Regatta Preparation

Hopefully, you are reading this with a few weeks to go before your next regatta. Sailboat racing is a game of small percentages. Race and regatta preparation is something that you are always doing really. Reading tactics books, regularly maintaining your gear and your boat, making sure you have enough spares. Unless you are in a location with an actively stocked chandlery, consider that you may have to order parts and clothes. As it comes down to the wire though, here are some of my race prep tips:

2 Weeks Out (from departure if you are driving)

• Check all your rigging.
• Replace anything remotely looking like it might fail.
• Order any spares.
• Check the trailer bearings, lights, etc.
• Check your expected clothing.
• Replace anything that is too worn or torn
• Review NOR / SI

1 Week Out

• Start gathering your personal items, clothing, and any other bits together. It’d be really good to have a checklist for these!
• Pack any items you can at this point.
• Review the Hospitality information for the regatta.
• Think about what you are doing for food while at the regatta.
• Start looking at the weather.

3 Days Out

• Last really hard workout.
• Go to the grocery and get any food you will want.
• Do laundry and finish packing.
• Start “the pile” of stuff to be packed into your vehicle.
• Look at the weather again
• Check and see if there are any updates to NOR/SI.

1 Day Out

• Sit quietly for 20 minutes and think through everything one more time.
• Scramble to find the things you just realized you didn’t pack yet.
• Get a good nights sleep.
• Check the weather.
• Check the NOR/SI for updates.

This is by no means an exhaustive list but it illustrates the need to get started early in your planning, even more so if it is an away regatta!