Racing Bug

So, you've been bitten by the racing bug. But you've probably noticed that information has been hard to come by on the basics from your fellow yacht racers. Maybe it's part of the "you have to earn your wings" mentality, or perhaps it is meant an initiation rite, but it is certainly intimidating to the new racer.

You are probably comfortable with the basics of sailing. Yet it seems like learning to sail was kindergarten. Learning to race is grade 1.

I remember my first race in my area, I was not familiar with some inside harbor rules and passed a buoy on the wrong side. A large boat coming from behind shouted, "You broke the rules! You're out of the race! Get out of my way!". At the same time he forces his boat into a tight position and not knowing what to do, you give way.

How about this one? Mr. Sailing Expert says, "Come race with us, we need more boats in our class!". Then you say, "But I don't know much about racing...", and Mr. Expert responds, "Don't worry, just show up at 6:15 pm...But don't forget to stay away from me. Don't come too close. In fact, start behind everyone else.".

I'm sure that this is not a unique experience to new racers. Nastiness is common. Perhaps it's the competitive spirit. Perhaps it's brought about by the adrenalin and tension of the event, but to the new racer, it is depressing to experience and is equivalent to a big sticker on the back of your shirt saying: "I'm new. I'm the lowest guy in the totem pole. I'm a nothing". I'm sure there was a better way of communicating with a new racer but unfortunately, the unique skills required in sailboat racing may not necessarily correlate with a person's interpersonal skills.

The answer to minimizing the occurrence of these embarrassing events is by education. We will teach you the basics. We will go through it step by step. The net result should be a faster learning process. Hopefully, you'll skip a season's worth of depressing moments and jump to the excitement of the sport.

Do I need a Boat?

The common misconception when bitten by the racing bug, is the requirement to have a boat. Surprisingly, you will find that a large number of boat owners would be more than happy to teach you racing by being a member of their crew. There is a different kind of satisfaction to being the boat skipper/driver versus being a critical crew member and because of the team nature of the sport, the importance of each position cannot be minimized.

There is much satisfaction to be derived from being the expert foredeck person, a position often in demand in all boats that fly spinnakers, and often being the most physically challenging. There is equally an intense challenge to the job of tactician, another position requiring advanced skill. And often these two positions are the eyes and ears of the skipper and may often be heard shouting to the skipper, "Just drive! Don't look around!". 

There are a lot of specialized skills in Sailboat racing. There are trimmers of different sails. Sometimes, in the absence of skill, your position is not stated publicly but is known in racing parlance as "rail meat".

The point is, whether you wish to progress to being an advanced crew member, or intent on campaigning your own boat, the issues to be learned are the same. You still need to know the rules, the tactics, the strategy, and the mechanical aspects of sailing a performance sailboat including sail trim, wind analysis, and driving. Thus, most of the information to follow will still apply.

What kind of boat should I race?

There are pluses and minuses to the choices available.

Generally speaking, you have to decide for yourself how intensely you want to pursue this sport. If you intend for this to be a part-time activity, i.e. your primary focus is still on cruising and pleasure day sailing, then get a boat that fits your primary focus and fortunately, you still have the ability to race your boat in the various handicapped racing classes.

Typically, One-Design racing is the most intense. Depending on the sailboat class, there are strict One-Designs where each boat is intended to be identical. No differences in sails or rigging allowed. "Lasers" fall into this category. Here, racing is intended to limited to testing sailor skill and not boat differences -- very tactical racing with boats having almost identical speeds. Then there are the development classes where differences in rigging and sails are allowed but have defined restrictions. Boats like the "505" are in this category. In this case, one is testing one's engineering skill as well as sailing ability and increases the complexity. Most One-Design sailing classes fall in between, which include such classes as the "Santana 20", and "J24", with stricter restrictions to changes than are allowed by development classes, but loose enough rules to allow boat owners to modify boats based upon types of crew and expected sailing conditions, for example.

There are also differences in physical requirements to different boats. Bigger boats often require more strength (although more people are also available). Smaller boats have smaller sails and thus are easier to handle. But performance boats may be small but may be too physically demanding. Olympic class racing boats such as the "International 470" or the "Star" require strength either from hiking or trapeze requirements.

