Sailboat Racing

Sailing is one of my favorite things to do during the summer months. It is a fun activity that can be seen as relaxing and calming. Sailboat racing however is not exactly the same. Navigating through a set course among other boats that share the same course is actually quite difficult. One of the main focuses of sailboat racing is strategy and tactics.

Although sailboats rely mostly on wind to keep them moving, predicting the wind patterns is very difficult. The wind allows sailboats move but the direction of the wind is what will determine which way the racing course will be set. Timing is also a key component of sailboat racing based on the fact that all of the boats need to be lined up at the start. There are many types of boats that race together. Boats of the same size and model are competing against one another to finish the course fastest.

The pictures above are from a sailboat race that my family took part in last summer. We used to race our C&C 34 sailboat named "Jasmine". My job was on the front of the boat where I would help attach a pole to the sail. When sailing down wind, it is difficult for the front sail to hit the wind correctly. In order for the boat to keep moving, we connect a pole to the mast of the boat and to the sail so that the sail sticks out further for the wind to hit it more directly.

Growing up on a sailboat has allowed me to learn so much about sailing and sailboat racing. I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to learn so much about sailing and I have become fascinated by boats in general. I would encourage anyone with an opportunity to learn about sailing to try because the science behind sailing is guaranteed to surprise you.