I always thought you can't do much with a 30 sailboat but sail around the bays, with an occasional hop to a not so far away harbor. I was wrong.
Suddenly, weekends were more meaningful and filled with excitement. I wasted no time recruiting my friends as crew members. I was determined to win. Races varied from weaving in and out of buoys to zipping around islands. One of the first things I learned was that I had to understand the tides and the winds. That was crucial to gaining the competitive edge.
When running against the tide on your race course (some race courses can be 5 to 10 miles), you definitely want to veer to the lighter side of the tide, but when running with it, you want to stay in the strongest part for that major boost in speed. Your winds are the same way in sailboat racing. In a bay, you will find more wind, possibly closer to shore where the land is warmer, driving the wind onshore. It may be only to 3 knots of wind difference, but staying on course in the middle of the bay where the wind is fickle may lose you ground.
When I first started racing, the more experienced racers stole a trophy from me many times. One time, we had a close call pulling past the last buoy to the finish line when a sailboat turned away to find stronger winds and quickly zipped past us. Over time, you learn more and more about racing; where to pick up extra speed and how to put your sails to work for you. My racing days were both exciting and frustrating. Races lasted a few hours to a few days. Always a challenge.
I've taken my 30 sailboat through some races with very high wind conditions. They might not start that way, but I've been in some wild ones where crew on other sailboats had to have helicopters remove them for broken bones and other various things. I have been on a race and won a trophy for third for actually drifting the best during the race; there was no wind for 2 hours and for some reason the current grabbed me better, thanks to my deep keel or wide beam. I was certainly happy to take third place! So the more I raced, the more familiar I became with different wind and sea conditions. Where my 30 sailboat rode the best, pulling top speeds without heavy effort on the crew or the boat! You get to feel that groove where you are ripping yet comfortable. It's a combination of your boat's best point of sail, with a mix of using the sailboat's lines and characteristics to its advantage.
Suddenly, weekends were more meaningful and filled with excitement. I wasted no time recruiting my friends as crew members. I was determined to win. Races varied from weaving in and out of buoys to zipping around islands. One of the first things I learned was that I had to understand the tides and the winds. That was crucial to gaining the competitive edge.
When running against the tide on your race course (some race courses can be 5 to 10 miles), you definitely want to veer to the lighter side of the tide, but when running with it, you want to stay in the strongest part for that major boost in speed. Your winds are the same way in sailboat racing. In a bay, you will find more wind, possibly closer to shore where the land is warmer, driving the wind onshore. It may be only to 3 knots of wind difference, but staying on course in the middle of the bay where the wind is fickle may lose you ground.
When I first started racing, the more experienced racers stole a trophy from me many times. One time, we had a close call pulling past the last buoy to the finish line when a sailboat turned away to find stronger winds and quickly zipped past us. Over time, you learn more and more about racing; where to pick up extra speed and how to put your sails to work for you. My racing days were both exciting and frustrating. Races lasted a few hours to a few days. Always a challenge.
I've taken my 30 sailboat through some races with very high wind conditions. They might not start that way, but I've been in some wild ones where crew on other sailboats had to have helicopters remove them for broken bones and other various things. I have been on a race and won a trophy for third for actually drifting the best during the race; there was no wind for 2 hours and for some reason the current grabbed me better, thanks to my deep keel or wide beam. I was certainly happy to take third place! So the more I raced, the more familiar I became with different wind and sea conditions. Where my 30 sailboat rode the best, pulling top speeds without heavy effort on the crew or the boat! You get to feel that groove where you are ripping yet comfortable. It's a combination of your boat's best point of sail, with a mix of using the sailboat's lines and characteristics to its advantage.
About the Author:
Captain Douglas Malat is a co-creator of YachtAuthority.com, a website where you will find great selections of racing sailboats for sale in your area.
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