sailboat racing course

Hatteras Sailing

encouraging youth sailing and competitive opportunities

Basic Race Course Starting Knowledge

STARTS are challenging and fun! If you are new to the sailboat racing world, it can really seem intimidating. Thats alright, dont let it intimidate you, because once you get it wired you will love the STARTS! In order not to overwhelm, we will begin with some rudimentary basics. More advanced starting topics and techniques will come once these basic skills are mastered.

Your Objective – Always focus on your objective above all things!

For Sailboat racing, the objective is always to be the winner of the race. This is true for fleet and match racing, but maybe slightly different for Team Racing. Right now though we are going to set this aside until later. It all begins with the Starting Line though and to be the winner of most races, you have to get off to a good start! Here are a few bullet points of the most basic issues to concentrate on for beginners.

Identify where the Start Line is and which direction you are to go across the line and what mark you are heading toward after the start.
Understand the Starting Sequence and time line and how to use your own watch for the start countdown
Avoid hitting and fouling other boats, which means understanding the basic right of way rules
Controlling your boat’s speed, stopping and starting, sail control, rudder control, crew weight and positioning
Do your very best to be at the line at the start signal, moving at top boat speed, in the right direction… yes this might sound easier than it is, but its what you want to strive for. Don’t be hard on yourself if it you are not able to do this every time!

The Racecourse Options

Regattas and sailboat races have several different layouts, based on how the club running the race decides to set it up. The diagram below is a typical set of options that the Race Committee usually might choose from. During the day of racing, they may even change the course layout. This decision is usually based on the weather, number of boats and the speed of the boats based on the current conditions. The race committee options for the regatta are in the racing instructions and this is something you need to keep in a dry bag on your boat with you during the regatta, so you can identify how, where and how many times around the marks you are suppose to sail.

The next diagrams are of the start line and some basic wind information that you need to understand to optimize your start.

Starting Sequence

Racing starts have different start countdowns. Its pretty hard to time things if you dont have some sort of digital watch with countdown timer options. There are nice expensive racing watches…. click here for one example , otherwise most standard inexpensive water resistant watches will work, they are just a little more complicated to get to the timer settings and this takes practice, but thats what I grew up using, so it works. For our club practices we will use the following sequences for training.

1 Minute Preparatory Warning Signal
5 Minute Starting Signal
1 Minute Warning Signal
Starting Signal

The 1 minute prep signal allows you to make sure your timer is setup and ready so you can press the start button on your watch exactly when the 5 minute countdown signal is made. If you miss this, then you have a second chance to get in time with the 1 minute warning signal… dont miss your second chance, because its your last chance.

Now once you have the time on your watch, you can start focusing your attention on the boat speed and maneuvers to get you at the line on time.

Most important factors now are……

Fast Track® to Performance Sailing

Fast-paced sailing lessons focusing on go-fast techniques.

Offshore Sailing School’s Fast Track® to Performance Sailing is an intensive five-day learning experience that takes you from learning to sail through the start of competitive racing. This course is designed to transition beginners, small boat sailors and big-boat crew with no formal sail-training – to becoming confident, skilled sailors in competition or when just out having fun around other sailboats. The 5-day sailing adventure starts with two full days of basic sailing 101, then continues with three full days dedicated to the exciting world of performance sailing 102. Protect your investment with Travel Insurance. View coverage options here .

Start with Basic Keelboat Sailing Lessons

Fast Track® to Performance Sailing is taught on Offshore Sailing School’s Colgate 26 sailboats, specifically designed for teaching essential sailing and performance techniques. The first two days focus on fundamental sailing skills, tailored for novices, those who need to brush up their sailing knowledge, or lack experience on mid-sized open cockpit keelboats. This initial phase lays a robust sailing foundation, covering what you need to know to gain US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification.

Continue with Performance Sailing and Racing Lessons

The next three days are devoted to techniques that make a sailboat sail fast! You learn advanced sailing techniques including sail twist, racing tactics, mark rounding, and spinnaker handling – just some of the skills that are crucial for sailors who have a yen for local club racing and want to improve proficiency aboard when crewing and steering.

Holistic Learning Approach

This exciting course combines visual, auditory, and hands-on learning. Prior to arrival, you are sent the US Sailing Basic Keelboat textbook to study in advance, preparing you for theoretical and practical aspects of sailing. In-class sessions deepen your understanding of sailing. On-water sessions aboard a Colgate 26 emphasize practicing knowledge you have absorbed and applying those concepts in real sailing situations.

Your Path to Advanced Sailing Performance

Fast Track® to Performance Sailing is more than a course. It’s a stepping stone to advanced sailing on any size boat. Whether you aim to compete in sailboat day racing around the buoys, overnight sailboat racing from one point to another, or just wish to become a more proficient sailor, this course equips you with the necessary skills and knowledge to continue your growth path in your sailing community.

Join Our Sailing Family in a Superb Sailing Vacation Setting

In this Fast Track® course you experience more than just sailing. You learn at a picturesque Florida location with a perfect mix of serene beauty and warm weather in a rich sailing environment. You are invited to be part of this transformative experience on a superb vacation getaway. A maximum of four students per instructor, per boat make this highly personal learning experience one you’ll never forget. Sign up now for the Fast Track® to Performance Sailing course and start your journey towards becoming an adept sailor, ready to take on new challenges and enjoy the thrill of sailing to its fullest.

What You Learn

Basic keelboat 101 and performance sailing 102 combined:.

Nautical terminology
Rigging and sails
Getting underway
Proper winch techniques
Finding wind direction on all points of sail
Proper tacking and jibing techniques
Interaction of wind and sails
Wind pressure and lift
Heeling and stability
Apparent wind
Wind shifts
Stopping and starting under sail
Crew overboard pick-up
Sailing backwards
Rudderless sailing
Sail trim and shape
Trimming sails for speed
Boat balance
Mooring and anchoring
Most used knots
Right-of-way rules
Heavy weather techniques
Steering with a compass
Weather and Lee helm
Spinnaker set, jibe, douse and control
Jibe angles
Sail and mast shape and control
Velocity made good
Sailing in current and use of ranges
Collision avoidance
Taking bearings
Introduction to racing rules
Function of race committee
Flags and other signals
Starting sequence and tactics
Basic racing rules
Mark roundings
Performance in close quarters
Finishing first

Prerequisite: No prior sailing knowledge is required.

Certifications: US Sailing Basic Keelboat and US Sailing Performance Sailing.

What’s Included

The fast track® to performance sailing course package includes:.

2 days of Basic Keelboat 101 and 3 days of Performance Sailing 103 tuition
6 nights accommodations ashore
Resort fees and taxes related to accommodations
US Sailing Basic Keelboat textbook
Offshore Sailing School Fast Track to Sailing textbook
US Sailing Basic Keelboat and Performance Sailing certifications when tests are passed
Certification stickers for logbook
Certificate of achievement

Not included are travel and transfer costs, meals, and costs for other activities.

Where to Learn

Please call 888-454-7015 or 239-454-1700 for Florida locations where this course is offered.

Photo Gallery

Guidance for Setting a Race Course

Recommended Courses

The following table shows recommended courses for each fleet based on wind direction. A notation of (2|3) indicates to select 2 or 3 laps based on wind speed, forecast, and sunset. A notation of (2) indicates to select between 1 and 2 laps based on wind speed, forecast, and sunset.

Background Information

After you have been racing a while, you will probably notice that most sailboat race courses are slight variations of a few basic themes. The starting line is square to the wind, the first mark is directly upwind from the middle of the starting line, the marks are left to port, and the course itself is a combination of triangles and straight upwind/downwind legs. While the racing rules allow nearly any shape of course design, there are some good reasons why most Race Committees follow these basic guidelines.

The first rule of thumb is that the starting line should be square to the wind and square to the course to the first mark. This is true whether the first leg is upwind or downwind, but is particularly important for upwind starts. The reason is simple: if the starting line is not square then the end that is closer to upwind or closer to the first mark has a significant advantage and all of the racers will want to start in the same place. Or course, not all of the boats will fit in the same place at the same time and the result can be difficult right-of-way situations, fouls, and even collisions.

The second rule of thumb is that the first leg should be upwind. First, this makes the start easier without boats going over early, but the main reason is to spread the boats over the course so that they don’t all arrive at the first mark at the same time. Because racers have to tack to go up wind, the best direction to sail is a matter of opinion and fleet tends to split up on windward legs with some going more right and others going more left. The result is a less-crowded mark rounding at the weather mark and fewer chances for anyone to break a rule

Marks are usually left to port in fleet races for a slightly different reason. When two groups of boats are approaching the weather mark with one group on port and the other on starboard tack, the mark rounding tends to go more smoothly and the rules are easier to apply if the mark is rounded to port so that the boats that do not need to tack have the right of way on the approach. If a port-tack and a starboard-tack boat are approaching a starboard mark rounding, the right-of-way boat (starboard) must tack in order to get around the mark. When she starts to tack, she retains right-of-way only until she reaches head-to-wind and then becomes a sitting duck for any other boat on the course, port or starboard. Once she is on port tack she regains some rights, but now she must keep clear of any boats approaching on starboard tack. The result can be real chaos if very many boats reach the mark at about the same time. Starboard roundings are used in match racing because each boat only needs to worry about one other on the course and the extra tactical complexity makes the race more interesting.

Finally, most race courses have in common the overall course design. Most race course designs, except for long-distance races, are variations of triangles and windward/leeward legs. First of all, this makes life easier for the Race Committee because they don’t have to worry about accidentally breaking one of the other rules-of-thumb and in addition these types of courses are easy to set up, describe, and operate. Upwind and downwind legs provide the most opportunity for tactical decisions that allow you to pass other boats, and as a result are very popular for racing high-performance boats. The triangle course has the advantage of keeping the lead boats away from the large group of boats still coming upwind by making them sail to the gybe mark first, and it also had the advantage of keeping the boats moving on hot summer days when no one wants to sail straight downwind. For this reason a triangle is often preferred for club races and is pleasant to sail. An Olympic course where a triangle is followed by a windward/leeward lap combines the two and by the time the straight downwind leg starts, the fleet is usually spread enough to reduce the number of interactions between downwind and upwind boats.

