Attitude:This is probably the most important aspect of racing-attitude. The one thing that can win or lose a race faster than anything is the attitude of the racer.
MistakesEvery race, you’ll make many mistakes. The key is to forget about them for the moment, and go on with the race. It never helps your game to dwell on a mistake. All the energy spent on the last blunder takes concentration-concentration that is needed for sailing a great race. It might help to say “f…,” but only once.
After the race, it will be time to recall the mistakes and put them on paper. Get a notebook and write as much of the race as you can remember, outlining it from start to finish. The point of your notebook is not to dwell, but to compile a list of frequently-made errors which can be easily fixed. For instance, I often run into trouble at mark roundings with other boats. Knowing that, I try to concentrate a little harder on what will happen before I get to the mark, in order to avoid problems. Use your mistakes later to clean up your game, but don’t let them interfere at the time they happen.
Being a StudentAnother area in which attitude is important is in your ability to take criticism. No matter the form of the criticism or the messenger, it can almost always be used to advantage. It is too easy to take offense at helpful comments, not to mention those you consider derogatory. However, each may contain a bit of truth that you can use in the future to improve. Keep in mind that even well-intentioned remarks can be wrong, so you must take each with a grain of salt. If you don’t know if the advice is any good, give it a try-what the hell.
The most beneficial position in which to be is that of a student of the sport. Many times, when a person joins a club and begins to race, they will follow a faster boat and finish second or third. However, for some reason this stops, and they drop back in the fleet. It may be that “beginner’s luck” runs out. But, more than likely, they just stop following faster racers.
Following a better racer is a great way to win, as well as to learn. These guys are often better for a reason, and there is much to learn. Follow them, figuring out why they went the way they did, or why they didn’t do what you would have done. If you can’t figure it out on your own, ask them after the race. Many people are flattered and will offer much more than just a quick answer. This applies at any level of the sport from club races to the national level in your class. Never be afraid to ask for help, or start a conversation on a part of a race that bothered you.
How to PracticeKeep in mind that sailing, like any other skill, should be practiced. It should be practiced with the intent of improving the slowest part of your game first. Roll tacks are fun, but if you can’t “stay on the wind” on the first windward beat, you’ll lose big, even if your tacks are the best in the world (if you don’t know what a roll tack is, don’t worry-it’s explained a little later). You should always make a list of priorities, with the goal of making the biggest improvement possible. Here is a list for the beginning racer:
Priorities:
Beating-stay on the wind. Learn to “feel” the wind.
Transitions (tacking and jibing)-this does not mean roll tacks, just master the basics first.
Sailing Close to Other Boats Without Getting Nervous-this mean centimeters.
Starting-learn to get a consistent start. This means lots of boat handling practice.
Mark Roundings-large gains and losses are made here.
Reaching and Running-
After learning the basics, you should be able to pinpoint weaknesses on which to focus, resetting your priorities accordingly. Most importantly, keep in mind that the easiest things to practice are the things that you can do well. You will improve your sailing most by concentrating on skills you don’t do particularly well.
Many of the skills can be practiced alone with no props, or with one buoy in the water. It is always good to practice with other boats, if for no other reason than to combat boredom. However, there is much to be gained even if no one else is around.