The idea is to get each student to steer as many races as possible, in the time between arrival at the school and darkness.
We put only two or three students in each boat. We set a short race course as close as we can to the harbor.
Then we run as many races as conditions permit.
General recalls are used, to give you more practice at race starts.

In the sailing world, it is not very difficult for a beginner racer to get invited on to a big boat and to be assigned a small job. But, tiller time in a race is usually reserved for the owner. Most race boat owners give the teaching of crew a low priority, particularly in the heat of racing. The narrow focus of a single crew position fails to give the beginner an understanding of the big picture in a race. Most big boat races have one start, two mark roundings, and one finish, on each day or night of racing.

In contrast, this course aims to place you at the tiller for many starts, many mark roundings, and many finishes, every evening. We follow the racing with a post mortem at a local restaurant, where the instructor reviews his notes on your mistakes, and on your flashes of brilliance. Racing rules are taught and reviewed in the context of each race.

A weekend or holiday springtime-day-course provides an intensive all-day introduction. You may race in more races on that day, than you would in a full season of yacht club races. (My record was running 28 races in one day.)

For novices without much confidence, we pair you with more experienced students. Instructors are on some boats, particularly early in the season, to get the beginners sailing faster. But as you progress, you will prefer to do your own thinking.

Some experienced students return year after year. After all, where else can you command a race boat that you don't have to first buy, and then maintain?

And if work prevents you from coming on any given night, you aren't letting down a crew that was counting on your help.

The Sonars we race are fast sailboats, that move in the lightest of winds, and respond quickly to your inputs.

As you become an experienced racing helmsman, you will also become a more valuable crew member on big boats, because you will be better able to anticipate what the boat needs from any crew position.

Or, you may eventually decide to buy your own small or large boat.

I know of no better, easier, less expensive way to get valuable and fun sailboat racing experience. I have even found that teaching this course on Tuesdays improves my own competitiveness when racing on Wednesdays.

Even if the above benefits weren't so compelling, some of the sunsets you will see are worth the price of admission.

Chris Garvey
Chief Racing Instructor

Cost:
Individual: $50 per race
Series - 12 races: $400

Schedule/Dates:12 Tuesdays from May 29th to August 14th.