part one
Mark Kondracky
In a previous article my sister talked about how to start racing as a novice crew. But what if you already own one? Here are some reasons why you should race it once or twice a season. First it could be fun and a challenge. Too many times sailors say "I can't race because I don't have exotic sails,or racing on wednesday night is just one step removed from the America's Cup. Ironically, these same crusing sailors informally race any boat that happens to be going in the same direction while out for a sail. While the learning curve might be a steep one, your efforts will be worth it. You will further develop your skills, and refine your knowledge of weather, wind and tides. Also you will be faced with many crew and tactical decisions. I find that imersing yourself in these decsions for a couple of hours a good way to relief the stress of everyday decsions. Did you know that large corporations use racing as a method to enhance team building? So you are racing against the boats in your class, and racing against your own potential. So even if your boat isn't an ultra-light go fast, if you race it to it's potential, and learn as you develop, then the place you come isn't so important. So if your brave, or foolish enough how should you start? First find out what races are close to you. If you are in Eastern Long Island Sound, the Mudheads race on Wednesday nights. In the Center of the Sound you have an extensive PHRF racing program through Duck Island Yacht Club. On Thursday nights, there is racing off the Connecticut and Branford Rivers through North Cove and the Windjammers respectively. If you know of any other local sailing venues (handicap or one design), let us know and we'll include them. Also numerous Yacht Clubs host ECSA curicut races during the weekend. After you have decided where to race, and picked some friends to sail with, decided who is going to bring the wine (for after the race), you will also need a Performance Handicap Rating Certificate (PHRF). This certificate evaluates the potential of your boat based on it's size, amout of sail, and other factors. You can get one these by contacting a clubs Handicapper, or by becoming the member of a sailing association such as ECSA.