January 27, 2022
Speed & Smarts: How to Tackle a Speed Problem – Part 1
In sailboat racing, speed is almost everything. It’s important to be smart at tactics and strategy, of course, but if you’re not pretty fast you will never be consistently at the top of your fleet. Therefore, good speed is worth a large investment of time and effort.
January 16, 2022
The Rules Guy: Mark Room at a Gybe Mark
Mark rounding is a lot like the weather. It is genuinely complex, and it causes no end of trouble, particularly for those not paying attention. Rule 18, “Mark-Room”, takes as much space in the rulebook as Rules 10 to 17. There are a few slightly more complicated situations that I would like to discuss, but this month we will start with some of the basics.
January 14, 2022
Speed & Smarts: Do I Really Have a Speed Problem?
As they say in therapy, the first step in solving any problem is acknowledging that you have that problem. Most sailors are not shy about admitting they are slow; in fact, many are quick to blame poor speed for a variety of mistakes. But if you want to improve your racing results, you need an honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses.
January 13, 2022
From the Coach Boat with Thomas Fogh: Crew Roles
Online coverage of sailing has advanced tremendously the past few years, so much so you feel like you are on the boat. This view has given some great footage on how the pros sail and the communication among them. Being so close to the action has provided us with a better understanding of how a team can work together, but more importantly, what role each crewmember plays.
December 24, 2021
Speed & Smarts: A Closer Look at the Defining Qualities of Sportsmanship
Why is good sportsmanship important in sailing? Because no matter how hard we compete, most of us still want to have fun. And almost all of us feel it’s critical to have a fair playing field. If we want to attract more racers to the sport and continue getting good race management, sportsmanship is the only way to go.
November 24, 2021
2022 BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival set to go
The 49th BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival will take place between March 28 April 3, 2022. It is one of the top three Caribbean sailing events, with an average of 110 yachts per year with 60% of the competitors from overseas.
September 8, 2021
Canada wins 25th Canada’s Cup
Royal Canadian Yacht Club’s Defiant completed a six-race sweep of the Cup for Canada over Zing, the US representative from Youngstown Yacht Club.
September 2, 2021
Chester Race Week: Fog and restrictions don’t stop the action
Helly Hansen Chester Race Week wrapped up for 2021 with fewer boats, more restrictions thanks to COVID-19, and some fog each day, but overall the event was four days of success for racers and organizers.
July 20, 2021
Back to the races at Helly Hansen Chester Race Week
Randy Stevens started racing at Chester Race Week in the early 1970s and for about 20 of those years, he raced in a C&C 39. He sold that boat a few years ago, unofficially retired from racing, and bought a power boat instead.
July 7, 2021
Book locker: Rules rule
With racing opening up after a while, perhaps it’s time to get back in gear with a re-visit to the rules. And btw, the rules have been updated so perhaps what you remember is out of date anyhow!
April 21, 2021
The Rules Guy: New Rule Changes IV
This month, we continue our exploration of changes included in the 2021-2024 edition of the Racing Rules of Sailing. This edition brings a lot of changes, but few affect the way we sail on the course.
March 24, 2021
Helly Hansen Chester Race Week 2021 fires up
While things likely will be a little different, we welcome you back to the waters of Chester, Nova Scotia to participate in this one-of-a-kind event from August 11-14, 2021.
March 24, 2021
The rules guy: New Rule Changes III
This month, we continue our exploration of changes included in the 2021-2024 edition of the Racing Rules of Sailing. The next right-of-way rule that appears to have several changes is one that has changes every time a new rulebook comes out. rule 18, Mark-Room.
March 10, 2021
New Rule Book now available!
As the Rules Guy has been explaining, there are changes to the rules that are important to understand. 2021 brings the new Racing Rules of Sailing to take us through to 2024!
February 24, 2021
The Rules Guy: New Rule Changes II
This month, we continue our exploration of changes included in the 2021-2024 edition of the Racing Rules of Sailing. This edition brings a lot of changes, but few affect the way we sail on the course.
January 27, 2021
The Rules Guy: New Rule Changes for 2021
Happy New Year. It is the beginning of the year after what should have been an Olympic Games year, so it is time for a new Racing Rules of Sailing. The Olympics may have been delayed a year, but the rule book was not. The rules took effect January 1, 2021.
August 10, 2020
The Rules Guy: An overview of the right-of-way rules IV
This issue, we will look at Section C of Part 2, Marks and Obstructions. Many of my articles over the past 22 years have covered rules in this section, but this is…
July 7, 2020
SOL Regatta: Canadian Sailors Compete in the Virtual Newport to Bermuda Race
The biannual Newport to Bermuda Race (N2B) was to be held June 27 to 24, 2020 but the 636.2 nautical mile on-the-water-event had to be cancelled due to Covid-19 to the disappointment of the prepared 200+ registered skippers.
June 10, 2020
The Rules Guy: An overview of the right-of-way rules III
In the past two issues we have been doing an overview of the right-of-way rules. In the first, we did a review of Section A of Part 2, in the second we did a review of the definitions. This issue, we will look at Section B of Part 2, General Limitations, which is essentially limitations applying to boats that have right of way according to Section A.
May 25, 2020
The Rules Guy: An overview of the right-of-way rules II
Last column we started an overview of the right-of-way rules. That issue focused on Section A of Part 2. At the end of that article, I said would next focus on the definitions.
