The Chicago NOODs

The first time I told someone I was sailing in the NOOD (National Offshore One-Design), I didn’t get why they laughed. Now that I do, I laugh every, single, time. So let’s start the article off with a big thank you to whoever gave us the NOOD Regatta name and for all the great laughs that come with it. Now, if you aren’t sure what the regatta is all about, here’s a bit of info for you.

This year’s NOOD Regatta will have more than 150 boats racing in 17 sections. There are boats from 19’ to 70’ and sections with as few as 4 boats and as many as 30!  If I were a spectator, I’d be out there watching the T10 fleet start with 30 boats on the line. Talk about fiberglass carnage. Anyone have a long range microphone? How many, “starboard!” shouts will there be? It should be quite the event.

There are sections for those racing PHRF, PHRF long distance, ORR, ORR long distance, and more than a handful of one design classes include the J111, J109, Beneteau 36.7, and more. I am also pretty excited by the Belmont Station racing. Oh, didn’t I mention there are multiple venues for this event?

Up at the Belmont Station of the Chicago Yacht Club there will be a circle just for the Rhodes 19 and the Viper 640 crews. Have you ever seen a sailboat get up on plane like a power boat?  No? Well get on up to Belmont and watch the Vipers. They can get up on plane with a chute up and it’s pretty spectacular.

We also need to thank Sperry Top-Sider for sponsoring the regatta and being a big part of making it happen. Of course the Chicago Yacht Club and their race committee needs props for being ever so awesome in their participation. Last but not least, we would like to thank, ourselves! Crowley’s will be there as the vendor for Sperry shoe sales. Yes, yes, we want your money, again.

Want to follow along with the daily results? Check it out here (here is http://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=756