Everyone on boat focused on race & boat all the time. Little non race conversation and never with driver.

Someone is focused on boat and race. Often even that person is chatting with someone or not fully focused. Conversations about anything common.

Clear idea of what speed should be for the conditions. Determined to fix something if slow.

Not sure what target speed should be.

Clear idea of ideal shape/trim. (Not all agree what the "ideal" shape/trim is.)

Determined to keep shape/trim "correct" and to control helm.

Trim is often set and left alone upwind... Down wind spin trim is often pretty good when trimmer and helmsman are concentrating.

Little focus on shape in some cases.

Determined to keep air clear. Looks around to ensure that tacks are into clear air.

Willing to sacrifice to get/keep air clear, if possible.

Willing to sail in dirty air. May follow leaders in their dirty air.

May tack into dirty air on new tack because have not looked at situation on other tack.

Every maneuver done to best of ability. Focused on improving next one. "How can we do it better next time?"

Some maneuvers are sloppy.

Little effective focus on getting better.

Practice sessions infrequent or more like social events.

Often jerky. Over steering common, as is over or under tacking and jibing.

Surprises common.

Entire crew practices together. Discuses details between races.

Crew studies trim, rules and tactics for fun.

Crew has schedule. Skipper knows well in advance who needed to be replaced. Takes timely action.

Usually there are enough people to make it around the course. Someone other than skipper knows what a chute is.

Entire boat inspected regularly.

Sources of friction found and eliminated. Questionable fittings, lines etc. Repaired.

In the Schock 35 class, which limits new sails, inventories are managed to preserve fast sails for big regattas.

Boat has the gear needed, except that someone forgot to lubricate or fix the whatsit.

Friction solution is a shot of WD-40 on the way out to the race course.

Shackles falling open or other gear failure viewed as bad luck

Plans to get a new sail pretty soon now.

Rig in boat. Owner has been meaning to do one thing or the other.

Blocking at deck ignored or wrong.

Clean. Smooth & fair. Keel and rudder match class templates. Holes and dings fixed.

Keeps water out. May not be clean, smooth or fair.

Crew watches for it, checks for it when appropriate.

Kelp removal drills practiced and executed as effectively as tacking.

Kelp windows clear and limits understood.

Kelp is viewed as a matter of luck.

Some boats have wonderful devices for fooling with kelp.

Little effective kelp removal preparation

Well understood. Executed conservatively.

Intention is to win the regatta through consistent sailing. Few risks taken. Corners avoided.

Belief is that even when wind is going to one side, it oscillates as it does so.

Tactics? We have to beat "the white boat" or "Lets tack on them".

Single combat common.

Being willing to bet the entire regatta on an incident is common for some skippers.

Getting ego confused with logic is common.

Belief in the favored side of the course is too common.

One owner is so concerned with weight that he leaves key tools on the dock.

Crew not all the way out on rail when needed.

Someone in cockpit to