Sailing Club
Learn to Sail — Racing
For some, sailboat racing is an obsession. For beginners, it's a good way to work on your sailing skills and enjoy the unbeatable camaraderie of a competitive afternoon on the water.
There are organized races for all kinds of boats — windsurfers, dinghies, one-designs (all the boats racing are of the same type), and big boats. Some are run by yacht clubs, some by class organizations; some are big regattas open to all kinds of boats.
Racing will teach you a great deal about boat handling and seamanship, about how to make your boat perform well, and about how to work with others in a crew. Most one-design and day racing in "around the buoys" boats sail one or more times around a triangular course that sends them on upwind, dowmwind, and reaching legs.
Learning the racing rules is a fundamental part of learning to race. In general, the rules specify which boat has a right to be in which place at different times during the race and in relation to other boats. Complicated? Yes, but important for safety as well as thinking out your strategy.
If you're interested in racing, contact U.S. Sailing at 401-683-0800. They can provide you wint a copy of the racing rules and put you in touch with an appropriate organization for your type of boat. Most sailing schools offer learn-to-race courses for those who have mastered basic sailing skills.
back to top