In Championship Sailing you'll learn how to win in local, national, and international fleets, whether they are one-design or handicap, high-performance dinghies or big keelboats.

Drawing from his personal experiences in hundreds of dramatic races, Gary shows you how to prepare like a champion, impose order in chaotic situations, recover from mistakes or bad luck, and use both your failures and your successes to become a better sailor.

He guides you through the steps of organizing, training, and leading a first-rate crew; establishing a tactical team and defining their duties; and coping with the emotional highs and lows of a hotly contested race. You'll learn how to examine and analyze the racecourse, read the wind, and choose the best side of the course. And you'll master the finer points of fast starts, upwind and downwind tactics, rounding windward and leeward marks, passing, and maximizing your speed with rig tuning, sail shape, sail trim, and steering.

Complete with in-depth discussions on the best practice methods, the psychology of winning, and so much more, Championship Sailing is the absolutely indispensable guide for anyone who wants to win sailboat races at any level.

Gary Jobson has won ten national one-design sailing titles, the America's Cup, and innumerable ocean races. In 1999 he received the U.S. Sailing Association's most prestigious award, the Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy. In 2003 Gary was inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame. He is an editor at large for Cruising World and Sailing World and has been ESPN's sailing commentator since 1985.

"A must-read for those who aspire to win sailboat races at any level."--Tom Whidden, CEO of North Marine Group, three-time America's Cup winner

Winning a sailboat race--any sailboat race--is the final step in a process begun weeks, months, perhaps even years before. It involves strategic insight, tactical savvy, and a boat- and sail-handling virtuosity that can only come from many hours of carefully structured practice. In Gary Jobson's Championship Sailing, one of the most successful sailboat racers in history shares more than 40 years of racing and sailboat expertise at the highest levels of competition.

Introducing a proven system developed, fine-tuned, and perfected over more than four decades of sailboat racing, Gary Jobson outlines the skills, reflexes, and instincts you need to become a true champion as he imparts his secrets for:

• Organizing, training, and leading a crew
• Reading the wind and choosing the best side of the course
• Simplifying sail trim and rig tuning
• Improving boatspeed
• Tacking, jibing, and maneuvering for advantage
• Winning starts and leapfrogging boats at the finish
• Regaining lost ground
• Practicing alone, in pairs, and with a fleet

Whether you're racing in one-design or handicap fleets, in high-performance dinghies or big keelboats, Championship Sailing will propel you to the front of the fleet.

?The complete guide to racing at its highest level.?

?Paul Cayard, five-time America?s Cup veteran and six-time world champion

?A must-read for those who aspire to win sailboat races at any level.?

?Tom Whidden, CEO of North Marine Group, three-time America?s Cup winner

In the pages of Gary Jobson?s Championship Sailing, the author shares more than 30 years of racing and sailing expertise at the highest levels of competition, covering every aspect of racing in one-design or handicap fleets from high-performance dinghies to big keelboats. Readers will learn Jobson?s secrets for:

• Organizing a crew
• Reading the wind
• Simplifying sail trim and rig tuning
• Improving boat speed
• Winning starts and leapfrogging boats at the finish
• Regaining lost ground
• And much more

“The complete guide to racingat its highest level.”

Paul Cayard, five-time Americas Cupveteran and six-time world champion

“A must-read for those whoaspire to win sailboat racesat any level.”

Tom Whidden, CEO of North MarineGroup, three-time Americas Cup winner

In the pages of Gary Jobsons ChampionshipSailing, the author shares more than 30 yearsof racing and sailing expertise at the highestlevels of competition, covering every aspectof racing in one-design or handicap fleetsfrom high-performance dinghies to big keelboats.Readers will learn Jobsons secrets for:

• Organizing a crew
• Reading the wind
• Simplifying sail trim and rig tuning
• Improving boat speed
• Winning starts and leapfrogging boats atthe finish
• Regaining lost ground
• And much more

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1. Before the Start: A Word on Competition and Goals

Competition

Goals

Chapter 2. The Sailing Team

The Tactical Team

The Trimming Team

The Foredeck Team

Race Day Routine

Individual Crew Assignments

On Posture, Clothing, Attitude--and Looking Good

The View from the Rail

Chapter 3. The Art of Calling Tactics

Establish the Tactician's Role

Expand the Tactician's Duties

Fine-Tune Your Tactical Technique

Onboard Tools and References

The Tactician and Leadership

Control the Yelling

Overcoming Emotions When Behind

Chapter 4. Strategy at the Start

Reading the Wind

Choosing the Best Side of the Course

Fast Starts

Chapter 5. After the Start: Windward and Downwind Tactics

Windward Tactics

Downwind Tactics

The Mechanics of Mark Roundings

Passing

Light-Wind Tactics

Fast Finishes

Chapter 6. Racing at Night

Instruments to Gauge Performance

Safety

The Watch System

Chapter 7. The Race Committee, Rules, and Protests

The Race Committee

The Racing Rules

Protests

Chapter 8. Trim for Speed

Tuning and Balance

Speed Tips

Chapter 9. Steer for Speed

Assume the Position

Getting in the Groove

Chapter 10. Maneuvering for Advantage

Tacking

Jibing

Catch a Wave or a Tow

Sailing By the Lee

Shifting Gears from Boat to Boat

Speed Tips

Chapter 11. Practice Routines

Practicing Alone

Practicing in Pairs

Practicing as a Fleet

Chapter 12. Thoughts on Performance

Mentoring

Take Time to Look Around

Make It Fun

My Favorite Boats

Sailors with True Grit

Winning

Appendices

Glossary

A Racer's Calendar

Resources

Index