how do racing sailboats work

Sail GP: how do supercharged racing yachts go so fast? An engineer explains

Head of Engineering, Warsash School of Maritime Science and Engineering, Solent University

Disclosure statement

Jonathan Ridley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

View all partners

Sailing used to be considered as a rather sedate pastime. But in the past few years, the world of yacht racing has been revolutionised by the arrival of hydrofoil-supported catamarans, known as “foilers”. These vessels, more akin to high-performance aircraft than yachts, combine the laws of aerodynamics and hydrodynamics to create vessels capable of speeds of up to 50 knots, which is far faster than the wind propelling them.

An F50 catamaran preparing for the Sail GP series recently even broke this barrier, reaching an incredible speed of 50.22 knots (57.8mph) purely powered by the wind. This was achieved in a wind of just 19.3 knots (22.2mph). F50s are 15-metre-long, 8.8-metre-wide hydrofoil catamarans propelled by rigid sails and capable of such astounding speeds that Sail GP has been called the “ Formula One of sailing ”. How are these yachts able to go so fast? The answer lies in some simple fluid dynamics.

As a vessel’s hull moves through the water, there are two primary physical mechanisms that create drag and slow the vessel down. To build a faster boat you have to find ways to overcome the drag force.

The first mechanism is friction. As the water flows past the hull, a microscopic layer of water is effectively attached to the hull and is pulled along with the yacht. A second layer of water then attaches to the first layer, and the sliding or shearing between them creates friction.

On the outside of this is a third layer, which slides over the inner layers creating more friction, and so on. Together, these layers are known as the boundary layer – and it’s the shearing of the boundary layer’s molecules against each other that creates frictional drag.

A yacht also makes waves as it pushes the water around and under the hull from the bow (front) to the stern (back) of the boat. The waves form two distinctive patterns around the yacht (one at each end), known as Kelvin Wave patterns.

These waves, which move at the same speed as the yacht, are very energetic. This creates drag on the boat known as the wave-making drag, which is responsible for around 90% of the total drag. As the yacht accelerates to faster speeds (close to the “hull speed”, explained later), these waves get higher and longer.

These two effects combine to produce a phenomenon known as “ hull speed ”, which is the fastest the boat can travel – and in conventional single-hull yachts it is very slow. A single-hull yacht of the same size as the F50 has a hull speed of around 12 mph.

However, it’s possible to reduce both the frictional and wave-making drag and overcome this hull-speed limit by building a yacht with hydrofoils . Hydrofoils are small, underwater wings. These act in the same way as an aircraft wing, creating a lift force which acts against gravity, lifting our yacht upwards so that the hull is clear of the water.

While an aircraft’s wings are very large, the high density of water compared to air means that we only need very small hydrofoils to produce a lot of the important lift force. A hydrofoil just the size of three A3 sheets of paper, when moving at just 10 mph, can produce enough lift to pick up a large person.

This significantly reduces the surface area and the volume of the boat that is underwater, which cuts the frictional drag and the wave-making drag, respectively. The combined effect is a reduction in the overall drag to a fraction of its original amount, so that the yacht is capable of sailing much faster than it could without hydrofoils.

The other innovation that helps boost the speed of racing yachts is the use of rigid sails . The power available from traditional sails to drive the boat forward is relatively small, limited by the fact that the sail’s forces have to act in equilibrium with a range of other forces, and that fabric sails do not make an ideal shape for creating power. Rigid sails, which are very similar in design to an aircraft wing, form a much more efficient shape than traditional sails, effectively giving the yacht a larger engine and more power.

As the yacht accelerates from the driving force of these sails, it experiences what is known as “ apparent wind ”. Imagine a completely calm day, with no wind. As you walk, you experience a breeze in your face at the same speed that you are walking. If there was a wind blowing too, you would feel a mixture of the real (or “true” wind) and the breeze you have generated.

The two together form the apparent wind, which can be faster than the true wind. If there is enough true wind combined with this apparent wind, then significant force and power can be generated from the sail to propel the yacht, so it can easily sail faster than the wind speed itself.

The combined effect of reducing the drag and increasing the driving power results in a yacht that is far faster than those of even a few years ago. But all of this would not be possible without one further advance: materials. In order to be able to “fly”, the yacht must have a low mass, and the hydrofoil itself must be very strong. To achieve the required mass, strength and rigidity using traditional boat-building materials such as wood or aluminium would be very difficult.

This is where modern advanced composite materials such as carbon fibre come in. Production techniques optimising weight, rigidity and strength allow the production of structures that are strong and light enough to produce incredible yachts like the F50.

The engineers who design these high-performance boats (known as naval architects ) are always looking to use new materials and science to get an optimum design. In theory, the F50 should be able to go even faster.

• Engineering
• Aerodynamics

Want to write?

Write an article and join a growing community of more than 189,800 academics and researchers from 5,044 institutions.

Register now

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works

Home / Features / What is SailGP? How does it work, and what’s all the tech behind it?

What is SailGP? How does it work, and what’s all the tech behind it?

Racing boats in SailGP is not as easy as you'd think, there's an awful lot of tech behind it. Here's everything you need to know

As electric tech takes over the vehicles that we drive, it’s also taking over the sports we watch. F1 is one of the top motorsports to watch , but Formula E is now on the scene with an electric version. But what about on the water? While electric racing might not have arrived yet, SailGP is like a race for the sea – with boats battling out in a race. These specially designed F-50 boats can fly over the water at speeds of 50 knots or more.

The sport is still fairly new to the scene, only in its fourth season so far. So what exactly is SailGP, and how does it all work? There’s plenty of tech behind it all. Here’s everything you need to know about the racing sport on the sea.

• Read more: What is Formula E? The electric motorsport explained

What is SailGP?

SailGP represents the pinnacle of sailing with a cutting-edge twist. It’s a global league where teams compete in identical, high-performance F50 catamarans that literally fly over water.

Launched in 2019, this new boat racing series pits ten national teams against each other in some of the world’s most iconic maritime venues – think Saint Tropez, Sydney, Bermuda. Each event in the SailGP calendar not only showcases crew skill but also pushes the boundaries of nautical engineering and sports entertainment. All of its events take place close to shore, so fans can get up close to the action.

With a hefty $2 million prize on the line in a blistering winner-takes-all final race between the three top teams, SailGP is as much a test of nerve as it is a display of technological prowess and tactical acumen.

How does it work?

The format of SailGP is designed to maximize excitement and competition. Each season is composed of multiple events held around the globe. During a typical Sail Grand Prix, teams compete in six fleet races, with points awarded based on finishing positions.

The culmination of each event is a dramatic final race where the top three teams vie for victory in a no-holds-barred showdown. The unique scoring system adds an intense strategic layer, as every race impacts the season-long chase for the championship, leading to a high-stakes season finale where the top three teams battle it out to become the overall SailGP champion.

SailGP is also one of the few sport competitions in the world that has two separate leagues: one for teams’ performances on the water and the other on how they impact the planet.

The tech behind it all

Central to the series is the F50 catamaran – a combination of high performance and high-tech in yacht racing. What sets these boats apart isn’t just their ability to fly over water at speeds exceeding 50 knots (about 57.5 mph). It’s that they do so powered by clean, electric energy. These systems are crucial for the dynamic control of the boat’s stability and speed, allowing its athletes to make precise adjustments. 

The foils of the F50 catamarans are constructed from high-modulus carbon fibre – for minimal resistance and maximum durability at high speeds. These foils are designed to lift the boats out of the water at speed, reducing drag and enabling faster racing. The design extends the foils outside the boat’s maximum beam, increasing righting moment and promoting a smoother transition. 

It also delays the onset of cavitation – where reduced water pressure causes boiling and air bubbles, increasing drag and reducing lift. So, the boats can maintain high speeds for longer and more efficiently.

SailGP’s F50s are equipped with a range of sail options that teams choose based on the wind conditions. It is also mandated by race management, so all boats have the same settings to maintain the one-design racing element. These options include a modular wing system that can reduce the wing size to 18m and increase it to 29m at its tallest.

How to watch SailGP

SailGP offers a spectator experience as dynamic as the racing itself. Fans can watch the high-speed action unfold from the shoreline of some of the most beautiful waterfront cities, or they can follow live broadcasts from anywhere in the world. SailGP operates and produces all of its live broadcasts of its events in-house from a remote studio in London.

Each race is augmented by state-of-the-art LivelineFX graphics, which provide real-time data and insights, making it easy for newcomers and seasoned fans alike to understand the complexities of the race strategies and the incredible speeds achieved. In person, SailGP offers a spectator experience as dynamic as the racing itself. Fans can watch the high-speed action unfold from the shoreline of some of the most beautiful waterfront cities. Whether you’re watching from the bustling piers of San Francisco or via live stream in your living room, SailGP serves up a thrilling spectacle of speed, skill, and cutting-edge technology.

Here in the UK, SailGP is completely free to watch. It’s broadcast live on ITV, and is also available to stream on ITVX if that’s more your jam. You can also watch the feeds straight from the SailGP app. Broadcasting in other countries varies, but you can check the official guide on how to tune in.

• Related:   How Formula E racing tech will give your electric car a longer range

Connor is a writer for Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. He has been writing for around seven years now, with writing across the web and in print too. Connor has experience on most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech. Just like everyone else around here, he’s a fan of gadgets of all sorts! Aside from writing, Connor is involved in the startup scene. This exciting involvement puts him at the front of new and exciting tech, always on the lookout for innovating products.

Areas of expertise

Mobile, macOS, EVs, smart home

Related content

Best watches released in 2024 (so far).

