Why don't you race - honest?

[Pendragon35]

1. My boat is old and not up to it (1965 Alberg 35)
2. Almost all races are held on weekends; I work Sundays and can't do Saturday races
3. I find other boats nearby a concern; what if I hit one? what if one hits me?
4. I don't know how to race really
5. I tend to sail single handed or just with my wife
6. I don't like competing; the boat is for rest
7. I don't have the updated sails/equipment/stuff needed and I don't have any interest in spending money on them

Having said that.. I'm thinking of doing some of the CHESSS races and I know the North Point Sailing people near Baltimore have an excellent program and one that's very welcoming.

[Interloper]

I started this thread, and didn't know what to expect. I'm very grateful for all the replies already. But the more the merrier, so hopefully the thread has legs for a while. Cheers...

[UNCIVILIZED]

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

Apart from the complete uncompetitiveness of my boat, my main issue with racing is with my perception of racers as a bunch of rude, aggressive, type A jerks that I go sailing to avoid, not to be amongst.

Having said that, I'm racing every time I go sailing. It's just that I get to pick the boats that I can beat, and avoid racing the fast ones.

+1
Generally arrogant drunks that believe they own the water and everyone should just get out of their way ..... pretty much like sport fishers on the ICW.

Sorry is that is a little brutal but my slip was for many years right next to a sailing school and I often heard the instructors tell the kids "don't worry about the power boats, you always have right of way". I have also watched cart loads of booze loaded onto boats for the LO300 a 300 mile non-stop race around Lake Ontario. I watched them set up course right across the harbour mouth and demand that people wait til' the race was over before exiting or entering the harbour.

Most non-racers that I know have a very low opinion of racers. You got some serious PR ahead of you.

[Paul M]

Given all the detailed responses, I think I should be a bit more granular with my answer.

I love comparing my skills trimming sails, reading wind, and predicting leeway vs other sailors. If I'm losing, I love to learn from others points of sail etc. I don't have time or patience for organized weekly races as Nashville has weak and unpredictable wind.

I got hooked on sailing by sailing into the wind at 30 degree heel and seeing how a 1/4 crank on the jib sheet could increase my speed by 0.5knots or increase heel by 10 degrees. I love that.

But considering my skin in the game is usually a destination beer and escaping the things of man, I can be easily distracted by more important priorities over a 4-5 hour race. If my wife decides her top should fall off with the right music and cocktail, I'm happy to buy the destination beer and indulge myself for a while.

So really for me, I sail for relaxation and alone time with my wife. I always enjoy a good race but don't like a lot of propriety surrounding it.

Given that I just bought a Morgan OI 41, speed is not my primary concern anymore. But i do appreciate the desire the get better at the art of sailing.

[Time2Go]

Years ago I raced on Long Island Sound as crew out
of two well known Yacht Clubs, so here goes

1. Got real tired of being yelled at
2. There is always some ass willing to spend tons of money
to win a bear mug that makes normal boats uncompetitive.
Leaches all the fun out.
Think brand new racing sails every year
Boat being hauled and waxed before each race
We're talking beer can racing here

You want to revive racing, check out the
"24 Hours Of LeMons"

Cheers
Neil

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by Time2Go

Years ago I raced on Long Island Sound as crew out
of two well known Yacht Clubs, so here goes

1. Got real tired of being yelled at
2. There is always some ass willing to spend tons of money
to win a bear mug that makes normal boats uncompetitive.
Leaches all the fun out.
Think brand new racing sails every year
Boat being hauled and waxed before each race
We're talking beer can racing here

You want to revive racing, check out the
"24 Hours Of LeMons"

Cheers
Neil

It's called OCD, & it helps win races. Besides, it lets regular guys think that they're Bill Koch, a'la the 1992 America's Cup. And as was commented about him back then, "Where else can a guy buy a sports franchise, & take to the field as part of the team? Certainly not in baseball".

[thinwater]

And this.

IMHO, there are only three kinds of racing:

1. Strict one design
2. Developmental classes
3. Pretending

(I'm more open minded on distance racing, but around the cans, that's how I see it.)

[markpierce]

My first seven year's of boating was all about sailboat racing in San Francisco. A decade later it was about small-boat cruising/day sailing. Two decades after that it was about slow motor boating. For me. boating was about growing older and accepting the inevitable.

[Delancey]

I love racing and still do it at every opportunity. Really sad to hear so many excuses and reasons not to. Racing is fun as hell!

We bought a bunch of Sunfish and formed an informal dingy racing club at our marina. After work and on weekends. All year round, even in the winter. Occasional night races. Some very excellent sailors involved.

