THE PSSA PROGRAM
for SINGLE and DOUBLEHANDED YACHT RACES

The Pacific Singlehanded Sailing Association (PSSA), based in Marina del Rey, has established a racing program for both single and doublehanded yachts.

The PSSA has, perhaps, the fullest single and doublehanded race schedule found on the West Coast. It has easy access to one of the best sailing areas in the continental USA. Five of the eight Channel Islands are within week end sailing range and offer interesting marks for offshore races. Point Conception serves to shelter the Southern California waters from the strong northwest winds which generally parallel the coast of California.

Races normally start and finish off Marina del Rey. The overnight races are usually scheduled to take place near the time of the full moon which makes night sailing much more pleasant as well as safer.

The Dan Byrne Race Series
The Dan Byrne Series consists of five races sailed around the Channel Islands of Santa Barbara and Santa Catalina as well as Bishop Rock on Cortez Bank. The series is named in honor of Dan Byrne, one of the founders of PSSA, its first Commodore, and participant in both the 1980 Singlehanded Transpac and the 1982-1983 singlehanded around-the-world BOC Challenge race.

The David Wall Race Series
This series is named for one of our charter members who lost his life at sea. The series consists of five day races ranging in distance from 23 to 29 nautical miles. The races are held in the summer and fall months after the Dan Byrne Series.

The Guadalupe Island Race
The Guadalupe Island Race was originally designed as a qualifying race for the Singlehanded Transpac, sponsored by the Singlehanded Sailing Society in the San Francisco Bay area. In the 14 years since its inaugural run it has grown into a challenging and competitive event in its own right. While definitely not for the uninitiated, this 630 mile race, held in even numbered years, is a significant test of seamanship, strategy, and endurance.