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Saturday, May 20, 2006

Racing Sailboats Relies On Strategy

J24 SailboatsPANAMA CITY, Fla. - The J/24 Southeastern Regional Championship of sailboating took place this weekend in the St. Andrews Bay.

Only ten J/24 sailboats were competing for a chance to race in the world competition in Acapulco, Mexico. 

Twenty to 25 boats were expected, but some sailors from along the Gulf of Mexico have not repaired their boats since Hurricane Katrina.

This weekend’s race consists of four legs, 1.5 miles each.

When the boats made turn around the winward mark, the spinnakers went up.  Windward is the direction from which the wind is blowing at the time in question.

As the crews made the turn around the leeward mark, the spinnakers went down.  Leeward is the direction downwind from the point of reference.

Strategy plays a bigger role in sail boating than one may think.

“Sailors pick the wind shift, and try to guess which side of the course is favored,” Principle Race Officer Bob Bailey said.  “You can see variables in boat speed, some have better crews and go faster, it’s like a chess game on water.”

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