The 2024 North Americans were a great success, seeing many new boats, and some long-time crews take to the battlefield for a great weekend of racing in Northern Michigan.
This regatta was a first for the class; normally, regattas have a host club to organize the ins and outs required to hold a race. This year the organising authority was the class itself, and the event was entirley planned and held by the executive board members. The 2024 North Americans were hosted at the Duncan Bay Boat Club in Cheboygan Michigan, this location after the Chicago and Port Huron - Mac races provided a short delivery for boats who would not otherwise have had the oportunity to participate.
Day 1
Day one saw mostly light and variable winds. The competition was tight, and right away HUZZAH and her crew started to show what they were made of. The race comitee did a great job moving marks, and resetting the course for the variable wind conditons. The location in Lake Huron was beautiful, with views of the Mackanic Bridge, and freighters passing behind the fleet.
Day 2
With a massive high pressure dome sitting right on top of Northern Michigan, races were posponed, then abandoned. This allowed crews the oportunity to explore Northern Michigan, swim, mini golf, etc. Racing would have been great, relaxing was okay too.
Day 3
Day three brought more breeze, in the 10-15 knot range. Racing was tight. A genral recal on race two proved how compettitive the fleet had become. Little room was had at any mark rounding, Waves stayed small below one foot, and again the race comittee did an excelent job seting the course and moving it throughout the day. By the fourth race the wind had lightened to just about nothing, and racing was called off for the remainder of the day.
Results
This fleet has some of the best keelboat one design racing in the great lakes and beyond. The ability for boats from all around North America to come togther and race so closely truly speaks to the quality of the boats, the class and the people who race them.
1st - HUZZAH - Greg Chamberlain
2nd - Zingara - Richard Reid
3rd - Nomad - Silviu & Cristina Petrea
4th - Program - Earle Atwater / Chris Metcalf
5th - Painkiller - Alice Martin
6th - Northern Light - Dan / Will O'Haver
7th - Gail Force - Robert Duker
8th - Sohest - Jerry Somalski
9th - Erizo de Mar - Antoni Czupryna
10th - Delirium - Trevor Kenopic
11th - Endeavor - Steven Clancy
Corinthian Fleet
1st - HUZZAH - Greg Chamberlain
2nd - Northern Light - Dan / Will O'Haver
3rd - Gail Force - Robert Duker
4th - Erizo de Mar - Antoni Czupryna
Thank you to our sponsors and Race Comittee volounteers, and an extra thanks goes out to Janett Baxter PRO, Alice Martin, Chuck Norris, and everyone else who made this event possible.