Ensign Fleet Starts 2009 Season

Eight boats began the Ensign racers' 2009 sailing season Saturday, June 27, in a race around Marquette Island, with Borealis, skippered by John Birkmeier, taking first place in A fleet and Starlight Express, skippered by Neil Williams, taking first in B fleet.

The fleet began with a spinnaker start in Muskie Bay through Snows Channel with little wind, reported Race Chair Frank LaBelle. It took the fleet about five hours to round the largest of the Les Cheneaux Islands.

Skipper Andy Bohn of Chether took second place in A fleet, with Jonas Carpenter of Instinct taking third, Todd Soderlund of Ji Ji taking fourth, Russ Lincoln of AWOL taking fifth, and Joel Birkmeier of Second Wind taking sixth in A fleet. Jack Edwards of Dragon Lady took second in B fleet.

A fleet races are more competitive, allowing racing teams to use any size sail, while B fleet races are less competitive and limit the size of sails on vessels manned by only one or two people.

Ensigns are 22-and-a-half-footlong, full-keeled sloops. The Les Cheneaux Islands are home to the nation's largest Ensign fleet.

Upcoming races will begin at Muskie Bay between Cedarville and Marquette Island unless otherwise noted. Spectators should keep boat wakes to a minimum while watching

the races. The 2009 summer racing schedule

is as follows:

Friday, July 3: Race around LaSalle Island, 11:30 a.m., for A and B fleets.

Friday, July 10, and Saturday, July 11: Race from Cedarville to Mackinac Island, beginning Friday at 11 a.m., overnight on Mackinac Island, with return race starting Saturday at 10 a.m., for A and B fleets.

Saturday, July 18: Races in Muskie Bay, 12:30 p.m., for A and B fleets.

Saturday, July 25: Races in Muskie Bay, 12:30 p.m., for A and B fleets.

Wednesday, July 29: Fleet 31 meeting, 11 a.m.

Wednesday, July 29, through Friday, July 31: Les Cheneaux Ensign Fleet 31 Regatta, 12:30 p.m. all three days, for A and B fleets.

Wednesday, August 5: Muskie Bay Race, 6 p.m., for B fleet.

Wednesday, August 12:

Government Bay Race, 6 p.m., for B fleet.

Wednesday, August 19: Muskie Bay Race, 6 p.m., for B fleet.

Wednesday, August 26:

Government Bay Race, 6 p.m., for B fleet.

Saturday, September 5: Boot Island to Voight Bay Race, 11 a.m., open to any sails.