Yacht Racing with the Sail Caribbean Fleet

Yacht racing is the ultimate team sport. Everyone's effort counts!

“Hey, we'll race you there!”

It's the big race and the Skipper of the Day signals for your team to prepare to tack. The adrenaline is pumping as you scramble across the deck and into the cockpit. You station yourself at a winch and look toward your skipper, waiting for her next signal. "Ready to tack?" she yells over the sound of the wind. "Ready!" you assure her. "Hard alee!" she calls as she begins to head up, turning the boat through the wind. She shouts "Break!" as the sails start to luff and you begin to grind them in like crazy. You know the faster you work the better chance you and your crew have of catching the boat ahead. Your crewmates are cheering you on as you expertly trim the sail. The boat cuts through the water and continues to gain speed. "Wow!" you think to yourself, "I've only been sailing for five days!"

Yacht racing is the ultimate team sport. At our summer sailing camps everyone's effort counts for something, whether you're on the helm, trimming the jib, or on the rail helping to balance the boat. Win or lose, you'll finish the race flush with a new perspective on the sailing skills you've learned, a better understanding of the rules of the road, and a thirst for the next chance to race.

You'll discover that there are two main elements to winning a race: boat handling and tactics. For a team to win a race aboard a large boat, its boat handling skills must be excellent. All tacks (turns) must be quick, and the crew must be able to regain speed coming out of a tack. The sails must always be trimmed properly to maintain the fastest possible boat speed. Tactics refer to the strategic choices a crew makes while sailing. These decisions include: where to cross the starting line, which side of the course will offer the best wind, when to tack or jibe, and how to maneuver around the competition. Then there are the racing rules. In addition to the standard Right of Way rules, there are several rules that have been developed specifically for racing. You'll learn it all!

Our alumni crew know the best part of racing at Sail Caribbean – each boat's Race Day theme and costumes make the day unforgettable. Whether you decide to be Pirates of the Caribbean or Super Heroes, everyone is a winner on Sail Caribbean race days.