We’ve collected the best watches from Rolex, Tudor, TAG Heuer, Omega, Swatch and more

What is Formula E? The electric motorsport explained

There’s a new motorsport on the scene – it’s Formula E, and all of the cars are fully electric. Here’s everything you need to know

How Formula E racing tech will give your electric car a longer range

We talk about the work that goes into making a Formula E race happen, the cars on the track, and the future of motorsports

How the world’s fastest sail racing boats fly above the water

Tune in to SailGP Season 2 and you’d be forgiven for thinking that your eyes are deceiving you.

So, what is foiling, how does it work, and when did sailing become so… cool?

It's all about drag

The story behind hydrofoils

The next frontier.

Beneath The Surface

Watch on youtube.

Access All Areas

Want to learn more about SailGP?

Meet the denmark sailgp team, find all the latest news, go beneath the surface of sailgp, discover more beneath the surface.

Protecting paradise – Sailing towards a more sustainable future

Like so many coastal communities all over the world, preserving the delicate marine ecosystem and the health of the ocean is of huge priority on the island of Bermuda

Chasing a dream – Risking everything to renovate an abandoned hotel

When builder Bryan Baeumler stumbled upon a decaying and abandoned resort on the tropical island of St. Andros in the Bahamas, he was compelled to quit his cosy life in Canada and transform the ruin into a luxury escape. His top priority when revitalising the dilapidated resort was to renovate in the most sustainable way possible, with true respect for its island location. But how could this be done?

The Beneath The Surface show

We go Beneath The Surface of SailGP's iconic host cities, set a spotlight on great projects and curious mind and catch all the lastest with the Denmark SailGP Team. Join us as we travel the world and explore how innovation and science is helping solve the world's biggest challenges!

Helping Taranto sail towards a brighter horizon

Taranto, and other parts of the southern region, has long suffered from brain drain. But can the renovation wave that is currently sailing through Italy help reverse this trend and breathe new life into this once charming city?

ROCKWOOL Group

Introduction to Sailboat Racing [Rules and Classes Explained]

True, when you first witness a sailboat race, you might believe it’s too confusing and chaotic (it can be both). But, like with anything new, you may ease into it gradually. This is intended to allow you to take several actions at once.

Racing a sailboat is a lot of fun. It blends the excitement of sailing your own boat with the raw rivalry of trying to beat another boat of comparable size. Racing also teaches you boat handling and sail trim in a manner that cruising cannot: by comparing your speed and handling to those of other boats.

Let us jump into the article to learn more about sailboat racing.

Basic Insights Into Sailboat Racing

Sailboat racing may be separated into three parts: start , headwind , and tailwind . During a sailboat race, it is important to ensure that the beginning of the race must be strong. The start determines the overall outcome of the race and thus is considered very crucial for the race. It brings great advantage to the competitor and this is often very underrated.

As soon as the countdown is complete, it is necessary to make sure that the competitor has crossed the starting line effectively. Generally, warnings are given at 5mins and subsequently at 4mins and 1min .

Another very important aspect to consider is the path . The competitor must be able to determine a clear path to sail through and the direction of the race course must also be perceived correctly to ensure a favorable outcome. Free lanes enable the competitor with ideal angles to the wind with which they can easily navigate without having to go against disturbed wind or wind shadows from rival boats.

The Starting Line

Oftentimes, the first leg of the race will be upwind, after the starting line is crossed. At this point again, it is important to note that starting strong is crucial for an upwind race as more free lanes are accessible the further ahead the competitor is in the convoy.

The necessary determinants to be noted and kept in consideration throughout the race for effective upwind sailing strategies are the following factors: wind direction, wind speed, and rivals. But the last aspect can be tricky as everyone’s goal is ultimately to win.

Competitors need to base their choices for sailing downwind on the same findings, but with a few minor variations. Being at the forefront and tagged by rivals can be seen as a mode of suffering when the competitor must keep sailing in the wind shadows of all the boats behind. Here, there’s an advantage to be thought of if the competitor can position themselves at the rear. Any lane can be chosen at proper intervals to make up for the lost ground.

However, usually, down winds result in shorter wins and losses than up winds . This is because there is less transverse separation during down winds when compared to up winds.

Different Types of Sail Racing Classes

Sailboat racing can be done in different ways. Each race lasts for about 45min to 1hr and is conducted on a course marked by buoys mounted by the racing committee. One can also take part in “ distance races “. In this case, the “ natural ” surroundings will typically provide the race course.

‍The points of sail during the race depend on the predominant wind direction factors on the day of the race, which is the other major variation besides the length. While racing on the course, the race committee places the buoys in such a manner that the race course is adapted to the wind , this mostly enables the competitors to accurately identify which sail has to be deployed for the upcoming leg .

At the race course and during the distance races, the sailboats that participate are usually of various types and are commonly very diverse. As a result, the organizing committee frequently employs intricate “ handicap ” mechanisms to even out variations across boat types . The system is often country-based and it has been developed based on the most common types of boats in a country. The RC , ORC , and IRC systems are the most widely used on an international scale .

These systems compute a factor that should be multiplied by the exact time required to sail one nautical mile using complex formulas . They are based on the dimensions of the boat’s length, weight, sail size, types, and design of the boat along with the materials used .

To find the adjusted race time that can be used to compare with other competitors, this f actor is multiplied by the amount of time it took you to complete the race and the distance of the race .

It is very necessary to remember that these systems are not entirely accurate and they cannot be completely relied on. They can only be used to a certain extent for performance comparison . Hence it is advised that one must compete in races where the competing boats are similar to accurately assess the racing skills of the competitor.

Main Rules in Sailboat Racing

These races are administered and authorized by the International Racing Rules of Sailing . It lays down rules and safety measures to sail safely across the race course along with the entire fleet, whose goal is to sail successfully during the race as well.

A rulebook is laid down with fundamental rules providing explanations and specimens about ensuring how to maintain and regulate according to the laws during a variety of circumstances that can arise between competing sailboats during the course of the race.

The most fundamental rule is that vessels with their starboard side windward must give way to vessels with their port side windward . This implies that the port-tack boat must either tack or bear away to pass behind the stern of the starboard-tack boat when two boats on opposite tacks come together . The leeward boat always has the right of way over the windward boat when there are two boats on the same tack.

Although this is the case, it is essential to note that the boat with the right of way must always ensure to leave other sailboats adequate space and time to avoid collision and accidents . While trying to maintain contact with other competitors, one must be very safe and secure as a significant level of rule interpretation can be enforced.

Violation of any rule can cause you to self-forfeit from the race . Hence it is advised to make amends and surrender upon having committed a conscious foul. Most admitted fouls are looked over following a penalty turn of 360 degrees or 720 degrees . Sailing instructions can be seen as a guide in all circumstances to find more detailed information about the same. A few rules can also be helpful when it comes to knowing what to be worn during the race apart from obvious determinants like the weather and climate conditions.

Main Equipment Used In Sailboat Racing

The sport of sailing is generally very physically taxing and hence requires e xtraordinary energy throughout the course of the race especially while rounding marks and sailing downwind.

When the atmospheric temperature falls due to wind-chill effects , it makes much colder winds frequently. In such circumstances, making use of a windproof outer layer will guard against the wind chill and this material is also breathable . Such measures must be ensured to avoid being cold and clammy. Wearing boots can also ensure to keep yourself warm and comfortable.

Looking into the technical aspects , sailboats need to ensure they are fully equipped with communication and navigation devices such as VHF, GPS, Sat Phones , and so on.

Different Types Of Sailboat Races

Sailboat racing is a diverse and dynamic sport that encompasses a wide range of different race types , each with its own unique rules, tactics, and strategies . Understanding the different types of sailboat races is crucial for sailors looking to compete at a high level and succeed in this exciting sport.

One of the most common types of sailboat racing is fleet racing, which involves a large number of sailboats competing in a single race. In fleet racing, the sailboats start together and sail a predetermined course, with the first boat to cross the finish line being declared the winner. Fleet racing often requires a high degree of tactical maneuvering, as sailors must navigate around other boats and adjust their tactics to account for wind shifts and other factors.

Another popular type of sailboat racing is match racing, which involves two sailboats competing head-to-head in a series of races. In match racing, the emphasis is on tactical maneuvering and outsmarting your opponent, rather than simply being the fastest boat on the course. Match racing typically involves a complex set of rules and regulations governing how boats can interact with each other on the course, and sailors must be highly skilled at reading wind shifts, controlling their boats, and outmaneuvering their opponents.

Team racing is another type of sailboat racing that involves multiple sailboats competing against each other in a team format. In team racing, each team consists of multiple boats, and the team with the best overall performance across all of its boats is declared the winner. Team racing often requires a high degree of coordination and strategy, as sailors must work together to achieve a common goal and coordinate their tactics to maximize their chances of success.

In addition to these main types of sailboat racing, there are also a variety of specialized race types that are popular in different parts of the world . For example, ocean racing involves sailing across the open ocean over long distances and requires a high degree of skill and endurance. Inshore racing , on the other hand, takes place in protected bays and harbors and often involves short, fast races with frequent wind shifts and other challenges.

Regardless of the type of sailboat racing, one thing remains constant: the need for skilled and experienced sailors who can navigate their boats through a wide range of conditions and challenges. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a beginner just getting started, mastering the different types of sailboat racing can be a highly rewarding and exhilarating experience, and can lead to a lifetime of excitement and adventure on the water.

Classes Of Sailboats Commonly Used In Racing

Sailboat racing is a highly competitive and dynamic sport that encompasses a wide range of different classes of sailboats, each with its own unique characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. Understanding the different classes of sailboats used in racing is crucial for sailors looking to compete at a high level and succeed in this exciting sport.

