LOWISA on the Water
Traditional Racing Divisions – Flying Sails or White Sails
Traditional racing divisions will sail approximately 29–35km (or 18-22 miles) each day. This format is recommended for boats with crews who are committed to longer days on the water. Traditional racing divisions will start with a traditional start sequence.
Pursuit Racing Divisions – Flying Sails or White Sails
Pursuit racing divisions will sail approximately 20 km (or 12 miles) each day. This format is recommended for competitors wanting to sail a shorter course each day. Vessels will be assigned a start time based on their EZ ratings and this start time will remain consistent throughout the regatta.
Flying Sails Divisions
For yachts wishing to race with spinnakers and/or specialized downwind sails, the flying sails divisions in both the traditional fleet and the pursuit fleet are available. We look forward to welcoming competitors who will enjoy the challenge of racing with flying sails in both divisions.
White Sails Divisions
For yachts wishing to race without spinnakers and specialized downwind sails, the white sails divisions in both the traditional fleet and the pursuit fleet are available offering fun competition. We look forward to welcoming many families, new crews and those interested in a more relaxed racing experience, to the white sails divisions.
Rating Certificates for Keelboats – ORR EZ Racing Rule
All keelboat competitors are required to apply for a rating certificate from ORR under the EZ Racing Rule (see EZ Racing Rule - Offshore Racing Association).
In order to receive an EZ rating certificate, vessel and sail measurements are required. LOWISA has a number of people trained in sail measurement who can help you. Please reach out to SailLowisa@gmail.com if you would like assistance with sail measurement.
Keelboats that fail to provide a valid certificate by the deadline may be scored DNS or denied entry at the discretion of the Race Committee.
All rating certificates are maintained by ORR and any questions about your certificate can be directed to: info@EZracingrule.org.
For more information about LOWISA’s implementation of the EZ Rating Rule, please see Q & A here: EZ Racing Rule/Ratings Explained July 14, 2026. Additionally, the July 14, 2026 seminar recording can be viewed here, and the slide deck from that presentation can be found here.
Dinghies and Multihulls
The Portsmouth rating system will be used for rating and scoring dinghies and multihulls. More information can be found here: 2017-North-American-Portsmouth-Yardstick-Handbook.pdf.