Setting the Starting Line

As a racer you should know how to set a starting line. HOW else Will you be able to criticize the race committee if you haven’t done it yourself? Believe it or not, this activity alone can be moderately challenging for all race committees

Instructions :

Make sure you have enough anchor line to let out a scope of 3-to-l (three feet of line for every one foot of depth)
Pull your boat alongside the chosen starting mark and take a wind reading on your compass.
The bow of the committee boat should be pointing almost directly into the wind
Watch the wind for several minutes to see whether it shifts to the right or left.
Drive your boat at a 90-degree angle just abeam from the starting mark when you are satisfied with the wind direction. The committee boat is usually on the starboard end of the line when facing windward per US Sailing, but set it up on the side that makes the most sense due to the constraints of our marks and the river.
Make sure that there is enough room for the largest fleet to safely negotiate the starting line You don’t want to be at the wrong end of a short starting line!
Drop your anchor when your distance is safe enough to fit the largest fleet and the line you draw from your starting mark to the committee boat is perpendicular to the wind. Keep in mind how much anchor line you will be releasing to keep yourself perpendicular.

Understand that the wind sometimes shifts unpredictably, which can make your starting line seem overly favored on one end. Try not to make it the committee boat end unless you want to get close and personal. Weather reports may indicate if wind shifts are predicted

This is not the America’s Cup — it is Thursday night racing. do the best you can. It is better to get in a race than to sit around waiting for the race committee to perfectly’ set up the starting line

No matter how good a job you do, some racer will still have a complaint for you back at Tidewater.

Just smile and know that they will have their own night of race committee duty.

Goals/Guidelines for Suggested Courses

1) Weather mark is the same for all fleets

2) Leeward mark should be different

3) All fleets finish from the same direction

4) Avoid “buttonhook” roundings

5) Avoid the mooring field on an East wind

6) Confirm there is enough water depth when approaching the starting line – especially when starting at F, G, and H marks

7) Avoid E to F direct courses, or use G as a boundary mark to keep boats away from hazard

8) Use Z in courses to provide flexibility in shortening courses if the wind dies.

9) When a Tug with barge is coming into the starting area, use the postponement flag to allow them to pass.

S/SW Wind: The Nonspin course is stretched out to F rather than H, but a once-around is suggested with an option for twice, while the Spin fleets could go 2 or 3 laps. Since the Nonspin course goes from E to F, you can put in a green G, to keep the fleet further away from the uncharted shoal area between E and G. Note that G then is a Boundary mark, not a Rounding mark (no buttonhook around G).

NW Wind: On the second time around for the Nonspin fleet, only they use B to separate fleets. The Nonspin course is complex enough that it could not carry a 2 for twice around.

W Wind: Note that these courses can’t be shortened once posted.

AROUND THE SAILING WORLD
BOAT OF THE YEAR
Email Newsletters
Best Marine Electronics & Technology
America’s Cup
St. Petersburg
Caribbean Championship
Boating Safety

Sailboat Racing Tips: Short Course and Long Course Tactics

By Dave Reed
November 28, 2023

Sailing World Racing Editor Mike Ingham shares his insights into how the size of the racecourse effects your tactics and strategy.

More: how to , Racing , Sailboat Racing , sailboat racing tips
More Racing

Reineke’s Battle For the Berth

One-Design Wingfoil Racing Takes Off

Cole Brauer wins second place in the Global Sailing Challenge

Brauer Sails into Hearts, Minds and History

Anticipation and Temptation

America’s Offshore Couple

Jobson All-Star Juniors 2024: The Fast Generation

Digital Edition
Customer Service
Privacy Policy
Cruising World
Sailing World
Salt Water Sportsman
Sport Fishing
Wakeboarding

Find A School
Certifications
North U Sail Trim
Inside Sailing with Peter Isler
Docking Made Easy
Study Quizzes
Bite-sized Lessons
Fun Quizzes
Sailing Challenge

How to Graduate from Cruiser to Racer — Steps to Start Racing Sailboats 🔉

By: Zeke Quezada, ASA Learn To Sail , North U

So often in the sailing world, we’re presented with a question that takes binary form — “are you a cruiser or a racer?” Sure, people tend to have their preferences, but I’d like to propose one can embrace both dimensions of sailing in the same way one can appreciate both fine art and Formula 1.

I have two boys who sail. One kid has a nice cheeseboard and understands the art of sailing, eating, and drinking on the ocean. His crew is consistently composed of competent sailors that want to relax and enjoy the ocean environment.

The second son wants to go fast. If he is not going fast, he would instead take a nap — the non-racing aspects of sailing aren’t interesting to him. His crew is a group of competitive sailors who love to win. They work well together as a team and can be found trying to go fast on a leisurely Saturday afternoon sail.

So many times I have wanted for both sons to experience the strengths of the other son out on the water — to become complete sailors, fully appreciative of the entire sailing experience, and also fully capable of maximizing speed and performance all in one optimized, well-rounded package.

In fact, this is not only my wish, but at American Sailing, it is our goal for every sailor out there to fall in love with both aspects of sailing. If you are already a seasoned cruiser, or just getting started sailing, here are a few steps on how to graduate to full-blown racer while still sharpening your general sailing skills.

What Are the Prerequisites to Sailboat Racing?

Learning to race sailboats involves a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical experience. First, you do need to have a grasp of the fundamentals of sailing. ASA 101 certification can get you in the front door of the racing environment. In addition, you should have knowledge and experience on how to maneuver the boat, trim the sails, and use the wind to your advantage.

With the Sailing Basics Behind Me, What’s Next?

Once you have gained knowledge beyond the simple skills you learned in ASA 101, these are a few ways to get started with sailboat racing.

Join a sail club or yacht club that offers and organizes local races. Being part of the sailing community will allow you to meet others interested in the sport. While the super serious racers might not invite you on their race boat, you can find a few skippers looking for crew. Wednesday night racing is a fun way to learn about sailboat racing and an excellent way to make new sailing friends.

Attend a clinic. North U is a new part of the American Sailing curriculum, and they specialize in helping sailors become more efficient out on the water. In the simplest terms, they teach you how to go faster, and this is accomplished through lessons on . seamanship, technique, skills, and even your ability to work as a team. This curriculum can be accessed through online courses, webinars, workbooks and best of all, the North U clinics that get you racing.

These clinics are a great way to familiarize yourself with racing and racing technique. You’ll learn about strategy, tactics, and rules. Take a look at some of the racing clinics that North U offers at NorthU.com

Learn the lingo of sailboat racing. While some of the common sailing terms are included, sailboat racing also has quite a few terms that you should be familiar with:

Here are some common sailing racing terms:

Beat – sailing upwind towards the windward mark
Reach – sailing perpendicular to the wind, at an angle between a beat and a run
Run – sailing downwind away from the windward mark
Tack – turning the bow of the boat through the wind in order to change direction
Jibe – turning the stern of the boat through the wind in order to change direction
Windward – the side of the boat closest to the wind
Leeward – the side of the boat farthest from the wind
Start line – the line across which boats start a race
Starting gun – the signal that starts the race
OCS – “on course side,” meaning a boat crossed the start line too early and must restart
Layline – the imaginary line that a boat must sail to in order to round a mark without tacking or jibing
Mark – An object the sailing instructions require a boat to leave on a specified side, and a race committee vessel surrounded by navigable water from which the starting or finishing line extends. An anchor line or an object attached accidentally to a mark is not part of it.
Mark rounding – sailing around a buoy or other fixed object on the course
Finish line – the line across which boats finish the race
Protest – An allegation made under rule 61.2 by a boat, a race committee, a technical committee or a protest committee that a boat has broken a rule.
Penalty – a penalty imposed on a boat for breaking a racing rule, typically a time penalty or a penalty turn.
Zone – The area around a mark within a distance of three hull lengths of the boat nearer to it. A boat is in the zone when any part of her hull is in the zone.

Familiarize yourself with the rules of sailboat racing. It takes time to fully learn the racing rules of sailing ; they are complex and very detailed. Having a cursory glance at the basic concepts of the rules can increase your enjoyment, and whet your appetite to enjoy the more strategic side of sailing. That said, you don’t have to master all the rules to get out there and join a crew in a race to start enjoying the racing side of the sport. Many clubs have friendly competitions and entry level races to help you learn the art of racing.

Here are some of the most common or interesting racing rules:

Start: Boats must stay behind the start line until the starting signal is given. Crossing the line early can result in a penalty.
Right of way: When two boats are approaching each other, the boat on the starboard tack has the right of way and should be given room to pass. When boats are on opposite tacks, a port-tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard-tack boat.
Helping Those in Danger: A boat or competitor shall give all possible help to any person or vessel in danger.
Penalty: A boat that breaks a rule may be penalized by doing a 360-degree turn or retiring from the race.
Protest: If a boat believes that another boat has broken a rule, it can protest by flying a protest flag and informing the other boat at the first reasonable opportunity. The race committee will then investigate the protest and make a ruling.

Here are some resources to help you get started

Online Class: Sail Theory & Upwind Trim This online course provides a fundamental understanding of the forces behind upwind sailing as well plus advanced techniques that balance the angle of attack, sail depth, and the twist of your main and jib in order to optimize speed and pointing in all conditions.
Seminar: Racing Tactics This in-person seminar will teach the strategy and tactics you need to turn your speed into a podium finish. Starts, upwind, downwind, mark rounding: With top instructors and refined curriculum you’ll learn techniques to improve your game all the way around the course.
On The Water Clinic: Regatta Experience These events combine training and racing with coaching every step of the way. The clinics cover every facet of regatta success: Strategic planning, tactical positioning, starting, boat speed, trim, helming, boat handling – everything!