May 25, 2020
The Rules Guy: An Overview Of The Right-Of-Way Rules – instalment 1
As we start a new sailing season, I am going to start a new view of the right-of-way rules. I hope that by giving an overview, I can help my readers understand the rules for themselves.
March 10, 2020
2020 Women’s Keelboat Championships heads to Hudson QC
Sail Canada just announced that dates have been set for the 2020 Women’s Keelboat Championships. The event will be held from Thursday, October 1 to Sunday, October 4 at Hudson Yacht Club in Hudson, QC.
February 11, 2020
Route Halifax Saint-Pierre, 10th Edition
Created in 2002 by Philippe Paturel and the late Hal Davies, the 350-mile ocean race that connects Halifax to the French Archipelago of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon every two years is one of the big events of offshore sailing race in North America.
February 11, 2020
A fleet of Canadians head south for RORC 600
Life on the Caribbean racing circuit attracts participants from all over the world and increasingly from Canada. In addition to the series of regatta’s that take participants from Grenada (see the Touch2Play blog) to the Heineken in St Maarten then to the BVI Spring Regatta…
February 11, 2020
Grenada wants me, when can I go back there?
Touch2Play Racing started the 2020 Caribbean season off at Grenada Race Week. While not the largest event on the Circuit it has a certain charm that can’t be beat.
February 11, 2020
LYRA 2020 heads to Sodus Bay
From July 26 to August 2, 2020 the Sodus Bay Yacht Club is hosting the historic Lake Yacht Racing Association 135st Annual Regatta. This will be the 12th time that SBYC has hosted this prestige Regatta with racers from all around Lake Ontario, Eastern Lake Erie, the Finger Lakes, and the St Lawrence Seaway.
December 3, 2019
Victoria to Maui International Race a Bucket List adventure
The Victoria to Maui International Yacht Race is hosted by the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club and the Lahaina Yacht Club. First contested in 1965 and sailed every second year since 1968, Vic-Maui is the pinnacle of Pacific Northwest ocean racing.
December 3, 2019
Touch2Play Racing preps for the Caribbean season
Rob Butler’s joy of sailing in the warm waters of the Caribbean will get renewed this year. For the third season his Reflex 38, Touch2Play Racing, is getting ready to take on the Caribbean Sailing Association’s winter series.
November 19, 2019
Whidbey Island Race Week finds a new home
Whidbey Island Race Week LLC announced March 28 that Point Roberts has been chosen as the new venue for Race Week beginning in 2020. The event will be named Point Roberts Race Week and the date of the event will be July13-17, 2020.
November 19, 2019
Nanaimo selected for the 2020 Martin 242 NAs
The event will be part of the regular SIN Regatta hosted by the Nanaimo Yacht Club (“NYC”) on the July 4/5 weekend after Canada Day and during the US Independence Day holiday long weekend.
October 23, 2019
News: Solar boats heading to Toronto
They’re a real thing in Europe and next year Toronto will have a Solar Boat Race right in Toronto Harbour. The Races will run Along the waterfront from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal to HTO Park.
October 8, 2019
Record numbers for CORK Fall Regatta
The final regatta of CORK’s 50th celebration year saw a record 264 athletes travel to Portsmouth Olympic Harbour for the CORK Fall Regatta on September 21-22 in Kingston.
October 8, 2019
J105s: The Generosity of Sailors … Once Again!
On September 27-29th, the Royal Canadian Yacht Club hosted Canada’s J105 Championship Regatta on Lake Ontario in Toronto with sixteen determined competitors.
September 25, 2019
Sharks celebrate Homecomers 60
This year’s Homecomers Regatta, held at he Niagara-on-the-Lake Sailing Club (NOLSC) on September 21 and 22 was a special event as it was also a celebration for the 60th Anniversary of the Shark 24.
September 25, 2019
Jilàsi for Youth – Sailing it Forward!
Hosted by the National Yacht Club, Toronto, on September 14, 2019, the Jilàsi for Youth Fundraising Regatta celebrated its second year, thanks to the volunteers and corporate sponsors such as Nieuport Aviation, TD Canada Trust, TK Foundation, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
September 11, 2019
BNI Challenge Regatta – August 24
It was a riveting scene: sailboats from various yacht clubs with courageous mobility-impaired sailors unconfined by wheelchairs—all united for the 7th annual BNI Challenge to raise money for equipping these brave sailors and running an extraordinary program called Association québecoise de voile adaptée (AQVA).
September 10, 2019
Helly Hansen announces Chester prize winner
As part of Chester Race Week this year, Helly Hansen once again awarded a Grand Prize of a trip on an Ocean Race Yacht with Atlas Ocean Racing between Bermuda and Halifax in May 2020.
August 21, 2019
Stolze Cup
The Stolze Cup is awarded annually to the regatta’s winning match racing skipper from a LYRA member club. This year’s event was held at RCYC Aug 10-11, 2019 in Sonars. There were eight teams competing from four countries including an all-women team from RCYC.
August 21, 2019
Canada’s great showing – three PanAm medals
Sailing at the 2019 Pan American games wrapped up on August 10 in Paracas, Peru. The event saw an array of conditions that made for a challenging event for our Canadian sailors. With the final medal race of the event in the Sunfish, Canada added another medal for a total of three.