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RACING

The best way to hone one's sailing skills is to take part in local racing. Two types of yacht racing are practiced. One is known as match racing where two identical boats compete, as in The America's Cup, and the other referred to as fleet racing where a group of yachts of identical or dissimilar design compete, as in local PHRF racing. Most owners will only be competing in the latter, and what follows is a description of an evening race.

Motoring to the starting line can be a daunting experience for a new racer. A silhouetted fleet appears on the horizon as the sun sets. It is the racing fleet, all arriving from the various nearby marinas and yacht clubs. Approaching the sleek shapes, they become clearer and the advanced racing equipment will be visible. Kevlar and Mylar sails, crews in matching rain suits, the buzzing of high-performance winches. A beehive of large exotic-looking yachts with equally exotic names, all fighting for the best starting position when the gun fires. Three or more packs will head off on separate starts. The scream of hundreds of winches will be considerable as the start signal is made, and the yachts will all groan and heel over turning into the wind.

From the start, it is a struggle to find a path of clear air away from the wall of sails spread out across the ocean. Upwind, the sailboats have to 'tack', or zigzag back and forth at about a 45 degree angle, as sailing directly into the breeze is aerodynamically impossible. During this time, a boat ahead has the opportunity to 'cover' a trailing boat, thereby disrupting the latter's wind and hindering any possibilities of passing. There will be many such skirmishes between certain yachts who are close in points or positions over each other in the series, although engaging another yacht in a tacking duel will separate them from the rest of the fleet somewhat for that particular race.

Sometimes there is a traffic jam as the boats circle the first windward mark and attempt to hoist their spinnakers within feet of the other yachts. A few seconds wasted here will result in many boat-lengths for that lap. A very clumsy mistake will cost the race, and possibly a spinnaker worth several thousand dollars.

With spinnakers hoisted, the horizon lights up in a rainbow of colors as the yachts sail these large downwind sails and head for the downwind mark, only to begin the next lap. Downwind, it is the trailing boat which takes the offense, trying to block the wind from behind the leading boat, possibly collapsing the latter's spinnaker.

When combined with the chess-like battery of 'right of way' rules to yacht racing, the result is a complicated and intense battle reminiscent of old navel battles, where 'controlling' the enemy boat's maneuvering was the key to victory.