Full Description
Everything you need to race your way up through the fleetIf you sail--even a little--you've probably thought about trying your hand at racing. Now you can stop thinking and do it. Getting Started in Sailboat Racing makes this endlessly fascinating lifetime sport accessible to anyone who wants to give it a try, whether you own a sailboat, are hoping to crew, or spectating from a nearby perch.
This complete course in racing fundamentals breaks the racing experience down into bite-size pieces, making the process easier to understand and reflecting the leg-by-leg nature of a typical race. With scores of helpful illustrations, this user-friendly manual takes you around the buoys, explaining new rule changes and tactics that apply to each part of the race.
You'll learn how to:
Execute quick, competitive startsMaximize speed and efficiency on the windward legManeuver for position around the windward markTake full advantage of downwind and reaching legsHandle the spinnaker (even when asymmetrical), and beat the crowd at the jibe and leeward marksEke out every last bit of speed as you sprint to the finish
There are few things in this world more satisfying than racing a sailboat. Get in on the action and find out what you've been missing. All you need is a competitive spirit and a little help from Getting Started in Sailboat Racing.
"Cort and Stearns deftly break down racing, from start to finish, into basic elements, making the sport more accessible by giving the novice a strong understanding of the fundamentals . . . this book should be required reading for anyone wanting to get out on thecourse. The book goes into enough detail on tactics and sail trim to make the average sailor not only comfortable on the racecourse, but competitive, as well." -- SAILING
"With Cort and Stearns' enthusiasm for the topic and straightforward advice, it's hard not to read this book without picturing yourself rounding the buoys just ahead of the rest of the fleet." -- Soundings
Contents
Introduction vii1.Welcome to the Racecourse 1A Hypothetical Race • The Course • Flags, Guns, and Other Signals • The Rules • Q & A2.Starting 18Basic Tenets of Starting • Starting Strategies • Q & A3.The Windward Leg 35Sailing Smart on the Windward Leg • Playing the Shifts • More Tips/Rules for the Beat • Q & A4.Windward Mark Roundings 52The Rules at the Mark • Approaching the Mark • Boat Handling at the Windward Mark • Q & A5.Downwind Legs/Reaches 66Sailing Dead Downwind • Reaching Legs • Rules for Sailing Downwind • Q & A6.Leeward Mark Roundings and Finishing 88Rules at the Leeward Mark • Strategies at the Mark • Finishing • Q & A7.Basic Tactics and a Few Tips 106Smart Port-Starboard Crossing • Covering and Passing Downwind • Knowing Where to Go • Q & A8.Weather 119How Weather Works • Weather Sources and Race Day • Q & A9.Boat Speed, Part 1: Sail Controls and Concepts 131Balance • Sail Shape: The Jargon • Sail Controls • Mast Tuning • New Sails: How Do You Know Your Sails Are Good Enough? • Q & A10.Boat Speed, Part 2: Sailing to Windward 148The Way Sails Work to Windward • Putting Sail Controls into Action • A Quick Look at Keels • Q & A11.Boat Speed, Part 3: Sailing Off the Wind 164Sail Trim to Leeward • Spinnakers • A Quick Downwind Trimming Guide • And Now ...For the "Disappointment" • Q & A12.Getting Involved 181Kinds of Racing • Finding a Fleet • Yacht Clubs: Should You Join? • Buying a Boat • Q & AEpilogue: Some Final Words from Your Long-Winded Authors 194Appendix 196Resources • GlossaryIndex 206
