Getting Started
Roadmap — Two
If
you know the basics of sailing, you can learn more — and have
fun — by racing. Even if racing is not your ultimate goal,
it is a great way to sharpen your skills. For those of you with
lots of sailing experience who are interested in getting into racing,
the best way is to start right in. This section charts a course
for you.
a)
Join as a full member of CSC and
sign up with the appropriate fleet. CSC
is organized into fleets. A fleet is generally a group of people
who own the same kind of boat, and there is also an "Open"
fleet for all other types of centerboard-type boats. You can learn
a lot about the basics of racing from members of your fleet. 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 tune the rigging for 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.
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)
Sail your boat in the Jordan
Lake Informal Series. This is an easy way to get into racing.
One Saturday a month, from April through October, CSC members meet
for informal racing around the bouys. The day is generally run as
a series of several short races, so you get lots of practice with
starting, mark rounding, sail handling, steering in close quarters,
spinnaker work (if applicable to your boat) and sailing on all points
of sail. We don't track results for the series, but you can get
feedback at the end of the day on how you did. The atmosphere is
friendly and the focus is on learning. Occasionally this Series
will include mini-clinics on specific topics related to racing.
Many participants in the series are just starting out, but there
are also some experienced racers for you to learn from. See the
Events page on the CSC Web site for the calendar.
e)
Ask an experienced CSC member to crew for you on one of the Jordan
Lake Series days. If your boat has room for a crew member, this
can be a good way to learn a lot in a short period of time. Your
fleet captain can help you find someone who you can learn from.
f) Crew for an experienced racer for one or more events in any
of the three club series. Crewing for a more experienced racer
is a great way to pick up some tips on racing your own boat. Put
your name in the CSC crew
finder (the crew list is visible only on the members-only side;
you also can do your registration there if you are a member). Talk
to your fleet members about finding a ride.
g)
Read up on racing.
Some suggestions are included in References
section. There are some excellent introductory books on racing tactics
and rules.
h)
Participate in Club events. One of
the biggest advantages of belonging to CSC is the opportunity to
learn from others. 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
with a committee, and ask lots of questions!
i) Serve on a Race Committee for the Jordan
Winter Series, the Jordan Summer
Series, or the Kerr Lake Series.
(You must be at least an associate member to serve on a race committee.))
Each race day or weekend has a different Race Committee. By assisting
an experienced Principal Race Officer in running the races, you
can become more familiar with concepts of racing. You can also observe
the other boats - their strategy, tactics, and boat handling. See
the Events page for the schedule. Contact
the chairman of the Regatta Operations Committee, Dave
Batchelor, to sign up.
j)
Sail your boat in the Jordan
Winter Series. The weather is not cold, and the racing is
rather informal. Short races, excellent for practice and learning.
k) Sail your boat in the Kerr Lake
Series . This will provide you an opportunity to measure
the growth of your skills in races where everyone is giving it their
best. The competition on the water is good, but the atmosphere is
friendly. You'll find the same helpfulness as in the Jordan Lake
Series - once the race is over! There is a social after the Saturday
races that provide a chance to relax and debrief. Again, you'll
find that racing will be a tremendous help in becoming a better
sailor.
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