Join us and learn to race sailboats!
Corinthian Yacht Club offers several ways to help you get started sailboat racing or brush up on your skills. The Rookie Rally Educational series provides a solid foundation of racing skills via classroom instruction, hands-on exercises, and on-the-water activities. It is primarily a class room course with one on-the-water session. Our educational committee members are also glad to meet with you to help you work towards your racing goals.
Bruce Van Deventer will be leading this educational series. Bruce is an experienced keelboat and dinghy racer, competing in everything from club races to international and world championships. He is also an experienced race officer and currently campaigns a 505 and a Melges 24.
What this course includes:
Tuesday, May 7 “Welcome to the Racecourse”: Walk through a typical race, handicap racing, one design, distance vs buoy races, paperwork/organizational requirements, conduct of a race per the racing rules of sailing, reading sailing instructions, starting sequence, and basic rules.
Tuesday, May 14 Starting & Upwind Legs: Rules during starting, finding the favored end of the line, standard starting tactics, the advantaged side of the course vs the advantaged side of the starting line, rules when sailing to windward, and at the weather mark.
Tuesday, May 21 Finishing & Downwind Legs: Downwind angles, gybing on wind shifts, rules when sailing downwind, leeward mark rounding rules and tactics, favored end of the finish line, rules when finishing.
Tuesday, May 28 Boat Speed Basics: Foils above and below the water, balance, main, jib, and rig controls, windward sail trim in light, medium, and heavy air, downwind trim, how to read a tuning guide, basic tuning for keelboats.
On-the-water Training
We expect to have at least one on-the-water practice session at Shilshole at the end of the series. We also will provide you with the opportunity to come out and help with the Race Committee on a weeknight race, which puts you in the center of the action! You need to have appropriate sailing gear, including a PFD, and basic sailing skills. This is a great opportunity to expand your skill base, move to another position on the boat, or start racing your own boat!
Recommended textbooks to purchase for the class:
Getting Started in Sailboat Racing by Adam Court and Richard Stearns
Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing by Dave Perry
This is a primarily classroom course.
$50 for members / $100 for non-members
For information or questions, please contact Lise (pronounced Leeza) Anderheggen-Leif at laleif@gmail.com