One of the most common classes of sailboats used in racing is the dinghy , which is a small, lightweight boat typically sailed by one or two people. Dinghies are highly maneuverable and responsive and can be sailed in a wide range of conditions, from light winds to strong breezes. Popular dinghy classes include the Laser , the 420 , and the Optimist , each of which has its own unique rules and specifications.

Keelboats are another popular class of sailboats used in racing, and are typically larger and heavier than dinghies, with a fixed keel that helps to provide stability and control. Keelboats come in a wide range of sizes and designs, from small one-design boats like the J/24 to larger performance-oriented boats like the TP52. Keelboats are often sailed by a crew of several people and require a high degree of coordination and teamwork to sail effectively.

Multihulls are another popular class of sailboats used in racing and are characterized by their multiple hulls providing greater speed and stability than traditional monohull sailboats. Multihulls come in a variety of different designs and sizes, from small catamarans to large trimarans , and are typically sailed by a crew of several people. Multihulls can be highly competitive and exciting to sail, but also require a high degree of skill and experience to handle effectively.

In addition to these main classes of sailboats, there are also a variety of specialized classes that are popular in different parts of the world. For example, in Australia and New Zealand, the 18-foot skiff is a highly competitive and popular class of sailboats, characterized by its large sail area and high speed. In Europe, the Dragon is a classic one-design keelboat that has been popular for decades and is known for its elegant design and excellent performance.

Regardless of the specific class of sailboats used in racing, one thing remains constant : the need for skilled and experienced sailors who can navigate their boats through a wide range of conditions and challenges . Whether you’re racing a dinghy, a keelboat, a multihull, or some other type of sailboat, mastering the unique characteristics and challenges of your boat is key to achieving success on the water.

To become a successful sailboat racer , it’s important to not only master the technical skills needed to sail your boat effectively , but also to develop a deep understanding of the rules, tactics, and strategies that govern sailboat racing . By immersing yourself in the world of sailboat racing and learning from experienced sailors, you can build the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in this exciting and challenging sport.

In conclusion, participating in a race can be very enjoyable in both cases. The first case is where someone is learning the art of sailing or like in the second case where one could be trying to gain some prior expertise on the sea.

If winning the race is one’s main aim then the key thing to remember is to make sure that you tack at the right moments. To trim the sails to completely catch the wind and last but not least, to communicate well with the rest of the crew.

• Recent Posts

• Responsibilities of a Fourth Engineer on Cargo Ships – September 10, 2024
• The Role of Cargo Ships in Global Trade – August 22, 2024
• Report: Yang Ming’s YM Mobility Explosion at Ningbo-Zhoushan Port – August 9, 2024

About the author

I worked as an officer in the deck department on various types of vessels, including oil and chemical tankers, LPG carriers, and even reefer and TSHD in the early years. Currently employed as Marine Surveyor carrying cargo, draft, bunker, and warranty survey.

Latest posts

Is Maritime Security Necessary on Modern Ships?

It’s vital for ships to stay vigilant. Isolation from land means having no backup or protection for miles, making them vulnerable to attacks and other threats. Equip modern ships using modern maritime security methods.

Responsibilities of a Fourth Engineer on Cargo Ships

A Fourth Engineer on cargo ships oversees engine room operations, machinery maintenance, and ensures compliance with regulations like MARPOL.

The Quality Control Process in Marine Manufacturing

Companies in the marine manufacturing space must have tight and effective quality control processes. What steps should an effective quality control process include?

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

America’s Cup boats: 8 facts about the AC75 and why they’re unique

• Toby Heppell
• August 20, 2024

The America's Cup boats to be used on the 2024 edition of the event are immensely complicated high tech bits of kit. They might be officially sailing craft but they behave in some remarkable ways

The AC75 is the class of boat that takes part in the America’s Cup and are arguably the most radical boats the compeition has ever seen.  This type of America’s Cup boat was first used in the 2021 America’s Cup so this is the second event in which these boats have been used.  

The America’s Cup is, fundamentally, a design competition, and successive America’s Cups have featured the most extreme yachts yet – for their time – ever since the first race in 1851.

However, the foiling boats we have seen in the last four editions of America’s Cup racing (the AC72 and AC50 catamarans, and now the AC75 monohulls) do represent a new direction for the highest level of sailing.

There are plenty who argue that this technology is so far beyond the bounds of what most people consider sailing as to be an entirely different sport. Equally, there are those who believe this is simply a continuation of the development that the America’s Cup has always pushed to the fore, from Bermudan rigs, to composite materials, winged keels, and everything in between.

Good arguments can be made either way and foiling in the world’s oldest sporting trophy will always be a subjective and controversial topic. But one thing is certain: the current America’s Cup boats, the AC75s, are unlike anything seen before and are showcasing to the world just what is possible under sail power alone.

Photo: Ian Roman / America’s Cup

1 Unimaginable speed

Topping the 50-knot barrier used to be the preserve of extreme speed record craft and kiteboarders. A World Speed Sailing Record was set in 2009 of 51.36 knots by Alain Thebault in his early foiling trimaran, Hydroptere , and was bested in 2010 by kite boarder, Alexandre Caizergues who managed 54.10 knots.

Only one craft has ever topped 60-knots, the asymmetric Vestas Sail Rocket 2 , which was designed for straight line speed only and could no more get around an America’s Cup course than cross an ocean. Such records are set by sailing an average speed over the course of 500m, usually over a perfectly straight, flat course in optimum conditions.

America’s Cup class yachts, designed to sail windward/leeward courses around marks, are now hitting speeds that just over a decade ago were the preserve of specialist record attempts, while mid-race. American Magic has been recorded doing 53.31 knots on their first version of the AC75 class, Patriot.

Perhaps even more impressive, in the right conditions when racing we have seen some boats managing 40 knots of boatspeed upwind in around 17 knots of wind. That is simply unheard of in performance terms and almost unimaginable just three or so years ago.

Article continues below…

How to watch the Louis Vuitton Cup Semi-Final – the America’s Cup challenger series streams

The America’s Cup Challenger Selection is set to continue on Saturday 14 September 2024, as the four teams that made…

WATCH: Will the USA’s Radical America’s Cup Design Choices Pay Off?

American Magic’s new AC75, Patriot, has garnered significant attention due to its unique approach. While all the teams are bound…

2 A storm onboard the AC75

Related to the speeds the boats are sailing through the water, particularly upwind, is the wind speeds the sailors will feel on deck.

When sailing, the forward motion affects the wind we experience onboard, known as apparent wind. The oft’ trotted out explanation of how apparent wind works is to imagine driving your car at 50mph. Roll down the window and stick your hand out of it and there will be 50mph of wind hitting your hand from the direction your car is travelling.

So when an AC75 is sailing upwind in 18 knots of breeze at a boatspeed of 40 knots, the crew on deck will be experiencing 40 knots of wind over the decks plus a percentage of the true wind speed – depending on their angle to the wind.

The AC75 crews might be sailing in only 18 knots of breeze – what would feel like a decent summer breeze on any other boat – but they experience winds of around 50 knots.

To put that into context, that is a storm force 10 on the Beaufort scale!

3 Righting moment changes

The single most radical development of the AC75 is to take a 75ft ‘keelboat’, but put no keel on it whatsoever.

When the then America’s Cup Defender and the Challenger of Record, Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli respectively, announced that the 36th America’s Cup (to be held in 2021) would be sailed in 75ft monohulls, conventional wisdom had it that the boats would look something like a TP52 or a Maxi72 – both impressively high performance keelboats.

By doing away with the keel entirely, the design is now like nothing we have ever seen, particularly when it comes to how dynamic the power transition is between foiling and not foiling.

The boats are designed to foil on the leeward foil, with the windward one raised to help increase righting moment: to help balance the boat. This means that when the AC75 is not foiling they are extremely tippy – much more so than most other boats of the same size.

Essentially, when the wind catches the sails, the boat wants to fall over as there is too much sail area for the amount of weight underneath the boat – something a lead keel usually counters on a yacht or keelboat.

Once the boat is up and on the foils, however, that all changes, as everything to windward of the single foil in the water balances the sails. That means, the hull, the crew weight, the sail and rig weight, and the windward foil, all work to counter the sails.

What all this means is that the boats go from being extremely tippy, to hugely powerful in just the few seconds it takes to get up on the foil. “The [AC75s] are really very tippy pre-foiling and then they go through the transition where they will need to build significant power. Then immediately [once they lift off] you have more stability than, well, take your pick, but certainly more righting moment than something like a Volvo 70 with a big canting keel.

“That change all happens in a very short space of time,” explained Burns Fallow of North Sails, who was one of the team who developed the soft wing concept back when the concept was revealed.

Photo: Ricardo Pinto / America’s Cup

4 ‘Cyclors’ return to power America’s Cup boats

Bak in 2017 Emirates Team New Zealand stormed to America’s Cup victory in an AC50 foiling catamaran which was, by some margin, quicker than any of the other teams.

The most glaring difference was their use of pedal grinders to produce power rather than traditional pedestal arm grinders. ETNZ’s sci-fi style term for their grinders was ‘cyclors’, cyclist sailors.

The idea had actually been tried before in the America’s Cup; Pelle Petterson used pedal grinders on the 12-metre Sverige in 1977. But ETNZ’s set-up now was very different: here it was part of a linked chain of innovations, the most obvious emblem of a radical approach.

