The stake format was often used in early American races. Competitors
line up at the start, race to a stake, moored boat, or buoy some
distance away, and return. The 180° turn requires mastery of steering.
These races are popular with spectators because one may watch both the
start and finish. Usually only two boats would race at once to avoid
collision. The Green Mountain Head Regatta continues to use the stake
format but it is run as a head race with an interval start.
A similar type of racing is found in UK and Irish coastal rowing, where
a number of boats race out to a given point from the coast and then
return fighting rough water all the way. In Irish coastal rowing the
boats are in individual lanes with the races consisting of up to 3 turns
to make the race distance 2.3 km.