it's a good wind day then even eariler. In 2008 we hope to be able to have a few club Prodigy race nights.

Summer Kite Flying

Members of the local kite club the Black Swamp Air Force meet in force the first Saturday and third Sunday each month at Maumee Bay State Park all year long. But the truth be told that's only on the nicer days and the crowd is small to nill during the colder months. Duing the summer season flyers meet up around 1:00pm. If I plan to buggy during the summer months I get there real early while the parking lots are open. After the Labor week end the summer crowds are gone and the parking lots are near empty any time. Check BSAF and AKA calendars for other area kite festivals and general announcements.

 

Summer Windsurf Lessons

Lessons start mid-May and sometimes earlier if you have a wetsuit. It varies season to season but usually the lesson season ends early September though in 2007 the water was warm until mid-October.

Events of Interest - 2008

check official sites please before traveling

Check the calendar at US Windsurfing for events in your region or the 2007 MOWIND Calendar for a comprehensive list of Windsurfing Events around the Midwest.

Jan 1st News Years Day Kite Fly, weather permitting and some snow fun if it snows. Get out there and work some of those Holiday dishes off. MBSP, Oregon, OH

Feb 23-24, 2008
Master/Seniors Race at Sarasota FL - hosted by Sarasota Sailing Squadron at Ken Thompson park. see http://www.mswindsurfing.com/ - http://www.sarasotasailingsquad.com/

Feb 28 - March 2, 2008
Calema Mid-Winters Merrit Island, FL ... check Calema.com site .. this is a 4 day event Thursday(registration) with racing Friday, Sat and Sunday

April 1 - 7, 2008
NABX at Primm, NV the North American Buggy Expo on Ivanpah Dry lake (Mohave Desert) 40 miles south of Las Vegas on I-15

Late April 19-26 Toledo Spring Hatteras trip, Catch some warmer weather and usually a few days of Windfest which is held by at the Frisco Woods Campground.

May 3,4 2008
Alum Creek Columbus Regatta OH see Mowind calendar.

May 31 - June 1, 2008
Toledo Windsurfing 19th Annual Regatta at Maumee Bay State Park Toledo/Oregon, OH

June 7, 2008
Perrysburg Boat Club regatta, another low fee 1 day Sat event at our back door on the Maumee River. If we locals can manage to get at least 4 windsurfers committed it can be fun racing in the river down there. PBC is located at the foot of downtown Perrysburg behind the statue on the river.

June ??, 2008
TSC Toledo Sailing Club regatta - no entry fee 1 day Sat event - on Maumee River . Great afternoon party. Unfortunately this event crashes on the GPWC event some years.

June 11th -15th - 2008
US Windsurfing Nationals - Worthington MN, the event takes place during the Unvarnished Music Festival there.

June 21, 2008 - one day event
Grosse Pointe Windsurfing Club Regatta (Detriot,MI area) at Patterson Park on Lake St. Clair in Grosse Pointe Shores. This is a one day event. Please note Patterson Park is a private park not open for public windsurfing. It is a very nice venue for a regatta, shade trees, good restrooms, sand launch, waist deep waters and is located about 7 miles north of downtown Detriot just off Jefferson Ave at Three-Mile drive.

July Wednesday 9 thru Sunday July 13 2008 - in Slippery Rock PA the National Serro Scotty Rally.

July 17- 20 2008 Toledo North Coast Kite Games Oregon, OH at Maumee Bay State Park. (see BSAF calendar for more information and information on other area kite festivals) A group of kiters camp(RV it) in the campground at the park a few days beforehand and during the event. Campers potluck on Friday evening. Late Sat afternoon is catered dinner with kite auction following in the big tent at the kite field.

Aug 2 - 4 2008 the I-LYA - Bay Week Regatta
Prodigy One Design Racing. Aug 1 checkin Sunday with registration at PIBYC (Put in Bay Yatch Club ) This is three days of racing and partying at Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island. Daily awards and beer blast at 4 with schedule of social activities. See the www.I-LYA.com (Inter-Lake Yatching Association) site for details. PIBYC is located on west edge of the town of Put In Bay on south Bass island. Prodigy windsurfers stay over at Middle Bass Island and launch there but alternately one could stay at PutInBay on South Bass and launch at PIBYC though we've not tried that yet.

Sept 6,7 2008 Higgins Lake, MI
contact Nat Sidall 734-678-5625 nsiddall@earthlink.com

General racing and part of the Prodigy One Design series of Races. This event has been held for many years now. Windsurfers camp at South Higgins Lake State park on the water. It is good to reserve online your camp spot beforehand via Michigan DNR Web site but that's not necessary as the park is near empty after Labor Day weekend. The office there does close like at 8pm so that's why reserving a head of time is a good idea if you plan to arrive late evening. Reserve a spot on the west side of the campground area up close to the beach. Many of the campers arrive on Thursday to enjoy some fun sailing on Friday.

Sept 12-14 2008, Fall Wind Power Championships - Fond Du Lac, WI
This is the first race of the 2009 season and Mowinds awards for 2008. Hosted by WindPower Windsurfing.

Oct ?? 2008 Fall Showdown, Ft. Walton FL
Organized by a local shop there named Liquid Surf and Sail. 2009 will be the 4th year of this new and growing event. In 2008 the event hosted the National Hybrid Championship fleet.