One obvious benefit was the greater power output from using legs to pedal, but beyond this it left cyclists’ hands free and allowed the team to use a highly sophisticated system of fingertip control systems, and thus to use faster, less stable foils, and then to divide up crew roles so ETNZ could be sailed in a different way.

When the AC75 was first introduced in 2021, Cyclors were specifically banned by the class rule. However, with a reduction of crew numbers from 11 to 8 in the second AC75 class rule – in use for the 2024 America’s Cup – cyclors are now allowed once again and all teams look set to be using pedal power onboard.

5 America’s Cup boats may not be heading where they point

With the AC75 sailing on its foil, drag is dramatically reduced, vast amounts of power can be generated and so speeds rapidly increase. But the foils can serve another purpose too.

In order to be able to lift each foil out of the water, the foil arms must be able to be raised and lowered. Hence the foil wings, which sit at the bottom of the foil arms (and are usually a T or Y shape), do not always sit perpendicular to the water surface and the AC75s often sail with them canted over to something nearer 45º to the surface.

The further out the leeward foil arm is canted – essentially more raised – the closer the AC75 flies to surface and, crucially, the more righting moment is generated as the hull and rest of the boat gets further from the lifting surface of the foil.

There is another positive to this: as the lifting foil is angled, it produces lift to windward, which can force the boat more towards the wind than the angle it is sailing.

Due to this negative leeway (as it is known when a foil creates lift to windward) the boat can be pointing at a compass heading of say 180º but in fact will be sailing at eg 177º as the foil pushes the boat sideways and to weather, essentially sailing to windward somewhat diagonally.

6 The foils are heavy. Very heavy.

As the foils work to provide stability to the boat (when it is stationary both foils are dropped all the way down to stop it tipping over) and to provide massive amounts of righting moment, they are incredibly heavy.

A pair of foil wings and flaps (excluding the one-design foil arm which attaches them to the boat and lifts them up and down) weigh 1842kg. To put that into perspective, the entire boat itself with all equipment (but without the crew) weighs between 6200kg and 6160kg. So the foil wings at the base of the foil arms are nearly ⅓ of the total weight of the boat.

It is partly due to this that you will see some teams with bulbs on their foils. If you decide to go for a skinny foil wing (which would be low drag and so faster) then there will not be enough volume to cram sufficient material in to make the foil weigh enough. So some teams have decided to add a bulb in order to make it weigh enough but to also keep a less draggy, slimmer foil shape.

7 Sails can invert at the head

As with everything on the AC75, the mainsail was a relatively new concept when the boat was first announced. It consists of two mainsails which are attached to both corners of a D-shaped mast tube. This has the effect of creating a profile similar to a wing.

It is well established that solid wing sails are more efficient at generating power than a soft sail and for this reason solid wings were used in both the America’s Cup in 2013 and 2017. But there are drawbacks with a wing: they cannot be lowered if something goes wrong and require a significant amount of manpower and a crane to put it on or take it off a boat.

One reason a wing makes for such a powerful sail is that the shape can be manipulated from top to bottom fairly easily with the right controls. With the AC75 the designers wanted a sail that could have some of this manipulation, produce similar power but could also be dropped while out on the water. The twin skin, ‘soft wing’ is what they came up with for this class of America’s Cup boat.

In addition to the usual sail controls, within the rules, the teams are allowed to develop systems for controlling the top few metres of the mainsail and the bottom few metres.

What this means is that the teams are able to manipulate their mainsail in a number of different ways to develop power and control where that power is produced in the sail. But it also means that they have the ability to invert the head of the sail.

Doing this effectively means ‘tacking’ the top of the sail while the rest of the sail is in its usual shape. The advantage here is that instead of trying to tip the boat to leeward, the very top of the sail will be trying to push the boat upright and so creating even more righting moment. The disadvantage is that it would come at the cost of increased aerodynamic drag.

We know that a number of America’s Cup teams are able to do this, though whether it is effective is another question and it is very hard to spot this technique being used while the boats are racing at lightning speeds.

8 America’s Cup meets F1

A new America’s Cup boat is a vastly complex bit of kit. Each team has incredibly powerful Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software packages and simulators in order to try to understand the various gains and losses.

To make these simulators and computer projections as accurate as possible each team has been getting as much data as they can over their three year development cycle.

In the case of this America’s Cup it does seem the development process is genuinely getting closer to Formula 1 (albeit with smaller budgets than a modern F1 team has behind them).

INEOS Britannia have been work alongside the all powerful Mercedes F1 team (both of who are backed by INEOS) and have been open about how much this has helped their development process and after a relatively small amount of collaboration in 2021 the British team and Mercedes have created a much tighter relationship for the 2024 America’s Cup .

But the British team is not alone. When two-time America’s Cup winner, Alinghi announced they would be coming back to the event after some years on the sidelines, they also announced their own tie-in with current F1 World Champions, Red Bull Racing, to for Alinghi Red Bull Racing .

“It’s really similar to F1,” explains Mercedes Applied Science Principal Engineer Thomas Batch who has 11 F1 titles to his name and is was with INEOS in Auckland 2021. “Certainly in this campaign the technology is close to what we have in F1.

“In terms of raw sensors on the boat you are probably talking in the 100s but then we take that and we make that into mass channels and additional analysis with computational versions of those channels that we then analyse and get into in more detail. So you are looking at 1000s of plots that we can delve into [per race or training session].

“That level of data analysis and then feedback with the sailors is very similar to working with an [F1] driver.”

If you enjoyed this….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams. Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

INTRO TO SAILBOAT RACING

How do raceS work?

Sailboat racing takes many forms. There are countless types of sailboats and nearly unlimited environments in which to sail. Although all the variables can seem daunting, when it comes down to it sailboat racing is an engaging, dynamic, and thrilling sport! Luckily, weekly racing at MSC is limited to only a couple of different types of racing, which we describe below.

What are Regattas?

In simple terms, a regatta is a series of sailboat races. At MSC, we have High School sailing regattas in the spring and fall and one or two regattas in the summer for youth and adults. We also have a weekly race series on Wednesday evenings. Regattas and weekly races are a great way for new and experienced sailors to challenge themselves and improve!

what are the rules?

Sailboat racing is governed by the Racing Rules of Sailing  as adopted by US Sailing.

For new sailors, the key sections of the rules to understand are the Definitions Section, and Sections 1 (Fundamental Rules) and 2 (When Boats Meet).

Here are two videos explaining some basic rules: Sail vs. Sail and The Race Course

BOAT DESIGN

Most races at MSC utilize one-design  sailboats. Similar to NASCAR racing, one-design racing means every single sailboat in the race is exactly the same. Different types of sailboats have Classes  with certain specifications that boatmakers must follow to ensure all boats are the same.  

At MSC we sail C Scows , Ensigns , 420s, and Lasers . Ensigns are a great boat for learning to race because an experienced skipper can bring a few new racers as crew. C Scows are sailed by two or three people and they are built for speed with a large mainsail and flat bottom. 420s have two sails and are doublehanded  boats meaning they are sailed by two people; a skipper  who steers the boat and trims the mainsail, and a crew  who sits in front and trims the jib sail. Lasers are singlehanded  boats sailed by a single skipper.

race course

There are two main types of race courses in sailboat racing:

Short Course or Buoy Racing - Sailboats start at the same time and sail around a course (usually marked by buoys) a predetermined number of times. Boats are then scored by the position in which they finish. Weekly races at MSC usually last around 30 minutes.

Two common buoy racing courses are the Windward/leeward and Digital N . The windward/leeward course is often used in fleet racing and involves sailing directly towards the wind (windward) and then sailing with the wind at your back (leeward) and repeating. The Digital N course is sailed in the shape of the letter "N" and is often used for team racing .

Distance or Offshore Racing - Sailboats race over long distances and use landmarks, buoys, or other objects to mark the course. Races can last hours, days, or even weeks. The Vendée Globe is an example of distance racing. Unfortunately, Bde Maka Ska is too small to do any distance races.

Judges sight down the starting line and call out boats that cross early

STARTING LINE

Both buoy and distance racing use a starting line  to begin the race. A starting line is an imaginary line between a Pin (buoy) and the judge's boat . A series of flags and horns are used to signal a timed starting sequence. For races at MSC, the sequence is usually three minutes long.

Boats sail back and forth behind the starting line during the sequence. At the end of three minutes, the sailboats are free to cross the line and begin the race. If a sailboat crosses the start line early they are forced to take a penalty, which involves sailing back and recrossing the start line. If a sailboat does not properly take a penalty they are considered OCS (On Course Side) and is disqualified from the race.

Similar to the starting line, there is a finish line that sailboats cross to end the race. The start line often serves as the finish line as well.

Race formats

Fleet Racing - 3 or more sailboats racing against each other. Sailboats are scored based on their finishing position (1 point for 1st place, 2 for 2nd place, 3 for 3rd, etc.). The sailboat with the lowest score after a series of races is the winner.

Team Racing -  Two teams of 3 sailboats compete head-to-head. The winner of each race is the team with the fewest total points. For example, a team that finishes in 1st, 3rd, and 6th place has a total of 10 points, while the other team finishes 2nd, 4th, and 5th for a total of 11 points. The finishing positions are referred to as “combinations.” Any combination of points that adds up to 10 or less is a “winning combination.”

Team race regattas are generally a round-robin format. If there are 10 teams in the regatta, each team will race against the other team. The team with the best overall win/loss record, in the end, wins the regatta.

Match Racing - Two sailboats race head-to-head. Match racing regattas can be a series of head-to-head races, a round-robin, or tournament bracket style. The America’s Cup is a Match Racing regatta.

