Sail Sammamish in the . . .
Goose GetAway

The “Goose” is a weekly, recreational sailing get-together of residents and visitors to Lake Sammamish.   Wind powered vessels of all kinds (and their captains and crew, of course) are invited to participate in one or more races.  Pre-set courses (tailored to prevailing winds) are used and event organizers match skipper skill level and their boat’s “speed rating” into friendly, but competitive races.

No experience is necessary, observers are welcome, and if you don't have a boat, loaners are not unheard of.

 Weekly events start in the middle of Lake Sammamish (47°36.25’N, 122°5.66’W or 0.84 miles SE of the intersection of West Lake Sammamish Parkway and Northup Way in Bellevue, WA).  The pre-set, triangular, handicapped courses are distributed on laminated sheets and make use of the speed markers along the shoreline as well as start/finish buoys placed each week by the race coordinators.

 

Traditional start sequences (air horn blasts) are used with all boats commencing the race(s) together (rather than staggered starts).  The first leg of each race sends boats on varying length legs based upon their handicap (i.e., boat type, number of crew onboard, and recent sailing experience of the skipper).  Entrants complete the remaining legs with boats converging for exciting finishes back at the start line.  Novice skippers enjoy a handicap benefit until they are able to win a race or two.  Boat classes are adjusted throughout the season to create closer finishes.
Our Schedule for 2009 will kick-off at 3PM Saturday April 18th and run through Mid-October.  Sundays will be reserved as make-up, if Saturdays result in "non-sailable" conditions.  Should both days get skunked, we'll look for another opportunity during the week.
Pre-Race practice events are planned this year.  Held prior to the official 3 PM start of the main race(s), these short runs will provide training opportunities to practice starts and to assess wind conditions.  Participation in one or more of the short course events will help to get all boats at the starting line on time for the main race, but will not be a requirement for participation in the main race(s). 

For further information, contact Jeff Fletcher at 425-836-0230 (JAFFLETCHER@COMCAST.NET), Marty Nizlek at 425-747-1879 (WSRH93A@MSN.COM), or LSYC Commodore, Jim Mackey.