Chi-Mac Weather Predictions???
- Thread starter onedesignracing
- Start date
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- #162
CONGRATULATIONS to Jon and the crew for a difficult job, well done.I dont really know how to use this site well. I have made a few posts in the past. There seems to be excellent sailors on this site, some who do not disclose their identity, and some that do. The Asylum arrived back safe and sound yesterday at 4 am, and I am just recovering from a 20 hr trip from Pentwater and also the entire voyage up to Mac and Back. Our delivery team was starting to break down around the mid lake buoy on the way home, due to the wind and lump on the nose and the close quarters down below. I give full credit of our victory to Team The Asylum:I guess I'll never understand why it was a secret. It seems like the thing we all talk about in the bar after the race when I look like this: :blink:Thanks for the pic. Are we OK now Jim?
I saw your owner lurking earlier.....
It was never a secret. I know we all were on a super high and we never even got a chance to talk it all over and check out our route , stuff like that. Kind of all thought we would debrief and enjoy going back over it before posting exactly what we did. You know I love talking about the races just as much and anybody out there.
I didn't even know Jon checked this out, until this morning. Pm me his ID so I know who to watch for
Drew Axelrod
Brad Bergman
Heidi Rocke
Rich Frye
Tom Spees
Part of our team who were not on the race also:
Mark Weglarz
Richard Burton
Mike Walsh
Chris Yelleck
Cheers
Wegs - Jon Weglarz
The Asylum
They once again confirmed that J/105 Lake Michigan Fleet 5 ROCKS!
Thanks for the props. Wisco was kind to us. Shout out to Ray for putting together a great team for the last 10 years!
PhilRizzuto
Anarchist
- 604
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- Banned
- #164
DC/Chicago
Anarchist
I dont really know how to use this site well. I have made a few posts in the past. There seems to be excellent sailors on this site, some who do not disclose their identity, and some that do. The Asylum arrived back safe and sound yesterday at 4 am, and I am just recovering from a 20 hr trip from Pentwater and also the entire voyage up to Mac and Back. Our delivery team was starting to break down around the mid lake buoy on the way home, due to the wind and lump on the nose and the close quarters down below. I give full credit of our victory to Team The Asylum:I guess I'll never understand why it was a secret. It seems like the thing we all talk about in the bar after the race when I look like this: :blink:Thanks for the pic. Are we OK now Jim?
I saw your owner lurking earlier.....
It was never a secret. I know we all were on a super high and we never even got a chance to talk it all over and check out our route , stuff like that. Kind of all thought we would debrief and enjoy going back over it before posting exactly what we did. You know I love talking about the races just as much and anybody out there.
I didn't even know Jon checked this out, until this morning. Pm me his ID so I know who to watch for
Drew Axelrod
Brad Bergman
Heidi Rocke
Rich Frye
Tom Spees
Part of our team who were not on the race also:
Mark Weglarz
Richard Burton
Mike Walsh
Chris Yelleck
Cheers
Wegs - Jon Weglarz
The Asylum
Great job Wegs
Now
Here is the SA velcome
Fuck off newb!!
or something like that
dyslexic dog
Super Anarchist
Rich Frye
Anarchist
- 885
- 0
Jon wanted me to pass along that this was submitted to CYC first (very recently) and now here.
PRESS RELEASE
The Asylum USA #673, Overall Winner, 2009 Chicago-Mackinac Race
July 28, 2009: Chicago, Illinois
The Asylum arrived back from Mackinac Island on Sunday at 4:00 a.m. after a 20-hour delivery from Pentwater. The delivery was lumpy, with winds on the nose. The Asylum is now shackled down, in safe harbor. Our team The Asylum, journey to and back from Mackinac Island is now complete and what an incredible feeling it is!
The few weeks prior to his year’s race were very difficult, preparing the boat for the race, running a business and satisfying family needs –really took its toll on me. However, on Race Day our team of Drew Axelrod, Brad Bergman, Rick Frye, Heidi Rocke, Tom Spees and myself were “ready to go”. Prior to my disclosing our strategy, I must first commend each of our Team The Asylum. I give full credit of our victory to the following of Team Asylum :
Drew Axelrod – 18th Mackinac race. Helmsman, main trimmer and his father, David Axelrod won First in Fleet in 1959.
Brad Bergman - Two time trans Atlantic Ocean crosser, trimmer, helmsman, 10th Mackinac race, navigator, outstanding sailor!
Rich Frye – 15th Mackinac race. Helmsman, start caller, boat-to-boat tactics, main trimmer, outstanding sailor!
Heidi Rocke – 14th Mackinac race, 24 year member of The Asylum, helmswoman, trimmer , pit and she takes care of each o f our team with food provisions and food distribution, personalized for the food tastes of each Team member.
Tom Spees – 18th Mackinac race. Trimmer and food provisioner, helmsman, spiritual leader of our Team in bad times and good times.
Jon Weglarz (me) – 26 year member of The Asylum, 28th Mackinac race
Part of our Team, who were not on the race, must also be acknowledged.
