Getting to know the 2021 Cleveland North Americans
Sailing venue / conditions:
Lake Erie provides open water and the potential for a variety of good racing conditions. On-shore breeze can offer choppy / wavy conditions with steady wind direction and off-shore breeze can provide shifty puffy conditions. Moderate to strong breeze is possible from most directions depending on weather systems.
Edgewater’s basin is a short sail from the western entrance (star) to the Cleveland harbor breakwater. The racing area is typically 1-2 miles northwest of this entrance. The breakwater extends ~7 miles northeast and the shoreline just west of the Edgewater beach is a ~70ft cliff for many miles. A recognizable reference point on the water is the Cleveland Crib (municipal water intake), a large, orange cylindrical structure 3.3 miles directly off the city front and just northeast of the racing area.
Land heating plays a significant role in August winds on Lake Erie. The gradient direction and regional pressure pattern interact with thermal effects and often impact the sailing breeze, though a strong seabreeze is rare.
North easterly winds are common and usually associated with heating. These tend to be moderate breezes, rarely exceeding 12kts for long. They tend to come with mild wind-built rollers unless there’s been strong wind on the lake in the last 24 hours.
As the following graphics show westerly breezes are also common as this is the typical gradient direction. The first two graphics are for land based wind stations and show two noticeable differences from the subsequent two graphics from offshore stations.
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The westerly breezes tend to get split between offshore and funneling alongshore near the coast--you’ll notice different TWD clusters between EYC and Burke weather stations as they are positioned differently relative to the average shoreline and physical barriers to the west.
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The greater prevalence of northern and NNE breeze along the shore corresponds to thermal effects / seabreezes.
The strongest sailing winds, when they come in August, are most likely to be associated with a front and have a westerly or southwesterly direction. These typically fall into two categories:
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WNW (along / onshore): this can build moderately clean large rollers and tends to have relatively stable winds
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SW (offshore): this direction tends to provide puffy and shifty wind (sometimes violently so when closer to the cliffs) and flat to moderate wind chop, but depending on how far off shore the course is and the wind history of the last several hours there can be moderate to large waves coming down the shoreline. (Note: truly perpendicular offshore wind is rare as this would be SE in direction)
Edgewater Yacht Club (~2 miles SE of racing area)
Burke Lakefront Airport (~3 miles ESE of the racing area)
Cleveland Offshore
Cleveland Wind Energy Buoy (offshore)
On-shore venue:
Edgewater Yacht Club (EYC) is located on the south shore of Lake Erie, adjacent to the 117-acre Cleveland Lakefront Reservation, and just west of downtown Cleveland. The handicap accessible facility is situated on several acres of land and offers a full-service clubhouse, marina, outdoor pavilion and a swimming pool. Situated at the western end of Cleveland’s main harbor, approximately two miles west of downtown, the club is minutes away by land or water from some of Cleveland’s most popular points of interest. We are home to a 365-slip marina that is sheltered from inclement weather, ensuring that all visiting boats can dock or raft safely. Our newly renovated clubhouse has meeting rooms, a full-service restaurant & bars, as well as a patio with a clear view of Downtown Cleveland for casual dining during the boating season. A newly constructed in-ground pool is located adjacent to the waterfront pavilion with an outdoor bar, shower facilities, playground and charcoal grills. The club offers many services and amenities such as access to showers and restroom facilities 24/7, laundry, and wi-fi accessibility, as well as being handicap accessible. We have a gasoline & fueling station, pump-out station, 15-ton travel lift, and three 2-ton hoists. There is a Ship’s Store with ice, beverage, and limited supplies located at the gas dock.
Getting to the club:
Edgewater Yacht Club is very near Downtown Cleveland and the intersection of several major interstates (I-90, I-80, I-71, I-73). The club is located on the Cleveland Memorial Shoreway which connects to Interstate 90.
Edgewater Yacht Club is 19 minutes from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and just under an hour from the Akron-Canton Airport. Both have rental cars available. There are also many options for ground transportation around the area including Uber, Lyft, taxis, and public transportation.
Edgewater Yacht Club is trailer accessible with ample parking nearby.
Around Town
Active Map Link
Lodging:
Hotels:
Hotels in Cleveland’s downtown and west shoreway are within a short drive of Edgewater Yacht Club and can be found at a variety of price points. There are also many options all around the city providing highly functional options (good hotels, near a highway, at all price points).
