Race! for fun and practice

Learn to race

Racing will keep you interested your whole life; there are so many levels. You can race one-design or in a mixed fleet that use a handicap system, like Portsmouth Yardstick. Good news: you don't have to know much to begin.

Get the basics

Download basic rules from the link at the left. Watch the online video introduction to racing by US Sailing. (They are the Big Wigs of Sailing.) The video will show you what a race course looks like, how to start, how to identify the bouys —and where to look for them.

Need more help?

There are other free publications that will help you too, like racing basics. And there's books about racing, from entry level to advanced, available at libraries and our shop. It's not just about boat speed: sail trimming, rig tuning..., it's also about learning about wind, how to spot gusts and shifts by looking at the water, the lake. You're going to have so much fun!

No local fleet?

Start a fleet!