Three-day Double Handed Challenge slowed by light winds

by Peter Jakey– Managing Editor

Participants of the 23rd annual Huron Double Handed Challenge from ports in southern Lake Huron to Rogers City sailed under clear skies and relatively light winds this past weekend. The race, which started in Sarnia, Canada and Bay City, got underway Saturday. The first to reach the triangle-shaped buoy at the finish line, off shore from the Rogers City Marina breakwall, arrived Sunday afternoon. The rest followed during the next 24 hours.

The only reported mishap occurred at the finish line when the crew of Serenity was unable to start their engine to bring their boat into the harbor. Sand Box arrived about the same time as Serenity and threw out a line to tow them in.

ACCORDING TO finish line chairman, Sandi Struble, there were 37 boats racing in eight classes, which is down from 44 in 2006. The number of participants also is down from 51 in 2005. Seven of the eight classes started in the Canadian port, while the other started in Bay City. The 38-foot catamaran, ?Nice Pair,? crossed the finish line first for the second year in a row with a time of 28 hours, 30 minutes. About 10 hours was tacked onto the winning time compared to 2006.

?They had relatively light winds, five to 15 (m.p.h.) from various directions, but many calm areas on the lake that really slowed them down,? said Struble. ?It was a very safe race.? Serenity and Sand Box were second and third from last. The last boat, ?Flirt,? had not arrived by 1 p.m. Monday, but was expected within the next couple of hours.

?Maybe they?ll be in in time for dinner,? one race official jokingly commented. Dinner and an awards ceremony, which was hosted by the Rogers City Chamber of Commerce and city, took place at the Lakeside Park pavilion.

?ROGERS

CITY is the greatest town in the world,? said Charlie Hoerner, vice commodore of the Double Handed Racing Association. ?Everybody from the mayor and the city council to the harbor master, all worked together to make it a great event for us. Everybody had a good time.?

Hoerner also commended the finish line crew. ?It takes a solid team effort to get boats started in Bay City and Canada, and bring them together here and feed them three meals,? Hoerner added. This was the first time Hoerner had chaired the Double Handed Challenge, and he, too, received favorable remarks about how smoothly the event went this year.

The next race for the Double Handed Racing Association is the Fall Championships at the North Star Sail Club in the Detroit area. That takes place in September.