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How much space on this page is devoted to the kind of racing you are interested in, depends on you.  If you supply us, by e-mail, with information, pictures, newsletters, race dates , news and views, website addresses etc., making it easy for us to include it on the page (or on a page of its own if it merits one), we're very likely to use it. 

 Racing Rules, Strategy, Trim & Tactics.

If anyone cares to provide an explanation of any type of marine race, for those who know nothing about it but are interested in finding out, we would love to hear from you. If there is more than one contributor on a given topic we will run a special feature on it.

Star Class Racing

The Star boat is 21 feet long and weighs 664 kilos of which 415 is the keel. It is a two-man boat and carries 28 m² of sail, so it is fast and tender.

Star class is at the extreme end of racing. The standard Olympic course is used and the contenders are the world's best. Many Star Class sailors start out sailing Finns. These are the toughest of the sailors and are sailing's equivalent of prize-fighters. They have to be - the Finn is about 16' long, has 10 m² of sail and is a single-hander. 

To handle one, physically and mentally, is a feat. Racers usually go direct to Star Class when they have mastered the Finn world.  Paul Kayard was a Finn sailor at the start of his career. He became a world class Star sailor, moved on to America's cup and has lately been the hotshot of the moment.

After the day's racing is done, the crews gather in the bar and take the time to help one another with spares and gear needed. The moment it becomes apparent that someone needs something for the next day's race, the others rally round with offers of the item lacked.

This is the most close-knit racing fraternity of them all. The crews are, almost without exception, the greatest of friends. Star class races have a lower protest rate than any other. Those who transgress tend to back off voluntarily. Star class racers are above petty bickering and it is very rare that there is an exception to this rule. So rare, that a single name will spring to mind, that of one whose arrogance and selfishness alienated him and caused him to be shunned.

In a sport where competitors are as family to one another, such an individual stands out like a sore thumb. Such is the bond that Star sailors have, that veterans continue to participate without minding in the slightest whether they come first or last, just for the pleasure of being there.

Dag Blidback has been a Star sailor since 1960. He was fifteen years at the top of the class! Nowadays, he and his friend Gunner do not expect to win but it doesn't stop them enjoying their racing in the slightest. Dag describes himself as "a whole-hearted" Star racer.

We will accept all types of contribution and, if the response to this request is favourable, we will divide the racing section into sub-sections such as ' For The Curious' , 'Newcomers', 'Amateurs', 'Professionals', 'Powerboat' and so on, as the need arises.
We are particularly interested in local racing scenes which, perhaps, receive less global attention than the international  racing scene, so we look forward to hearing from those involved in any way who would like to see their event attract a wider public. 

The 'Spirit of Minerva' crew, winners of the Round The World Millennium Race, romped home in style. In the Sailors section you will find Spirits Of The Millennium, a section containing interviews, newsletters and a touch of High Spirits...

If you like reading relevant books, you may like to take a look at the Seamanship Books in our Library section.