Those seeking marinas in the Duluth/Superior area for transient slips are encouraged to contact Barker's Island Marina or Lakehead Boat Basin. Barker's Island has excellent repair facilities and a full time service staff.

As in years past the Trans Race Committee has secured the use of slip 2 in Duluth for boats participating in the Trans. Slip 2 has no facilities, but is centrally located adjacent to the Great Lakes Aquarium and is free of charge.

The Great Lakes Aquarium will host the race headquarters and ready room in the "Educators Lab", a facility with waterfront access.

Scott Perkins the Harbormaster of the Houghton County Marina sends this message relevant to boats delivering through the Keweenaw waterway:

"Just a note to the sailors coming and going through the Keweenaw. The Portage lake Lift Bridge is on an “on the hour” schedule for the summer due to construction in downtown Houghton. The Bridge will not open at 7am, noon, 4pm or 5pm due to rush hour."

To satisfy a number of requests for a division that allows motoring, the Trans Superior is creating a Trans Superior Rally for 2009. The Trans Superior Rally will allow the use of motors using the same penalty formula as the past Trans Superior cruising division rules. Trans Superior Rally entrants will be timed and tracked and will receive flags.

All existing Trans Superior race divisions will remain unchanged as outlined in the Notice of Race and will not be impacted by the addition of the Trans Superior Rally.

Mike Spence has put together an informal early season cruising event for sailors on the western side of Lake Superior. This rally to Silver Bay and back starts from either Duluth or Bayfield and promises to be a fun sailing and social event.

Date: June 20 - 21, 2009

• From Duluth to Silver Bay Marina
• From Bayfield to Silver Bay Marina
• and return home on Sunday.

The Duluth Yacht Club has negotiated group rates for race participants at two hotels in Sault Ste. Marie Ontario. If you'd like to reserve one of these rooms please contact one of the two hotels below and make arrangements. Reservations should be made early to secure the group rates and to ensure availability.

Please mention you are with the Trans Superior race and request the group rates when you contact one of these two hotels:

• Waterfront Inn & Conference Center
• email: reservations@saultwaterfrontinn.com
• phone: 705-949-0611
• City Centre Travelodge
• email: info@tlodgessm.com
• phone: 705-759-1400

Special thanks to Nelson Thomas for making these arrangements.

The 2009 entry form is now available.

Interested parties should print the form, fill it out, and then mail with all required documentation to Eric Thomas, the 2009 race director. Please follow the specific instructions on the form itself for the mail address and list of required documentation.

Don't forget to sign and date the form!

Important Registration Dates:

• Early Registration ends Wednesday July 1st, 2009

Please direct all inquiries to transsuperior@gmail.com, one of the race administrators will get back to you as soon as possible.

Also, consider posting to the forums if you have a question that might be of general interest.

The 2009 Notice of race is now available. Please refer to this document first if you have any questions. If you need clarification on this document or if you have any other questions please contact the race administrators.

The official equipment list is included in the Notice of Race. Interested parties are referred to that document for further information.

The official 2007 results are attached. Congratulations to all competitors and volunteers for a great event!

The 2009 edition of the Trans Superior Yacht Race will start on Saturday August 8th.

The official Notice of Race for the crewed divisions of the Trans is now available

The official Entry Form is now available. See the full article for details.

The 2009 event will have four crewed divisions:

• a racing PHRF division for monohulls
• a cruising PHRF division for monohulls
• a double handed division
• an open class for multihulls

In addition to the four crewed divisions, there will be a single handed division. Single handed sailors should refer to the GLSS for information specific to the single handed division.

The exact starting time and starting location of the race will be announced at the skipper’s meeting which will be held at the Holiday Inn, Sault Ste. Marine, Ontario at 10:00 hours EDT on Friday August 7th, 2009.

The approximate starting time will be 12:00 CTD. The approximate starting location will be in the vicinity of the Gros Cap approach to the St. Mary’s River.

Yachts are required to leave Copper Harbor to port. The finish will be in the vicinity of the approach to the Duluth Ship Canal, at the extreme western end of Lake Superior.

All interested parties are encouraged to read the Notice of Race and send any and all questions to the race committee by email to the race committee.

We are looking forward to a great event in 2009.

Come on, take the challenge!