CHAPTER 



One-Design Class Racing 



4 



After you have purchased a one-design sailboat, 

 practiced sailing it for a while, and then joined the class association, the 

 chances are that you'll wish to do a little racing. While you may get your 

 boat for the fun of sailing, for the quiet relaxation and for the satisfac- 

 tion of going places propelled by the wind alone, you— often to your own 

 surprise— find yourself drawn into racing. The major types of racing are: 



Class Boat Racing— between boats of the same class, racing on even 

 terms. 



Handicap Racing— between boats of different types handicapped by 

 some type of time-allowance system to make all boats as evenly matched 

 as possible. With the resulting handicap rating, sloops, cutters, yawls, 

 ketches and schooners would be able to compete evenly against each other 

 regardless of size (see Chapter 5 for further details). 



CLASS BOAT RACING 



In this chapter we'll concern ourselves with day-racing of one-design 

 class racing. But while racing in one-design classes is one of the most 

 highly competitive sports, it is unlike many others. It requires more than 

 good equipment to sail the winner across the finish line. 



As previously stated, this is not a "how-to" book. Several good books 

 on the subject of class-boat racing are listed in the Bibliography. But suc- 

 cess in racing a one-designer will depend mainly on your ability to master 

 the following four points: 



1 . Keep your craft and its gear in top condition 



2. Know the racing rules and how to employ them for your benefit 



3. Know the racing course and how to use local tides, currents, wind 

 conditions, etc. to your advantage 



4. Know how to get the most from your boat 



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