Jockeying at the start, dodging ferrys, gauging current, picking the right side of the course, playing the shifts, using right of way strategically, covering, and occasionally getting away with a horizon job. Hell yes!!!

Beer drinking, laughing, bragging, tipping boats over and getting wet. Seriously some of the most fun you can legally have on the water.

You guys are missing out.

[donradcliffe]

I've got racing in my blood, and have been at it over 60 years. Why? Because I'm good at it and I enjoy winning This year I raced more than 100 days, and I'm still not tired of it.

The only racing fleet that is growing in our area is the Tues nite Catalina races. We encourage non-Catalina cruising boats in the 22 to 38 ft range, and probably average 12 boats every week, up from just 3 to 5 a few years ago. The starting line is not perfect, the main rule is not to hit anyone, and there are no handicaps or trophies. I think most of the success lies with the chief promoter or the series, who has a Catalina 30. He writes a blog every week, which mentions everyone who came out, the general finish order, his strategy, and any rules issues. The fleet has become more competitive each year, with skippers recruiting experienced crew and putting feathering props on, but not everyone participates with winning in mind. Many of the racers get together for dinner afterwards, and there is a once/month potluck at the YC.

[caradow]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

It's called OCD, & it helps win races. Besides, it lets regular guys think that they're Bill Koch, a'la the 1992 America's Cup. And as was commented about him back then, "Where else can a guy buy a sports franchise, & take to the field as part of the team? Certainly not in baseball".

Yea but he humiliated himself when he tried pulling the wheel out of Buddy Melges' hand just before the finish of the last race. Had a friend who was on the boat and even though he was pretty much tight lipped about it got the impression that it was a very uncomfortable moment for all. Guess he figured it was his ball and he wanted to play.
I do not want to try and convince anyone here to race however there are racers that don't know how to anchor and certainly cruisers who don't know how to trim sails. IMO a true sailor is one who spends a lifetime learning from each aspect of the sport. We will never know it all but exposure will educate us and maybe some of our judgements will be less severe.

[dfelsent]

I've raced for 40 + years. Will continue to do from time to time. PHRF, one design, frostbiting. A few solo offshore events.
I've cruised for five years longer than that. Racing has helped my cruising skills. Cruising has helped my racing skills.
Racing has introduced me to a great group of people. So has cruising.
With my new boat, racing, other than classic yacht regattas, racing is pretty much out. Maybe a distance race. Maybe. I thought long and hard about this.
Racing on OPB is fun. Cruising on an unbelievably comfortable boat is fun too. I've shifted. I've let go of some of my competitive stuff. Only some mind you.
Age ya know?

[Brob2]

Some really telling post on this thread and some thoughtful introspection. If I were the OP I would look at the history of racing at typical clubs over the last 40 years or so.

When I started racing keelboats with my father in the 70's most boats were manned by families and one or two friends, and are much smaller than the average club boat is now that races. Crews are less likely to be family these days and more likely to be a group of adults, friends or just racing friends, and seem far more aggressive than they once were. Many folks who might have raced their boats in years past now leave it at the mooring or slip on Wednesday night and crew on a boat that is larger and more racer than cruiser, perhaps with some pretty ugly old carbon sails and the like. These racier folks are more the rule than the exception, and are far more likely to raise a protest flag or swear or yell epithets at mark roundings and crossings than was the case in the 'Corinthian days'. Club racing has evolved in a less family friendly and just plain friendly pastime than it once was, and I see that as a large part of the problem in attracting folks to the start line these days. I see this in business and life as well. In general, the idea of the 'gentleman amateur' as a competitor has been eclipsed by the hard-core efforts of the over eager. There seem to be private coaches on some club boats, loads of kids have private tennis or football coaches, and lots of folks in the workplace have their own life coaches or career coaches on call.

If I were looking to revive racing at a club I would look at rules and such that promote friendly, less costly competition, whether it be by a ban on carbon sails, the number of protests a boat can throw out in a month, or whatever.

I love racing sailboats, and if you love competition it doesn't matter if you are racing F1 cars, bicycles, playing hockey, or playing ping pong. To say racing sailboats is unfathomable because they are slow is like saying you wouldn't play baseball unless you were in the pros. It's ridiculous. Make it fun and accepting and reasonably priced and you just might revive that club's interest in what can be a truly wonderful sport.

I wish you good luck and great success!

[seahag]

All but #10, plus:

11. I can't fish very well while competitively racing a sailboat.

(Have landed salmon at 4.5 knots under sail but not easily)