So, how do I bring my entire family up to speed so that we are winning Wednesday night races in our marina? Lately, we have been racing any other boat that is out on the water. Sure, those other boats have no clue that we are racing. However, when the three of us are sailing together, we are slowly attempting to go faster. This is a foreign concept to a couple of us as we don’t usually focus on trimming the sails but we have found the ride becoming smoother, and we are covering a lot more distance on our day sails.

The best advice I have been given about starting to learn how to race on a sailboat is quite simple. Practice. Practice makes a big difference. As of late, I am adjusting the outhaul, I am checking the boom vang, and I am keeping an eye on the traveler. While my day sails have become busier, I am starting to see the value in wanting to occasionally be a racer.

Son 1, the kid with great taste in food. Well, he still watches in disbelief as he spreads his camembert on his crackers, but son two is now getting faster.

feature_2023-11-01_misconceptions-sailing

Learn To Sail
Mobile Apps
Online Courses
Upcoming Courses
Sailor Resources
ASA Log Book
Bite Sized Lessons
Knots Made Easy
Catamaran Challenge
Sailing Vacations
Sailing Cruises
Charter Resources
International Proficiency Certificate
Find A Charter
All Articles
Sailing Tips
Sailing Terms
Destinations
Environmental
Initiatives
Instructor Resources
Become An Instructor
Become An ASA School
Member / Instructor Login
Affiliate Login

HOW TO CREATE YOUR RACE-WINNING SAILING STRATEGY

Sailing strategy is about forming a race plan based on as much information as possible. Which is going to be the fastest route up the sailing race course? And what factors are contributing to that decision? In this blog, we’ll look at how to put together a solid strategy so that you start the race with a clear plan in mind.

Here are some of the factors to take into account when putting your sailing race strategy together for the day. – Land Effects – Course Axis – Wind Pattern – Current & Tide – The kind of boat you sail – Your Attitude to Risk

WHAT KIND OF SAILING RACE COURSE ARE YOU LOOKING AT?

Before we look at those factors, let’s get an overview of what we’re trying to achieve here. Some race courses have a clear pattern that is well documented because so many sailors have experienced what works, and what doesn’t work at that venue. Let’s look at two very different scenarios and how they might affect your decisions about the best strategy for the sailing race day.

ONE-SIDED RACE TRACK

Lake Garda in the north of Italy is famous for its reliable thermal breeze called the Ora. On a warm summer’s day, the Ora arrives almost like clockwork at the northern end of the Lake just after midday.

When the Ora is blowing, the windward mark will be set to the south of the start line. Almost without fail, you know there will be stronger wind on the right-hand side of the windward leg, near the cliffs on the western side of the Lake. The boats that get to that stronger wind the soonest will be in the best position to win the race.

AT ALL COSTS, GET TO THE RIGHT!

So your goal is to do whatever it takes to get over to the right-hand side as quickly as possible. This could mean a brave start on port tack, either ducking or nipping ahead of the majority of the fleet on starboard. Or if you want to play it a bit safer, start on starboard near the committee boat and wait for your moment to tack into a clear lane on port tack. Even if you have to sail for a while in another boat’s dirty air, it’s a price worth paying for getting over to the stronger wind as soon as you can. In these conditions, there is no reward for sailing up the middle of the course.

EVEN-SIDED RACE TRACK

In contrast with the one-way track of Lake Garda, you could be racing on a course on the open sea with the wind blowing directly onshore. The breeze is steady, hardly changing in strength or direction, and there are no land or current effects on the course. The race committee has set the start line even in the wind direction, so there is no advantage to starting at either end. So, what would you do? The risk of getting it right or wrong is much less significant than in the Lake Garda example. This is about as even and fair a race track as you could hope to find.

CLEAR AIR IS KING!

So your success will mostly come down to getting a good sailing start in clear air and being able to hold your lane for as long as you want, perhaps all the way out to the lay line. Your strategy is to sail fast and be able to tack when you want, maintaining clear air all the way to the windward mark. So maybe starting at the pin end would be a good option. This would give you the ability to put the bow down, ease the sails a bit for speed, and sail in clear air and clear water all the way out to the left-hand side. By the time you want to tack on to port, you should have gained enough of a gap to cross any other boats on starboard tack. Strategy on a day like this is much less important than a great start combined with raw boat speed.

FACTORS TO HELP SET YOUR STRATEGY

The two examples above show you the full range of sailing strategies, from the one-sided ‘must hit the cliffs’ demands of Lake Garda, to the ‘go anywhere you like as long as you’re fast’ nature of the open water race course.

Most racing venues will sit somewhere between these two extremes. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to work out what kind of venue and what kind of day you’re looking at.

Here are the key factors to help you formulate a race-winning strategy.

LAND EFFECTS

What land is there near the course, or even some distance away? And what effect could that have on the behavior of the wind? We’ve already spoken about the cliffs at Lake Garda and how the wind tends to get stronger the closer you get to those cliffs. If you’re coming to a new venue for the first time, here are a couple of things you can do to get the inside track on local effects: – Ask the locals. Club sailors who have raced at a venue for years tend to know all the subtle tricks and tips when the wind is blowing from a certain angle. Ask them and see if they’ll share their secrets! Buy them a beer if it helps loosen their lips. – Do a split tack. Before the start, find a friendly rival and set out from the starting area on separate tacks. Agree that you’ll both tack at, say, 2 or 3 minutes. Now you’ll be on converging tacks. Who came out ahead? This can be useful research, although be a little careful about drawing hard conclusions. Use it as an indicator of what might be going on. When in doubt about which way to go up the first beat, a split tack can sometimes give you that extra confidence to aim in a certain direction.

CURRENT & TIDE

A bit like Land Effects , Current & Tide should be predictable, even more so in fact. For open sea courses, chances are there are some navigational charts with tidal information. You can buy these charts well in advance of going to the venue, so your research can start days or even months before you’re due to compete there. The same tips we already talked about, Ask the Locals and Do a Split Tack , also apply to working out which is likely to favor on the race course.

COURSE AXIS

Sometimes the course can be skewed off to one side, meaning there’s going to be more sailing to be done on one tack than the other. Unless there are very good reasons for doing otherwise, Sail the Long Tack first. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself hitting a layline very early, leaving with you no tactical options and at risk of the wind shifting against you. However, there are some occasions when sailing the short tack first, ie. banging a corner, might work. This is when you have high confidence that one side of the course is paying, perhaps due to a well-known Land Effect or because there is a much weaker adverse tide on that side of the course.

WIND PATTERN

What’s the wind doing? And what’s it forecast to do? In the northern hemisphere, a thermal sea breeze will drag right with the movement of the sun, and even on a fairly small course, you can feel the effects. Going right in a sea breeze is generally the safer bet. Or maybe the wind is oscillating back and forth through 10 to 15 degrees, in which case some pre-race homework and timing of the shifts will give you an idea of which way the first wind shift will go after the start.

THE KIND OF BOAT THAT YOU RACE

What kind of boat you sail has a big effect on your strategy. In a hiking dinghy like a Laser/ILCA, tacking costs you hardly any speed loss. So you can afford to tack your way into clear air and play your options to achieve the strategy that you want. In a faster boat like a twin-trapeze catamaran or a foiling Moth, a tack is a relatively high-tariff maneuver. You simply can’t afford to tack too often, which means you need to have done your homework before the race to decide which way up the first leg is likely to pay. The faster the boat, the more important strategy becomes.

YOUR ATTITUDE TO RISK

Some of the most successful Olympic sailors like to start out of the middle of the line and rarely stray to the edges of the course. This is particularly true in the slower boats like Lasers and 470s. But the most successful sailors also tend to have world-class boatspeed, so they can afford to take fewer risks and rely on their speed to manage the fleet and defend their position near the front. Other very successful Olympic sailors are also known to bang the corner of the course, but this is because they have done their pre-race homework and have strong faith in their strategy. The accepted wisdom is that banging the corners is a high-risk option only for fools. But if you know that there is a ‘gain feature’ on one side of the course that works time and time again, maybe the risker option is to stay in the middle of the course. This weighing up of risk v reward is one of the most fascinating parts of sailboat racing. What you decide is sometimes down to your personality and attitude to risk. Experiment with different ratios of the risk/reward equation and see what works!

SO WHAT’S YOUR STRATEGY?

So, Strategy… it’s a complicated business! It’s all about working out what matters most for the day. Analysing the different factors and deciding on the biggest, most important priorities. Start thinking in strategic terms. Do your homework before going afloat, and in the 10 to 20 minutes before the race start. Which way are you going to go up the first upwind leg? And why? The more you think strategically, the better you’ll get. And you’ll be starting with a big advantage over your less strategic rivals!

Look out for a lot more ‘go faster’ content coming your way from Sailmon. We’re keen to share more content on various topics that all add up to helping you sail better. Follow us on Facebook , Instagram or subscribe to our newsletter . Whatever you do, don’t miss out on this valuable content! We’re here to make you even better than you are today! ---- Check out this webinar! Setting the right goals is essential to sail better and win races. In our first webinar with Kyle Langford, we take a deep dive into goal setting to sail better. Together with host Andy Rice and our founder and Olympian Kalle Koster, the American Cup winner share shares his thoughts on how to define and set goals for your next race. Check out the preview below or subscribe here for the full recordings

Set Yacht Race Courses

This Set Courses Web App is designed to help Race Officers to find easy ways to set up great courses for club races and Special Event Regattas at their home clubs. It includes a wide range of tools and information on the various pages (see the menu above). This home page provides various updates of the lastest information and advice. Enjoy!

Mini GPS Track Back Device - Easy way to estimate leg length!

Finally there is a relatively cheap and easy-to-use device for getting leg lengths for setting courses! The answer in my humble opinion is the Gerber Mini GPS Track Back Device for around $100. It is small, portable and very easy to use. Note, no endorsement is provided for this device, but it is worth considering. While GPS course plotters do the job, they are not available to all, and they can be very complicated and hard to use by volunteer course setters at small clubs. Google this device to learn more. It is the answer we, and many small clubs, have been looking for. See the Simple User Manual we developed

Indicative Course Length Guide for Keel Boats & Trailer/Sailers and for Dinghies

Popular links and pre-fills - update new lat/long dmm format & map options, triangle => enter windward direction and select reach angle option, trapezoid => enter windward direction, reach angle and leg length as percentage of inner beat, mark lat/longs from your location at the bottom mark (reference point) or an entered location, map options - virtual gps unit for laying the marks.

