Three ensign sailboats converge on a buoy, jockeying for position. The crew aboard each may have taken different routes to get to this checkpoint, but when the vessels get this close to one another, it's all about strategy. Every skipper can make or break his race with the moves he chooses to get ahead.

This is the kind of scene that will thrill spectators at the 2010 Ensign National Championship, held in Wilderness Bay at Les Cheneaux Monday, August 16, through Thursday, August 19, just two days after the 33rd Annual Les Cheneaux Islands Antique Wooden Boat show concludes.

The ensign class of sailboat has a nearly 50-year legacy as a boat that can be used equally well for pleasure sailing or for fierce competition. It is 22.5 feet long with a full keel, which dips only three feet deep. This is a boat class that has steadily grown in popularity to the point where it is now the largest full keel, one-design class in the country.

One-design is a term meaning all racers are essentially racing the same boat, with the primary options for individualization coming through the naming of the vessels and the patterns and colors of their spinnakers, or sails placed in front of the mast that are meant to maximize a favorable wind. These boats are best raced with a crew of four.

Nearly 40 ensign boats are expected to participate in the national race, including 12 local entries. The Upper Peninsula is home to three ensign fleets, Fleet 12 in Menominee, Fleet 35 in Marquette, and the largest fleet in the country, Fleet 31 in Cedarville. Ensign fleets may also be found in areas such as Florida, California, the Northeast, and Texas.

The Les Cheneaux area has hosted regional regattas in the past. The last event in 2008 was such an enjoyable experience for everyone involved that 2010 National Regatta co-chair Jason Dunn believes it played a role in the local area being awarded the national race this year.

“The National Ensign Class Association has always had an interest in bringing the Ensign National Championship up here,” said Joel Birkmeier, also a 2010 Ensign National Regatta co-chair. “This year, everything lined up for it to happen.”

The four days of competition may feature a maximum of nine races. If a leg of the regatta can't take place due to inclement conditions, that race is not made up. Instead, the next race counts for double the points. It takes a lot for a race to be canceled, however, said event organizers. The only circumstances that might warrant such a decision would be a complete lack of wind or a particularly violent thunderstorm.

The races are competitive before anyone can even cross the starting line. A horn sounds for five minutes, while skippers try to position themselves as close to the starting line as possible without going over. Once racers are given the go-ahead to move forward on a course where the windward leg must be at least a mile long, the competition only heats up.

“The competition within Fleet 31 gets tougher each year,” Mr. Dunn said.

This is because crews generally stay together from year to year. Also, those in Cedarville's ensign fleet have been racing against each other for years.

“This is one of most competitive fleets out there,” Mr. Birkmeier said.

Sailing ensigns is a sport that brings friends and family together. There are teams composed of father and son, best friends since childhood, siblings, cousins, and even grandparent and grandchild.

Each sailor has an integral role in the performance of the ensign sailboat. On a four-person team, there are three positions, including a skipper, foredeck, and two sail-trimmers.

“Everybody on the boat has their own job to do,” Mr. Birkmeier said. “We're trying to synchronize all of our moves to put us in the best position to win.”

With a variety of sailing maneuvers to employ in different situations, winning involves a healthy helping of strategy.

“There's a lot of thinking involved,” Mr. Birkmeier said. “It's like a chess game out there. The races aren't just about speeds. Race crews have to watch wind conditions and try to place themselves in a favorable position on the race course, all while anticipating their opponents' moves.”

Consistent performance in each of the races can be the key to winning it all.

“You don't have to win every race, you only have to avoid having that one bad race,” Mr. Birkmeier said. “That one bad score will damage your placement in the overall standings.”

In addition to the Pearson Perpetual Ensign Trophy, awarded to the overall winner of the National Championship Regatta, there are awards for the most beautiful ensign, the best sports- manship, winning the first and final races of the nationals, and the skipper who finishes in the middle of the fleet.

The awards take place at a 7 p.m. banquet Thursday, August 19.

Hosting the national race and the antique wooden boat show, both nationally recognized events, back-to-back was intentional, Mr. Birkmeier said.

“It's a good time to bring everybody in. Racers can come early and enjoy the boat show or the Straits area as a whole. It's just great for the community,” he said. “This adds another week to the summer season, which is a benefit to local businesses, as well as the entire area. It is an opportunity to showcase this part of the country to people from other areas.”

It is also an opportunity to showcase this class of sailboat. Spectators are invited to take their boats out on the water to watch the races. Both co-chairs said these are exciting events to watch, and may be visible from the Hessel Marina, where the ensigns will be docked when not racing.

For those who take their powerboats out to view the events, Mr. Birkmeier advises them to take care with their wakes to avoid disturbing the races.