Learn to Race – Level 1
If you are an active and engaged person, you might love sailboat racing! It’s addictive. It’s social. It’s thrilling. And it will be one of the best things you can do to get you out of the house every week, having fun and hanging out with a great group of people.
Manhattan Yacht Club has very active racing programs. In the J/24 class, races are held every Tuesday and Wednesday evening throughout the season. In the Sunfish class, races are held every Saturday afternoon.
To get involved in racing, we encourage you to start with the class Racing Fundamentals. This important course is taught on land and gives you the theory needed to start training on the water. After you have the theoretical knowledge, you are ready for the on-water course “Learn to Race – Level 1.” This is a real-life practical course. You will go out, participate in races with an instructor and learn a little bit more each week.
If you already now a little about racing, you can also just jump into Learn to Race – Level 1, without doing Racing Fundamentals first. But we recommend the theory course first.
These are some of the many things you will practice in Learn to Race – Level 1:
- Rigging and getting to the starting line on time
- Starts and how to be close to the line
- Safety and staying away from other boats
- Trimming and how to make your boat go fast upwind
- Rounding marks and the rules and safety
- Application of the racing rules of sailing
- Windshifts and how they put you ahead or behind.
Please note: Learn to Race – Level 1 is a non-spinnaker course. There are just too many things to learn in the first level course, such as making your boat go fast, tacking efficiently, starts, tactics, windshifts, etc, etc. We introduce the spinnaker in Learn to Race – Level 2.
Evening Schedule
Learn to Race is taught on Thursday evenings for 5 weeks in a row. Students should arrive at the docks no later than 6:05 pm. However, it is much better to arrive by 5:50 pm so you can be part of the process of rigging the boat. All of this is learning. The race sequence usually begins by 6:35 pm.
Racing normally take about 1 to 1.5 hours. After racing, teams sail back to dock where they unrig. Then the fun and active social part of race culture kicks in. Many teams bring BBQs for dinner after racing. Teams can bring their own beverages which are stored on ice in the communal cooler. Then after racing, everyone hangs out, shares stories, meets other sailors and generally has a good time. For the teams that hang out the longest, the club closes at 10 pm each evening.
Weather & Make Ups
Sailing is an outdoor sport subject to mother nature. In a 5 week program, it is common that one or may days will not be ideal (i.e. too much wind, not enough wind or storms). On evenings when races are not completed because of light winds, students will still be learning on the boats. On evenings when there is no sailing, such as high winds or storms, students will gather with their instructors to discuss racing theory and/or watch educational racing videos. There is also one day of make up at the end of each course in case one or more evenings are not completed fully.
After the races each evening, there is an awards ceremony, Maybe you will get on the podium! It is such a thrill. When you win your first glass, you will treasure it!
So get ready, strap on your lifejacket, put on your sailing gloves, get your stopwatch ready, you are about to embark on an exciting and thrilling ride into the world of sailboat racing!
2024 Schedule
This a 5-week program on every Tuesday evening. Please arrive at the dock at 5:50 pm but no later than 6:05 pm.
#LTR1-01 – May 23, 30, June 6, 13 & 20, 2024 (make up June 27)
#LTR1-02 – July 11, 18, 25, August 1 & 8, 2024 (make up August 15)
CLICK HERE to see Current Enrollment
Class Size & Tuition
Each Learn to Race boat is limited to 5 students plus the instructor. A minimum of 4 students is needed for the class to move forward. The tuition is $690 per person. If you need to change or cancel your reservation more than 2 weeks ahead of time, there is a $75 charge. Because space is limited and only full boats can participate, no cancellations are permitted within the final 2 weeks unless your spot can be filled by a student on the waiting list.