Welcome Sailors!

If you are new to sailing or have never participated in a regatta before, this is truly a fun and exciting game we play!

You need not be a professional or seasoned sailor to race. In fact, one of the best ways for a beginner to become a better sailor is to race! Racing a sailboat helps you to learn and apply the principals of sailing. It enables you to complete the trip around the race course while gaining experience in many types of wind, water, and weather conditions. Learning to steer, set and trim sails in relation to the points of sail in the sailing circle become second nature. I have found that sailors who race learn more in a couple of seasons, than most recreational sailors do in ten years!

Here’s briefly how to play the game:

Beginning with the race course (see diagram) you have a windward “A” mark set upwind and a leeward “C” mark set downwind, with the Race Committee or “RC” at the start/finish line located some where in between.

The RC begins the starting sequence by raising a white flag. The red flag when raised with the sound of the horn begins the race, participants sheet‑in and sail to “A” mark (tip: to get a good start stay within 30 seconds or 50 yards of the start/finish line 1 minute prior to the red flag to begin your run) leave “A” mark to Port and round the course counter clockwise. Once you’ve rounded “A” mark sheet‑out and sail downwind to “C” mark (downwind tip: for a faster smoother controlled jibe; while maintaining speed, steer a smooth deliberate arc as you jibe, pull the mainsheet system over to the new side of the boat while holding control of the tiller.) Rounding “C” mark, leave to Port harden‑up, sheet‑in and head for the finish line, where your time and placement will be recorded.

You can find a great racing manual in PDF format in our library: Racing Basics for Catamarans by Mark Johnson

Once you’ve participated in a regatta, you begin to learn the little tricks that make a boat go fast, also how to call a layline, surf waves and find wind. You develop the instincts needed to sail efficiently and safely.

NOTE: A race clinic will be held after registration prior to the competition.

I encourage you to experience the excitement of the regatta in the spirit of the Utah Summer Games!

Brett Bingham
Director USG Sailing