Getaway Sailing brings North Sails Tactics course to Sydney

by Al Constable on 22 Jun 2003 Following the successful introduction of the North Sails Performance Trim workshops , Getaway Sailing have now branched out to teach the hardest part of sailing…Tactics.

North Sails Performance Racing courses teach racing tactics with an emphasis on practical, straightforward ideas that will help you win. Since 1983 over ten thousand PHRF, IMS, One Design, and SORC racers have taken the course.

Today they are winning races throughout North America. These courses were once taught by Michael Coxswain and Grant Simmer back in the early nineties using the best available overhead slides, notes and information available at the time.

Now Getaway have imported the latest range of support books , dvd’s and interactive CD Rom’s to help teach the course.

The concept was created by the North Sail’s American Loft, and comes in 3 parts, crew work, trim and tactics. Each designed to build upon the other, and as a stand-alone course.

Using a performance triangle as a base the courses build on each other, first the basic crew manoeuvres, then advanced trim, and finally course selection and strategy.

The course covers both tactical and strategic decision-making. Split into simple straightforward sections: Pre-start/start, Upwind, Downwind, reaching, and rule interpretation.

Each module explaining how to find that crucial balance between short term gains and long term fleet position.

'We were sent the North’s training programme by a friend in the United States and were immediately impressed by the thought that had gone into it' said Andrew Lygo, director of Getaway Sailing, 'We took the course and have adapted it to the Australian conditions and style'.

'The course takes a no fuss approach to modern day racing tactics….it enables you to get out of the middle of the fleet and into regular top place finishes. That is what its about. Improving your averages and getting a great overall result'.

The course makes full use of computer technology, blending interactive CD, video, and DVD on screen to view starts and races from around the world.

Watch why a start worked for a J24 here but not for a Sydney 38 there, or what caused the first boat around the top mark to drop 5 places without making a crew error.

'It is amazing how often a seemingly good tactical decision can put you in a bad strategic one….if you understand your game plan and the reasons behind it, then you will find your results improving dramatically'

With the emphasis on tactics available to both the small and large keelboat sailor, this course covers tactics with simple instrumentation like the humble (yet ever useful) compass, to the modern tactical navigation software available to the modern professional racer. The accompanying CD-ROM and book reinforce the lessons learnt and are an excellent reference for post race discussion.


The North U tactics course is run over the 3 evenings of July 15th, 17th, and 22nd from 6-9pm, and is available in Australia only from Getaway sailing for $299.

The accompanying CD’s and books are also available Book online on the link below. Check out the large selection of advance sailing and safety courses online.

http://www.getaway-sailing.com/course_signup.asp?courseid=18