Getting Started
Roadmap — Three
If
you have a boat and racing experience, you already know what it
is all about. Here are some suggestions on how to get involved in
racing in the Triangle.
a)
Join as a full member of CSC and sign
up with a fleet. CSC is organized into
several one-design fleets and an Open fleet. In addition to CSC
events, many fleets have additional social and sailing events. See
CSC Fleets for fleet captains.
b)
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.
c)
Go to the next Third Thursdays
Social to start meeting members and get the lay of the land.
d)
Find crew using the crew finder on the members-only side of the
web site. Don't let lack of crew be an obstacle to getting out
on the water. This Web site is a service for members, listing experience
level and availability of other Club members interested in crewing.
Your fleet captain also can help you with crew.
e) Race your boat in the Kerr Lake
Series. This Series offers racing run to US Sailing standards.
The competition on the water is good — everyone goes for their
best — but the atmosphere is friendly. There are several trophy
subseries within the full series. There is a social following the
races on Saturday, where you can relax and swap stories with other
members. This series consists of one weekend a month from April
through October, except June. See the Events
page for the schedule.
f) Race your boat in the Lake Jordan
Winter Series. This is a series of races run two Sundays
a month from November through March, weather permitting (almost
always does). This is when North Carolina gets some of its best
wind. Short races, informal, great practice. Mix of some of the
best sailors and some beginners. See the Events
page for the schedule.
g)
Race your boat in the Jordan
Lake Informal Series. This is a great opportunity for you
and your crew to get some practice time in and have fun in a low-pressure
setting. It's an informal racing series run one Sunday a month from
April through October. Jordan Lake is conveniently located for most
Triangle residents, and many find it easier to race for an afternoon
than a full day or weekend. We generally run several short races,
so you and your crew will get lots of practice with starting, mark
rounding, sail handling, steering in close quarters, and spinnaker
work. We don't track results for the series, but you can get feedback
at the end of the day on how you did if you want. The atmosphere
is friendly and the focus is on learning. Occasionally this Series
will include mini-clinics on specific topics related to racing.
We ask that experienced racers give newcomers some slack, keep it
friendly, and provide helpful hints to those who are just beginning.
See the Events page for the schedule.
h)
District Racing: If your boat is one of the one-design classes,
all those classes have district schedule of races for that class
throughout the southeast. See your fleet's
area on the web site.
i)
Race your boat in the Governor's Cup Regatta. This annual June
invitational regatta hosted by CSC draws a large number of sailors
from all over the region. The competition is very good, and there
are separate starts and trophies for many one-design fleets. There
is an additional registration fee for this 2-day regatta. See the
Events page for dates and more information.
j) Serve on a Race Committee for the Kerr
Lake or Lake Jordan Series.
(You must be at least an associate member to serve on a race committee.)
Club members take turns running the races, so we all can race. If
you haven't had a lot of experience on Race Committees, don't worry.
You can start by assisting an experienced Principal Race Officer.
The Club also offers occasional Principal Race Officer training.
k)
Participate in Club events. In addition
to on-the-water activities, there are opportunities to get together
with Club members, have fun, and contribute to the growth of sailing
in the Triangle area. We encourage members to get involved in one
of the many Club teams or committees. It is an excellent way to
get to know other members. So attend regular Club meetings, come
to the social events, and help out on a committee.
|
