Individual
performance means less in the team
context. You may find yourself well
out in front of the fleet only to realize your teammates are buried in 5th
and 6th place. If the
race finishes in that order, you cannot win. You have 1+5+6=12. They have
2+3+4=9. You must slow your boat
and compress
the race, without being passed, and allow your team to form a winning
combination before the finish. (1+4+5=10 would suffice)
There are ten possible winning combinations. Three of those are the
desirable stable
combinations. (1/2/X, 2/3/4, and 1/4/5)
The pass back and the mark
trap, are just two of the ways to help form a winning combination.
Team
Racing rewards good boat
handling skills, rules knowledge, tactical and strategic understanding,
communication and teamwork. Each
leg of the course is like a new race, with each team striving to form a winning
combination. The only one that counts is at the finish.
Effective team racers must know how to go fast.
They must also know how to go slow or even stop their boat with complete control.
We
will also compete in Doublehand
division events, where two sailors race their boat in a standard fleet race. This is a contest of boatspeed
and tactical savvy. These regattas
are won with good
starts, consistency and avoiding big mistakes or letdowns.
We will practice both types of sailing throughout the season.
The
season culminates with district competitions to determine berths in National
Championship Regatta's. Our
philosophy is to have fun and enjoy this great lifelong
sport. Everyone eligible
will sail. There are no benches on
the water.
Practices:
Monday through Thursday, 2:30 to 5:30 with
Regatta's most Saturdays.
Location:
The Poulsbo Dinghy Dock, in front of the Marine Science Center, downtown,
in the Port
of Poulsbo