Customer Reviews

Getting Started in Sailboat Racing

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I found this to be an excellent how-to guide that concisely explained the nuts and bolts of sailboat racing for the novice. Too many other books on racing, by big-name sailors, seem to me to be full of a lot of hot air, and lack an emphasis on the basics. Cort and Stearns do a great job of covering rules and tactics from start to finish.

Stearns and Cort do a great job explaining sailboat racing with clarity and brevity and a dash of humor. I've read Melges, the Colgates, Stuart Walker and those are all fine authors. But I think "Getting Started.." is much easier to understand. The little quizzes with their answers right after the questions at the end of each section hammer home the essential principles.

This might just be a series of happy accidents but I bought the book at the beginning of September, '05, and we won the next four races in our Colgate 26 racing on Lake Michigan near Holland, MI.

I have raced my 36 ft sloop lightly for the last 5 years and wanted a book to help me improve my finish (2nd every time but only 5 in class). I have now read 7 books on the subject. Most frustrated me as they only talk about racing upwind and downwind. My class races up, down, and reaching. To make matters worse, my class is no spinnaker. So, typically the upwind talk is how to tune a boat with a fractional rig, which I don't have, or a spinnaker, which I don't use. Some only talk about boats so small you can tip them over. This book covers everything, up, down, reaching, no spinnaker. It talks about little and big boats. It does as good a job on tactics as any of the books and in fact better than most. It is an easy read and not full of typos like some of the others. I highly recommend it.

Each time I pick this book up I learn something new. While it's written to introduce racing, it's really a useful reference to improve your racing over time.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject, regardless of skill level.

The title of this book can be a little misleading. It provides a wealth of information for racers of all skill levels and experience, presented in an easy to understand format. The authors' styles are entertaining to say the least. The best value I've found yet for books of this type.

An easy to read overview of all the basics. Perfect for someone getting started in club racing and a great book to bring new crew up to speed.

I have to say, this book got me to second place in a regatta filled with 4 and 5 year racers. It is clear and consice and takes into account the fact that you may or may not have ever raced before. Principals are clearly explained in everyday language and the important rules are explained. For those people looking to start Wednesday night racing - this is your book!

I'm going to use this in our yacht club's "Introduction to Sailboat Racing" class. It's a good starter book for someone just getting into the sport and it's written with a nice blend of folksy antecdotes and hard "bullet point" information. There just enough of each subject to get a taste, but not so much as to overwhelm. Other books and on-the-water experience will fill in the blanks. Q&A review at the end of the chapters highlights the key information. If you're just getting started in sailboat racing, "Getting Started" is a good way to do it.

I have read this book cover to cover multiple times. Adam Cort does a great job covering the basics of sailboat racing. This is an excellent book for anyone who is just starting out (just like it says in the title).

This is got to be the most informative book on sailboat racing. Just reading it once will give the reader many basics on how to enjoy better performance on the water. Studing the material will ensure the reader would become a better racer and competer.