The Racing season starts in late May and runs through mid-September. Click here to view the schedule. Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before the start of the race to get rigged and ready. The basic schedule for sailboat races is as follows. 

Wednesday Nights - Please register for Wednesday night races by clicking here

Racers should arrive by 5:30 pm to check in and rig their boats.  

C Scow races start at 6:00 pm followed by the Ensigns, then Lasers and 420s together.  

We aim to sail two races on Wednesday nights.

• Find A School
• Certifications
• North U Sail Trim
• Inside Sailing with Peter Isler
• Docking Made Easy
• Study Quizzes
• Bite-sized Lessons
• Fun Quizzes
• Sailing Challenge

How to Graduate from Cruiser to Racer — Steps to Start Racing Sailboats 🔉

By: Zeke Quezada, ASA Learn To Sail , North U

So often in the sailing world, we’re presented with a question that takes binary form — “are you a cruiser or a racer?” Sure, people tend to have their preferences, but I’d like to propose one can embrace both dimensions of sailing in the same way one can appreciate both fine art and Formula 1.

I have two boys who sail. One kid has a nice cheeseboard and understands the art of sailing, eating, and drinking on the ocean. His crew is consistently composed of competent sailors that want to relax and enjoy the ocean environment. 

The second son wants to go fast. If he is not going fast, he would instead take a nap  — the non-racing aspects of sailing aren’t interesting to him. His crew is a group of competitive sailors who love to win. They work well together as a team and can be found trying to go fast on a leisurely Saturday afternoon sail.

So many times I have wanted for both sons to experience the strengths of the other son out on the water — to become complete sailors, fully appreciative of the entire sailing experience, and also fully capable of maximizing speed and performance all in one optimized, well-rounded package.

In fact, this is not only my wish, but at American Sailing, it is our goal for every sailor out there to fall in love with both aspects of sailing. If you are already a seasoned cruiser, or just getting started sailing, here are a few steps on how to graduate to full-blown racer while still sharpening your general sailing skills.

What Are the Prerequisites to Sailboat Racing?

Learning to race sailboats involves a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical experience. First, you do need to have a grasp of the fundamentals of sailing. ASA 101 certification can get you in the front door of the racing environment. In addition, you should have knowledge and experience on how to maneuver the boat, trim the sails, and use the wind to your advantage.

With the Sailing Basics Behind Me, What’s Next?

Once you have gained knowledge beyond the simple skills you learned in ASA 101, these are a few ways to get started with sailboat racing.

Join a sail club or yacht club that offers and organizes local races. Being part of the sailing community will allow you to meet others interested in the sport. While the super serious racers might not invite you on their race boat, you can find a few skippers looking for crew. Wednesday night racing is a fun way to learn about sailboat racing and an excellent way to make new sailing friends.

Attend a clinic. North U is a new part of the American Sailing curriculum, and they specialize in helping sailors become more efficient out on the water. In the simplest terms, they teach you how to go faster, and this is accomplished through lessons on . seamanship, technique, skills, and even your ability to work as a team. This curriculum can be accessed through online courses, webinars, workbooks and best of all, the North U clinics that get you racing.

These clinics are a great way to familiarize yourself with racing and racing technique. You’ll learn about strategy, tactics, and rules. Take a look at some of the racing clinics that North U offers at NorthU.com

Learn the lingo of sailboat racing. While some of the common sailing terms are included, sailboat racing also has quite a few terms that you should be familiar with:

Here are some common sailing racing terms:

• Beat – sailing upwind towards the windward mark
• Reach – sailing perpendicular to the wind, at an angle between a beat and a run
• Run – sailing downwind away from the windward mark
• Tack – turning the bow of the boat through the wind in order to change direction
• Jibe – turning the stern of the boat through the wind in order to change direction
• Windward – the side of the boat closest to the wind
• Leeward – the side of the boat farthest from the wind
• Start line – the line across which boats start a race
• Starting gun – the signal that starts the race
• OCS – “on course side,” meaning a boat crossed the start line too early and must restart
• Layline – the imaginary line that a boat must sail to in order to round a mark without tacking or jibing
• Mark – An object the sailing instructions require a boat to leave on a specified side, and a race committee vessel surrounded by navigable water from which the starting or finishing line extends. An anchor line or an object attached accidentally to a mark is not part of it.
• Mark rounding – sailing around a buoy or other fixed object on the course
• Finish line – the line across which boats finish the race
• Protest – An allegation made under rule 61.2 by a boat, a race committee, a technical committee or a protest committee that a boat has broken a rule.
• Penalty – a penalty imposed on a boat for breaking a racing rule, typically a time penalty or a penalty turn.
• Zone – The area around a mark within a distance of three hull lengths of the boat nearer to it. A boat is in the zone when any part of her hull is in the zone.

Familiarize yourself with the rules of sailboat racing. It takes time to fully learn the racing rules of sailing ; they are complex and very detailed. Having a cursory glance at the basic concepts of the rules can increase your enjoyment, and whet your appetite to enjoy the more strategic side of sailing. That said, you don’t have to master all the rules to get out there and join a crew in a race to start enjoying the racing side of the sport. Many clubs have friendly competitions and entry level races to help you learn the art of racing.

Here are some of the most common or interesting racing rules:

• Start: Boats must stay behind the start line until the starting signal is given. Crossing the line early can result in a penalty.
• Right of way: When two boats are approaching each other, the boat on the starboard tack has the right of way and should be given room to pass. When boats are on opposite tacks, a port-tack boat shall keep clear of a starboard-tack boat.
• Helping Those in Danger: A boat or competitor shall give all possible help to any person or vessel in danger.
• Penalty: A boat that breaks a rule may be penalized by doing a 360-degree turn or retiring from the race.
• Protest: If a boat believes that another boat has broken a rule, it can protest by flying a protest flag and informing the other boat at the first reasonable opportunity. The race committee will then investigate the protest and make a ruling.

Here are some resources to help you get started

• Online Class: Sail Theory & Upwind Trim This online course provides a fundamental understanding of the forces behind upwind sailing as well plus advanced techniques that balance the angle of attack, sail depth, and the twist of your main and jib in order to optimize speed and pointing in all conditions.
• Seminar: Racing Tactics This in-person seminar will teach the strategy and tactics you need to turn your speed into a podium finish. Starts, upwind, downwind, mark rounding: With top instructors and refined curriculum you’ll learn techniques to improve your game all the way around the course.
• On The Water Clinic: Regatta Experience These events combine training and racing with coaching every step of the way. The clinics cover every facet of regatta success: Strategic planning, tactical positioning, starting, boat speed, trim, helming, boat handling – everything!

So, how do I bring my entire family up to speed so that we are winning Wednesday night races in our marina? Lately, we have been racing any other boat that is out on the water. Sure, those other boats have no clue that we are racing. However, when the three of us are sailing together, we are slowly attempting to go faster. This is a foreign concept to a couple of us as we don’t usually focus on trimming the sails but we have found the ride becoming smoother, and we are covering a lot more distance on our day sails.

The best advice I have been given about starting to learn how to race on a sailboat is quite simple. Practice. Practice makes a big difference. As of late, I am adjusting the outhaul, I am checking the boom vang, and I am keeping an eye on the traveler.  While my day sails have become busier, I am starting to see the value in wanting to occasionally be a racer.

Son 1, the kid with great taste in food. Well, he still watches in disbelief as he spreads his camembert on his crackers, but son two is now getting faster.

Related Posts:

• Learn To Sail
• Mobile Apps
• Online Courses
• Upcoming Courses
• Sailor Resources
• ASA Log Book
• Bite Sized Lessons
• Knots Made Easy
• Catamaran Challenge
• Sailing Vacations
• Sailing Cruises
• Charter Resources
• International Proficiency Certificate
• Find A Charter
• All Articles
• Sailing Tips
• Sailing Terms
• Destinations
• Environmental
• Initiatives
• Instructor Resources
• Become An Instructor
• Become An ASA School
• Member / Instructor Login
• Affiliate Login

How Do Sailing Races Work (Regattas 101)

Sailing races are some of the most unique sporting events on the water. But how do sailing races work, such as a regatta?

After reading, you’ll be able to understand how a regatta race works along with the racing rules. In addition, you’ll see how a sailing smartwatch is necessary to be successful in those races.

Regattas are a long-term race, meaning your team has to compete well consistently each time in order to be successful in match racing, team racing, or even fleet racing.

The cool thing about these races is that you don’t have to win every single one to be the winner of a regatta.

How Do Sailing Races Work: A Quick Introduction

Regattas are a series of races that are compiled into one event, which is sometimes referred to as buoy racing.

Each race has its own basic racing rules and features that set it apart from another race in the series. Depending on the type of races that are being held will determine how long the regatta is going to last.

The key to being successful in regattas is to be as consistent as possible with every race that you or your team participates in, having the best sailing skills, knowing basic rules, or simply having the best windward boat on a windy day.

Having the best leeward boat, or sailing downwind, is critical while finishing the race. Winning obviously goes a long way in that success, but coming in second or third isn’t too bad either, just as long as you’re not the last boat.

Each yacht race or other boats that are used is scored based on the ending result of when you or your team has crossed the finish line. You’ll be awarded a set amount of points based on the ending position and the type of race.

You’ll be provided with sailing instructions before entering a race, typically showing the racing area and giving you an idea of how to sail the first leg.

However, these sailing instructions aren’t going to give you any useful tips to win. Just don’t be the boat that crosses the start line too soon.

How a Sailing Race Starts and the Starting Line

Sailing races have a countdown or starting signal before the race begins to allow racers the opportunity to get their boats in place.

