Here is a slide that was shown at the US Sailing Sailing Leadership Forum (USSSLF) in San Diego this weekend.
I wasn't there. I stole this picture from Scuttlebutt on Twitter.
Why is team racing so appealing?
I must admit I have never really taken much interest in it before.
Perhaps because I have always felt that there's no "me" in team.
I know US college sailors do it and it always seemed a bit esoteric not to say kinky.
We tried it once or twice with Sunfish on New Jersey lakes and discovered that
- the fastest sailors always win
- lake sailing is all about shifts and puffs
- maybe we were missing the point?
But somebody at USSSLF says it's social and has high racing "value" (whatever that means) and it builds camaraderie (I like camarades) and even a good loss is fun (I know all about that!)
So perhaps I have been missing out.
Perhaps I should try team racing this year?
7 comments:
I have tried it a couple of times and my take aways were: 1) it is good for crap sailors (hmm, I wonder who I am thinking of) because the good sailors can spend time protecting them and they can do better 2) all the fancy tactics revolving around mark traps and the difference in the RRS don't amount to much when the other team is faster and just leads from the start to the finish
Team racing is a lot more appealing when everyone is at least semi-competitive and it would be impossible for either team to just "sail fast" and win the race. Team racing really becomes fun when everyone knows what they're doing and everyone has to execute all the extra boat handling and tactics that go along with having teammates
Oh geeze. I would have to be "at least semi-competitive?" I guess this may not be for me after all.
Really I just meant around the same familiarity with team racing. It's just as fun to have 6 people who have no idea what they're doing as 6 who have been team racing for years, or at least that's been my experience
Oh I can probably find 5 other people who have no idea what they are doing. Should be fun.
I don't even like other people in the same boat as me (that's why I stick with single-handers). Can't imagine "cooperating" with other boats as a team.
George A - you must be my long-lost twin! I know exactly what you mean.
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