Getting Started
Roadmap — One
Perhaps
you are so enthusiastic about sailing that bought a boat before
you knew much about the actual mechanics of sailing. Or perhaps
you have acquired an old boat from a friend or relative, and want
to be able to take advantage of it. If so, this section charts a
course for you. Note that, after some learn-to-sail education, we
are recommending that you join the club and participate in racing
as a way to learn to sail well, even if racing is not that interesting
and you are more interested in just casual sailing. If you are really
turned off by the idea of racing, then just take a class, go sailing
and skip the rest. But take the class.
a)
Sign up for a local learn-to-sail
program. Since you already have made the commitment of owning
a boat, it is worth investing your time in one of the more extensive
programs to learn the basics, like the program at Lake Crabtree.
See Learn to Sail Classes.
b)
Join CSC, and sign up with the
appropriate CSC fleet. CSC is organized
into fleets. A fleet is generally a group of people who own the
same kind of boat. There is also an "Open" fleet for all
other types of centerboard-type boats. You can learn a lot about
sailing from the members of your fleet. Ask one of the experienced
CSC members to go out with you on your boat and show you the ropes.
Your fleet captain can help you find someone. You should also join
your boat's national class association. They usually have Web sites
for owners and experts to trade information on the easiest ways
to rig the boat, how to set it up to get the best performance, boat
handling techniques, etc. These sites are often linked to the boat
builder's Web site, which can be another useful source of information.
c)
Crawl though the web site (carolinasailingclub.org) to get
a feel for club activities. (For later use, note that in the members-only
side there is a Rogues Gallery of names and pictures of all members
to help you put faces with names and vice versa.
d)
Go to the next Third Thursdays
Social to start meeting members and get the lay of the land.
e)
Practice. Once you know some of the basics - including the essential
safety rules - you will be amazed at how fast your skills will improve
if you can practice 3 times a month. Practice with your own boat
at Lake Jordan or Falls Lake - the two larger close lakes.
f) Read up on sailing.
Many people find it very helpful to read about sailing technique
the night before they go out to practice, and again at the end of
the day when they've been on the water. It gives you a chance to
learn how a technique or move is supposed to work, try out the technique
on the water, and then consolidate what you've learned after you've
had some experience it. See the References section for suggestions.
g)
Participate in Club events. One of the
biggest advantages of belonging to CSC is the opportunity to learn
from others. Most sailors who have moved beyond the beginner stage
have done so by learning from other sailors and spending time on
the water. You'll find CSC members are more than willing to share
what they know and help you increase your knowledge and skills.
So attend Club meetings, come to the social events, help out on
a committee, and ask lots of questions!
h) Serve on a Race Committee for the Jordan
Summer Series, the Jordan Winter
Series, or the Kerr Lake Series.
(You must be at least an associate member to serve on a race committee.)
By serving on the race committee with experienced racers, you will
get a feel for what is going on in a race.
i) Through the crew finder or through the New-Members' Committee,
sign up to crew for someone
else in races. (The list of available crew is visible only
on the members-only side of the web site. You also can register
to crew there if you are a member.) Very fast way to get the concepts
of racing before you venture into a race with your own boat.
j)
Participate in the Jordan
Summer Series. After you feel comfortable sailing your boat
and getting it to go where you want it to go, consider CSC's Jordan
Lake Informal Series. It is an ideal opportunity to practice. It's
friendly, low keyed racing. Participants usually represent a wide
variety of skill levels, including novice sailors, experienced sailors
who are new to racing, and experienced racers. The purpose of the
series is learning. A Club power boat is always on the water as
a safety measure. The focus is on sailors learning from sailors.
We use a modified racing format to organize sailing around the buoys,
because it's an excellent way to practice all points of sail and
sailing in a variety of conditions. And practicing in a group has
a lot of advantages, like being able to observe others, and seeing
how your actions affect relative boat speed. One of the biggest
advantages is the opportunity to pick up pointers from the more
experienced sailors. Even if you're not sure you want to get into
racing, this is an excellent way to become a better sailor.
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