You’ll likely hear a loud horn or alarm that will alert you of the start of the countdown, which is usually 10 or 15 minutes.

This is where a sailing smartwatch is crucial , as you’ll need to precisely cross the starting line at the right time or risk being penalized for going too early.

Going too early means you’ll have to turn around behind all other racers and lose distance, while going too late means you simply missed the opportunity to earn valuable seconds to your time.

The racing courses have imaginary lines or an “invisible” starting line, meaning there is no line at all. The distance between an anchored boat of the race committee officials and a buoy is the starting line.

Racers have to perfectly time their opportunity of when to cross the starting line, which means doing whatever is necessary behind the line to prepare for the race.

Going in circles or being far enough away is necessary to avoid going over the line. Having a sailing watch that’s specifically used for races can make a huge difference.

How Are Sailing Races Scored?

Depending on what race is being held will determine the scoring system. For example, fleet racing has an ending position that will determine the score.

So first place earns one point, while second earns two points and so on. The goal is to earn as few points as possible. Fleet racing might consist of many boats, like 20, so it is important to finish as early as possible to obtain the lowest score.

Team racing is an exhilarating aspect of regatta races that most sailors prefer that is usually broken up into two divisions.

In team racing, the same scoring method applies with your position on how you end the race. However, sailors in your team are responsible for holding their own weight on the score, so other boats are responsible for the score.

If you cross the finish line second, you earn two points. If your teammate crosses the finish line third, they have three points.

Together, your team of sailors so far has a total of five points, but there are usually three boats in a team and not two boats.

Match racing on the other hand is quite different, as it uses a round robin format. In a round robin format, it goes simply by winners and losers of races or whoever the best boat is.

No points are awarded, so the winners will advance while the ones who lost the race will face other racers who lost to determine their finishing place.

How Long Can Sailboat Racing Last?

Each sailboat race can last anywhere between five and 30 minutes depending on a variety of factors.

They usually take longer if there are a ton of boats competing, the conditions are not as favorable with light air, or if any issues happen along the way with one boat or another. Of course, it also depends on the type of sailing race you’re in.

Regattas in general could last several days over the course of a weekend to allow all racers to compete.

Depending on how complex the regatta is, such as three different races being used, will determine how long it needs to be held.

In some situations, regattas can last up to a week. These are typically for races that are ocean crossing events, but racers that are competing know what they are getting into and have the right boat.

Some tips to help make distance racing go faster with your boat for sailors include aiming for the finishing line, sailing hard, watching out for the weather, and proper practice.

All play a vital part in being successful at a regatta and helping the event move a little faster.

• Sailing toward the finish line means you might need to ignore the original rhumb line. You don’t want to overthink any strategy, so just aim the best you can toward the finish line.
• Pushing your boat to its limits is key to winning regattas. Sailing 10 degrees off course will help with sailing distance races.
• The weather is your ticket to a fast race if you can adjust to the conditions with a windward mark. Check multiple sources of weather information and other data before racing so that you can take advantage of the situation with a proper starboard tack or a port tack. A high-quality sailing watch can help provide some of that vital information at a moment’s notice. In some situations, the same tack will be used multiple times on your boat and potentially best used when sailing upwind.
• While you can’t practice while you’re at the race, you’ll need to prepare well in advance if you want to do well and make your boat go full speed. Practice makes perfect, so don’t forget to put in the time to practice wind shifts, running a straight line, and other factors that come into play.

Final Thoughts

Regattas are exciting racing events for those that want to push the limits of their sailboat. Each race can have a different outcome, so you never truly know who is going to win.

You don’t have to be perfect at using a starboard tack boat or a port tack boat to enjoy yacht racing or any regattas.

The starting line can be tricky and will take practice to cross it perfectly at the right time. Just don’t be the one who forgets their sailing smartwatch, or you might be the racer who gets penalized first for crossing that line too early.

Get the very best sailing stuff straight to your inbox

Nomadic sailing.

At Nomadic Sailing, we're all about helping the community learn all there is to know about sailing. From learning how to sail to popular and lesser-known destinations to essential sailing gear and more.

Quick Links

Business address.

1200 Fourth Street #1141 Key West, FL 33040 United States

Copyright © 2024 Nomadic Sailing. All rights reserved. Nomadic Sailing is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

• AROUND THE SAILING WORLD
• BOAT OF THE YEAR
• Email Newsletters
• America’s Cup
• St. Petersburg
• Caribbean Championship
• Boating Safety
• Ultimate Boating Giveaway

Sailboat Racing Starts Done Right

• By Greg Fisher
• Updated: August 11, 2020

A boat that gets off the ­ starting line in a good position and has good upwind speed is probably going to be near the top of the fleet at the first weather mark. That’s easy to say but challenging to do, especially the starting part. However, if you learn to follow a script or plan that makes the starting routine mechanical, you’ll discover that each start becomes better, and your starts, overall, become more consistent. The good news is that plan can be followed wherever you start on the line and whatever the breeze.

How do you know when you’ve managed a good start? Simply put, you’ve gotten off the line in the front row with competitive speed so you can take advantage of the first shift. It’s cool to be able to blast off the line with a boatlength or two lead and have the fleet over your shoulder. But even just one boat hanging on your weather hip eliminates your opportunity to tack on the first header and, as a result, a good start is wasted.

Determine Where to Start

The race committee’s goal is to set a line basically perpendicular to the wind so that no single boat has an advantage, regardless of where it starts. However, the wind almost always shifts, and seemingly does so at the last minute. If the line is fairly short and/or one end is favored by 5 degrees or less, starting in the middle becomes an excellent choice, giving a conservative starter the opportunity to take advantage of a shift from either side of the course. The fastest ­college ­sailors often start near the middle of the line, knowing that they can protect the left side of the course or tack and consolidate the right.

However, in big fleets—50 boats or more—or on a line where one end is heavily favored, say, 15 to 20 degrees, then starting closer to the favored end becomes more advantageous. I emphasize closer , as it can be risky to start right at the favored end because everyone’s trying to start there. Starting a third of the way up or down from the favored end is much less risky and can make it easier to get off the line.

Remember, the angle of the wind relative to the starting line determines which end is favored, and unless the course to the first mark is way off square to the wind or the starting line is skewed by more than 30 degrees, the course to the first mark shouldn’t have any effect on where you start.

Follow Your Pre-start Checklist

While there are several ­different methods in checking which end is favored, unless I am sailing in a small fleet or on a small inland lake, I use the compass. If the line is short and the fleet is small, head into the wind and note which end of the line the bow points closer toward. That’s the favored end. On longer lines with more boats and in more-extreme ­conditions (very light or very heavy winds), the ­compass is much more accurate. Take a compass heading while sailing down the line and compare it to your head-to-wind reading. If more or less than 90 degrees (which tells us if the line is square), not only will you know which end is favored, but also how much it’s favored. In addition, once you have the line compass bearing, you can double check which end is favored anytime, anywhere (and away from all the traffic on the line) just by ­heading into the wind.

If you have GPS technology, ping the ends of the line once the line is set. Luff head-to-wind, close to the committee boat, moving very slowly so it’s easy to get a good reference. At the leeward end, set up outside the line, again head-to-wind and moving slowly, where it’s easy to gauge exactly when on the line. Once you have confidence in your pings lining up, managing the last minute becomes much easier.

I focus on one approach for every start. Therefore, I know exactly how I’ll set up, no matter where I want to be on the line. The only variable becomes the timing.

Without a GPS (and to ­double check your GPS settings), rely on line sights. Start at the weather end, on starboard tack, closehauled, loosely trimmed and moving slowly, four to five boatlengths below the line. Start taking line sights with something onshore through the leeward end of the line. Ideally, you’ll have one at four to five lengths, three lengths and two lengths off the line, as well as the final shot right down line. Those early “safe” line sights are crucial in gauging the speed and timing to the line, because invariably the sights down the actual line become tough to maintain in the last 10 seconds, when the fleet is lined up. Sometimes a line sight to weather through the committee boat by the forward crew can be a valuable check in the last 10 to 15 seconds.

Check for current at all spots on the line, recognizing that there could be current at different speeds and different angles at each end. Practice the laylines at each end to gain confidence in the approach angle to the line, and especially where you ideally would want to start. Finally, practice your actual maneuverability and the speed required to maintain control of your boat. It’s important be able to recognize when you are too slow to be able to head up or bear off, even when using your sails to help control the boat.

Own Your Final Approach

While many sailors develop a series of different approaches to draw on for starts in different conditions in different size fleets and for different positions on the line, I focus on one approach for every start. Therefore, I know exactly how I’ll set up, no matter where I want to be on the line. The only variable becomes the timing. The two most common approaches are starboard luffing, where boats line up several lengths below the line several minutes before the start, and the port-tack approach, which is my favorite.

With the port-tack approach, come in a boatlength or two below the bulk of the fleet; most boats will be luffing on starboard. Depending on the breeze, the waves and the size of the fleet, I’ll look for and then tack into a hole on the line close to one minute before the start, depending on the conditions and fleet lineup. In some ways, this approach might seem risky because you’re sailing on port tack toward a group of starboard tackers. However, remember that one of the most important goals of the starboard tack boats is to develop a hole to leeward. If this hole is big enough and left open, it’s an open invitation for a port tacker.

One of the keys to a ­successful port-tack approach is the tack into the vacant hole. This tack should be slow and controlled so that once around and onto starboard, your bow will be slightly behind that of the boat to weather. Speed after the tack should be slow so that you are immediately in a position to become the leeward controlling boat. Leave yourself the opportunity to accelerate and not be dangerously close to the line. This is one of the major differences between the starboard and port-tack approaches. During the port-tack approach, you are attacking the starboard boat’s position, while those using the starboard approach are usually trying to defend.

