May 2004
By Tom Snyder
Do I enjoy afternoon races on my cruising boat? Absolutely. And I have found a way to make it fun for everyone. This doesn’t come easily to me. As a child I crewed on my father’s racing sloop in many hellish overnight races. I remember resting below during my off watch and hearing squeaky rain boots on deck. I heard one man yell, “Are we gonna make it?” Another screamed back, “Jesus, I don’t think so!” My feeling from down below was that no race was worth dying for. I didn’t realize that these dramatic men were simply wondering if we would need to tack once more to make the weather mark. So at 14 I gave up racing, and sailing. Now I’m back, here to tell the world that racing can be fun for us cozy cruisers. Here’s how.
The race experience should be broken down into stages.
1. Inviting friends for the race
Make a list of people you know who live within 100 miles. Ask yourself a few questions about each person. Would they be willing to make a lunch? Do you like their cooking? Do they own sneakers? From your winnowed list, ask four people to join you for the race. Or eight. If any of your invited crew are under age five, you should get their parents’ blessing.
2. Printing shirts and hats
Before ordering up a dozen printed shirts and hats, think carefully about the logo or slogan for your race. The name of the race or the name of your boat is not good enough. More inspiring would be a phrase that evokes a theme of teamwork or of a winning spirit. Nothing says racing fun like a hat for every crewmember that says, “We race because we care.”
3. The sleepover the night before
A sleepover is fun, plus this is when a lot of the important team building occurs. The evening should start with a dinner of one of the lighter meats and a salad. Plus choice of beverage. After dinner ask everyone to sit in a circle. Encourage a “go-round” where everyone shares their worst fears about what might happen on the race. This is very powerful stuff and you should be prepared for at least one crew member to totally freak out. Serve coffee or diet beverages.
4. Breakfast on the day of the race
Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. Especially before a race. How much should you eat? I like to give everyone a third of their weight times 12 in calories. I weight 180 pounds so I would eat 720 calories of foodstuffs. This approach guarantees that no one will starve to death or take more than their fair share of the breakfast. Stay away from Grape Nuts. During breakfast you will hand out racing assignments. You will need a bow-man and a bow-woman. It is imperative that these two people get along because standing on the bow during a race can have its ups and downs. Assign any remaining people to clean up the breakfast dishes.
5. The race
Everyone has a different reaction to a crew prayer 10 minutes prior to the start. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. Make it something non-denominational, like maybe a Quaker racing prayer. Try this one, for example:
“Dear Lord, we are a simple people; we like our soccer non-goal-oriented and our boat racing friendly. We like our starts to be like we like our women – non-confrontational. And finally, since this is a silent prayer, dear Lord, we don’t mind if it gets printed in a popular boating magazine.”
Once the race starts everyone should be served several tall drinks. Let it be known that you will provide taxis after the race to encourage a relaxed party atmosphere. You may have to remind your crew to keep their voices down because this is a race. If anyone requests an actual alcoholic beverage, tell them that the proper time to drink would have been at breakfast. Not during a race.
5.1 Showering during a race?
If you have a shower aboard, why not? There’s a lot of tension during a race which can result in perspiration and odor. Keep the engine idling to ensure plenty of hot water. Other boats will not question your use of the engine, because running the engine is widely known to be forbidden. You and your crew are not cheating – you are showering. In your hearts you will know this. Have plenty of conditioner on hand for the gentlemen. Towelettes for the ladies.
6. Post-race discussion
This is where a lot of skippers drop the ball. Everyone needs to talk about themselves after a race and it’s up to you to provide the venue. Some of my fondest memories of past races are of me going on and on about every last detail of our race. Remember when so-and-so did such-and-such? That kind of thing. Serve cheeses.
So that’s all there is to it! Hope to see you out there this summer, and remember – racing isn’t just for the people with fin keels and paper charts. It’s for all of us.
Tom Snyder sails out of Peaks Island, Maine.
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