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Racing

Yacht racing on the majestic open waters of Lake Michigan runs the gamut from fair breezes on balmy days to full-on adrenaline rushes amid marching whitecaps.

Whether you sail a dinghy, One Design, or Handicap boat, we have a fleet for you. MYC is your premier location for sailboat racing in Milwaukee if you are a beginner or an experienced racer. MYC has been the host of numerous local, national, and international regattas over the years, including multiple OD championships, US Sailing qualifiers, and finals and international OD Champs. We have many US Sailing certified race officials as members of our club and staff, and we have the right on-the-water assets to stage any type of race from a casual buoy race to a major offshore event. We welcome new crew, skippers, and anyone who wants to try sailboat racing with open arms. Come and join us on the water!


  • Handicap Racing

    • PHRF stands for Performance Handicap Racing Fleet. It's the most popular system for assigning performance handicap ratings to boats so that they can compete evenly in casual or championship racing. Milwaukee Yacht Club's Fleet of PHRF boats range in length from 24' to 42'.

      The boat races on Wednesday evenings in WNOS (Wednesday Night Offshore Series) and in MBOS (Milwaukee Bay Offshore Series) on select weekends. During the weekend regattas, the Milwaukee Yacht Club fleet and the South Shore Yacht Club fleet race together.

      The complete racing schedule is available for viewing on this website. Many PHRF boats participate in racing on Milwaukee's beautiful Milwaukee Bay. There are three divisions: PHRF 1, PHRF 2, and the "JAM" division, which sail with a Jib and Main only. The Wednesday evening series begins in May and ends in late August; the Milwaukee Bay Offshore Series starts in June and ends in late September. Post-race food and beverages are served after each Wednesday night race and social activities after several of the Milwaukee Bay Offshore events.

      Between 5 and 12 sailors generally crew PHRF boats. Skippers are often looking for additional crew, and sailors frequently look for a boat to crew on. Families sail aboard many PHRF boats, making this a great way to spend quality time together. PHRF racing can be a great way to introduce yourself to the competitive side of sailing, both as an owner and crew. If you would like to get involved, please contact Fleet Captain Spencer Thomason.

  • Soling Fleet

    		•

      The Soling Fleet is a group of dedicated racing sailors committed to fostering the tradition of one-design competition at MYC – and are determined to have fun while doing it! If you are serious about racing, there is no better way to hone your skills than in a Soling.

      The Soling is a popular one-design club racer with a class organization that provides national and international competition opportunities. We are a training ground for young (and not so young) sailors who aspire to be great. The class offers world-class competition within which the novice can learn from the experienced.

      The Soling Class is remarkable for its ability to maintain an enjoyable mixture of club and Olympic sailors throughout its racing programs. The majority of competitors at a typical World Championship enjoy going up against and frequently beating the best. By the same token, most Olympic competitors are happy to contribute their skills and knowledge to enhance the local racing at their home clubs.

      The Soling is a true three-person boat; all three crew are essential to success, and an inexperienced crew learns quickly. Many of its skippers are women, as are many of the crews. The Soling has been the only gender-mixed class during our Olympic tenure.

      		  

      Solings are raced in 41 countries on four continents. Club racing occurs at numerous venues in Canada, Australia, Japan, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, almost every country in Europe. You can be a part of it right here in Milwaukee and many other great sailing venues across the United States, including Annapolis, San Diego, Chicago, and Seattle. Please get in touch with us if you want to come out and race…
       
      Soling Fleet Captain: David Crysdale

  • Laser Fleet

    • The Milwaukee Yacht Club Laser fleet is a member of the Milwaukee Bay Laser Fleet (MBLF). The latter is a co-operative Laser Racing program supported by Milwaukee Yacht Club, Milwaukee Community Sailing Center and South Shore Yacht Club. 

      Sailors hailing from each of the above venues participate in the MBLF Tuesday Night Laser Championship which is held inside the government breakwater on Milwaukee Harbour and runs on consecutive Tuesday nights from late May to late August each summer. Laser Full Rig, Radial and 4.7 are welcome to participate. A perpetual trophy is awarded to the series champion in both the Full Rig and Radial Rig divisions at the Milwaukee Yacht Club’s annual awards ceremony held each November. Additional Fleet trophies are usually awarded at the annual MBLF Fleet meeting held each spring. Race results and last-minute weather decisions are communicated to all fleet members via the app Statwack. Download this to your smart phone and follow MBLF Laser racing MBLF for up-to-date communication. The MBLF Tuesday Night Championship Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions and Entry form can be found on the Milwaukee Yacht Club web page http://www.milwaukeeyc.com

      The Milwaukee Yacht Club Laser Fleet has hosted ILCA US Championship, Masters North Americans Championship, US Great Lake Championship and District 20 Championship. Currently we host an annual Laser Regatta which is combined with the Milwaukee Yacht Club annual One Design Regatta usually the first weekend of August. MYC has a fleet of Lasers available to charter with proceeds going to support the MYC Sailing School. This is a great opportunity to try out the boat and weeknight racing series. Hope to see you out on the water. Contact me for more information.

      MYC Laser Fleet Captain: Steve Dolan 
      [email protected]

  • J-24 Fleet

    • MYC has had a fleet here for more than 25 years. Because the boats have been around so long, a competitive boat can be obtained for a very reasonable price.

      We race one-design on Wednesday from mid-May through the end of September. Often some of the boats finish less than one boat length apart. Our races are open to J24s from MYC, South Shore Yacht Club, Milwaukee Community Sailing Center, and boats whose owners are members of U.S. Sailing. Contact Joe McBride if you are interested in racing with us.

      J-24 Fleet Captain: Joe McBride
      Phone: 414.271.4455
      Email: [email protected]

  • MBWOS

    • The object of the organization is to encourage and promote women in the sport of yachting and create a spirit of good fellowship among members and fellow yachters. And to encourage women to become more actively involved in the sport of sailing by developing and improving their skills and confidence in the sport.

  • Ideal 18 Fleet

    • Milwaukee Yacht Club maintains a couple of very stable yet very lively 18-foot keelboats. The Ideal 18’s are designed, built, and rigged for all levels of club sailing activities. Rigging includes a very manageable main, self-tacking jib, and traditional spinnaker.

      The boats are moored at the dock, ready to be sailed in less than three minutes. These boats are available daily for recreational sailing. They are also used for the Adult Sailing Program, informal racing, spring and fall frostbite series, Champion of Champions Regatta, and numerous summer events such as beach parties, scavenger hunts, rendezvouses etc.

      Member Privileges

      Members can reserve a boat for the day and go sailing!
      See Dockmaster Dan Couillard to reserve.