If you’re the approaching port-tack boat, you must sail all the way through the tack and onto your starboard closehauled course before you can assume your new, leeward boat rights. And you must give the weather boat room and time to fulfill its new obligation to keep clear. Once the port tacker has completed his tack to starboard, the now windward starboard tack boat must begin to keep clear and assume the port tacker has now become the leeward boat with rights.

What if there isn’t a hole at the spot where you want to tack? In that case, you probably wouldn’t want to start in that pileup of boats anyway. Instead, sail down the line a bit farther until a more inviting hole ­presents itself.

Obviously, the starboard-tack boat will not just sit and wave you on into the hole they have been working hard to create. They should defend by bearing off toward you as you approach. If the hole is small, or the tack from port to starboard becomes rushed, the port tacker most likely will become discouraged with that spot and sail up the line looking for the next hole.

Once you know how you’ll approach the line, the remaining variable is timing. Ideally, you’ve practiced your timing in that five or 10 minutes before the start. When I set up with the port-tack approach, I determine how long it takes to get from the leeward end pin to my spot of choice on the line, unless the line is super long. I sail back and forth several times in order to determine how long it takes, and then add 10 to 15˛seconds for the tack. Usually, I try to complete the tack onto starboard by 55 to 60 seconds before the start, depending on the breeze and the size of the fleet—the lighter the breeze, the lumpier the wave state; the larger the fleet, the earlier the tack. If we know it takes 40 seconds to get to that spot, we’d leave the pin with 1:45 left before the start.

Once in position, ­control your hole and the boat to windward. This doesn’t demand any sort of attack that requires the use of the rulebook. It requires you to maintain a position where your boat can dictate when the windward boat can trim in and accelerate. Position your bow slightly behind the windward boat’s bow but still in clear air. Your course should be just above closehauled with your sails luffing. Use mainsail trim to help maintain this bow-up position. Try to maintain a boat’s width or slightly less between you and the weather boat. If the weather boat begins to trim and accelerate, trim, gradually head up, and force it to slow down. As long as they’ve been provided the opportunity to keep clear of you, they will also need to luff.

At the same time, work hard to stay off the boat to leeward, if there is one. Constantly watch the leeward boat’s position and speed. If they accelerate and sail higher toward you, react by doing the same to maintain a safe distance—hopefully as much as two to three boat widths. This hole to leeward is key in allowing you to sail slightly below closehauled, in first gear, in order to accelerate in the five to 10 seconds before the gun.

In the last 15 to 20 ­seconds, the GPS pings and/or line sights are important gauges that will give you confidence in your positioning. Pay close attention to your placement relative to the lineup of boats close by. Especially watch the two to three boats to windward, always trying to maintain the same slight bow-back position throughout the entire starting approach. That will give you a runway to accelerate into so you can begin to trim before the competitors above do. If any of those boats to weather trims and begins to accelerate, trim immediately and match its speed, no matter where it is on the line or the time before the gun. If even one of those boats gets the jump and ends up on your wind after the gun, it can be game over.

One tip is how to slow the boat when you find yourself dangerously close to being over early. Our instinct tells us to turn down, away from the line. However, bearing away usually means burning up the valuable hole to leeward and, in fact, you end up accelerating right into it. Instead, head up to near head-to-wind. The boat will slow more quickly and slow the weather competitors. You’ll buy more time and save distance to the line. Most important, you’ll build the hole to leeward and close the ­distance to windward.

Especially for the first minute after the start, boatspeed is king. Fight the urge to point as high as possible until the boat has sailed through all the gears and is at top speed. Definitely do not pinch. A common mistake is to trim the sails too tightly, too quickly. If the sails are trimmed right to the closehauled position before the boat has the time to sail through the gears, the boat will load up and slide sideways. Talk about ­burning up the hole to leeward!

On our boat, we divide all the responsibilities where, in the last 15 seconds, I am simply steering when and where the crew indicates. If we’re sailing with three, the jib trimmer keeps track of the line and our position relative to the boats to weather. That person has control of our final timing and dictates exactly when to pull the trigger. The middle person keeps the time and looks aft and to leeward for boats approaching late on port or behind and low on starboard. Our boat is anything but quiet in these last seconds, but this constant influx of information allows me to concentrate entirely on boatspeed.

• More: How-To , print 2020 summer , starting , starting line
• More How To

How To Refine Your Polars and Sail Charts

The Building Blocks of Asymmetric Spin Trim

Fundamental Tactics: How To Handoff

Racecourse Strategy: The Middle Versus the Edge

Barcelona Breeze Increase Spikes Intensity

Luna Rossa Dominant on Busy Day in Barcelona

One and Done on Drifter Day of Cup Challenger Series

Shocks and Drops At Louis Vuitton Cup Start

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Cruising World
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding

Positions on a Racing Sailboat

‍ The success of a racing sailboat depends entirely on the ability of each person on the boat to know and execute their role in high-pressure situations.

While boat-dependent, all positions are some combination of the responsibilities of driver, bow, tactician, trimmer, and pit. The driver makes the final decisions and steers, while the other crew members play various roles providing information, trimming sails, and keeping the boat moving fast.

The fundamental responsibilities of sailboat racing do not change, regardless of the number of people aboard. Someone in a one-person dinghy has to be able to keep track of the course, make tactical decisions, trim sails, steer, watch for new breeze and other boats, and ensure that they are set up for the next leg. On a larger boat, with more sails, more controls, and more required coordination, these jobs still exist and are distributed amongst various crew members. We will go through the basic crew setups of various one-design racing boats from one through four crew members to develop how the increase in crew and complexity begins to distribute the responsibilities of making the boat go fast across the team. Then, we will make some general claims about bigger boats, but as everything gets more confusing in the larger crews, we will not specify too much.

Over years of racing boats of all sizes, I’ve seen these crew roles respond to personal skills, different boat setups, strange habits, and teamwork to the point where everyone can respond to different events seamlessly. Sometimes these roles are perfectly well-defined, but sometimes a quick-thinking crew will switch positions on a dime to make up for a mistake in an entirely unorthodox way that is somehow perfect. On smaller boats, people have different priorities and different ways to work through all their responsibilities, but on all the best boats it is the people who know how to excel in their role, and how to make life easier for all their teammates by knowing exactly what they need, who make a sailboat go. Let’s get into it!

Table of contents

‍ The One-Person Dinghy: It’s All on You

You could argue that sailing, at its most basic, boils down to one sailor, a handful of lines, and a tiller against the breeze and water. Perhaps it would be a ridiculous argument, as sailing has always relied on people working together, but there is something to seeing who can go out there and be the one to make it work the best. When all the responsibilities for every inch of the boat fall on one person, it is interesting to see who has everything in sync the best. There is no specific title for this position, but I suppose you could call them

The Single-Handed Sailor

There are fundamentally three aspects to sailboat racing: boat speed, boat handling, and tactics. The single-handed sailor has to excel in each dimension. The best case study for a single-handed boat is the ILCA Dingy, once known as the Laser, but other notable racers include the Opti, Finn, RS Aero, Moth, and Wazsp classes.  

Boat speed comes down to trimming the sails properly for the angle to the wind. This means adjusting not only how far in and out the sail is, but also tuning specific control lines to give the sail the ideal shape for wind strength and direction. Making micro-adjustments to sail trim while dealing with all the other aspects of the race may not seem like much, but they can make the difference between winning and falling behind. While on larger boats there are entire positions dedicated to this, the single-handed sailor has to deal with this the whole time.

Other factors in boat speed concern steering through the wind shifts and wave sequences properly and keeping the boat flat by hiking out. This often includes being able to shift weight in precise ways to keep the boat optimally balanced and cutting through the waves.

Boat Handling

While boat speed forms the basis of all sailing, it is also crucial to know how to maneuver the boat through course changes. Windows in sailing races are small, and being able to get a boat into a lane is often a fraught affair. Having the confidence to trim the sails properly and maneuver sharply while still maintaining speed is a huge boost to a racer. Turning points at marks or directional switches while tacking and gybing are where many of the gains in a race come, and a clean tack coming into the top mark on port can mean the difference between leading the fleet and having to duck behind a parade of 30 boats. Being able to put on the brakes and accelerate quickly is key in tight spaces along the start line, and is a weapon for the best sailors.

Singlehanded racers have total control over their boat handling. Changes in direction come down to perfect synchronization of sail trim, steering, and body weight, and the single-handed sailor has to account for how every single adjustment affects these maneuvers. Some of the best boat handlers grow up racing single-handed boats; the feel developed sailing solo is hard to beat but requires years of fine-tuning and muscle memory.

All the speed and maneuverability in the world does not do much if you don’t know where to put the boat. Like any sport, the fundamentals are simple, but becoming a master takes a lifetime. The single-handed sailor must hold the entire course, the regularity of the wind shifts, the tendencies of the current, the positions of the other sailors, and their own plans in the front of their minds while pushing the boat as hard as possible.

While this is no place to discuss the intricacies of upwind tactics or the fastest lines on a downwind in different boats, the singlehanded sailor has to be able to think and make decisions tactically then execute those decisions themselves. This is such a large task that bigger boats will often have someone whose entire job is just to call breeze and tactics.