Note: Works with most phones, but Smartphone with GPS is best for accurate positions. Allow 6 seconds to hone in. Enter the Lat Long for the Reference Location Mark 3 or Mark 4 (for Trapezoid) or use the Geolocation Tool set it for your location when you are at the mark. Once the options have been entered a map will be displayed. Then, to set a mark, proceed in its direction using the bearings shown below the map. Click the ShowMyLoc button to show your current position as a 'dot' on the map. Click it again to show your new position on the map. Drop the mark when you get there. A virtual GPS unit on your mobile. The options are: Trapezoid DD Map DD format for Lat/Longs, MAP Trapezoid DMM Map DMM format for Lat/Longs, MAP Triangle DD Map DD format for Lat/Longs, MAP Triangle DMM Map DMM format for Lat/Longs, MAP Triangle Starboard DD Map Starboard DD format for Lat/Longs, MAP Triangle Starboard DMM Map Starboard DMM format for Lat/Longs, MAP

How to Set Up Yacht Race Courses - Bearings and Back Bearings

The aim of this Web App is to provide tools to help race officers set up yacht race courses. While there is a vast array of information and guides for setting courses, most rely on complex tables to get the bearings and back-bearings for the buoy locations for triangle, trapezoid and other options. These bearings are essential, whether a GPS system or a bearing compass is used to determine the buoy locations. This site includes an array of pages for various course options. Race officers can choose their preferred course, enter the windward bearing, with or without a bias, and the tool will display the bearings and back-bearings for all the course marks. It also provides bearings for the start line, square to the windward direction, with and without a 5 degree bias to windward, at the port end. The site is web-optimized and the information displays well, on all screen sizes.

Shown below are examples of the information provided for a 60-60-60 Triangle and 60-120 Trapezoid course with a reach length that is 2/3 of the equidistant inner and outer beats.

60-60-60 Triangle Course

Shown above are the bearings and back-bearings for a Triangle course set at a 60 degree angle. The windward direction has been entered as 170 degrees, with a 5 degree bias to starboard. If the angles are right all legs are equidistant.

The bearing for the start line is also shown, with and without a 5 degree bias to windward at the port end. The bearings to the start and finish locations are not shown as there are too many variations. The modern approach is to have the start line below the bottom mark and to have a reach to the finish line after rounding the bottom mark. Single marks or gates can be used at the mark locations. The location of a windward separation or 'distance' mark, to keep yachts sailing upwind and downwind apart after roundings is also not shown.

Note that the bearing angles are only valid if the angles between the legs are 60 degrees. All the legs will be of equal length if the angles are correct, and the bearings displayed will apply for courses, with any leg length.

Using this information the course can be set using a bearing compass from the reference point at Mark 4. The buoy laying teams can also use the same set of bearings to set the 1, 2 and 3 Marks.

See the Triangle Page for the many options available, including starboard rounding courses and 45-90-40 Triangle courses.

Trapezoid Course Option Examples

60-120 trapezoid course with reach 2/3 of beat lengths.

Shown above are the bearings and back-bearings for a Trapezoid course with the reach of 2/3 beat length, set at a 60 degree angle. The windward direction has been entered as 45 degrees, and there is no entered bias. The inner and outer beats are equidistant.

Note that the bearing angles are only valid if the reach is 60 degrees and the inner and outer beats are parallel and of equal length. The reach length must also be 2/3 of the beat length.

Using this information the coarse can be set using a bearing compass from the reference point at buoy 4, or by working through the marks in sequence.

Tapezoid Universal

Mark positions lat/longs, triangle lat long example.

In the Triangle Lat Long example shown above, the Windward direction is 90 degrees with no bias. The 'Myloc' button has been clicked and the blue color of the 'Lat' & 'Long' labels has changed to blue and the message below shows 'Location loaded OK'. The 'Myloc' button is now green. When the 'Go' button is clicked the lat/longs for all the marks are displayed, as well as the bearing to the pin end of the start line. A Google Map shows the location of the Marks - you can zoom in and out to check their position in your locality.

Trapezoid Lat Long Example

In the Trapezoid Lat Long example, shown above, the Windward direction is 90 degrees with no bias. The reach angle is 60 degrees. The 'Myloc' button has not be clicked and the lat long for the reference point (Mark 3) has been entered. The distances for the Inner and Outer Beats and the Reach have all been set as 1000 m. The 'Go' button has been clicked and the lat/longs for all the marks is displayed, as well as the bearing to the Port (pin) end of the Start Line. A Google Map shows the location of the Marks - you can zoom in and out to check the mark positions in your area.

Published on March 19th, 2024 | by Assoc Editor

World Sailing courses for Women

Published on March 19th, 2024 by Assoc Editor -->

After the success of the five Race Management Clinics and four Technical Courses held in 2023, World Sailing is once again opening applications for Member National Authorities (MNAs), events, Class Associations and sailing clubs to develop women coaches or race officials.

With Gender Equality Month under way, applications are being invited for the courses which are aimed at encouraging more women to consider a career or volunteering in sailing.

World Sailing Race Management and Technical Coach Courses provide a fantastic opportunity to engage and inspire staff and volunteers from an MNA or club with ambitions of hosting a regatta or event later in their calendar as not only will attendees develop their skills on a course, but this would also offer them the opportunity to put their skills into practice.

The Coaching Pathway allows participants to take the first steps towards becoming an instructor or build on existing experience to be a sailing coach. Each course will teach participants how to safely prepare boats and equipment, develop sailing skills, and tactics and strategy, while also helping to set performance goals and training plans for sailors at all levels.

The Race Official Clinics are intended to introduce the different disciplines to countries where there no formal Race Officiating Certification and provides a ground level for improving their race management, judging and umpiring.

World Sailing is therefore inviting applications from MNAs, Class Associations or sailing clubs to host a course. The application process requires the applicant to confirm the host venue, number of attendees and what the expected costs would be. Courses and clinics will be funded by World Sailing, and applications will remain open until March 30, 2024.

Catherine Duncan, World Sailing Training & Development Executive, added, “The courses in 2023 showed the commitment from World Sailing to continue to develop more women instructors, coaches and officials so we are thrilled to offer this opportunity again in 2024. These courses are designed to equip a participant to begin on their pathway in the sport, either as a career or a committed volunteer and open the door to the range of opportunities available.”

Available Courses – Instructing & Coaching

Level 1 Technical Course for Coaches – Sailing Instructor – This entry level of training courses covers all of the skills for a candidate to be able to teach someone to sail. Candidates will be confident sailors who wish to pass on their knowledge and passion to others. At the end of the course, Instructors will be competent in running a Learn to Sail program, as well as being equipped to run a sailing center, manage other instructors, and maintain a safe sailing environment. This is a seven-day course.

Level 2 Technical Course for Coaches – Club Race Coach - The next level of Technical Course teaches coaches the first step in competitive racing. This course will provide attendees with the skills to coach at club race level, including developing an understanding of tactics, Safety, goal setting and developing your coaching philosophy. This is a seven-day course.

Level 3 Technical Course for Coaches – Performance Coach – This course aims to prepare coaches for working in a performance environment or with sailors on a performance pathway. The Performance Coach course will challenge the skills of a club race coach to think at an international level. This is a five-day course.

Available Courses – Race Officiating

Race Management Clinic - Candidates should have some experience of race management. The clinics are based on the World Sailing Race Management Manual and the Racing Rules of Sailing. Courses must be a minimum of two days.

Judging Clinic - Candidates should have some experience of judging. Clinics are based on the World Sailing International Judging Manual and knowledge of the Racing Rules of Sailing is required. Courses must be a minimum of two days.

Umpiring Clinic - Match Racing / Team Racing / Fleet Racing Clinics - The World Sailing Clinics are intended to introduce these disciplines to areas where there is little experience of these kinds of sailing. The clinics teach umpiring to sailors who have knowledge of the Racing Rules of Sailing but have little or no knowledge of umpiring. 

Those interested in an Instructing or Coaching Course should complete this application form .

Those interested in a Race Officiating Clinic should complete this application form .

Source: World Sailing

Tags: Women in sailing , World Sailing

Ten women doing great things →

Celebrating Olympic female heroes →

Celebrating female Olympic role models →

National Women’s Sailing Conference →

Privacy Statement
Advertise With Us

Get Your Sailing News Fix!

Your download by email.

Your Name...
Your Email... *
Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Intro to Racing

Yacht race training is what we do. it is not an occasional offering. j/world provides sailboat race coaching and clinics every week of every year, so when it comes time that you are ready to advance your game, look to the leaders in sail training, course description.

J/World Sailing , the top rated sailing school in the country, has been offering racing instruction and coaching since our founding over 30 years ago.

Designed as a foundation course for racers, this five-day intro to racing and rules is a broad-based sailing course that covers race boat handling as well as basic strategy and tactics. Taught aboard our identical J80’s there will be no more than four people aboard each boat plus an instructor, which guarantees participants plenty of personal attention.

Each day at J/World begins with a chalk talk and then proceeds onto the water. During the week, we dissect sailboat racing and then by Friday put it back together to compete against all of the race boats in the J World Friday Regatta.

Onboard instruction includes orientation to the spinnaker and its use around the racecourse, crew assignments, sail shape and trim, tacking, gybing and starting drills, and short course racing. This class will take your racing skills further than a whole season of trial and error racing.

Topics in this sailing course include:

We teach on the latest generation of sportboats, our fleet of evenly matched J/80s: more comfortable, safer, faster, and better learning platforms. Offshore rated, yet nimble and responsive, these boats have huge cockpits, high booms, and are extremely well balanced. Their responsiveness provides prompt feedback, teaching you what works, and what doesn’t.

