About
Deep Creek Lake Sailing Association is a member-run sailing club at 204 Yacht Club Road, off Turkey Neck Road in Swanton, on Deep Creek Lake. Often called simply Turkey Neck, the club has been active since 1937 and gives its members a home base for weekend racing and a social life on the lake.
Racing and Learning to Sail
Members race on weekends, mostly in Flying Scots split into Gold, Silver, Master's and Challenger fleets, with a separate Laser start. The Challenger fleet is about fun and learning, with experienced skippers helping newer racers find their feet. Racing open to every sailor on the lake, on weekends and Wednesday evenings from June through September, is run by a separate group, the Deep Creek Yacht Racing Association (DCYRA).
The Deep Creek Sailing School, an independent nonprofit founded in 1992, holds most of its junior and adult classes at the club and keeps its classroom on the clubhouse's first floor. That means you don't need to be a member, or own a boat, to learn to sail at Turkey Neck.
Giving Back
The club's Fair Winds Regatta in mid-September supports It's In the Bag and the Dove Center in Oakland. Members have also collected old sails for Sails for Sustenance, which ships them to Haiti for reuse in housing and fishing boats, and the club hosts the annual Savage Cardboard Boat Race.
Membership
DCLSA is a private club kept running by member volunteers, and the clubhouse is for members and their guests. Prospective members send an expression of interest to the Membership Chair, take part in a mix of sailing and social events, and need sponsorship from voting members; at times there is a waiting list.
If you're curious about sailing at Turkey Neck, start with the club's website.
Address
204 Yacht Club Rd, Swanton, MD 21561