The vast Flathead Lake. 191 square miles of Montana's most dangerous and unpredictable waters. And home of the Flathead 50. Every year a few brave adventures in homemade plywood boats will risk it all to claim the right to have sailed it's perimeter. It's time for the Deadliest Sail.  Okay we just totally ripped of Deadliest Catch there but it sounded good. Flathead is known for it's rapid weather changes and it is a very large body of water, the largest west of the Great Lakes. What better location for a small sailboat endurance event in the style of the Columbia 150 and Texas 200 to test men and women of iron and boats of plywood. Although no dates have been set and no hard plans made, this will give an overview of the future Flathead 50. 

The Flathead 50 begins in Polson, Montana. Over the next four days the entire lake will be circumnavigated. Because the  Flathead 50 is designed for small boats and there is no discernible current on the lake, the legs are shorter then those found on other endurance events. The legs follow those found on the Flathead Lake Marine Trail, designed to allow human powered vessels navigate the lake. Please note the leg length and duration for the event may change following testing by the IP&NCo. during the 2012 sailing season.

Day 1: Depart Polson for West Shore via Wild Horse Island. 21 Miles

Day 2: West Shore to Wayfarers via Lakeside 13 Miles

This is the largest stretch of open water during the event, 7 miles across the lake. This will be the ultimate test of seamanship and as close to the open ocean as you can get between the the Pacific and The Great Lakes. Showers are available at our final destination.

Day 3 Wayfarers to Yellow Point. 14 Miles

This is the long stretch along the west side of the lake. It contains the longest leg for the whole event.

Day 4: Yellow Point to Polson Via Finley Point. 17 Miles

The home stretch. Returning to Polson via the state park at Finley Point.

Total Distance: 65 Miles