Racing book recommendations?

[Steve_Bentley]

I crew whenever I can on a friend's racing keelboat. Everyone else have loads of experience dinghy racing, and being new to sailing I'd like to like to have more to offer than simply following orders and getting in the way. I've got a few books on sail trim etc but want to get more specific background on racing tactics, simple sequences for hoist/drops approaching a mark (ie at what stage approaching the mark is it decided when to hoist, who decides which side to drop etc), and all other things that might be useful. The few books I've flicked through seem primarily concerned with starts, positioning among the pack etc which isn't my only source of confusion! I'm sure all of this sort of thing is blindingly obvious to most but us idiots have to start somewhere!

I know a book is no substitute for experience but if it helps me 10% along the way at this stage every little thing is a help! (If the book has a section entitled 'stupid things to avoid doing' so much the better!).

If anyone could recommend specific titles that might help I'd be most grateful. I did a search on 'racing books' here and came up with a recent post on parakeet racing (which I think I'll leave until next year if it's absolutely necessary).

Thanks, Steve
P.S. are all the recent posts questioning our happiness and existance related to Bush's likely win?

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[Jeremy_W]

Stuart Quarrie's book, the "Racing Crew Manual" (or similar title) is excellent, comprehensive and pricey. Malcolm McKeag's "Racing Crew" might be a good place to start.

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[StellaGirl]

North Sails do an excellent book on sail trim....its a must read....

I have also read Mike Goldings Racing Skipper which was ok.....

<hr width=100% size=1>Its 11.59am - lets open the beers...

 

[BobE]

Steve,
I don't believe that a book will really help you that much
.
Back in the seventies when sailing master on a AC contender, and a works manager, I did a series of network anaysis ( PERT analysis) for all the sequences of operations in a ocean racing sloop.
Rounding marks, headsail changes, reefing, spinnaker hoists,drops and peels with or without gybes or tacks for good measure..
Once you know the sequences off pat you can then ensure that the crew know exactly what to do and when. And even more inportant which jobs are critical to the whole operation especially when there's a cockup!!

I learnt more from the tables of dependencies than any thing else..

I guess its old hat now but work out how it's got to be done then of course practice it endlessly!!

Have fun Cheers Bob E...

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[Douglas]

The current racing rules are available on the internet <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.isafrules.com/rrs20012004startpage.swf> here </A>. However if this stuff is new to you, it's probably worth getting hold of a book explaining the rules, of which there are several.

The rules get modified after each Olympics, and the new ones come in on 1 January 2005. As far as I know the changes aren't major, but watch out for new books and - if you're lucky - old ones going cheap!

Fernhurst Books do a series of titles covering most aspects of racing dinghies and small keelboats.

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[sailorgirl]

North Sails also do an excellent book in same series on tactics... its on the Skippers xmas wish list!

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[Steve_Bentley]

Thanks everyone for your excellent replies: I'll be looking in the swindlery & Amazon asap.

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