Mark Weglarz – Part of Team Caress 2004 Mac Race around the Manitous; great brother, great retired sailor.
Richard Burton –Part of Team Caress 2004 around the Manitous; great friend, whom I will be racing with this October, in France.
Mike Walsh – great foredecker, childhood friend up to my 10th birthday and reunited thru sailing, unavailable to attend due to work.
Chris Yelleck – land logistics, delivery assistance back to Chicago.
Without the commitments of all the aforementioned Team The Asylum, we would not have won the race.
RACE STRATEGY
Gradient NW winds were predicted for race day. Low pressure was situated in the Eastern states, bringing in a weakening NW flow, straight from Hudson Bay. Weather was very cool. Water temperatures were also cool, creating dense conditions at lake level. High pressure was scheduled to arrive Sunday, bringing no gradient wind. Being on the shoreline and obtaining thermal breeze was the best chance for wind on Sunday during the day. Forecasted for Sunday evening was gradient S to SW flow on the backside of high pressure.
Our initial strategy was to take the predicted NW gradient to Grand Haven area for the Sunday daytime thermal breeze. However, an interesting occurrence happened at the start of the race. A SE breeze formed. This was a lake breeze. This indicated to our Team that the NW gradient had dissolved. The only option to reach land for the Sunday thermals was to head up the Wisconsin shoreline. We hoisted our spinnaker and started heading north – low of course, but fast. Toward evening the sea breeze dissolved and NW to NE wind filled. I was thrilled to see a NE wind, which meant the NW gradient had further dissolved and high pressure was taking control earlier than forecasted... We utilized the NE gradient to take us approximately 8 miles off Milwaukee, on starboard tack. The center of the high was approaching and we needed to be within 8 miles of shore when it settled in.
We tacked up the shoreline in NE/N/NW winds and reached 6 miles off Sheboygan at 8 a.m. Sunday. Clear sunshine was to our NW and thermal clouds quickly filled over the entire shoreline. Flash Gordon and Zoom were about 3 to 4 miles further out to the lake and were behind us. We got the wind first – the thermal lake breeze. Instead of taking it to course, we hoisted the spinnaker and rode the land contour within 7 miles of shore. Our plan was to ride this north until the backside of the high pressure arrived, bringing in a SW gradient.
We did not carry a transponder but in reviewing Zoom’s race tracker, our course closely resembled Zoom’s after Sheboygan. Prior to Sheboygan our course was further left and when NW winds were present at night, they resulted in accelerated shore breeze gradient NW flow, which gave us greater wind near the shoreline. I assume this is how we got ahead of Zoom and Flash Gordon. We started peeling off around Manitowoc with a wind which started clocking. The gradient wind had arrived. Our course was similar to Zooms, however as the wind went south, we gybed back to within 8 miles of Two Rivers. Our Team was thinking the gradient would not be strong enough to penetrate the 55 degree lake. After testing Two Rivers, we gybed back to a course of 30-degrees, which took us just left of Beaver Island. Then the “shift of the race” hit us (and I assume Zoom) a shift to the SW. This shift gave us a course directly to the south of Fox Island. I had experienced this gap before, with my brother and Richard Burton, Heidi Rocke , Brad Bergman and Tom Spees. The wind held for the next 10 hours. We arrived the backside of the Manitou Islands at daybreak – it was a beautiful sight. We were coming in – hidden behind the Manitous – in the rising sun.
I would like to thank Greg Miarecki and his tremendous Race Committee team for a job well done.
I would like to thank the families of our Team for putting up with us – Mrs. Spees, the Frye family, Chris Jenson and Eli Rocke, the Bergman family and the late David Axelrod. I would like to thank my friend, John Mykleby, who got me into racing, Clem Boltz, my mentor and former overall Mac winner, my dad Jack, my mom. Cynthia, the best parents in the world, and my wife, Lisa, and son, Blake, for supporting me. This was the “Race of Our Lifetime”.
Cheers,
Jon Weglarz, Skipper
The Asylum
USA #673
PRESS RELEASE
The Asylum USA #673, Overall Winner, 2009 Chicago-Mackinac Race
July 28, 2009: Chicago, Illinois
The Asylum arrived back from Mackinac Island on Sunday at 4:00 a.m. after a 20-hour delivery from Pentwater. The delivery was lumpy, with winds on the nose. The Asylum is now shackled down, in safe harbor. Our team The Asylum, journey to and back from Mackinac Island is now complete and what an incredible feeling it is!
The few weeks prior to his year’s race were very difficult, preparing the boat for the race, running a business and satisfying family needs –really took its toll on me. However, on Race Day our team of Drew Axelrod, Brad Bergman, Rick Frye, Heidi Rocke, Tom Spees and myself were “ready to go”. Prior to my disclosing our strategy, I must first commend each of our Team The Asylum. I give full credit of our victory to the following of Team Asylum :
Drew Axelrod – 18th Mackinac race. Helmsman, main trimmer and his father, David Axelrod won First in Fleet in 1959.