There are differences in crew size needs. Often, one wants the comfort of a larger craft, financial issues aside but the consequence of this is usually the need to get a larger crew. The ability to maintain crew in sailboat racing is a skill in itself so be conscious of the fact that if boats need a large crew, the inability to have the correct number at any given day can keep the boat at the dock and thus end the race before it starts. 

Some buy boats that belong to a high performance class in the area, even if there is no one-design racing in the area. There is a tremendous pleasure to being first to finish, even in a handicapped race. But this is not the suggested route for the new racing sailor.

The new sailor that is seriously interested in evolving her racing skills should first start out in One-Design classes. There are unique learning experiences to be acquired in boat for boat situations where the vessels are similar in speed and behavior. The end result is accelerated learning.

Once you've mastered tactics, strategy and sail trim issues in a One-Design fleet, you will be able to successfully apply that knowledge to any boat, even without one to compare against other than handicapped finishing times.

Whatever boat you get (or catch a ride in), it is important that the boat have all the equipment to be race ready. This includes sails in reasonably good condition (this is another topic in itself), faired and smooth foils and surfaces, and excessive weight removed. Additionally, safety elements need to be checked including such often ignored items as the condition of standing and running rigging. Breakdowns in a race often cost you the race so the race starts before the boat leaves the dock.

Your Racing Class

A Racing Class is not a term that implies and classroom work by any means...It, however, implies what type of racing you will be involved in. As was mentioned earlier, the two major types of sailboat racing fall under One-Design Racing, and Handicapped Racing.

In most cases, sailing a One-Design boat that wishes to race only against other boats of the same manufacture requires one to follow the rules of the national association of that one-design class. This means that you may need to ask other sailors with the same boat how to contact the classes' national association and you may need to join that association to do fleet racing. This is typically inexpensive and guarantees your entry into a supportive racing community.

If your boat does not have a large group in your local sailing area, then chances are, you'll have to race in the very common handicapped racing that pits different boats against each other. The differences from boat to are accounted for by handicapping values which are computed either based on time or distance. The point of the handicapping systems (though not perfect) is to attempt to equalize the boat differences and thus limit most of the sailing experience to more of sailor skill.

Today, the average new racer will encounter two common handicapped rating systems in popular use. Among the coastal sailors and larger boats (Typically Keelboats 20 feet and higher), the commonly used rating system is known as PHRF (Performance Handicapped Racing Fleet). Among the dinghy and lake sailors with boats under 20 feet, the common rating system is Portsmouth.

PHRF

If your local races are governed by Portsmouth handicaps, then as long as your boat has a published rating (ask the race officer), then you are all set to race and you can skip this section.

If however, local racing is based upon PHRF, then the first thing you need to do is to join PHRF. There is often a separate regional PHRF authority in each sailing area. For example, in Southern California (San Diego up to Santa Barbara), the authority is known as the PHRF of Southern California. You need to sign up and pay an annual fee, (approximately $35) and they will then publish a rating for your boat. This rating will be based upon information you provide about the boat and equipment. The rating value is a number which indicates the number of seconds per mile allowance against a scratch boat.

If for example, your boat has a PHRF rating of 230 and you are racing against a boat with a PHRF rating of 170, and in a one mile race the other boat finishes 59 seconds ahead, you will still win since your handicap gives you a 60 second allowance (230 - 170).

PHRF ratings may vary by area and PHRF officials may apply or deduct allowances from your rating depending on differences in equipment carried that may affect your racing performance.

Other Rating Systems

There are other racing methodologies in use in local racing. One that is being promoted by US Sailing is the Americap rating. The jury is still out as to the long term possibilities for this system but it is in wide use as a PHRF alternative. However, it requires an expensive fee to secure the rating which is based upon computer modeling.

Joining a Yacht Club

One of the basic requirements before you can race is that you must belong to a yacht club. Get an idea of the different yacht clubs available in your area and consider the financial issues offered by each in comparison to your means. There is quite a range. Some are equity based and require significant investment, some have low dues and some have high dues.

But there are other options available. You may race a sailboat without belonging to a fancy yacht club. There are "Racing Clubs" available. These are usually paper clubs without real estate and are often very inexpensive to join. The task of joining a yacht club is not instant. Usually there are various procedures required and comittees have to meet (typically monthly for volunteer organizations) and this means you will not be able to race until you've been accepted. So attend to this task early on.

Check the Regional Info section to see choice of Yacht Clubs in your area.