Our staff of racing instructors are some of the best coaches in the business. Consisting of sailors with wide ranging skills and deep sailing resumes, they are selected not only for their sailing skills but also for their abilities to share their knowledge and maintain a productive learning environment. With no more than four students per boat, everyone gets a tremendous amount of personal attention.

Our Curricilum

J/World has been coaching racers for over 40 years. In that time, we have developed the leading curriculum for making sailors faster. Often imitated, never duplicated: our format has been adopted and copied by many organizations around the world, but none of them are able to deliver the results that J/World is known for. We continually update our material and remain the undisputed leaders in sail race training.

More time sailing. More course days. Exceptional boats. Phenomenal instructors. But don’t just take our word for it. See below to read some of our customers testimonials to read why we have been selected as the “Best in the Business” for over 19 years running. And please ask sailors and do lots of web searches… we feel confident that the more you ask around, the more great things you will hear about us and the more likely you will come to J/World!

Improve your sailing skills with the top rated sailing school in the country, J/World

Lecture Schedule

1) Boat orientation, Crew positions and responsibilities defined, sail handling (spinnaker work) overview

2) Upwind sail trim strategy, and tactics

3) Downwind sail trim, strategy, and tactics

4) Starting strategies, tactics, and rules

5) Boat tuning, regatta prep

On-The-Water Schedule

1) Sail trim, boathandling, crew coordination/workflow, spinnaker handling

2) Windward/Leewards, mark roundings, straight line speed, optimizing tacking and jibing

3) Starts, starts, and starts!

4) Short courses, close quarters racing, mark roundings, boat-on-boat tactics, rules

5) Regatta day!

Intro to Racing – Requirements

The ability to sail a small boat on your own with confidence and a thorough understanding of skills such as those covered in Learn To Sail is the expected minimum. This course is also appropriate for those with some racing background, but with limited time on the helm while racing, or those with cruising backgrounds looking to transition to racing. This is a great class to hone your boat handling skills!

Intro to Racing – Price

Standard: $1795 per person Alumni: $1615per person

Visit our pricing page for full details.

US Sailing Certified

Private instruction.

If you prefer a private experience over a group course, we offer the opportunity to receive fully personalized attention from one of the best sailing instructors in the country. You can come alone, or limit the enrollment in a particular course to your group of friends or family. We provide custom sailing instruction for individuals or groups at prices which compare favorably to standard courses, and will custom tailor the curriculum to meet your specific goals on a schedule which accommodates your plans. Visit here for more info.

Testimonials

We had an absolutely fantastic time and achieved one of my life long goals – learning to sail! The Instructors were truly great and we appreciated their very professional and friendly teaching style. We’ll be back for sure! Thank you for a great experience, J/World. Please send our regards to everyone….

Just wanted to say thank you for a great week taking the Performance Cruising class at J/World. Sailing the J80 was mucho fun and that J105 is a rocket! Both of my instructors are super talented and I definitely learned more in that one week than I have in quite a while. I’ll be in touch to do more sailing with J/World!

I wanted to thank you for a wonderful trip and the experience of a lifetime. I was and remain extremely impressed with all the preparation and hard work that you put in to make this trip a success. I took from this experience not only a great deal of knowledge on ocean sailing, but also increased confidence in my ability as a sailor.

[Our instructor] did an incredible job of ensuring that we both had a positive experience. I have been an educator for almost 30 years. Currently I am Superintendent of Schools for a jurisdiction of over 10,000 students with 1050 staff. I can assure you that [our J/World instructor] is a natural teacher with a broad range of skills.

I just wanted to take a minute to express my appreciation for this weeks class, and to let you know I was really impressed with [my instructors]. You have a great team there! I certainly got everything I’d hoped for… and more. The J/80 was a blast, and the time on my own boat was invaluable. The Friday race was the perfect end to an excellent week…

Absolutely exceeded my expectations in every dimension. The boats were exceptional… new modern and in good shape. The instructors were awesome. It was hard to believe you could get that level of experience and accomplishment and at the same time have great teachers. Thanks you J/World Team!

As someone who’s been teaching and evaluating teachers for a quarter of a century, I’m writing to tell your instructor is one of the best I’ve seen. He’s tremendously skilled at communicating knowledge and also has the rare talent of being able to tell what his students do and don’t understand.

Click here to add your own text

J/World Sailing

San Francisco Bay San Diego Puerto Vallarta

(800) 910-1101 (510) 271-4780 [email protected]

Email Address:

First Name:

jworld.sailing

J/World Performance Sailing School is the preeminent source for sailing skills development.

Sailing the Race Course – Starting for Beginners

In this series of articles, we will introduce the key concepts of sailing a race from preparation to the starting sequence, buoy roundings and finishing. The target audience for this information is sailors that may have never competed in a formal race environment or want to better understand what is going on during a race. The target could also include someone who spectates and wants to better comprehend what is happening. Throughout, we will link to more advanced information, but the body of the article will be the basics. We will not go into rules details, but will mention rule areas that pertain to various situations, for further study. If we missed a basic concept, feel free to comment below. There will be links to lots of articles at the end.

We’ll begin with Pre-race Preparation to Starting .

Weather Forecast and Current Conditions

Wind shifting through the racing period? Persistent (shifting one direction further and further) or Oscillating shifts (shifts back and forth, but generally around the same average direction). For example, if there is a Persistent Shift moving clockwise , the starboard tacks will get increasingly favored, assuming that the marks are not moved.
Will the wind speed be increasing? If so, you may need to adjust your boat and sail controls for the changing conditions.
Storms – Is there a storm system moving through that might bring changes to the winds?

Preparation Checklist – Equipment

We suggest a checklist to remind you of things to look over and things to ensure that you have for the race. These might include the following:

Fittings – Are they secure and all present? Do you have spares?
Control Lines & Blocks – Are your lines (ropes) all in good shape, untangled and running through the blocks (pulleys) in the correct directions for any ratcheting?
Spars – Are your lines clear of your shrouds (sidestays) for when you hoist your sail(s)? Have you adjusted your mast “rake” (tilt)? Does your boat require setting “rig tension”? Are your shroud fittings connected securely? Are your shrouds / stays in good condition without any broken strands / wires?
Blades – Centerboard / Daggerboard, Rudder: Are these clean and moving smoothly? Do you have the safety line attached to the daggerboard, if appropriate.
Sails – Are your sails all on board and connected properly? Make sure that nothing gets in the way of hoisting them and battens are all in place and secure. If you have sail ties, are they properly tied and knots tight? Are the “Outhaul” and “Cunningham (Downhaul)” attached?
Personal Flotation Device (PFD) Safety Gear – Do you have approved PFDs for all crew?
Racing Timer – Do you have your timer and is it set to the proper timing sequence? Usually 5 or 6 minutes, but will vary somewhat.
Water – Do you have water to stay hydrated?
Suntan lotion & Sunglasses – Is your skin protected? The water reflects the sun and can make burning more likely. Same issue with sunglasses. I prefer polarized lenses to reduce the glare off the water and the boat surfaces.
Hat – While protecting your head, a hat can also reduce distracting sun glare when trying to see the water.
Sailing Gloves – Purpose-built sailing gloves (properly-fitted) or gardening gloves can really protect your hands from abrasion and helps to hang on to the sheet lines.
Launching – Are your bailers up? If launching with a trailer, is the lighting harness disconnected from the towing vehicle to prevent electrical shorts? Do you know where you will put the boat to finish assembling it while allowing others to launch?
Current – Is there water flow / current that may impact your sailing? Which way is it moving and how fast? A tip is to look at any fixed buoys and see how the water is moving around them.
Shoals / Weeds – Do you know where shallow areas and weedy areas are?
Wind Obstacles – Look for hills, trees, peninsulas, tall buildings, etc that may reduce or bend the wind direction and think about how that will impact your sailing.
Local Insights – Have you checked with local sailors for any insights they may have about the venue?

On the Water

Before the sequence.

Be Early – Try to get to the racing area no less than 30 minutes ahead of time so that you can get familiar with what is going on and form a “strategy” for how you want to sail the course.

A Strategy is the path you would sail with no other boats on the race course. Tactics are what you do when you encounter other boats to get back on your strategy. – Dave Dellenbaugh

Survey the Course – Sail both sides of the course and the top mark rounding and the starting line area to learn about the tacking angles and wind pressure (force) across the course. Take note of where the wind seems to originate, if there is any current and are the shifts happening the way that you predicted from the forecast.

Learn From Others – Watch how the other competitors are sailing, who is lifted (sailing straighter to the marks) and who is knocked and who has better wind pressure, where.

Benchmark Against Others – Try to get somewhat near another competitor and see how well your boat is performing versus the other boat. Are you pointing higher or lower while watching your sail telltales to make sure that your sail and point (how close to the wind direction you aim) is correct? Can you match or exceed their speed in similar breeze? Try adjusting controls if you need to to test things out.

Check-In – Check-in with the Race Committee to let them know that you’re sailing, if necessary. Home port fleet races may not require this.

Ready To Start

Anatomy of The Line

Typically, the starting line is between an anchored Race Committee boat with an orange flag on the starboard end and a mark (buoy) on the port end. The line is usually roughly perpendicular to the windward marks.

Getting Ready

So you’ve sailed around the race area and have a preliminary strategy. What should you be thinking about now?

Wind angle has shifted right of center (looking up the race course).
Wind is centered, but the breeze is stronger on the RC Boat end.
Wind angle has shifted left of center.
Wind is centered, but the breeze is stronger on the Pin end.
The Mob: If a lot of boats want your spot, then it might be best to stay beside the pack, but on the starting line , and not stuck inside pack. You want clear air and ability to accelerate off the line.
Line Length – A rule of thumb is that the line length should be 1.5 boat lengths X # of boats competing. If it’s less than that, be ready for it to be a tight start.
Wind Angle Change? Watch competitors who are still sailing upwind and down to see what their angles are.
Wind Pressure obviously better on one part of the leg? Again, watch competitors to see who is in the breeze.
Wind Shifts – Are the shifts Persistent (more and more in one direction) or Oscillating (back and forth, but generally on either side of a similar direction)?
Equipment and Crew Ready for action – Is everything untangled and gear is on correctly so that there is no last minute problem?

