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Performance sailing

Overview

This course is for sailors looking to take their skills to the next level and learn about optimal sail trim, spinnaker sailing, and generally getting the most speed out of your boat. This is not a learn-to-sail course, participants must be comfortable with all aspects of boat handling, wind awareness, executing smooth tacks and jibes, etc.

This will be an intense and fast-paced course, and you will learn the following skills:

Optimizing sail trim for the conditions and heading.
Use of the jib cars, outhaul, backstay, and traveler to optimize speed and control.
Reading the water to anticipate changing conditions - and knowing how to react to them.
Spinnaker sailing - You will learn all aspects of spinnaker sailing, including how to rig, hoist, douse, trim, and jibe. Each participant will have the opportunity to experience all positions on the boat: foredeck, pit, trim, and helming the boat while sailing with the spinnaker.

This is not a racing tactics course, but participants will practice rounding marks, and some fun races will be held for skills practice.

Keelboat handling skills are required - all participants require DSC skipper-level skills, to be capable crew with good helming skills, to have passed the US Sailing Basic Keelboat course, or similar. Please refer to the below skills list to ensure you are ready for this course!

Pre-Requisites:

Ability to smoothly execute tacks and jibes.
Ability to maintain a broad reach course while managing wind gusts and preventing accidental jibes.
Knowledge of depowering techniques in high winds.
Ability to identify all parts of a keelboat, and to explain the basic functionality of the outhaul, backstay, cunningham, and jib cars.
Ability to smoothly depart and dock in all wind conditions

If you have any questions about the course or as to whether this is the right time for you to take it - please email the Adult Education Manager at lessons@downtownsailing.org to set up a call.

Boats and Facilities

This course is taught aboard the DSC’s J/22s. There will be multiple boats used per course offering to allow for friendly competition to put your new skills into practice!

Parking is available on site in the gravel lot of the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Classes meet behind the BMI pavilion, near the gate to the Downtown Sailing Center main dock. Please plan to arrive a few minutes early to orient yourself and meet your instructor.

Our full-day classes return for a lunch break in the middle of each day, but you should plan to be on the water for up to three hours at a stretch.

Life jackets are required to be worn and will be provided. Please wear close-toed shoes for safety. We recommend dressing for the weather (it can feel cooler on the water than on land!) and bringing a water bottle, sunglasses, hat, sunscreen and a great attitude.

Signing Up

For complete session dates, please see below. To register, click on the session below that fits your schedule.

If the class you want to attend is fully booked, feel free to join the waitlist. We will send an email to the waitlist when a spot becomes available. It is then first-come first-serve.

Full payment is required to reserve your spot. Space is limited!