Getting Started: Boats


Would you like to try racing your sailboat but you are new to the sport?

  • Read the fleet’s sailing Instructions
  • Get familiar with the starting sequence
  • Kittery Adult Education sailing courses during the winter
  • NorthU sailing courses, books and local seminars
  • Go to the season kick off in May
  • Need crew? Go to the season kick off in May or go to the Want to Crew page
  • Contact your Fleet Captain
  • Catch a ride for a race or two at the beginning of the season to see how it is done
  • Discounted rate for the first year for your boat
  • Experiment, a lot, with sail trim, rig tension and weight placement to find the magic. Make and keep the boat going fast, it will cover up a lot of other sins and mistakes you might be making.
  • Learn about when to pinch and not pinch, learn when to shift gears.
  • If you are a PHRF boat, don’t be concerned, for now, about old sails or lumpy bottoms. Old sails can be trimmed efficiently and lumpy bottoms are the least of your concerns until after you have figured out the sail trim and tactics.
  • Give yourself time to learn, it could be a season or two before you figure things out
  • And what you learn can be used anytime you sail!