2014 South Bass Island Paddle Sailing Forum

Thursday, June 5th - Sunday, June 8th.
You can show up any time you like.

Kayak Sailing



Click on these map below to see where South Bass Island is.



This is a very informal group aimed at paddle sailors that use compact kayak sail rigs as would be found on a Water Tribe Class 1 event.
Examples of compact kayak sail rigs would be Falcon Sails and Flat Earth Sails of Australia.
This is not limited to compact kayak sail rigs, but will be focused on compact sail paddle sailing.
There are no fees or registrations, as this is just a group of paddle sailors getting together on land.
The facebook group is here.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/225685434270942/

If you plan on being there, make sure the facebook group knows about it, so you can be kept up to date.
Anything could change at any time.   The facebook page should be a good place for everybody to keep up to date.|
There will likely be some group texting process going on when the forum starts.

The goals are
#1 Development of general safety skills and safety skills unique to paddle sailing
#2 Make a forum of paddle sailors where everybody can learn from each other.
#3 Make new paddle sailing friends & have a great time.

It will be focused at the South Bass Island State Park and will occur along with the 10th annual South Bass Rendezvous.
www.southbassrendezvous.com
All paddlers and even non paddlers are welcome to the South Bass Rendezvous.
The Bass Island Chain is a beautiful place to paddle. It is one of the best paddling locations for hundreds of miles.

This also happens to the be the same week end as the Mills Trophy Race. It is the premier sailing event on Lake Erie.
This just adds to the sailing flavor of the week end. Walking the docks is opportunity to learn some more.
The Mills Race is a night race that includes mostly keel boats. Paddle Sailors will not qualify for this race.
Many Water Tribe type Sail boats would qualify for this race.
Typical Water Tribe Sail boats would knock their socks off.
http://www.toledoyachtclub.org/mills%20race.html

All these events always occur on the second week end after Memorial day.

Here is a proposed agenda for the paddle sail forum. All these are just ideas for now.
Make sure you re on the

One of the main activities would be to stage safe scenarios where paddle sailors practice un assisted rescues as a competent paddler is there as a back up just in case.
Everybody should report their experiences to everybody else, and encourage everybody in the group to work on these skills as much as possible.
Ideally everybody is in and out of their boats many times, along with practicing going over with the sail up, and practice rolling from that point.

#1 Paddle sail on Thursday and Friday with rescue practice occurring throughout.
Basically you are on your own with this. If you think you are ready you can make your own group.
Make sure you & everybody in your group are ready to take care of your self and everybody else.

Patrick Forrester owner of Falcon Sails llc will organize a paddle sail for a group of ready paddlers on both days.
This will be by invitation only as it will be impossible to asses everybody's skills and abilities before we go.
Contact Patrick on facebook to chat about it.
Subject to group size limits, all Water Tribe members who have completed a Class 1 event are invited on these paddle sails.
These paddle sails will not be races, but will be at a moderate pace, everybody will stick together and probably go about 20 miles.
If you want to go fast, you can make longer lines.
They will be planed as far in advance as the wind forecast allows to make for a exciting paddle sail skill building day.
If you have a set of wheels bring them with you to allow for some bail out options and or catching the ferries to make life a little easier.
There are many options on the Bass Island group for taking advantage of wind directions.
Some options involve driving up wind to make for an exciting and easy down wind paddle sail.
If we have wind & you have a good sail, most times we can make a 20 mile course around the islands that involves 60% to 80% sailing time.
If you are in this group, make sure you are part of the last minute planning's.
If the wind conditions are prefect, Patrick wants to do a long distance paddle sail from Perrysburg Ohio to South Bass Island. It is about 50 miles and will likely involve 1 night of camping along the way.
If the wind allows, he may depart on Wed morning, and arrive at South Bass on Thursday morning. Invited paddle sailors can coordinate meeting half way at Maumee Bay State Park.
This option is highly wind dependent.

#2 Hang around the camp for fires, meals, and more talk about paddle sailing.

#3 Friday night 7pm pock luck dinner along with the 10th annual South Bass Rendezvous.
This is always an amazingly good meal & a great opportunity to get to know a lot of great people.
I hear there is work being done to get a speaker for this event.

#4 After the pot luck dinner - kayak sailing discussion forum & presentation by Patrick Forrester Owner of Falcon Sails LLC
That may happen at the Shelter House or Camp Site 105.

#5 Saturday Morning - An on your own paddle sail around the Bass Island group along with everybody else from the South Bass Rendezvous.
Typically Eric Slough organizes a short paddle into town, where people make their own groups and break up from there.
It is fairly easy to find somebody to pair up with at this point. If not, you can go for a simple paddle around South Bass Island. Its about 10 miles of shore line.

#6 Sunday Morning. - Patrick may make breakfast for the paddle sailors.


There has been a facebook group called South Bass Island Paddle Sail Forum.
Please get involved here.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/225685434270942/

If you want to do this event, reserve a camp site right away as the good sites go fast. Even 6 months in advance.
If you have trouble getting a site, contact Patrick Forrester and he will try to find one for you.

Falcon Sails llc will be getting this forum off the ground, but anybody who is inclined to take over is welcome to do so.
It is not about promoting anything but paddle sailing skills and paddle sailing safety.