Ten Tips For Getting Started in Racing

So you want to see more boats on the race course this season? You wonder why the marina is full but the start line is empty? Maybe its the barriers you can’t see that is keeping others off the race course. SAIL’s David Schmidt offers these tips for the uninitiated…

For years, you’ve watched race boats strut around the buoys, their crews tweaking lines or pulling off well-choreographed maneuvers requiring hours of practice and polish. While cruising may be your raison d’être, you can’t help but notice that racers know how to really make a boat go, a useful skill for any sailor.

There’s also no denying the appeal of having another excuse to spend the evening, day or weekend out sailing with your friends and family—not to mention having another great way to enjoy your boat.

Fortunately, while top-flight racing can be mind-numblingly complex, the grand prix scene represents only a tiny percentage of the game. And while experience helps, you don’t need years of practice to enjoy a great day of racing. Here are 10 tips for racing your cruiser, with an eye toward minimizing the learning curve and maximizing the fun … click here.