Once upon a time, I thought there was nothing more to do with a 30' sailboat other than sail around the bays. Then I discovered sailboat racing and it rocked my world.
I found racing sailing in my area and it gave me purpose on the weekends. I got friends for crew and set-off to win one. Some sailboat races are around buoys, some around islands, but in either case you have to know your tides and winds. These are your main concerns, because with tides you want to know where it runs strong and also light.
When running against the tide on your race course (some race courses can be 5 to 10 miles), you definitely want to veer to the lighter side of the tide, but when running with it, you want to stay in the strongest part for that major boost in speed. Your winds are the same way in sailboat racing. In a bay, you will find more wind, possibly closer to shore where the land is warmer, driving the wind onshore. It may be only to 3 knots of wind difference, but staying on course in the middle of the bay where the wind is fickle may lose you ground.
Long time sailboat racers have beaten me many times. I recall on one occasion being certain I was going to win. A sailboat was turning as if it was heading back. I was passing the very last buoy before the finish line. Was I ever tricked! That sailboat found stronger winds and beat me to the finish line. That was an important lesson learned. Over time, you master the techniques and it becomes automatic. I learned the hard way and faced much frustration, but, ultimately, when I figured it all out, there was plenty of excitement. Short races lasting a few hours turned to races one week long.
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.
I found racing sailing in my area and it gave me purpose on the weekends. I got friends for crew and set-off to win one. Some sailboat races are around buoys, some around islands, but in either case you have to know your tides and winds. These are your main concerns, because with tides you want to know where it runs strong and also light.
When running against the tide on your race course (some race courses can be 5 to 10 miles), you definitely want to veer to the lighter side of the tide, but when running with it, you want to stay in the strongest part for that major boost in speed. Your winds are the same way in sailboat racing. In a bay, you will find more wind, possibly closer to shore where the land is warmer, driving the wind onshore. It may be only to 3 knots of wind difference, but staying on course in the middle of the bay where the wind is fickle may lose you ground.
Long time sailboat racers have beaten me many times. I recall on one occasion being certain I was going to win. A sailboat was turning as if it was heading back. I was passing the very last buoy before the finish line. Was I ever tricked! That sailboat found stronger winds and beat me to the finish line. That was an important lesson learned. Over time, you master the techniques and it becomes automatic. I learned the hard way and faced much frustration, but, ultimately, when I figured it all out, there was plenty of excitement. Short races lasting a few hours turned to races one week long.
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, a website where you will find great selections of racing sailboats for sale in your area.
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