Good Old Boat sponsors yet another good old regatta
Issue 49 : Jul/Aug 2006
I’m convinced that one of the reasons why those of us with good old boats undertake often-insurmountable tasks is in anticipation of the memories that will be created by our floating labors of love.
For me, this journey began as a kid in the mid-1960s, when my father was in the U.S. Navy in Yokosuka, Japan, and we had access to wooden Snipes with canvas sails and a 38-foot wooden sloop named Kazehiya. From that point on, the memory of wood and varnish, brass and teak, and the smell of the sea as a source of good memories were indelibly linked. At that same time, half a world away, a group of sailors with the love of sailing and the Canadian wilderness began a sailing regatta on one of the world’s most unique island archipelagos, Lake of the Woods. The year was 1966.
Beautiful setting
Lake of the Woods is a 10,000-square-mile lake with more than 14,000 islands, nearly all of them uninhabited and embedded in the Precambrian rock of the North American wilderness. For a few months of the year, winter loses its hold, and the ice peels back and reveals an unequaled sailing environment with warm water and beautiful Canadian scenery for those who take the extra trouble to venture there.
Due to its remote location, little has changed over the many years that this regatta has been held. Connected to Lake Winnipeg and ultimately Hudson Bay, it is still virtually as untouched as it was when the first French explorers and missionaries arrived looking for a Northwest passage to the Pacific Ocean. Its remoteness contributes to its sailing qualities. Lake of the Woods does not have the inundation of the gas-powered noisemakers that flourish in more accessible locations.
Little did the first organizers of what later began to be known as LOWISA (Lake of the Woods International Sailing Association) know that this Canadian wilderness tradition would persist for 41 years. Over the years, LOWISA has attracted the core of good old boat enthusiasts with assemblages of Balboas, Santanas, Rangers, Cals, and other names familiar to those of us who love and restore old sailing boats. For this reason we have persuaded Good Old Boat magazine to join as a sponsor, beginning with the 2006 season, August 6 through 12.
Many people compare the environs of Lake of the Woods to the North Channel of Lake Huron or upper Casco Bay in Maine. Except for the extreme southern portion, the lake is profusely dotted with islands and well-protected anchorages. However, warmer water temperatures than those found in the North Channel and Casco Bay contribute to just as much fun in the water as on top of it.
The lake is located about 200 miles west of Lake Superior along the Minnesota and Canadian border. By road, there are two towns on the lake — Kenora, Ontario, at the north side, and Warroad, Minnesota, on the south. Other locations are primarily resort camps accessible only by seaplane or boat. LOWISA anchorages tend to be well-protected and uninhabited islands. The stunning scenery comes free with the lake.
Fun for families and friends
Good old boaters, with their onboard living accommodations, do well for the week. Sailors who come to race with daysailers often charter a large houseboat with a group of friends or family members to share cooking and sleeping facilities. LOWISA is a point-to-point daily sailing competition. Most fleets are based on the PHRF handicap rating system.
As a point-to-point journey, there is a different wilderness island anchorage every night. During one day of the week, there is a layover day with buoy races and a fish fry of the local catch. This year, on the registration day, Saturday, August 5, is the first LOWISA Annual Youth Dinghy Open Day Regatta with an involvement of the Royal Lake of the Woods Yacht Club. RLWYC has a history of U.S. and Canadian joint sailing competition going back nearly 100 years.
The keys to LOWISA’s success have been the friendly competition during the day and the friendships that are formed among boat crews and families at night. Repeated attendance has resulted in many third- and fourth-generation LOWISA participants. My first LOWISA was #6 in 1972 when my family returned from Japan. Now I am U.S. Commodore for LOWISA #41. My Canadian counterpart, Robert Nuttall, has been a long-time participant also.
While over the years I’ve sailed on many of the world’s oceans and participated in many high-powered racing events, it is difficult to compare them with the unique memories created from LOWISA’s family and social-centered spirited sailing competition and incredible wilderness venue. This year, LOWISA #41 will originate and end at Kenora, Ontario. We expect about 70 boats. For more information, visit our website at http://www.lowisa.org or call 612-804-6956. Sailboat charters may be available through a nearby marina; email nharbour@voyageur.ca.
LOWISA is a perfect venue for good old boats. Come join us for a unique sailing experience.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
