True, a single small adjustments may not make the difference between first place and tenth, but a lot of these adjustments together, especially over the course of a long series (like a high school regatta or a frostbite season), will add up to a noticeable difference.

Even with the increasing prevalence of asymmetricals, most sailors will spend more time on the traditional symmetrical spinnaker, from PHRF cruisers to high-intensity dinghies like 420s or 5O5s.

But, believe it or not, a great way to learn more about sailboat racing is to actually step out of your sailboat and join the race committee team.

A lot of sailors think hard about the start, and talk a lot about upwind speed and playing windshifts, but often the process of rounding the windward mark and transitioning onto the downwind leg gets lost in the shuffle. In sailboat racing, every tiny bit counts, and having a clean and successful windward mark rounding can gain you valuable boatlengths.

Although there are no spinnakers in high school sailing, the downwind legs are far from a parade to the next mark or the finish; with good technique, you can make significant gains. To be aware of and to react to strategic considerations such as the effects of current or better wind pressure and tactical considerations such as getting inside overlaps on other boats, both skipper and crew need to keep their heads outside the boat throughout a reach or run.

It has been proven time and time again that crew morale is often one of the key factors to success in big boat races.

No matter what happens over the course of a race, your ultimate finishing position depends on how you sail the last leg of the race. People often talk about starting strategy and first beat strategy, but it’s also useful to think about considerations for the last leg, which is often a beat to weather.

Like all aspects of sailing, organization is often the key to success. With proper planning and forethought by parents, sailors and instructors, the summer can be filled with lots of smiles and fun rather than tears and headaches!

Once you know your team racing combinations and plays, you need to know how to create those combinations through passbacks and mark traps.

Coordination and communication between skipper and crew as well as between teammates is essential.