Course Alpha
Disclaimer: this material is unofficial, and presented for general information only. Always read your sailing instructions.
Course Alpha is Kingston's primary sailing regatta circle.
Over the years, many major championships have been hosted on Course Alpha.
Course Alpha is usually the "inside" race circle when sailing instructions provide for racing "inside" (in the harbour) or "outside" (beyond Snake Island) at the discretion of the Race Committee.
For competitors
- Course Alpha is close to Portsmouth Olympic Harbour.
- In prevailing breezes, expect smaller waves, less current, probably lower breeze pressure, and look for a geographic shift as you go upwind toward Simcoe Island.
- Beware of Magnetic Anomalies which are evident on Course Alpha, especially closer to the Kingston shore.
For race officers
- A 1 1/4-mile diameter circle is shown in the diagram. Weather legs up to 1 1/2-miles in length are possible on Course Alpha.
- In prevailing breezes (S -> SW -> W), committee boat anchoring on Course Alpha can be difficult due to depth and the variable holding quality of the bottom.
- In prevailing breezes the weather mark anchors in shallower water close to Simcoe Island. The bottom here tends to flat-rock, so in breeze be mindful of weather mark dragging.
- Beware of Magnetic Anomalies, especially closer to the Kingston shore. In prevailing breezes, expect to see declinations up to 8 degrees east of normal at the committee boat, with declinations reaching normal the closer to Simcoe Island.
- When anchoring operations in an East breeze: be aware that Snake Island Bank is effectively a lee shore. It's very shallow, knarly, and you don't want any boats ending up there.
Boat traffic
Here is a diagram of the pleasure boat traffic patterns on Alpha Course.
There are two main causes of traffic on Alpha course:
- Boats coming and going to the Boat Channel, which is a channel on the South side of Simcoe Island, which is a flat-water shortcut to Lake Ontario.
- Boats coming and going to Lake Ontario via the route South of Snake Island Bank. In prevailing breezes this traffic, if not notified, tends to run straight up and down, splitting your weather leg.
If boat traffic is a problem, you can mitigate by strategically placing safety vessels, or get help from the spectator fleet, to notify boats coming from these places to try and stay clear of boats racing.