How to build a great sailing crew

Super crew, coach, and keelboat and dinghy champion Richard Parslow shares tips on how to form an effective sailing crew, with Andy Rice:

Every crew has its own DNA, its own ecosystem. Making that the best and healthiest crew dynamic possible is a big part of what interests Richard Parslow. “Psychology is a huge part of the sport,” he says.

“They say the longest four inches in golf is between the ears, and how we interact with each other in the boat also has a huge outcome on the race course. I’ve been fortunate to be on a lot of successful teams where we’ve had a shared outlook on the campaign, usually pretty laid back, laughing a lot, but in the background really organized and committed to doing the work.”

When it comes to building a crew, he says: “You need to think carefully about the team you are assembling, choosing those who are the best fit for the long term, not necessarily because they are the best in the world at a particular job.”

Here are Richard’s five best tips for getting everyone on the crew pulling in the same direction. – Full report