Dinghy Racing Tips

All handicap racers know the RYA Portsmouth Yardstick system's imperfections. But is it the best we've got? In this post, I look at the system's pros and cons and try to answer the question,...

What is the Portsmouth Yardstick system? The Portsmouth Yardstick system is a formula that facilitates fair racing between dinghies of different speeds. Using the Portsmouth Yardstick formula the race finish times can be adjusted to...

Sailing conservatively may sound boring but it has a big effect on your race results. I find strategical positioning on the beat fascinating. It's like chess on the water. http://youtu.be/xv3g_RV3XRM Sailing conservatively requires positioning your boat...

If you can predict which way the wind will shift you will have a big advantage out on the racecourse. Getting wind shifts right can make you look like a genius. However, the signs...

This is a comprehensive guide to reading the wind on the water. It will cover the basics but also include more advanced tips.   “A proactive sailor will beat a reactive sailor" The mark of a good...

Wind shifts. Some sailors hate them, some love them. They can be the cause of unbelievable gains and embarrassing losses out on the racecourse. They make a huge difference to our results but aren’t taught...

Here are some rules I use to help me respond to wind shifts. Below you'll see a list of the tips. I'll explain each one by one below that. Fair warning, this is a...

In this video, we compare dinghy sailing hikers from the top brands including Magic Marine, Gul, Gill, Sandiline & Rooster. We also cover what to look for when choosing hikers. Watch to the end for my...

As if sailing terminology wasn't hard enough sailors can't even agree to a universal spelling of the second most common sailing maneuver. Is it gybe or jibe (sometimes misspelled as "jive")? There is no...

Traditional wisdom has it that the beam reach is the fastest point of sail. But is this correct, and if so, why?   On a beam reach the hull travels at 90 degrees (perpendicular) to the...