Lakefest Spectator Fleet
Four ways to view all the racing action!
Option 1: Become a Sponsor
While there's really not bad way to watch a regatta, nothing beats watching all the racing action from the comfort of your (or your company's) very own luxury chartered yacht. That's right, at certain sponsorship levels you and your group can be treated to your very own professionally captained yacht complete with snacks, beverages and complimentary cocktails. Yachts will depart from the Grandpappy Fuel Dock on Saturday at a time arranged by the sponsor.
Option 2: From the deck of one of Lakefest Regatta's 50' Luxury Spectator Yachts
For a mere $10 per person donation to the Texoma Lakefest Foundation, you can watch all the racing action up close from one of the best seats in the house. Bring your own snacks and beverages. Water and soft drinks will be available for for a nominal donation. The specator boats will depart the Grandpappy Fuel Dock at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 17, and return to the Grandpappy Fuel Dock at approximately 3 p.m. that afternoon.
Option 3: Sundance Camp
Texoma Destinations has opened up Sundance Camp to the general public for watching the regatta action from the beach at Sundance Camp. The camp features clean, modern restroom and shower facilities and a number of RV sites and camp sites for both racers and spectators. Watch the promotional video below for more details. Specifics on Sundance camp are at 3:00 into the video, and one of the regatta's spectator yachts is featured at 3:34. Admission is $5; kids under 12 are free. Texoma Destinations will provide water and soft drinks onsite for a nominal charge.
Option 4: BYOB (Bring Your Own Boat)
We hope all Texoma sail and power boats will join the spectator fleet and cheer on our competitors. It's the best party afloat! We simply ask spectator boats to keep clear of the race course and keep noise (especially loud music) at a discrete volume just while boats are in their starting sequence.
Regatta Course Description
There will be two courses, one for handicap (PHRF) racing and one for the one-design fleets (Melges 24s, Vipers, J/80s). Since the predicted wind will be out of the south, look for the race courses to be placed somewhere east of Preston Point and the entrance to Grandpappy Pt. Marina.
The starting line will be between the port side of a committee boat (these will be large powerboats with several signal flags on them) and an inflatable mark approximately 50-100 yards to port of the committee boat. The boats will start by heading upwind (south, approximately 1 – 1.5 miles) to one of two windward marks. Remember, since sailboats can't sail directly into the wind, the racecourse will look like a diamond shape to give racers room to tack back and forth.
About 40-50 yards beyong the windward mark is a good place to anchor or raft up. Once the boats round the windward mark, many will set colorful spinnakers and change downwind to the leeward mark – another inflatable mark set about 50-75 yards windward of the Race Committee Boat's bow. Once they round the leeward mark, they'll head back upwind to complete as many laps as the Race Committee designates.
After rounding the windward mark for the final time, the boats will charge downwing for the finish line, which will be setup on the starboard side of the Race Committee boat (approximately the mirror opposite of the starting line. Probably the best spot for watching the racing is approximatley 50 yards behing the Race Committee boat and/or the start and finish lines.
Pending weather, each class of boats will run 3 races Friday, 3 Saturday and 1 Sunday.
Hope to see you there! Dont forget the Shipwrecked Ball on Saturday night is bound to be full of surpises! This is a great way to participate in the charity regatta without having to know how to sail!
Pirate Mike
To find out more about the Lakefest Regatta go here: Texoma Lakefest
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