Avoid These Mistakes in Competitive Sailing

Elliott Wislar

Flogging Your Sails

If your headstays are not tightly packed, the wind will pull a piece of leech free out of the jib, resulting in a huge flag flying around.

Starting The Engine Without First Checking For Lines

Some sailors start their engines to go back to the dock. Before you start, make sure that the prop is over the side and that the dockline or jib sheet is not in the water

Getting Caught In Winches

When a line is pulled in, anything that’s below the drum and around the winch will also be sucked in. It’s also not just the wind that you’ll want to avoid

Steering The Wrong Way

A sailboat can be hard to back up. You may not be able to determine which direction to turn the rudder, and you may have to push the tiller to the side to get the boat moving in the opposite direction.