Note: At the current time there are also restrictions that have been placed by US Sailing (the National Authority that governs Sailing in the U.S.) that requires all people, including crew to be a member of a club as per the printed 2001 Racing Rules of Sailing. The current ruling relating this issue is available here.

Another option available is to join Scuttlebutt Sailing Club. It's free! It provides nothing more than a name to stick on your entry from but you can also use it to buy time before joining a physically existing club.

Joining US Sailing

US Sailing is the national governing body of Sailing in the United States. If you join US Sailing, you will get a free Racing Rules of Sailing 2001-2004 booklet which details all the rules in sailing. You need to know all these rules so if you are not a member, you'll need to get a copy of this on their website or buy it from your marine store. In addition, US Sailing membership entitles you to discounts on race entry fees at most yacht clubs. You also get other freebies such as SailingWorld Magazine. If expect to race fairly frequently, the discounts will pretty much pay for the membership fee.

Racing Rules of Sailing

Racing means that sailboats will be in close proximity with each other at various points in a race course. In fact so close that collision courses are not only expected but are extremely likely. But even with this picture, collisions are not necessarily common events. To minimize the possibility of collisions and to put order into racing, the ISAF (International Sailing Federation) comes up with rules that define what should happen "When Boats Meet" (which is actually Part 2 of the handbook book Racing Rules of Sailing 2001-2004.

These rules are often modified every four years and each sailor needs to learn all the intricacies of these rules. It is a lot to learn and we will attempt dissect the more important ones in separate articles for the beginning racer to pick up on the basics.

Sailing rules are one of the most intimidating aspects of racing and a sailor doing a race for the first time will probably have to adopt a philosophy of avoiding contact regardless of right of way rules, just to play it safe.

In reality, the most important and basic rule to remember is the port/starboard rule (starboard boats have right of way) if on different tacks, and windward/leeward rule (leeward has right of way) if on the same tack.

A good racer really needs to understand the rules. Unfortunately, this is not an easy task and requires a commitment of time. A place to start is to attend local seminars on rules, which are usually offered by local yacht clubs.

Notice of Race and Racing Instructions

Races are usually scheduled in advance for the year in a local calendar. If you get a hold of this schedule, you can plan out the races you'd like to do for the year. In One-Design racing, the local fleet captain will usually promote the races that he feels will get the boats out in quality races.

The initiating announcement of a race is a formal document called the "Notice of Race". This is usually made available to the public way ahead of time and clearly lays out how to register for the race to be held. All the fees required to race are also indicated. If you know that a race is going to occur, go to the Yacht Club sponsoring the event and you should be able to secure a Notice of Race and Entry Form.

You will have to submit the entry form with the appropriate fees in advance of the race. Some clubs will require submission at least two weeks in advance for a big race while entry forms can be submitted the day before for the smaller races. This will be made clear on the form itself so plan in advance. Entry fees vary. Some charge a token amount and the commercially sponsored events may be more expensive (Typical Range $10 - $300).

Neither the Notice of Race or the Entry Form indicates much of how the race will actually occur. This detail will be made known to the racers just right before the race in a document known as "Racing Instructions". In a small race, this may be distributed at a skipper's meeting only 3 hours before the start time. In larger events, the instructions may be handed out as soon as you show up for the event (usually the day before the race).

Read race instructions carefully. In particular, pay attention to the definition of the different possible courses. Common areas of mistakes include how to round the marks (marks to port or marks to starboard), whether or not you can cross the starting line during the race if not finishing, shortening course instructions (in case the wind dies), or the type of penalties enforced for infractions (360  vs. 720 degree penalty turns.

Starting Sequences and Flags

The most intimidating part of a race to brand new racer must be the flags and starting sequences. The reason is that this is the part of racing that most sailors spend the least time working on. Thus, this complex and new language is being decrypted while in the water, in the middle of the start sequence, while avoiding a mass of boats.

There is a section in the Feature Articles that deal with the detail of Racing Flags and the Starting Sequence. Study that section carefully and get yourself a sticker or laminated picture of the Racing Flags so you can hand it to your crew to decipher for you.

Race Course

Race courses have many variations but the most common variety in round the buoy racing is known as the Windward-Leeward Course. This means that you start, go to an upwind mark, go downwind to a leeward mark (several repeats of this may occur) and then the final leeward mark is rounded and you finish upwind.

There are many possible variations of this including how many times you round the windward mark. There may be also reaches that one would do after rounding the windward mark but the description above is the most common.

