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PC Racing

Certification

Learning Resources

Schedule

Join PC Racing

Why PC Racing?

Photos

Top Mark Rounding System

Top Mark Spinnaker Set

Schock 35 'Perfect Circle'

Perfect Circle Racing/Class Schedule

Perfect Circle Racing expects our participants to be responsible. If you commit to a skipper to sail on a given day, be there or let the skipper know if will not be sailing. The skipper will not be calling you to verify your participation. He/she expects you to be responsible, and keep us abreast of your commitments. One of the goals of this program is to make it easy for both the skippers and crew to become connected and able to participate in these races. Communicating your intentions to the skippers helps to facilitate this process.

Following is our schedule. Please confirm your intended participation.

Race Calendars from Local Yacht Clubs

Oceanside YC Race Calendar

San Diego YC Race Calendar

Newport Harbor YC Race Calendar

Long Beach YC Race Calendar

Cal YC Race Calendar

Southwestern YC Race Calendar

South Coast Corinthian YC Race Calendar

Balboa YC Race Calendar

Upcoming Races in Oceanside

Wednesday Evening Twilight Series (May 23 - August 15)

Great low end races, easy to sail, good for novices and beginners as well as experienced racers. They are a lot of fun with a nice party at OYC following the race.

Scheduled Training

Race Crew 101

Mandatory for new Racing Crew. Recommended for all crew who are not Certified Racing Crew. This session reviews each of the crew positions and responsibilities on a racing sailboat, the sailboat rigging, care and use of sails, the sailing powerplant, and other topics. Prepare by reading Definitions and Terminology before the session. This session consists of training at the dock, practice on the boat, then sailing. If you want to bring some drinks or munchies to share, please feel free. Please RSVP via email to fred@perfectcircle.com.

Upcoming Training Sessions

Spinnaker Handling

For both new and experienced sailors, this session will cover basic and advanced techniques to manage a spinnaker including rigging, setting, dousing and jibing.

Driving Downwind

Once of the most difficult tasks in sailing is driving a boat downwind for both speed and safety. This session is for helmsmen who want to improve their abilities, and sail their boat safely.

Starting with speed and position, on time

Buddy Melges’s tactics are “Start First and Increase Your Lead”. This session will cover the “Start First” portion. If there is interest, we may partner with Oceanside Yacht Club and put on an “on the water” starting clinic.

Sailboat Racing 101

Learn or review Sailboat rigging (including spinnakers), sail handling, maneuvers, crew positions, how to be a good crew, how to be a good skipper, and more.

Sail Trim

Learn the ins and outs of sail trim including: how to trim your main and jib for acceleration mode, as well as high speed mode; how to trim a chute in very light air; why the pole is a primary trimming control, and more.

Tactics for Windward Leeward races

Analyze the Windward/Leeward race format and the tactics required to get ahead of your competition. Learn the most important maneuvers so you can make the most of your practice time.

Tactics/Strategy for Distance Races

Analyze the distance race format and the strategies required to finish first. Learn about weather and the trigonometry to decide if going out for more wind will actually help you to finish faster or not.

Setting up a Racing Program

Learn how to set up a successful racing program. What you should expect, what your crew should expect, how to select and train crew, what races should be added to your schedule, when to buy sails, and much more.

Getting Comfortable with the Racing Rules

A breakdown of the Racing Rules to allow you to feel comfortable sailing close to other boats and racing with the big boys. Learn which rules are very important, and which ones are not so important. Learn when to 'Protest', and if someone protests you, learn when to do your circles and how to survive a Protest Hearing when you are right.

Helmsmanship 101

Learn how to drive a boat for performance. Improve your ability to drive upwind, on a reach, and downwind. Learn how to pick up time and position when rounding both top and bottom marks. Learn how to make VMG work to your advantage. Learn how to set and use Polars to get more speed from your boat.

Anchoring – what Chapman’s doesn’t tell you

OK, not really a racing topic, but occasionally you will want to anchor in that nice quiet cove and feel comfortable you can go to sleep and not end up on the rocks.

Other Seminars

If you have any other topic you would like discussed, please email your suggestions to fred@perfectcircle.com, and Fred will try to find an expert to make a presentation.

The Schock 35 "Perfect Circle" rounding a bottom gate. (click on photo for larger image)

A Top Mark Rounding A sequence of photos showing a top mark rounding

A Top Mark Spinnaker Set A sequence of photos showing a top mark Spinnaker set.