Good Onboard Communications Wins Races!
Racing Makes You Become a Better Sailor and Fast is Fun!
You do not have to race to become a better sailor, but racing does get you to a higher level of sailing faster and it’s fun.
Besides, everything you need to race a sailboat are attributes that help you become successful in life: teamwork, dedication, skill, tactics, strategy, endurance, organization, goals, equipment, communication, practice, preparation and luck to name a few.
Please peruse below Basics of Sailboat Racing and our eight racing positions on the J/35 Ob La Di! that we use to campaign a successful racing program.
Driver
The Driver has one job and one job only, to steer the boat, and needs to concentrate on that 100% of the time. However, the Driver controls the speed and direction of the boat with a brake and should use it sparingly.
Main Trimmer
The Main Trimmer controls the speed of the boat with the accelerator.
Jib Trimmer
Position wise, usually the Jib Trimmer and the Spinnaker Trimmer are the same person. Then, a lot of time, we call that person the Headsail Trimmer.
Grinder
The Grinder is the consummate team player.
Pit Master
The Pit Master orchestrates everything and is key to a smooth-running boat.
They are the communication link between the front and back of the boat.
Spinnaker Trimmer
If the spinnaker is up, that means you can fetch the mark, and the spin trimmer is constantly trimming the spinnaker with the slightest change in conditions.
Mast
The Mast has nine main responsibilities on Ob La Di! and is usually the person who fills in on other positions when needed or short-handed.
Foredeck
The Afterguard gets to call tactics, but nothing happens without the Foredeck!
Learning the Ropes Young
As you can see from above, there is a lot to learn. It is an ongoing process, and it incorporates many different disciplines.
The article below concerns how to find wind on the water. Take a look, it is a skill.
Sailboat Racing is Analogous To
Standing under a cold shower, fully dressed, ripping up $1,000 bills.
~William F. Buckley, Jr. - 1973
The 2018 Chicago to Mackinac was a Brutal Race.
We persevered through 36 hours of wind out of the north and above 30 knots. No one ate for 24 hours as we pounded into eight-foot waves. The first cup of coffee was wonderful. When we got in the Manitou’s, things calmed down as we looked for wind and finally got to put up a spinnaker. Marian completed her first Mac on the helm as we finished Monday night. Then, our first breakfast on the Island the next morning was wonderful as we were dry, showered and had on clean clothes.
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