race live on a Class 40
Drills, debriefs, measurable gains
A focused week for capable racers who want sharper execution and decisive teamwork. You’ll rotate through helm, trim, bow, pit and tactician roles while we drill starts, mark roundings, boat-on-boat strategy and daily maintenance on a Verdier Class 40. Small cohorts; no passengers.
Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Series – Tollgate Island Race
3 Day Sydney Harbour and Coastal Overnight Intermediate Sailing Course
Bird Island Race 2026
Cabbage Tree Island Race 2026
Sydney to Hobart Offshore Sailing Academy
Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race 2026
race live on a Class 40
Racecraft Masterclass
Regatta weeks reward discipline. This masterclass turns good sailors into tight crews by focusing on the decisions and movements that decide results: the first minute off the line, the last 50 metres into the finish, and every hoist, drop, and gybe in between. Coaching is calm, direct, and specific; feedback loops are short so gains stick.
Small crew, real responsibility
What you’ll experience
- Time-on-distance, line bias, and start-line positioning
- Hoists/drops, clean gybes/tacks, sail crossovers (J1–J3, Code 0, staysail, A2)
- Gate choices, laylines, weight & trim, downwind modes
- Navigation, local current effects and wind shadows, sail cross-over decisions
- Post-race video/photo debriefs and targeted feedback
- Daily checks and quick repairs to keep the boat race-ready
Coached regatta weeks, clear progression
Where we run academies
- Magnetic Island Race Week (AU): evolving tactics, mark-rounding mastery, and disciplined crew systems.
- Bird Island Race (AU): is structured for those seeking to transition from coastal proficiency to offshore mastery.
Additional Information
Day 1 is foundation
We walk the boat, align on roles, rig checks, and safety, then review likely courses, tide, and weather. We dry-run choreography for tacks, gybes, hoists, and drops and set a simple, shared language for comms.
Day 2 is race craft in micro
Time-on-distance, line bias, and start-line positioning, plus mark-rounding patterns and leeward gate calls. We build clean crossovers (reefing, Code 0, J1–J3, staysail, A2) and rehearse until it’s quiet and repeatable. Post-sail, we run a video/photo debrief if available to lock in the lessons.
Race days follow a tight rhythm
Morning brief (forecast, course, strategy), crisp role assignments, then execution around starts, tactical positioning, downwind modes, weight and trim. After racing we debrief with clear keep/stop/change notes and reset the boat with a quick maintenance loop.
The programme builds habits that transfer offshore
Tidy evolutions, short comms, and proactive boat care. Daily post-race inspections cover running rigging, sail condition, winches and deck gear, with fast fixes for halyard jams, kite tears so you launch the next start fully reset.
You’ll feel the step change quickly
Helms hold mode under pressure; trimmers find repeatable speed; bow and pit run quiet mechanics; tacticians make cleaner layline calls and gate decisions. It’s yacht racing training tuned for performance, and a sharp bridge from a keelboat racing course to offshore campaigns.