#15 Sailing Goals - Racing

This is episode #2 in a four-part series I am doing on sailing goals. These episodes are aimed at helping you to figure out which courses to take, habits to form, and areas to focus on depending on where you want to end up! This second episode is geared to the race sailor who wants to move into the world of racing. Whether you are looking for weekend races, or offshore races, I'll talk about how you can create a plan to get there!

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Who is the Race Sailor?

The race sailor is an experienced day sailor looking to take their sailing to the next level. They have probably already completed several introduction or basic sailing courses. They may own their own boat, or they may be crewing regularly for someone else. Perhaps you have already dabbled in the world of beer can racing and now you are curious about larger, or maybe even offshore, races.

Which key courses should you take?

There are a few different ways that you can expand your sail racing knowledge. Here are some of my thoughts:

• Introduction to Racing Course: there are several courses that help you understand the foundations of sailboat racing. These courses also should dive into the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) which are updated every 4 years. There are also many courses and seminars that focus on specific aspects of the race and the rules pertaining to those aspects, such as race starts.
• Spinnaker Course: Being able to fly a spinnaker is a beautiful thing, but there are some key elements and safety components that you should be familiar with. I highly recommend a spinnaker course to help you become familiar with the rigging and handling of this large sail.
• Race Officer Course: Becoming a race official, or just taking the courses to understand how they evaluate and manage a race, is a great way to increase your racing knowledge. Also, many clubs are always looking for race officials, so why not!