Sailing Tips for the Racing Keelboat

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Here is a more modern video clip of some problems even with experienced crew. One of Murphy's laws, "Mother Nature is a Bitch". https://youtube.com/watch?v=jhcRztabxvk
Well, yes, I have been sailing in some major mess ups, and with the main boom dragging in the water, and in lightning to, but not at night. Scary as hell in lightning. Was on a boat that lost it's mast at the spreader from poor standing rigging settings that were not checked. Notice the tattered foredeck sails in this video above. This is why racing sailboats can be expensive. Notice they get right back to work LOL. Makes me want to get back into racing sailboats.

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This web site was created by Dr. Victor Jean Ouellette to help the crew understand racing better. They were written for a specific crew on a specific boat. However, the principles would apply to any boat.

Original articles were written by Dr. Ouellette in 2010. As these articles were written from memory, please send an email if you would like to discuss any points of contention.

We assume the reader has some rudimentary concept of both sailing and racing. Sailing is one thing, racing is a whole other thing. It has been said by others that a racer learns in one year what a cruising sailor learns in three years.

We assume you know some boats are just simply faster than others. But, even if you have a fast boat, you need to set the standing rigging up properly at the start of every year and check it periodically through the sailing season. Rigging is key and will not be covered here. Forestay, backstay, shrouds, all need to be tensioned properly. The racer needs to learn what sails fit what wind strength. Then the racer needs experienced crew (sometimes called 'smart crew'). And many times inexperienced crew are also valuable in a race.

So click on the links to see what we have to say. Remember that sailing is supposed to be fun so don't hold grudges. Yes, personalities can clash on a boat. When seven or eight crew sail a long time with each other they become like a little family. Certain things in each crew are overlooked while certain things are worked on to improve them, to discuss concepts and racing theories with each other and work out disagreements.

This site is not intended to be a comprehensive sailboat racing text. There are many courses and much information on the internet for you to learn from.

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