The single-handed sailor is without a doubt a jack-of-all-trades. We will discuss various terms for different crew-members on bigger boats, and while you could use the terms ‘skipper’ or ‘driver’ for the single-handed sailor, this does not quite say it all, so we save these positions for the bigger boats. We will not explicitly break the other boats down by who is in charge of boat speed, boat handling, and tactics, but roles can generally sort into various levels of responsibility for these categories.  

The Two-Person Racer: The Best (or worst) Way to Get to Know Another Person

On a two-person boat, of which common examples include the various 420 classes, the Olympic Classes (470, 49er, Nacra 17) among many others, responsibilities are slightly split, but this distribution comes with the tradeoff of greatly increased complexity and coordination requirements. Double-handed boats tend to have at least two, and often three, sails, require more involved tuning, move much faster, and occasionally require single or double trapezing. The very best doublehanded pairings move as one, but this type of coordination requires both sailors to have an intimate knowledge of their role and the dynamic balance of the boat. Without further ado, the common positions:

The Skipper (Driver)

The skipper of the boat steers the boat. On different types of boats, they have different trimming and setting responsibilities, most often including the mainsheet--though the 49er is a notable exception. You can call them either a skipper or a driver, but you rarely say that ‘you skipper;’ instead, you would say that ‘you drive,’ so the latter term has begun to stick as the position as well.

As they are the person driving the boat, the driver tends to make the final tactical decision. They do this in collaboration with the crew, who is often going to be feeding information about the course and competitors to the driver, but the final decision comes down to the person holding the stick (forgive the vernacular, if you may).

Different double-handed teams often have different dynamics. In some, the driver will primarily be focused on tactics, while the crew has to keep their head in the boat making it go fast, while in others the skipper lets the crew make such calls while focusing on the breeze right in front of them, it all depends. Boat handling requires nigh on perfect coordination, and skippers must keep their crews alerted to any upcoming maneuvers.  

The unsung heroes of many a double-handed pairing, a good driver can sail well with an ok crew, but a crack crew can take a skipper with some potential to the top of the fleet.

Responsible for trimming the headsail and setting and managing the spinnaker on boats that carry them, the crew’s primary roles is to keep the boat going fast. They often can make the small sail trim and control adjustments that the driver cannot. Especially upwind, the crew scans the course for new breeze, other boats, lay lines, and any information that the skipper could need to make the best decisions possible.

A good way to consider some, but not all, skipper-crew relationships is that the crew can get all the micro-considerations out of the way so that the skipper can focus on the big picture. The small picture adjustments in terms of sail control and angle of heel keep the boat moving and the skipper zippered into the feel of the course. In turn, this allows the skipper to plan ahead and keep the crew involved in decision making, making sure that they don’t screw their crew with a crash tack or sudden gybe.

Still, on some teams, the crew makes all of the outside the boat decisions while the driver just drives the boat as fast as they can. This often works with spacier skippers, of which there are many, and highlights the value of a strong-willed crew. Crews are often on-the-water coaches for high-strung skippers and are key to the success of a team. On more athletic boats, a crew can crucially contribute to boat speed and handling through trimming, ooching, and body-weight adjustments.

All of this is to say that a crew, both as a single person on a double-handed boat and as an ensemble on larger boats, is never to be considered an accessory to the skipper, but are crucial parts of a competitive racing team.

The Three or Four Person Boat: I Thought That Was Your Job!

Having outlined the general dynamics of a skipper-crew pairing, it is not particularly helpful to discuss exact boat setups and interactions. From here, we will provide terms and positions with general roles. These are all subject to change, but once you reach boats of three or more people, roles become highly specialized, as boats of this size begin to get complex enough that you cannot do everything on your own. Let’s run through the general roles that must be filled on boats of up to four, with the knowledge that these can be switched around and combined depending on skill, boat setup, and breeze.

Things change yet they stay ever the same. The bigger the boat, the more boat the driver has to deal with, but the role does not fundamentally change. The driver still has their hand on the stick, and, despite the best attempts of various crewmembers, still is the final decision maker on the boat. Sometimes they will trim the mainsheet as well, but other times they will leave this to a member of the crew

The bigger the boat, the less running around the skipper does and the more focused they are on sailing the perfect line through the fleet. Even their ability to scan the course and make tactical evaluations wanes on the bigger boats, as they must put more trust in their crews to make the right reads. They are still ultimately responsible for putting the boat in the right spot, but they are ultimately unable to control everything that is happening on the boat.

Debatably the easiest analog to the crew on a double-handed boat, the bow is, if nothing else, the most likely person on the boat to get soaking wet. Sitting the farthest forward, they are occasionally responsible for trimming the jib--particularly on three-person boats--but primarily have to deal with setting the spinnaker and dealing with front-of-boat controls.

They can play a role calling tactics, breeze, and other boats, but because they are so often busy with the chaos of boat handling in crucial spots and are often far away from the skipper, they mostly need to focus on their role setting the chute and managing the complications near the front of the boat.

Trimmer/Tactician

Often sitting at the hip of the skipper, different boats have different assignments for their trimmers, which can range from main-trimming across the whole course to only touching the spinnaker off the breeze to controlling the jib instead of the bow. Regardless of the particulars, they need to make the adjustments that keep the boat moving fast, and need to be continually in sync with how the skipper wants to sail.

The person in this position is often responsible for communicating details about the course and from the rest of the crew to the driver. Their role gives them more time to look around and make fine adjustments, rather than having a continuous responsibility, so they are in the perfect position to survey the information at hand and collaborate with the skipper on decision making.

On three-person boats, this is generally one person playing both roles in active collaboration with a driver. On certain four-person boats, this can lead to two trimmers who alternate between calling tactics and trimming different sails depending on the leg. Other times, this role is fully bifurcated, with one person trimming and another entirely responsible for looking around and making calls, with only a menial role controlling the sails, but this looks different on every team.

While Nascar has its pit crews, beginning at four-person boats, sailing just has its pit person. As boats get bigger, sails and various lines are more prone to twists, knots, and the generalized snarls that give sailors across the world excuses to flex their famous propensity for swearing.

The pit is responsible for eliminating, or at least minimizing, these disasters via preventative prep. They do not have a conventional job trimming sails, per se, but they are the ones who make sure that everyone else can the sails set cleanly. They prefeed sheets, ‘run the tapes’ on off-the-breeze sails to make sure they aren’t twisted and are notorious neat freaks. They often are responsible for raising and lowering sails around mark roundings; these events are almost always chaotic and never go according to plan, so it is the pit who has to coordinate the chaos as much as possible and clean up the mess in time for the next explosion. Unheralded, often stuck below decks, the pit can be the difference between a boat running smoothly and a stream of curses over a huge gash in a thousand dollar spinnaker.

Now This Is Getting Ridiculous: The Road to Specialization

As of this point, we have covered the key roles on just about any sized boat. As you get to bigger and more specialized boats, the situations will call for more and more crew members doing increasingly focused work. While having talented sailors on a larger boat is no less important than having them on a smaller dinghy, there are simply not that many parts that have to be moving all the time to fully occupy more than a few people at a time.

Still, when they are needed, during gybes, mark roundings, sets, and douses, these extra crew members are crucial. On certain boats, there is an entire position dedicated to trimming the twings during gybes; the position is only slightly more serious than the sound of the ropes. Still, the other crew members are so busy during the gybes that they need the extra pair of hands. Furthermore, having a sharp sailor in a position like that ensures another pair of eyes and hands to spot problems and step in if needed. Knowledge and quick action are unlikely to go unappreciated on any boat, even if it is only in a very specific setting.

There is, however, one more term for extra crew members on boats of this size, and it is distinctly unspecialized: meet the ‘rail meat.’ On sufficiently big boats, where heeling is slow but a fact of life, every now and then you just need a big ole guy to sit on the edge and hang out to windward. A flat boat is a fast boat, and sometimes you just need someone hanging out over the rail, skilled and mobile or not.

Finally, on high-performance boats, like America’s Cup boats or the new-fangled SailGP league, rail meat is replaced by ‘grinders,’ who specialize in turning hydraulic cranks like they’re in a CrossFit gym. Sometimes drawn from other sports, famously including rugby players on New Zealand’s America’s Cup team, grinders may not have the tactical acumen to step into a single-handed boat and win the day, but they are key pieces to winning teams and are no less a sailor than anyone else.

Hopefully, next time you go down to the water and someone tells you they need someone to run their bow, this has done enough for you to know exactly what you’ve gotten yourself into! Happy sailing!

Related Articles

Gabriel Hannon

I have been sailing since I was 7 years old. Since then I've been a US sailing certified instructor for over 8 years, raced at every level of one-design and college sailing in fleet, team, and match racing, and love sharing my knowledge of sailing with others!

by this author

Most Recent

What Does "Sailing By The Lee" Mean?

Daniel Wade

October 3, 2023

The Best Sailing Schools And Programs: Reviews & Ratings

September 26, 2023

Important Legal Info

Lifeofsailing.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.

Similar Posts

How To Choose The Right Sailing Instructor

August 16, 2023

Basics Of Sailboat Racing Explained

May 29, 2023

Cost To Sail Around The World

May 16, 2023

Popular Posts

Best Liveaboard Catamaran Sailboats

December 28, 2023

Can a Novice Sail Around the World?

Elizabeth O'Malley

June 15, 2022

4 Best Electric Outboard Motors

How Long Did It Take The Vikings To Sail To England?

10 Best Sailboat Brands (And Why)

December 20, 2023

7 Best Places To Liveaboard A Sailboat

Get the best sailing content.

Top Rated Posts

© 2024 Life of Sailing Email: [email protected] Address: 11816 Inwood Rd #3024 Dallas, TX 75244 Disclaimer Privacy Policy