In The Sequence

This graphic show the timing sequence and flag signals and what they mean. The Preparatory Signal flag(s) are important because they tell you what is permitted during this start and what the penalties will be. Some penalties can be remedied and some disallow you to sail in the race.

Note the Racing Triangle diagram. The Racing Triangle is the area between each end of the line and the windward mark.

Ready, Set, Go!

Timing to Get Your Spot – Know where you want to start on the line and position yourself to be there ahead of time, at least with enough time to hit the line at full speed at the gun.
Make and Defend a “Hole” – For best results, you want space to leeward of your boat on the line so that you can bear off (point down) to accelerate before crossing the line. This is usually hard against good sailors and takes practice.
What’s Your 0-60? – Know how long it takes for your boat to accelerate from a stop in different breezes. This will help you to know when to “pull the trigger” on accelerating during the countdown sequence. Drill: Stop next to a buoy (not during a race) and see how long it takes to get to full speed and review your distance from the buoy location.
Prepare to be fast and smooth – lines clear, controls set, ready to hike, know who is around you and what they’re doing.
Wind Shifts While Starting – See this article .
Note the penalties for being over the line early and avoid them or know what your rights are if you mess up.
Fouling Someone – Be ready to figure out how to save yourself if you have to take a penalty turn.
Bail Out – If you get jammed in a spot, know whether the best option is to just stay in the bad spot or if tacking off will improve your situation. Many times tacking off will result in ducking boat after boat or being forced back, so assess the options quickly.

Further Learning: Starting well takes practice and has a lot of aspects. There are a number of links below that can help you to dig deeper into this topic.

Vakaros Atlas 2 – First Look

You may also like, three reasons to get fit for sailing, prevent breakdowns – top tips, updated, using a line sight to give you..., mc-scow sailing speed guide plus drills, practice the body mechanics of tacking to..., hand over hand sheeting – a “must..., ladder rungs: understand the race course with..., starting strategy and tactics: where to start, starting line approach: what kind of creature..., hiking: harder and smarter, leave a comment cancel reply.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

Basics Of Sailboat Racing Explained

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

May 29, 2023

‍ Key Takeaways

Knowing the race rules and the type of boat you are using are key parts of joining a race
The type of race may vary depending on location and the rules could differ too
You should have a lot of practice if you are new to sailing races to keep safe
It is recommended you take the ASA classes if you have limited experience
A good sailing watch is recommended so that you do not miss the start

‍ Racing a sailboat requires basic rules that are typically set forth by a racing committee. But what are the sailing racing basics?

The basics of sailboat racing consist of racing rules and a basic course outline. The type of boat you are using also is relevant. The type of race you are competing in also matters with how many people you have since the rules might only apply to certain one person boats.

In my experience sailboat racing is a fun and rewarding time on the water. You must understand the basic racing rules before you begin to ensure you are safe and so you do not have any penalties for your time.

Table of contents

‍ ‍ ‍ Sailboat Racing Basics

Before you begin racing a sailboat it is recommended that you brush up on your knowledge beforehand. If this is your very first time trying to sail a boat then you definitely need to take the time to get acclimated to sailing.

For beginners with little to no experience on the water you should check out the American Sailing Association ( ASA ) classes and find one that is best for you. This is great for learning the basics of sailing and the safety procedures.

Know the Rules Before Racing

A typical race will have common racing rules of sailing that you should know. These rules will help shape the format of the race.

You do not need to know every single racing rules of sailing in order to compete but rules help keep the framework of the race intact if everyone is following them. For example if you cross the starting line early you will typically be penalized by having to complete a turn or two which will cause you to lose distance on the competition.

Common Rule You Should Know

One of the most common rules you should know is when boats have their starboard tack they have to give way to boats with opposite tacks or the port tack. A port tack boat has to pass or back off of a starboard tack boat if they come across one another. A leeward boat gets the right of way over any windward boat if two or more boats are on the same tack.

Selecting the Best Race to Enter

If you are new to sailboat racing you might want to stick to something that is competitive but not completely serious. There are plenty of racing events that are geared towards a benefit or fundraiser that is meant to be fun but also raise money.

You also need to figure out if your boat matches the type of sailboat race being held. A lot of races are done with one-design boats which are vessels that are similar in size and shape. One-design racing is the most popular form of sail racing.

Try Without the Spinnaker

There might be a race that is simply from the starting line to the finish line of a designated route. If you can get by without using a spinnaker this will help you focus on other key areas of the boat for performance.

Be Familiar with Notice of Race Details

Each club that hosts a race will post important information about the race on their website. It will cover pertinent information such as the course outline and the right communication channel. It also covers the start time and any particular order of the start line.

It also would help if you attended the skippers meeting about the race in order to learn more about the sailing instructions. This will give you the opportunity to ask important questions or if you are unsure about something you can get help from other experienced sailors.

Try to Get a Good Start

Once the race is getting close to starting you need to carefully watch the time and everyone else around you. It will be somewhat hectic as everyone will be hovering around the start line. As mentioned if you cross the starting line too early you will be penalized.

This is when a good regatta watch is used to help keep track of the time. Sailors will use a countdown timer once the horn has been blown to indicate how much time is remaining to start the race. The horn might be blown at the five minute mark and then again at one minute but this could vary.

Following the Pack

If this is your first sailboat race there is nothing wrong with letting a lot of people pass you at the start so that you can work on your sailing skills. This will give you the opportunity to watch how others compete and see what they do in order to succeed.

Ask to Be a Part of a Crew

If you do not have a boat or have friends that are sailing you could always ask to be part of the ride (if the boat can handle more people). The weight of the boat matters in smaller boats but you could see if you can be a part of their sailing race and maybe learn some inside knowledge.

What are the Various Types of Sailboat Races?

There are many different variations of sailboat races to consider if you are interested. The boat you have will help determine the type of race you can enter and the type of rules and strategies you must think about. You will likely find one geared towards your boat if you look hard enough.

Fleet Races are Most Common

Fleet racing is the most common type of sail race you can find. It features tons of boats that are similar in nature and it can be difficult with the amount of people to navigate through. The first sailboat to cross the finish line is the winner.

Match Racing is Tactical

Match racing features a series of races between two sailboats that have to navigate a course. The fastest boat is not always the winner since you have to complete various legs of the race. The faster boat will have the advantage if they can block the wind for the second boat but they must stay one step ahead in order to remain the faster boat.

Team Racing Requires Strategy

Team racing features a few boats per team that all compete against each other. The first team to cross does not win as they earn points based on when they crossed the finish line. The team having the lowest total of points wins.

Various Shore Races

Inshore racing takes place near protected waters such as bays while offshore racing is out in the open. Inshore races are quick and to the point but offshore races can last up to a few days or longer depending on what the crew has to go through to get to the finish line.

Types of Sailboats Used in Races

There are different types of races that are geared towards certain boats. The type of boat you have will help point you in the right direction of race you can enter. You do not have to have these boats exactly but they likely will need to be close to the boats they will use in the race.

Small Dinghy Boats

Dinghies are small sailboats that are under 20 feet in length. These are great for one person or for youth wanting to enjoy races. The most common types of dinghy sailboats that are used in races worldwide include the Laser and 49er but also the 420.

Boats That Have Keels

Keelboats are larger than dinghy boats and have a keel underneath the boat to offer stability. A lot of smaller boats will also have keels but they are characterized as dinghies.

The most popular sailboats with keels that are used in races the J/24 and Jet 14. The Capri 22 is also a great choice for its sailing performance.

Multihull Racing Boats

Multihull sailboats are types of boats that have more than one hull. These can be catamarans with two hulls and trimarans that have three hulls.

The most common multihull sailboats include the A-Cat and Hobie 16. The Isotope is also great for being an alternative for multihull races.

Why do Sailors Want to Race?

Racing with sailboats requires discipline and determination. Sailors must know how to effectively handle sailing upwind and sailing downwind against other sailors while trying to cross a finish line. If you are unable to handle your boat efficiently then it will show in your racing performance.

In order to be a successful racer you have to master your sailboat. In addition you also must understand the racing rules and strategies involved to becoming successful. If you fail to understand certain rules then you can be penalized on your time or potentially kicked out of the sailing event if you cause harm to others.

This creates a competitive drive to show how good you are on your boat. Not everyone is good at sailing or even pushing their boat as hard as it can go. Once you are good at racing it offers an excellent pastime and great camaraderie among other sailors with similar boats.

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

by this author

Most Recent

How Do Racing Sailboats Work?

August 30, 2022

Types of Racing Sailboats

Jacob Collier

Important Legal Info

Lifeofsailing.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.

How Fast Do Racing Sailboats Go?

Positions on a Racing Sailboat

Gabriel Hannon

Racing Signals: Sailing Flag Meanings

Best Liveaboard Catamaran Sailboats

December 28, 2023

Can a Novice Sail Around the World?

Elizabeth O'Malley

June 15, 2022

Best Electric Outboard Motors | Life of Sailing

4 Best Electric Outboard Motors

How Long Did It Take The Vikings To Sail To England?

10 Best Sailboat Brands | Life of Sailing

10 Best Sailboat Brands (And Why)

December 20, 2023

7 Best Places To Liveaboard A Sailboat

Get the best sailing content.

Adult Sailing

Find a course near you, us sailing safety at sea in-person course calendar.

Safety at Sea course registrations are handled by the Host Organizer, not US Sailing. Contact the person highlighted for the course regarding scheduling and refunds.

Please use the scroll bar in the I-frame to see all of the courses that are posted.

