INTRODUCTION TO RACING CURRICULUM
PREREQUISITE: ASA Basic Keelboat certificate or equivalent. Some of the first lesson topics on basics are covered and practiced on the water in our basic keelboat sailing class. Sail shape and trim portion of the second lesson are covered in detail in our advanced sailing class, and the third lesson spinnaker work portion is covered without the racing rules and strategy in our normal spinnaker course. Its important that you are comfortable as skipper and crew on a keelboat but no experience with Spinnakers or Solings is required.
MATERIALS: The following materials are suggested for the student to purchase. Performance Racing Tactics by Bill Gladstone, The Racing Rules of Sailing 2021-2024, BHSC Soling Go Fast kit. Please email for purchasing information.
SCHEDULE: One-hour dockside discussion followed by two hours on the water followed by a wrap up discussion. A Soling may be brought into a slip to aid discussion. If the weather prevents boats from going out students will still meet for a discussion and a makeup date for on the water practice may be scheduled as needed.
- On the dock discussion-Program goals and objectives. Developing an off the water and on the water plan. Introduction to the boat, crew positions, basics, race prep, right of way rules, rules at the start, starting strategy, teamwork. On the Water. Tacking and gibing drills, stopping, accelerating. Starting approaches, practice starts, start to windward transition.
- On the dock discussion-Rules at mark roundings, upwind sailing, strategy, rules on tactics. On the Water. Windward mark roundings, sail shape and trim, helming for speed, boat speed and tuning. Video tape all students executing tacks, gibes, helming, and sail trim.
- On the dock discussion-Downwind sailing, downwind rules, review of spinnaker work including windward takedowns, windward sets, halyard drops, etc. On the Water. Spinnaker sets and takedowns, spinnaker gibes, leeward mark roundings.
- On the dock discussion-The rules, the Sailing Instructions, local conditions, weather & wind shifts, boat-to-boat tactics, short course racing. On the Water. Practice starts, practice racing.
- On the dock discussion-More on the rules. On the Water. Practice starts, practice racing.
- Makeup time or more practice racing.
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