The Abe Bashara Boathouse, host site of The Great Stone Dam Classic.

The Great Stone Dam Classic features 3 great races:

• • 8.6-mile, 2-loop Racing course for experienced canoe racers

  • 3.5-mile Recreational course "for the rest of us"!

  • 1-k Youth and Jr/Sr Race, which starts after the completion of the Racing and Recreational races.

PLEASE NOTE that the race courses may change based upon river level and weather the day of the race. Final course details will be available on-site the day of the race, and outlined at the pre-race briefing.

The 8.6-mile Racing course consists of two loops:

• 1. The first loop starts at the Abe Bashara Boathouse and travels upstream to Pine Island. Pine Island is on the Methuen (north) side of the river, and will be on your right as you travel upstream, almost exactly one mile above the Rte. 93 bridge. Racers make a clockwise (left-to-right) turn around the far (upstream) end of Pine island, then return to the Boathouse..

  2. Racers start the second loop by making a 180-degree counter-clockwise (right-to-left) turn around a white "no wake" buoy upstream of the starting line, then proceeding upstream to a pair of buoys approximately one mile above the boathouse. There will be one buoy on each side of the river there. Make a counter-clockwise (right-to-left) turn around the first buoy, cross the river, then make a counter-clockwise (right-to-left) turn around the second buoy and proceed to the finish line. The second buoy will be staggered a bit upstream of the first. The start and finish lines are one and the same.

  3. As you complete the course, be sure you cross the finish line near the dock so that timers can record your time!

Except for the turn around Pine Island, this is a deep-water course. Any shallows around the top of the island are sandy, and you'll only encounter them if you make a very tight turn there.

Click on the thumbnails below to see larger maps of each of the Racing course's two loops:

Racing course: First loop.

Racing course: Second loop.

The 3.5-mile Recreational course consists of one loop:

• 1. The Recreational course starts at the Abe Bashara Boathouse and travels upstream to a buoy just below the Route 93 bridge. Racers make a clockwise (left-to-right) turn around the buoy, then return to the starting line. The start and finish lines are one and the same.

  2. As you complete the course, be sure to cross the finish line near the dock so that timers can record your time.

This is a deep-water course.

Click on the thumbnail below to see a larger map of the Recreational course:

Recreational course.

The 1-kilometer Youth and Junior/Senior course consists of one loop

• 1. The Youth course consists of one counter-clockwise loop in front of the Abe Bashara Boathouse grounds. The entire Youth course will be visible from the shore. The final course layout will be announced on race day.

  2. The Youth race starts after completion of the Racing and Recreational races, maximizing the number of cheering fans for our young paddlers! We welcome Junior/Senior teams as well in the Youth Race -- adults who have paddled in the Racing or Recreational courses don't have to pay a second registration. So once you've finished the Racing or Recreational courses join up with a Youth partner and have some more fun!

Click on the thumbnail below to see a larger map of the Youth course:

Youth course.