Aloft
Drury Plaza
Hilton Cleveland Downtown
Kimpton Schofield
Metropolitan at the 9
The Cleveland Hostel
Additional hotel options available from numerous hotel brands including: Crowne Plaza, DoubleTree, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Hyatt Regency, Marriott, Radisson, Renaissance, Westin, and Ritz-Carlton.
Vacation Rentals:
Airbnb, VRBO, and FlipKey all have extensive listings in Cleveland.
Tripadvisor - Cleveland, OH
General recommendation for lodging:
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Downtown/the Flats hotels or vacation rental (~2-3 miles from the venue). Quick commute by car. Although a bit far by foot, the commute would be possible by bike. Downtown is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Public Square, and a number of historical buildings. Downtown and the Flats have many restaurants and nightlife options. This area is generally safe and offers a central location close to many of Cleveland’s attractions and EYC.
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A vacation rental in the Detroit Shoreway, Battery Park, Gordon Square, and Edgewater neighborhoods will be walkable to EYC. These neighborhoods are up and coming with a variety of local small businesses and restaurants.
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A vacation rental in Tremont or Ohio City offers trendy neighborhoods with restaurants, shops, and nightlife. Commuting by bike is possible from Ohio City.
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A vacation rental in one of the western Cleveland neighborhoods Lakewood or Rocky River can also be considered. These neighborhoods are more family friendly, while still presenting a number of restaurant and nightlife options. As a general rule, the neighborhoods closer to the lake are a bit more developed.
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While Cleveland does have rush hour traffic, it is fairly manageable, making virtually all housing locations around the city workable with a little planning.
Please also see map for visual reference (Cleveland Lightning NAs map)
The City:
Grocery Stores
Restaurants (too many to cover, but here are some suggestions)
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Edgewater Yacht Club - offers a bar, cafe, and dining area with a variety of cuisine options
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Il Rione - best pizza in Cleveland and located within walking distance of EYC
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Ninja City, Blue Habanero, Rincon Criollo, Luxe, Toast, and Stone Mad Pub - all within walking distance of EYC
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Cleveland Bagel Company - Great option for breakfast sandwiches
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Luca - Italian with a view of the Flats and the Cuyahoga River
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Pier W - Seafood offerings with a cliff's-edge view of Lake Erie
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Sokolowski's - A Cleveland institution offering perogies and other Polish specialties
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Barraco - Columbian restaurant offering Arepas and other items. A great take out option.
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Xinji - Located between EYC and downtown offering ramen.
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Bar 32 - located in the Downtown Hilton on the 32nd floor with a stunning view of Lake Erie
Ice cream / treats
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Mason’s Creamery - it’s always controversial to make the claim, but this is the best ice cream in the city, if you like non-traditional ice cream this place makes the most incredibly flavorful, well balanced ice cream not to mention their made to order churros, bubble waffles, and cookies.
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Mitchels - a local favorite with a wide selection of in-house made ice cream
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Sweet Moses - an old fashioned ice cream shop, chocolatier and soda fountain
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Cleveland’s Doughnut Scene is equally as impressive - check out Big Mouth Donut and Brewnuts near EYC
Night life
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Flats
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Ohio City
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Porco Lounge & Tiki Room
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Townhall
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Nano Brew
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Many other on West 25th
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Lakewood
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Karaoke
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Corky’s Place
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Tina’s Nite Club
Cultural attractions
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Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
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Playhouse Square Theater District
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The Cleveland Arcade and the 5th Street Arcade
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Cleveland Symphony Orchestra concert (Ranked in the to 5 in the world)
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Cleveland Museum of Art (Ranked 2nd in the US by Business Insider magazine in 2016)
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The University Circle neighborhood (where the CMA is located) is also home to Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Cleveland History Center, the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, and the Cleveland Botanical Garden.
Outdoor Activities / Regional Attractions
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Cleveland Metroparks
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With diverse parks and nature areas, the Cleveland Metroparks bring opportunity for several outdoor activities.
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EYC is located within Edgewater Beach Park and we recommend visiting Wendy Park and Lakewood Park on Lake Erie and the Rocky River Reservation nearby.
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Please visit the Cleveland Metroparks Website for a complete list of parks, maps, and recreation opportunities and rentals.
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Holden Arboretum
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Cuyahoga National Park
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Cedar Point
Yachtscoring - Official Website, NOR, Registration, etc.