Yacht Racing tips for sailing holidays during The Bay Regatta

The Bay Regatta is a series of yacht races all around the beautiful krabi bay area, taking in Phuket and the Phi Phi Islands. It can be distracting sailing in such lovely surroundings but it’s a wonderful place for a regatta, with some great opportunities for socialising too. If you fancy giving the regatta your best shot, then follow our pointers to yacht racing and your sailing holidays will be unforgettable whilst having a serious go at racing in the Bay Regatta.

Before the Regatta

Firstly check your yacht over, and make sure that everything is working smoothly and correctly, such as, the winches and halyards, the blocks and cleats, and repair and oil anything that needs attention.

Take off any extra weight or bulk that you can from your yacht as the lighter you are then the fast you will be! Only have enough fuel and water onboard that you will need.

If you can, then make sure the hull or hulls of your yacht are clean smooth as this will reduce your windage.

Check that the tell-tales are fitted to your sails.

Allocate a different task to every member of your crew participating, you will want to make sure you have someone responsible for the Helm, the navigation, trimming the sails and a timekeeper to listen out for the starting sounds of the races.

Also it is worth plotting your course on the GPS before the race commences, taking into account all the markers on the course and tides and depths.

During the Race

Firstly allow yourself plenty of time to get to the starting line.

Listen carefully to the Race Officer and make sure the whole crew understands the starting sequence, whether it is by flags or sound signals.

If possible then do a test run across the line, before the race starts, which gives you the opportunity to check wind direction and strength so you can set the sails accordingly.

Focus on your own boat, it is easy to get distracted by other boats around you, but focus on trying to stay as near to the line as you can without letting the tide carry you over the line!

Pay attention at all times to the boats speed and sails, keeping the sail trimmers constantly working on getting maximum speed.

When the boat is beating, try and keep the boat as flat as you can, if the boat turns too much on the heel this can slow you down when you apply more rudder.

Try and sail the rhumb line at all times when you are reaching.

Keep some distance from the other boats in the regatta, you want to try and keep clear air in your sails.

Once you are on the downwind leg, then maximise your speed and stay as near as you can to the centre of the course.

Make sure you have the correct finish mark in your sights, and decide at what end of the finishing line you are aiming for in plenty of time.

So enjoy your sailing holidays to the maximum and have a fabulous time sailing and racing in Asia’s premier regatta!