Perfect night for sailing on Lake Superior

Conditions for Wednesday’s sailboat races were "about as good as it gets."

A couple dozen boats took to Lake Superior for the weekly race. A couple have had to be canceled this season due to fog, but overall, it’s been a good year.

Jose Carrillo volunteers on the committee boat, which sets the course and times the racers.

"This is great. Getting out on Lake Superior, watching the sailboats, it’s wonderful to participate," he said.

This week, there were two courses: one for smaller boats and one for bigger, faster boats.

"The challenge for us is to set up a course that aligns straight with the wind. That is the most challenging for the boats," Carrillo said. "That means when they sail into the wind, they have to zig-zag their way down. Nobody can ever sail straight into the wind, so that makes for a real challenge."

Every week, they hope that seeing the boats on the lake or in the harbor will inspire new sailors.

"There’s boats that will take people who are interested, they’ll learn how to sail, and certainly in the committee boat, we almost always are looking for an extra hand," he said.

The Duluth Yacht Club can connect interested people with sailing crews.