Brad Bergman - Two time trans Atlantic Ocean crosser, trimmer, helmsman, 10th Mackinac race, navigator, outstanding sailor!
Rich Frye – 15th Mackinac race. Helmsman, start caller, boat-to-boat tactics, main trimmer, outstanding sailor!
Heidi Rocke – 14th Mackinac race, 24 year member of The Asylum, helmswoman, trimmer , pit and she takes care of each o f our team with food provisions and food distribution, personalized for the food tastes of each Team member.
Tom Spees – 18th Mackinac race. Trimmer and food provisioner, helmsman, spiritual leader of our Team in bad times and good times.
Jon Weglarz (me) – 26 year member of The Asylum, 28th Mackinac race
Part of our Team, who were not on the race, must also be acknowledged.
Mark Weglarz – Part of Team Caress 2004 Mac Race around the Manitous; great brother, great retired sailor.
Richard Burton –Part of Team Caress 2004 around the Manitous; great friend, whom I will be racing with this October, in France.
Mike Walsh – great foredecker, childhood friend up to my 10th birthday and reunited thru sailing, unavailable to attend due to work.
Chris Yelleck – land logistics, delivery assistance back to Chicago.
Without the commitments of all the aforementioned Team The Asylum, we would not have won the race.
RACE STRATEGY
Gradient NW winds were predicted for race day. Low pressure was situated in the Eastern states, bringing in a weakening NW flow, straight from Hudson Bay. Weather was very cool. Water temperatures were also cool, creating dense conditions at lake level. High pressure was scheduled to arrive Sunday, bringing no gradient wind. Being on the shoreline and obtaining thermal breeze was the best chance for wind on Sunday during the day. Forecasted for Sunday evening was gradient S to SW flow on the backside of high pressure.
Our initial strategy was to take the predicted NW gradient to Grand Haven area for the Sunday daytime thermal breeze. However, an interesting occurrence happened at the start of the race. A SE breeze formed. This was a lake breeze. This indicated to our Team that the NW gradient had dissolved. The only option to reach land for the Sunday thermals was to head up the Wisconsin shoreline. We hoisted our spinnaker and started heading north – low of course, but fast. Toward evening the sea breeze dissolved and NW to NE wind filled. I was thrilled to see a NE wind, which meant the NW gradient had further dissolved and high pressure was taking control earlier than forecasted... We utilized the NE gradient to take us approximately 8 miles off Milwaukee, on starboard tack. The center of the high was approaching and we needed to be within 8 miles of shore when it settled in.
We tacked up the shoreline in NE/N/NW winds and reached 6 miles off Sheboygan at 8 a.m. Sunday. Clear sunshine was to our NW and thermal clouds quickly filled over the entire shoreline. Flash Gordon and Zoom were about 3 to 4 miles further out to the lake and were behind us. We got the wind first – the thermal lake breeze. Instead of taking it to course, we hoisted the spinnaker and rode the land contour within 7 miles of shore. Our plan was to ride this north until the backside of the high pressure arrived, bringing in a SW gradient.
We did not carry a transponder but in reviewing Zoom’s race tracker, our course closely resembled Zoom’s after Sheboygan. Prior to Sheboygan our course was further left and when NW winds were present at night, they resulted in accelerated shore breeze gradient NW flow, which gave us greater wind near the shoreline. I assume this is how we got ahead of Zoom and Flash Gordon. We started peeling off around Manitowoc with a wind which started clocking. The gradient wind had arrived. Our course was similar to Zooms, however as the wind went south, we gybed back to within 8 miles of Two Rivers. Our Team was thinking the gradient would not be strong enough to penetrate the 55 degree lake. After testing Two Rivers, we gybed back to a course of 30-degrees, which took us just left of Beaver Island. Then the “shift of the race” hit us (and I assume Zoom) a shift to the SW. This shift gave us a course directly to the south of Fox Island. I had experienced this gap before, with my brother and Richard Burton, Heidi Rocke , Brad Bergman and Tom Spees. The wind held for the next 10 hours. We arrived the backside of the Manitou Islands at daybreak – it was a beautiful sight. We were coming in – hidden behind the Manitous – in the rising sun.
I would like to thank Greg Miarecki and his tremendous Race Committee team for a job well done.
I would like to thank the families of our Team for putting up with us – Mrs. Spees, the Frye family, Chris Jenson and Eli Rocke, the Bergman family and the late David Axelrod. I would like to thank my friend, John Mykleby, who got me into racing, Clem Boltz, my mentor and former overall Mac winner, my dad Jack, my mom. Cynthia, the best parents in the world, and my wife, Lisa, and son, Blake, for supporting me. This was the “Race of Our Lifetime”.
Cheers,
Jon Weglarz, Skipper
The Asylum
USA #673
landlocked1
Member
- 56
- 8
Bump to the front page, as this narrative is too good to miss. It shows the conviction, knowledge and team building it takes to be successful.
- Banned
- #171
I remember Dr. Axelrod and his penchant for using his wives' names and marital status to name his boats; BARB, XBARB, MICHELLE.
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