Wednesday Fun Sailing

Local Toledo Area BoardSailing Assocation (TABA) 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.

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 sometimes the water is warm until mid-October.

Events of Interest

check official sites please before traveling

Check the calendar at US Windsurfing for events in your region or the 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 28 - March 1 2009
Master/Seniors Race at Sarasota FL - hosted by Sarasota Sailing Squadron at Ken Thompson park. see http://www.mswindsurfing.com/ - http://www.sarasotasailingsquad.com/

March 5th - March 8th 2009

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

MARCH 31st thru APRIL 5th, 2009
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 Toledo Spring Hatteras trip
Catch some warmer weather and some times a few days of Windfest which is held at the Frisco Woods Campground.

May 2,3 2009
Alum Creek Columbus Regatta OH see Mowind calendar.

May 30 - May 31, 2009
Toledo Windsurfing 19th Annual Regatta at Maumee Bay State Park Toledo/Oregon, OH

June 13 2009
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.

July 23-26, 2009
US Windsurfing Nationals - Hood River, OR at the event site.

June 20, 2009
TSC Toledo Sailing Club regatta - low or no fee - 1 day Sat event - on Maumee River . Great afternoon and evening party with beer trailer and music.

June 20, 2009 - 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 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 3-5 2009 the I-LYA - Bay Week Regatta

We should know by mid-July .. as to whether the Toledo/Michigan Prodigy group is doing this regatta this year again(for the 4th time). We stay at a private residence so the trip depends on the availability of it. Some year the new state campground on Middle Bass Island might be open and will really make this event accessible to more people.

While the new MIB campground area and marian is under construction the current primitive campground area with excellent water access will be open on June 26 again according to the park's Web page see http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/parks/middlebass/tabid/766/Default.aspx

Some regatta changes this year look to be one registration form for all Regatta Sailing and mailing the registration in advance is advisable. They list only the hours of 12 to 4 on Sat for late registration sign up at the Park Hotel desk?

This is three days of racing(Mon-Tue-Wed) and partying at Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island. Daily awards and late afternoon beer blast with schedule of social activities at PIBYC (Put in Bay Yatch Club ) which is located on west edge of the town of Put In Bay on South Bass iIsland. See the www.I-LYA.com (Inter-Lake Yatching Association) site for details, download and register using Sail Regatta form. Wiindsurfers stay over at Middle Bass Island and launch there but alternately one could stay at Put-In-Bay on South Bass and launch at PIBYC though I've not tried that yet personally .. but note one guy did that last year so it is possible. Take the Miller Ferry from Catawba to Middle Bass, ferry reservations are needed and can be made up to two weeks ahead of time. We usually go over early Sunday and come back Thursday. There is a state park on Middle Bass with water access to the race course(about 2 miles from launch to start/finish line) and there is St Hazards Resort with camping and cabins along with a few B&B's on the island.

Sept 12-13 2009 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 18-20 2009, 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 ?? 2009 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.