Sailfaster with junior racing sailors

Pete Boland hosts Sailfaster, a podcast series where racing sailors discuss what it takes to sail faster and how races are won. In this episode, Boland breaks down one of the most misunderstood parts of the sport: junior sailing—not as childcare, not as summer camp, but as a high-performance pipeline that can transform an entire racing community.

He sits down with Madde Vachon and Travis Carlisle of Severn Sailing Association (Annapolis, MD) to reveal what really happens inside a modern junior program. Spoiler: these kids log more hours, more starts, and more reps than many adult racers get in a year.

Together, they unpack why juniors switch into “race mode” faster than most adults, how burnout and coaching quality shape the long-term pipeline, and why the next generation is shockingly anti-technology. They also explore how young sailors raise the bar in adult fleets—tightening starts, sharpening boat handling, and sometimes humbling sailors twice their age.

If you’ve ever wondered how a 15-year-old just rolled you upwind—or how to rebuild your own fundamentals—this episode is your wake-up call.