Introduction to Racing

Arguably, the best way to learn sailing skills is to race. This way, when you sail, your boat speed and boat handling skills are directly compared to other people's. You can quantify your improvements through looking at the results, and the additional focus of a start, number of laps and a finish can really drive your training forward.

The simplest form of racing is ‘class racing' and here everyone sails in the same class (of boat). This is very simple, with the first boat across the line winning the race (assuming they haven't broken any of the rules). Choose your class carefully. Modern boats require very little maintenance and can have a long competitive life… meaning all you may need to replace is a sail. When looking at a boat, make sure it is mark free and dry, and you are off.

In the heat of battle, things can get quite tight, and this is why we have the rules, to avoid collisions. They can be used as a defensive tool to keep the lead, or in some cases aggressively, to overtake people. Remember, if you are sailing in the local club race or at the Olympic games the same rules apply! Initially the rule book looks quite scary, but all you really need to understand is part two, which deals with when boats meet (as this is where the problems occur…) If incidents do happen, then you can exonerate yourself, or have a protest, or retire from the race. Don't worry, you always learn from your mistakes.

Class racing is often very close, as people tend to go at very similar speeds. There are small advantages to be gained from good boat trim, balance and sail setting, as well as the tactics used, and this is enough so that the people who make the fewest mistakes generally end up at the front of the fleet. Different classes suit different venues, with slower classes being better suited to smaller locations and fast boats, often with trapeze, better suited to larger locations.

Before choosing a class, ask around, perhaps have a go. The people who already sail the boat will be keen to get you to join their class and if you join a class which has lots of people to sail against, then it may well be better racing, plus it will be easier to pick up hints and tips. Just ensure that you choose something which is appropriate for your height, weight and current level of fitness.

For various reasons, people often choose to sail a wide variety of boats, but this does not matter, as we can all race together using the handicap system. Everyone starts together and sails the same course (although the faster boat may do more laps), and at the end of the race the finishing time is used to work out an average lap time, which is then divided by the handicap. Slower boats have larger handicaps, as they are not expected to be sailed as fast.

The system is not perfect, as the faster boats can give the slower boats dirty air (where the wind has already been over their sails, thereby reducing its effectiveness) off the start, and later in the race they may well have to sail through slower boats they are lapping, getting dirty air themselves. However, usually the people who have sailed the best will win! If the race finishes in less wind than it started in, this will help those who finish first and vice versa. Also some boats' handicaps are very good/very bad in some conditions. For example underpowered boats do very well in strong breezes but suffer in the light.

Another type of race which allows a huge number of boats to compete in (as they do not all start together) is a pursuit race. Here the slower boats start first and then the faster boats start a bit later, depending upon their handicap. At a given time the race is over, and the boat leading wins! A good example of this would be the Bloody Mary and the Junior Bloody Mary sailed at Queen Mary Sailing Club once a year. This really shows the differences in handicap, with the winner in medium conditions usually being a performance boat like a 49er or an International 14, light airs a 2.4 (like a small yacht). In strong winds the event has been cancelled in the past, due to safety reasons. CMYC runs its own pursuit race on Boxing day, using personal handicaps, where the helmsman's skill as well as the class is taken into account.

So where to start…

Probably the best thing to do is just come to Hedgecourt Lake and join in the racing. This offers one of the safest venues in the country. You can touch the bottom all the way round, and the location is very sheltered so you are unlikely to get blown off the water! In the summer there is also racing on the sea when you want to take it to the next level. However, if you need some more input, the RYA racing courses are well worth a look.

About the Author: Jon Emmett started sailing Topper with CMYC and is now campaigning the Olympic 49er class, his aim being to represent the UK in the 2008 Games held in China. Check out his website at www.jonemmettsailing.co.uk