Safety at Sea

Safety at Sea Planning
Hosting a US Sailing Championship

Andrew Clouston SVP Programs & Services Email Andrew Clouston

Betsy Alison Adult Director Email Betsy Alison 401-342-7914

Diana Emmanuelli Competition Manager Email Diana Emmanuelli 401-342-7912

Karen Davidson Adult Program Coordinator Email Karen Davidson (401) 342-7934

Introduction to Sailboat Racing [Rules and Classes Explained]

True, when you first witness a sailboat race, you might believe it’s too confusing and chaotic (it can be both). But, like with anything new, you may ease into it gradually. This is intended to allow you to take several actions at once.

Racing a sailboat is a lot of fun. It blends the excitement of sailing your own boat with the raw rivalry of trying to beat another boat of comparable size. Racing also teaches you boat handling and sail trim in a manner that cruising cannot: by comparing your speed and handling to those of other boats.

Let us jump into the article to learn more about sailboat racing.

Sailing boat with two crew members participating in the sailboat racing

Basic Insights Into Sailboat Racing

Sailboat racing may be separated into three parts: start , headwind , and tailwind . During a sailboat race, it is important to ensure that the beginning of the race must be strong. The start determines the overall outcome of the race and thus is considered very crucial for the race. It brings great advantage to the competitor and this is often very underrated.

As soon as the countdown is complete, it is necessary to make sure that the competitor has crossed the starting line effectively. Generally, warnings are given at 5mins and subsequently at 4mins and 1min .

Another very important aspect to consider is the path . The competitor must be able to determine a clear path to sail through and the direction of the race course must also be perceived correctly to ensure a favorable outcome. Free lanes enable the competitor with ideal angles to the wind with which they can easily navigate without having to go against disturbed wind or wind shadows from rival boats.

Sailboat Racing Rules and Classes - Small sailboat racing

The Starting Line

Oftentimes, the first leg of the race will be upwind, after the starting line is crossed. At this point again, it is important to note that starting strong is crucial for an upwind race as more free lanes are accessible the further ahead the competitor is in the convoy.

The necessary determinants to be noted and kept in consideration throughout the race for effective upwind sailing strategies are the following factors: wind direction, wind speed, and rivals. But the last aspect can be tricky as everyone’s goal is ultimately to win.

Competitors need to base their choices for sailing downwind on the same findings, but with a few minor variations. Being at the forefront and tagged by rivals can be seen as a mode of suffering when the competitor must keep sailing in the wind shadows of all the boats behind. Here, there’s an advantage to be thought of if the competitor can position themselves at the rear. Any lane can be chosen at proper intervals to make up for the lost ground.

However, usually, down winds result in shorter wins and losses than up winds . This is because there is less transverse separation during down winds when compared to up winds.

Sailboat Racing of the same class maneuvering near the start line

Different Types of Sail Racing Classes

Sailboat racing can be done in different ways. Each race lasts for about 45min to 1hr and is conducted on a course marked by buoys mounted by the racing committee. One can also take part in “ distance races “. In this case, the “ natural ” surroundings will typically provide the race course.

‍The points of sail during the race depend on the predominant wind direction factors on the day of the race, which is the other major variation besides the length. While racing on the course, the race committee places the buoys in such a manner that the race course is adapted to the wind , this mostly enables the competitors to accurately identify which sail has to be deployed for the upcoming leg .

At the race course and during the distance races, the sailboats that participate are usually of various types and are commonly very diverse. As a result, the organizing committee frequently employs intricate “ handicap ” mechanisms to even out variations across boat types . The system is often country-based and it has been developed based on the most common types of boats in a country. The RC , ORC , and IRC systems are the most widely used on an international scale .

These systems compute a factor that should be multiplied by the exact time required to sail one nautical mile using complex formulas . They are based on the dimensions of the boat’s length, weight, sail size, types, and design of the boat along with the materials used .

To find the adjusted race time that can be used to compare with other competitors, this f actor is multiplied by the amount of time it took you to complete the race and the distance of the race .

It is very necessary to remember that these systems are not entirely accurate and they cannot be completely relied on. They can only be used to a certain extent for performance comparison . Hence it is advised that one must compete in races where the competing boats are similar to accurately assess the racing skills of the competitor.

Main Rules in Sailboat Racing

These races are administered and authorized by the International Racing Rules of Sailing . It lays down rules and safety measures to sail safely across the race course along with the entire fleet, whose goal is to sail successfully during the race as well.

A rulebook is laid down with fundamental rules providing explanations and specimens about ensuring how to maintain and regulate according to the laws during a variety of circumstances that can arise between competing sailboats during the course of the race.

The most fundamental rule is that vessels with their starboard side windward must give way to vessels with their port side windward . This implies that the port-tack boat must either tack or bear away to pass behind the stern of the starboard-tack boat when two boats on opposite tacks come together . The leeward boat always has the right of way over the windward boat when there are two boats on the same tack.

Although this is the case, it is essential to note that the boat with the right of way must always ensure to leave other sailboats adequate space and time to avoid collision and accidents . While trying to maintain contact with other competitors, one must be very safe and secure as a significant level of rule interpretation can be enforced.

Violation of any rule can cause you to self-forfeit from the race . Hence it is advised to make amends and surrender upon having committed a conscious foul. Most admitted fouls are looked over following a penalty turn of 360 degrees or 720 degrees . Sailing instructions can be seen as a guide in all circumstances to find more detailed information about the same. A few rules can also be helpful when it comes to knowing what to be worn during the race apart from obvious determinants like the weather and climate conditions.

Main Equipment Used In Sailboat Racing

The sport of sailing is generally very physically taxing and hence requires e xtraordinary energy throughout the course of the race especially while rounding marks and sailing downwind.

When the atmospheric temperature falls due to wind-chill effects , it makes much colder winds frequently. In such circumstances, making use of a windproof outer layer will guard against the wind chill and this material is also breathable . Such measures must be ensured to avoid being cold and clammy. Wearing boots can also ensure to keep yourself warm and comfortable.

Looking into the technical aspects , sailboats need to ensure they are fully equipped with communication and navigation devices such as VHF, GPS, Sat Phones , and so on.

Sailboat Racing - Volvo Ocean Racing Sailboat

Different Types Of Sailboat Races

Sailboat racing is a diverse and dynamic sport that encompasses a wide range of different race types , each with its own unique rules, tactics, and strategies . Understanding the different types of sailboat races is crucial for sailors looking to compete at a high level and succeed in this exciting sport.

One of the most common types of sailboat racing is fleet racing, which involves a large number of sailboats competing in a single race. In fleet racing, the sailboats start together and sail a predetermined course, with the first boat to cross the finish line being declared the winner. Fleet racing often requires a high degree of tactical maneuvering, as sailors must navigate around other boats and adjust their tactics to account for wind shifts and other factors.

Another popular type of sailboat racing is match racing, which involves two sailboats competing head-to-head in a series of races. In match racing, the emphasis is on tactical maneuvering and outsmarting your opponent, rather than simply being the fastest boat on the course. Match racing typically involves a complex set of rules and regulations governing how boats can interact with each other on the course, and sailors must be highly skilled at reading wind shifts, controlling their boats, and outmaneuvering their opponents.

Team racing is another type of sailboat racing that involves multiple sailboats competing against each other in a team format. In team racing, each team consists of multiple boats, and the team with the best overall performance across all of its boats is declared the winner. Team racing often requires a high degree of coordination and strategy, as sailors must work together to achieve a common goal and coordinate their tactics to maximize their chances of success.

In addition to these main types of sailboat racing, there are also a variety of specialized race types that are popular in different parts of the world . For example, ocean racing involves sailing across the open ocean over long distances and requires a high degree of skill and endurance. Inshore racing , on the other hand, takes place in protected bays and harbors and often involves short, fast races with frequent wind shifts and other challenges.

Regardless of the type of sailboat racing, one thing remains constant: the need for skilled and experienced sailors who can navigate their boats through a wide range of conditions and challenges. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a beginner just getting started, mastering the different types of sailboat racing can be a highly rewarding and exhilarating experience, and can lead to a lifetime of excitement and adventure on the water.

Classes Of Sailboats Commonly Used In Racing

Sailboat racing is a highly competitive and dynamic sport that encompasses a wide range of different classes of sailboats, each with its own unique characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. Understanding the different classes of sailboats used in racing is crucial for sailors looking to compete at a high level and succeed in this exciting sport.

One of the most common classes of sailboats used in racing is the dinghy , which is a small, lightweight boat typically sailed by one or two people. Dinghies are highly maneuverable and responsive and can be sailed in a wide range of conditions, from light winds to strong breezes. Popular dinghy classes include the Laser , the 420 , and the Optimist , each of which has its own unique rules and specifications.

Keelboats are another popular class of sailboats used in racing, and are typically larger and heavier than dinghies, with a fixed keel that helps to provide stability and control. Keelboats come in a wide range of sizes and designs, from small one-design boats like the J/24 to larger performance-oriented boats like the TP52. Keelboats are often sailed by a crew of several people and require a high degree of coordination and teamwork to sail effectively.

Multihulls are another popular class of sailboats used in racing and are characterized by their multiple hulls providing greater speed and stability than traditional monohull sailboats. Multihulls come in a variety of different designs and sizes, from small catamarans to large trimarans , and are typically sailed by a crew of several people. Multihulls can be highly competitive and exciting to sail, but also require a high degree of skill and experience to handle effectively.

In addition to these main classes of sailboats, there are also a variety of specialized classes that are popular in different parts of the world. For example, in Australia and New Zealand, the 18-foot skiff is a highly competitive and popular class of sailboats, characterized by its large sail area and high speed. In Europe, the Dragon is a classic one-design keelboat that has been popular for decades and is known for its elegant design and excellent performance.

Regardless of the specific class of sailboats used in racing, one thing remains constant : the need for skilled and experienced sailors who can navigate their boats through a wide range of conditions and challenges . Whether you’re racing a dinghy, a keelboat, a multihull, or some other type of sailboat, mastering the unique characteristics and challenges of your boat is key to achieving success on the water.

To become a successful sailboat racer , it’s important to not only master the technical skills needed to sail your boat effectively , but also to develop a deep understanding of the rules, tactics, and strategies that govern sailboat racing . By immersing yourself in the world of sailboat racing and learning from experienced sailors, you can build the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in this exciting and challenging sport.

