Hold a crew meeting after the finish

Dave Dellenbaugh, member of the 2025 Class of the National Sailing Hall of Fame, discusses in WindCheck magazine how the race doesn’t end at the finish line:

While the race may end when you cross the finish line, your efforts to improve your sailing skills should not. Learning is a never-ending quest, and one of the best times to learn (or to reinforce something you’ve already learned) is right after a race or a day of racing.

The time you spend sailing or motoring back to the mooring or dock is a perfect chance to review the race(s) with your crew. The racing is fresh in everyone’s minds, and you have a captive audience.

Begin your crew meeting after everyone has cleaned up the boat, and try to end it before you need to get out the lifting rings or fenders. Gather all crewmembers in the cockpit within earshot, and give them a chance to reflect on the experience they have just been through. Encourage everyone to participate by making comments or asking questions. For some of the subjects you might cover, click here.