The Distance Sailing Program includes racing over extended courses approximately ten miles in length (as opposed to "round the buoy" windward / leeward courses). Spinnaker and Non-spinnaker classes will start simultaneously in a fleet format. DSP is a multi-club program and any boat owner on Carlyle Lake is welcome.

The Course

As the participating boats from the Tradewinds Marina leave their marina, they drop a mark at the spot where the Great Race, Keysport Mark is usually placed. While doing so they ensure the mark is in at least 7.5 feet of water. As the boats from West Access Marina proceed up the lake they drop a mark where the Great Race Committee boat is usually placed. At a point in the middle of the lake between cove 4 and Coles Creek, a starting line between two additional marks is set. From the start line, the first mark will be the Keysport mark, and the second mark will be the mark by the dam. The boats will then finish in the middle of the lake, completing one lap.

The Start

The timing for the event will be by GPS time. There will be no committee boat. The start time will be at 11:00 AM via GPS. At 10:55, there will be three short blasts from an air horn. At 10:59, via GPS, there will be two blasts from an air horn. At 11:00 AM, there will be one blast, and the race will start. There will be, as now planned, just one start. The event will start at 11:00 AM, regardless of whether there is wind or not. No waiting to see if the wind is going to build. If the lead boat does not reach the first mark by a given elapsed time, the race is cancelled.

Fleets

There will be four fleets, provided there are at least 5 boats in each fleet. The fleets offered are, Dry Sailed Spinnaker, and NonSpinnaker, and Wet Sailed Spinnaker and NonSpinnaker.

Finish

Boats finishing, will announce there finish over the marine radio, giving the boat name, and the GPS time of their finish. Later they will send their finish time, vial e-mail to Jim Stephenson. If a boat does not finish by 4:00 PM, they will be given a finish time of 4:00 PM. The races will be scored, and the results posted via internet, and posted at the participating marinas.

Participants

To be eligible to participate, you must be a member of BYC, CYC, CSA, or TYC.

Wet versus Dry Sailed

Dry sailed boats will be scored separately from wet sailed boats, however there will also be an overall ranking with a 15 second adjustment between wet and dry sailed. To be considered a wet sailed boat, such boats must adhere to the following.