Six Useful Lessons Every Sailor Should Read

The 2,225-nautical mile Transpac is an ultra-marathon of a regatta. And as with any sporting event of this caliber and difficulty, it is a test of not only on-the-water sailing skill, but also persistence, preparation, emotion, and will power.

With highly uncertain weather conditions—a tropical storm to the south and the mother of all ridges to the north—the 2015 Transpac was particularly challenging for navigators and crew alike. From the rookie boats like Adrenalin—it was the first ocean crossing for the majority of the crew including the navigator—to seasoned champions like three-time winner Grand Illusion, there was a lesson to be learned lurking along every layline.

Lesson 1: Don’t underestimate the need for focus, patience, and routine.
“You can’t give up, you have to stay focused the entire race … The course went much further north than we’ve ever gone before—I’ve only done the one—but with light air for three days, in the first three days we only made 150 miles. So we had to be quite patient. The last day of the race we hit a really bad squall that sent us off in the wrong direction. We were all sort of stunned by that and we had to regroup and get back in the game. We just went back to our routine. Routine is king.” – Erik Gray, Skipper of the SC50 Allure – first place in Division 5 by just over two minutes!

Lesson 2: You’ve got to have the right sail for the conditions!

Much more… read on