In conclusion, participating in a race can be very enjoyable in both cases. The first case is where someone is learning the art of sailing or like in the second case where one could be trying to gain some prior expertise on the sea.

If winning the race is one’s main aim then the key thing to remember is to make sure that you tack at the right moments. To trim the sails to completely catch the wind and last but not least, to communicate well with the rest of the crew.

About the author

I worked as an officer in the deck department on various types of vessels, including oil and chemical tankers, LPG carriers, and even reefer and TSHD in the early years. Currently employed as Marine Surveyor carrying cargo, draft, bunker, and warranty survey.

Latest posts

The Ocean Warming Effects on Marine Life

The last few decades have seen ocean temperatures rise as climate change begins to affect maritime industries worldwide. Here are the ocean warming effects on marine life seen so far.

How Do Cruise Ships Handle Hurricane Season Cruises?

Thankfully, modern cruise ships can handle a hurricane season cruise. Due to past experiences and new advancements, crews prove these boats operate well no matter the weather.

Extreme Heat Hazards Faced by Seafarers

What must sailors know to stay safe and make it back to shore healthy and happy? Here’s a closer look at the extreme heat hazards seafarers face and the precautions and procedures they must know before setting sail.

THE 10 BEST Moscow Boat Rides & Cruises

Boat rides & cruises in moscow.

Boat Rentals
Scuba & Snorkeling
Fishing Charters & Tours
Water Sports
Stand-Up Paddleboarding
Surfing, Windsurfing & Kitesurfing
Kayaking & Canoeing
Waterskiing & Jetskiing
Parasailing & Paragliding
River Rafting & Tubing
Dolphin & Whale Watching
Speed Boats Tours
Submarine Tours
5.0 of 5 bubbles
4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
3rd Transport Ring (TTK)
District Central (TsAO)
Garden Ring
District Northern (SAO)
Good for Big Groups
Good for Couples
Good for a Rainy Day
Budget-friendly
Good for Kids
Hidden Gems
Honeymoon spot
Good for Adrenaline Seekers
Adventurous
Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Flotilla Radisson Royal

2. Moscow River Boat Tours

3. Sup-Club

4. Akvanavt Diving Centre

5. Diving Center Crocus City Oceanarium

6. CheapRussia Tours

7. Kite School Kiteclass

8. SUP Center

9. Erwin. Reka

11. Easy Russia Tour Guide

12. Lovely Russia Tours

13. Capital River Boat Tours - Moscow Centre

14. Alfa Centr

15. Diving Club Divers

16. Sup Outdoor

17. MORE MOSCOW

19. Soho Sailing Style

20. Diving Center Crocodile

21. Dive-Project

22. Mosparokhodstvo

24. Kosinskiy Children Marine Club

25. Kayak Moscow

26. DIVECLUB CHE

27. FLOW Moscow

28. Moswake

29. Morskiye Volki

30. S-cruises

What travelers are saying

CheapRussia Tours
Easy Russia Tour Guide
Lovely Russia Tours
MORE MOSCOW
Insider Moscow Tours
Flotilla Radisson Royal
Moscow River Boat Tours
Capital River Boat Tours - Moscow Centre
Diving Center Crocus City Oceanarium

COMMENTS

Sailboat Racing Courses
Racing Courses. At J/World Sailing School, we have been teaching yacht racing skills since our very beginning in 1981. Thousands of sailors have come through our programs, either learning the basics or polishing advanced sailing skills. Our coaches are national and world champions, America's Cup team members, and offshore racing veterans.
Basic Race Course Starting Knowledge
Avoid hitting and fouling other boats, which means understanding the basic right of way rules. Controlling your boat's speed, stopping and starting, sail control, rudder control, crew weight and positioning. Do your very best to be at the line at the start signal, moving at top boat speed, in the right direction… yes this might sound easier ...
Intro to Sailboat Racing
There are two main types of race courses in sailboat racing: Short Course or Buoy Racing - Sailboats start at the same time and sail around a course (usually marked by buoys) a predetermined number of times. Boats are then scored by the position in which they finish. Weekly races at MSC usually last around 30 minutes.
Learn To Sail
Represent US Sailing on the race course. Race officials ensure quality, integrity, and consistency for all participants in the sport of sailboat racing, from casual weeknight club racing to world championships. Our training and certification programs allows sailors to give back to the sport by supporting the racing sailor out on the water.
Fast Track® to Performance Sailing
Call: (888) 454-7015. Call: (239) 454-1700. [email protected]. Request a Quote. Fast-Paced Sailing Lessons Focusing on Go-Fast Techniques. Offshore Sailing School's Fast Track® to Performance Sailing is an intensive five-day learning experience that takes you from learning to sail through the start of competitive racing.
Guidance for Setting a Race Course
After you have been racing a while, you will probably notice that most sailboat race courses are slight variations of a few basic themes. The starting line is square to the wind, the first mark is directly upwind from the middle of the starting line, the marks are left to port, and the course itself is a combination of triangles and straight ...
Sailboat Racing Tips: Short Course and Long Course Tactics
Sailing World Racing Editor Mike Ingham shares his insight on tactics and strategy differences between short and long race courses. By Dave Reed November 28, 2023
Mastering Sailboat Racing Tactics: A Winning Approach
Downwind, jibe when lifted away from the mark and sail on the headers, guiding you in the right direction. Sailboat racing tactics are the culmination of strategic planning, meticulous execution, and adaptability to the ever-changing elements. By mastering the art of strategy and tactical maneuvers, sailors can elevate their racing performance.
Competition
Represent US Sailing on and off the race course. Ensure quality, integrity and consistency for all participants in the sport of sailboat racing, from casual weeknight club racing to world championships. As a race official you'll be trained, certified and supported by US Sailing, and you'll have the resources of the organization at your ...
How to Start a Sailing Race Effectively
Sail your boat and hit the line on time and at full speed. BONUS item: Clear Air. To sail full speed you need to be in clear air - clear of crowds. But wait - there's more: Surprisingly, for an upwind start - and most starts are upwind - you should position yourself so there is plenty of room to leeward, under your jib.
Steps to Start Racing Sailboats
Starting gun - the signal that starts the race; OCS - "on course side," meaning a boat crossed the start line too early and must restart; ... Familiarize yourself with the rules of sailboat racing. It takes time to fully learn the racing rules of sailing; they are complex and very detailed. Having a cursory glance at the basic concepts ...
How to Create Your Race-winning Sailing Strategy
In this blog, we'll look at how to put together a solid strategy so that you start the race with a clear plan in mind. Here are some of the factors to take into account when putting your sailing race strategy together for the day. - Land Effects. - Course Axis. - Wind Pattern. - Current & Tide.
How to Set Up Yacht Race Courses
Race officers can choose their preferred course, enter the windward bearing, with or without a bias, and the tool will display the bearings and back-bearings for all the course marks. It also provides bearings for the start line, square to the windward direction, with and without a 5 degree bias to windward, at the port end.
World Sailing courses for Women >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News: Providing
After the success of the five Race Management Clinics and four Technical Courses held in 2023, World Sailing is once again opening applications for Member National Authorities (MNAs), events ...
Intro to Sailboat Racing
On-The-Water Schedule. 1) Sail trim, boathandling, crew coordination/workflow, spinnaker handling. 2) Windward/Leewards, mark roundings, straight line speed, optimizing tacking and jibing. 3) Starts, starts, and starts! 4) Short courses, close quarters racing, mark roundings, boat-on-boat tactics, rules. 5) Regatta day!
Sailing the Race Course
Sailing the Race Course - Starting for Beginners. In this series of articles, we will introduce the key concepts of sailing a race from preparation to the starting sequence, buoy roundings and finishing. The target audience for this information is sailors that may have never competed in a formal race environment or want to better understand ...
Racing
Purchase this bundle of courses and save big. These courses are what you need to get started in sailboat racing and become a Rock Star Certified racer. You'll learn safe sailing basics, boat handling, tactics, rigging, tuning, plus race committee basics and powerboat safety to help volunteers run better and safer races.
Basics Of Sailboat Racing Explained
The basics of sailboat racing consist of racing rules and a basic course outline. The type of boat you are using also is relevant. The type of race you are competing in also matters with how many people you have since the rules might only apply to certain one person boats. In my experience sailboat racing is a fun and rewarding time on the water.
Find a Course Near You
US Sailing Safety at Sea In-person Course Calendar. Safety at Sea course registrations are handled by the Host Organizer, not US Sailing. Contact the person highlighted for the course regarding scheduling and refunds. Please use the scroll bar in the I-frame to see all of the courses that are posted. Want to Host a Course?
Introduction To Sailboat Racing [Rules & Classes Explained]
Sailboat Racing of the same class maneuvering near the start line Different Types of Sail Racing Classes. Sailboat racing can be done in different ways. Each race lasts for about 45min to 1hr and is conducted on a course marked by buoys mounted by the racing committee. One can also take part in "distance races".
THE 10 BEST Moscow Boat Rides & Cruises (Updated 2024)
Explore the scenic and historic attractions of Moscow from the water with the best boat tours and cruises. Enjoy the views of the Kremlin, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, and the Sparrow Hills on a relaxing or informative boat ride. Or, spice up your trip with some water sports and activities in Moscow. Find out more on Tripadvisor.
Boat tours and river cruises through Moscow: where to take them
Normally the boats sail between 10:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. although there are also companies that offer night cruises with dinner included. I recommend that you take advantage of the afternoons for a boat tour, when the monuments and museums are closed. Going on a night cruise to see the Moscow city lights is also a very good option.
ecodemica Moscow City
ecodemica Moscow City, Moscow, Russia. 8 likes · 31 were here. Магазин косметики
Ferrari Attracts Record Numbers of Visitors to Bavaria City Racing Moscow
Swinkels continues: "Bavaria is of course extremely proud of the fact that it managed to get Ferrari to come to Moscow this year. Ferrari is and remains the crème de la crème of motor sport ...