Log Race of the Year!
The North American Invitational is an annual event where Cruiser Navigation Rally Champions from 13 regional associations throughout North America, as well as previous year's National Champion, gather to determine the "Best of the Best" in Cruiser Navigation Rallies.
Chicago Yacht Club is honored to host this exciting and unique competition in August. "The race works much like a rally for cars. Instead of basing the course on speed, a log race has each boat predict its own time through a course of buoys based on their cruising speed. The closest boat to its own “logged” or predicted time wins. Because a log race is as much about knowing what kind of a boater you are as it is about skill, beginners win as often as experienced skippers. This can make it fun for everyone involved, as there is rarely a “ringer” who wins every time. On the day of the race, boaters are only allowed to use their tachometer, compass, depth sounder, radar, and autopilot compass; the GPS, speedometer, loran and radio timekeeping device must be disabled. Running the course ahead of time is against the rules, but if you want to practice, you’ll need to be confident and comfortable navigating without your usual electronics." - Andrew Shoemaker, Ballast Point Yachts