Mastering Sailboat Racing

There was a time when I thought the only thing I could do with my 30 sailboat was go in and out of bays. When I discovered sailboat racing I found out how wrong I was.

Suddenly, weekends were more meaningful and filled with excitement. I wasted no time recruiting my friends as crew members. I was determined to win. Races varied from weaving in and out of buoys to zipping around islands. One of the first things I learned was that I had to understand the tides and the winds. That was crucial to gaining the competitive edge.

If you have to go up against the tide in a race, it's better to stick to the lighter side. When the tide is on your side, you want to keep in the strongest part to gain the most speed you can. Winds work the same way when racing. When in a bay, the closer to shore you are, the warm winds drive the wind onshore. A mere - 3 knots of wind can make all the difference. Being in the middle of the bay could make you lose ground.

Veterans of sailboat racing know their stuff. I've given up many a trophy to those guys. Once, turning a last buoy and heading to the finish line, the sailboat behind me continued without turning up towards the finish line. Our crew cheered thinking we finally won because it looked like the other sailboat gave up and was heading home. Well, he turned way further up, catching stronger wind and having a better angle to it. He flew by us like we were - well you know - but after each race, you learn more and more. You automatically get to know where the cutting edge is, keeping your groove longer than other sailboats. It's like when you are in a car, you just stop and go where you need to and don't remember you did it. You just do it automatically. See, my racing days were filled with excitement and of course frustration. The races were hours to a few days long! There is that Newport, RI to Bermuda race, which takes up to 6 or 7 days!

Along the way, I've encountered some very high wind conditions. The race didn't start that way, but along the line I've seen sailors extracted by helicopters. Once I won a trophy simply because I managed to drift the best - there was no wind for hours and I lucked out thanks to either my deep keel or wide beam. Learning to master my racing skills in my sailboat took time and experience, but eventually you learn how to reach top speeds without straining your crew or your boat. That's all part of discovering your boat's point of sail. When you figure that out, sailing becomes natural, effortless and automatic.

 

About the Author

Captain Douglas Malat is a co-creator of YachtAuthority.com where you will find the ideal sailboat for your next sailboat race