The Cave Run Sailing Association is an all volunteer, nonprofit association dedicated to
- Promoting both leisure and race sailing
- Conducting sailing education classes
- Providing a forum for good will and social activities among those interested in sailing
- Participating in charitable activities.
About 135 member families, couples or individuals currently belong to CRSA. The Association has a number of activities each year.
Cave Run Lake is located about 55 miles east of Lexington, KY off of I-64 near Morehead. The lake is very clean and picturesque, just about 10,000 acres and is in the Daniel Boone National Forest. It was chosen as one of the 15 best inland places to sail for trailersailers by Sail Magazine in 2004. Shores are gentle hills covered with trees.
Boat Slips, Moorings and Storage are available at the Scott Creek Marina on the lake, or at Mrs. Hooks Boatyard next to the Twin Knobs area on KY 801. The National Park Service charges a fee to use the launch ramp at the Twin Knobs site. Fees are $3/day, $5/weekend or $35/year.
Sailboat Racing is casual, serious, or beginning.
A regular race series of races are scheduled around a triangular course on dates spread evenly over the late spring, summer and early fall. Informal meal socials are held after each day of racing. CRSA sponsors longer casual races of about 7 miles down the lake on a Saturday, a cook-out social, an overnight raftup on Saturday night, and a Sunday return race.
A Charity Regatta is held every year in combination with the national philanthropic organization Psi Iota Xi philanthropic usually the third Sunday in September with funds going to support the Lexington Hearing and Speech Center. Racing is casual. In 2011 we raised over $3500 in this one-day event.
A Grand Annual Regatta is held the first weekend in October. This Saturday-Sunday regatta attracts sailors from 5-7 states, often has 35-45 boats racing and consists mostly of serious racers with a good mix of casual racers as well.
A Beginning Race Series allows new racers to learn the course and the rules, practice techniques, and sail with an experienced racer who will go on your boat, or take you in theirs.
Youth Sailing instruction usually begins in June, teaching 7 to 14 year olds how to sail safely in small boats. Classes include both classroom and on the water instruction.
Sailing Lessons are offered every year by CRSA. Both beginning classes and more advanced ASA Certified sailing courses are taught. The beginning course is usually taught in April or May and consists of 2 two hour classroom sessions in Lexington on a Tuesday and Thursday evening followed by a Saturday of on the water instruction at Cave Run Lake sailing with experienced captain instructors. Beginning courses cost about $95/person, which includes the textbook and a one year membership in the Cave Run Sailing Association.
CRSA is an American Sailing Association affiliate school with many certified instructors. Several ASA certified courses are taught at various times throughout the year. Courses include a one evening orientation session, a textbook with exams, and an all day sailing instruction and test on either Cave Run Lake or on Kentucky Lake. Several courses are offered beginning with ASA 101 and cost $300-400/person. Similar courses and certifications are available on both coasts for $600-900. Enrollment requires membership in the CRSA.
Socials and Member Sailing Events are a large part of CRSA. Meal socials are scheduled after some races, after the Charity and Grand Annual Regattas, at special events like the 4th of July fireworks viewing on the lake, after moonlight lake cruises and intermittent weekend overnight raft-ups. In addition, several on the land socials are scheduled every year including a New Member’s Social in March, a racing rules social in April, a mid-season dinner social in July and an end of year Awards Banquet Social and Party in November.
Sailing Cruises off of Cave Run Lake are arranged every year on bigger boats (35-45 ft) and in more open waters than Cave Run Lake. Cruises last from 3 to 7 days with some being 14 days, plus time for transportation. Venues in the past include Key West, the Chesapeake Bay, Hawaii, the San Juan Islands, the BVIs, the Great Lakes; and the coasts of Spain, France, Scotland and Italy. Expenses vary, but the boat costs for the trips have ranged from $325 to $950/person. Provisioning and travel are extra but sometimes involve carpooling to continental US destinations.
If You Do Not Have a Boat CRSA sailors often look for crew members for races and CRSA keeps a Sunfish at Cave Run for use by members. Members interested in crewing should check the CRSA website, www.caverunsailing.org, (click club racing, then the crew button) and list themselves. Alternately, race organization meetings are at the Twin Knobs Ramp parking lot the day of races at 11:00 AM. Just show up, indicate you want to crew, and the race committee chair will put you on a boat.
