Summer is the season for youth championship regattas and this summer many of you will be participating in races, both locally and abroad. While it is important to focus on your physical training and tactics, it is just as important to be mentally and logistically prepared. Having a checklist can help keep you organized and one of our sailors has graciously shared their checklist from the CISA 2019 Advanced Racing Clinic. This list is by no means comprehensive and should be tailored to your own pre-race routine.
Before a Regatta
Six Months Before
Review Notice of Race
Shipping arrangements or boat charter
Flight reservations
Accomodations
Local transportation
Register for race
One Month Before
Inspect entire boat before shipping
Fix all major stuff
Funding applications
Confirm seat assignments
Enroute to Race
Review this checklist
Read past regatta notes
Review regatta history
Just Before Race
Read sailing instructions
Meet officials and jury
Establish time for team meetings
Find three local knowledge sources
McLube everything
Check entire boat, again
Complete work list
General Strategy
Identify the single most important issue or trend of the regatta
Look around every 15 seconds to stay mentally engaged
Take no rule risks and if protested, do turns
Always ask what we can do to improve our performance
Talk to other competitors, ask questions, look at and/or photograph their boats/sails
On Race Day
Race Day Morning
Stretch
Food and water for boat
Read Notice Board
Weather and local forecast
Frame of mind
Discuss what we know about the conditions anticipated today
What would be the ideal course sailed
Tally out
On the Water Before Start
Get a tuning partner to sail out with
Frame of mind
Discuss: side, shifts, pressure, and current
Check current and discuss effects on starting and laylines
Continually sail upwind and down checking line, headings, pressure, and setup
Predetermine what changes you would make if not fast
Keep watching all marks
Get all RC signals/flags
Racing
Right after start speed input from crew
Equal or slower speed is unacceptable
Begin assessing which side is better
Driver notes heading and land sights, looks around every 15 seconds
Crew should always be looking around for pressure, layline distance, fleet orientation
Constantly discuss: next tack/jibe, shift, pressure, traffic, or layline
Discuss next leg: winning side for shift or pressure; opposite side for current
Predetermine which tack or jibe you want to exit the next mark
Approach windward mark from low density side and below layline if behind
Anticipate and plan for clear lanes
Set boat up for next leg
After Racing
Tally in
Inspect boat
Make all repairs now
Debrief: setup, tactics, boathandling, and communication
Check Notice Board
Ask the fast sailors what they are doing and look at their boats