Bayview Mackinac Race - Quantum Sails presents free seminars

by Barby MacGowan on 22 May 2015 Quantum Sails is doing it again – serving up free seminars that prepare sailors for making tough decisions in the 2015 Bell's Beer Bayview Mackinac Race. If you didn’t catch the “Patterns for Success” Seminar in May, there’s another chance with the “How Well are You Prepared?” Seminar on June 4th at Port Huron Yacht Club (7:00-9:00 p.m.).

According to Quantum Sails presenter Wally Cross, the two seminars are similar but different (so those that came last time are encouraged to come again), and the push is on to attract sailors that are competing in the race for the first time. (Of the 234 currently signed up, 32 are newbies.)

“The idea is to give sailors – whether they’ve done the race dozens of times or never before – tips and insights so that when they have to make decisions they can be informed ones,” said Cross, who has completed the race 45 times. “Lots of people go to seminars looking for answers. They sit with a notepad and ask, ‘Okay, if the wind is out of west, which way do I go?” It’s never going to be that way with this race, so we’re not trying to tell people which way to go, but we’ve got data from dozens of past winners to share. We’re just trying to say that there are viable resources and really good information that might show patterns, things that happen in unison. If you can get five to eight good clues, you can look for ones that have similarities and keep an eye on those, whether it’s in determining the weather, the sail choice, where to go on the course, or sailing your boat faster, or longer or with less fatigue.”

This is Quantum Sails’ second year to sponsor the Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race, and Cross says every time he gives his seminars he learns something from the past competitors in the crowds. When I learn something, I pass it on to the next group and then to the next group, adding more water to the seeds.”

Cross believes one of the coolest developments with the race has been the advent of Yellowbrick tracking. “We talk a lot about being able to use that strategically and how to be comfortable with using it in making and evaluating decisions.”

Quantum sails will provide professional advice and services at Port Huron Yacht Club after the Super Mac and before the start of the Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race start and on Mackinac Island after the finish. Call T.J. Craig at 231-632-5683 for further information.

For the Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race NOR, click here. For more information or registeration, visit the website or click here.