The distance raced depends on boat size and speed. An average race for a fast rated boat (PHRF below 100) may be 8-10 miles per race. A 20 foot Keelboat will probably do 3-4 miles per race. Dinghy racers may do 1-2 miles per race.

In larger fleets and big races, you will have to research such things as "Leeward Gates" and "Offset Marks" which are meant to separate out the boats at the marks to ease congestion. But that would be an advanced lesson.

Racing Etiquette

Because experienced racers already know potential flash points in a race course (e.g. areas near marks or starting lines), one of the best way to avoid problems is to talk to the boats ahead of you in advance to ascertain their intent. This will minimize conflict and is actually expected.

For example, before coming close to a mark, crews will often announce either the presence or absence of an overlap between boats, even when no conflict has yet arisen.

It is common courtesy to keep clear of the start line if you are not in the starting sequence and other boats are starting. Sometimes this is clearly laid out in Racing instructions but not always. It is only fair that one does not interfere with another race. The same applies to the finish line. Clear the line quickly after finishing to let other boats finish without obstruction.

It is expected and often a good safety strategy to have someone shout "Starboard!" at an approaching boat coming in from port tack to avoid any surprises. The heavy responsibility is on the port boat to always keep an eye on starboard boats that have right of way. It is neither good sailing tactics to be confronted with a crossing boat by surprise nor is it safe. Take your "port" responsibility seriously. Many collisions do occur when sailors are to relaxed on port tack.

Other than for shouting "Starboard" at a port boat, angry shouting is generally bad mannered and gets other sailors upset. Take your complaints to the protest committee. Shouting in the water just makes you look like a circus show to your peers.

Sail Trim

Racing is the supreme test of your sailing ability. Bringing out the beer often equates to skippers and crew not watching their sail trim or paying attention to the race in general.

As you start your racing career, you will start to realize that different conditions, such as wind velocity, wind direction, wave size and shape all impact on the optimum trim for the race. Typically, these conditions change during the race. Thus, one of the advanced skills in racing is having the ability to sniff out these situations and adapt to it quickly.

In this website, feature articles will focus on the common problems with sail trim.

Protests

There are usually no on-the-water umpires to observe every portion of a race, particularly in local fleet racing. So each sailor is supposed to police himself so that when an infraction is done, he needs to absolve himself by taking the proper penalty (usually a 360 degree turn if hitting marks and 720 degree turns when fouling another boat). Because each racer is supposed to understand if a rule was broken then the honor system usually works. However sometimes racers cannot agree on fault and there are also situations when the application of rules gets complex. When another racer is fouled or observes an infraction, that racer may file a protest. This is quickly indicated by the raising of a red flag on the boat (tie a red flag to someplace visible on the boat -- e.g. shrouds or backstay) and you must also shout "Protest!" so that the other boat is aware of this.

Protests are handled at the end of the race. A new racer may be the subject of receiving a protest from another sailor and will be a subject of another learning experience. The boat that loses the protest may end up getting disqualified.

Handling protests (either at the receiving or giving end) is an advanced skill and requires careful understanding of the rules.

Taking penalty turns will typically clear the protest.

Race Committee Boat Heading to Station

Cruising Classes

Not everyone is prepared to jump into the performance racing classes so many yacht clubs create less competitive racing classes and are known cruising classes. These races are best for boats that are dual-purpose (cruisers used occasionally for racing) and allow these boats to race even if their equipment is not particularly geared for racing. Typical non-performance equipment include refrigerators, lifeboats, roller furling systems, cruising sails. etc. This is a good entry point for a beginning racer although please understand that the same rules of sailing apply.

Be Patient

Yacht Racing is a complex endeavor. This means that it is close to impossible to learn all the physical skills in addition to textbook information in a short amount of time. Some situations are never learned until experienced.

Thus, be prepared to spend a while at the bottom of the pack, potentially, and likely in last place. Do not let this disappoint you because this is how it all starts. Each season, you will begin to notice, if you work hard, that you're moving further and further up the back, possibly one boat at a time. You may have to think in racing seasons here (i.e. a year) for major improvements to occur.

That is not to say that you are not one of those exceptional people who could have been a sailing "Rock Star" if you started early in life, but for the common sailor, it takes a lot of work to understand the wide variety of factors that affect the speed of a boat. So, be patient.