Race to Win Sailing Podcast

raceQs.com•www.raceqs.com

Get ready to experience the excitement of sailboat racing from home with this educational podcast series, based on raceQs' innovative 3D regatta replays. Watch interviews with expert sailors, learn new techniques, and learn how you can Race to Win at your next regatta. Podcasters analyze raceQs' 3D regatta replays and review racing tactics, rules, and winning strategies for all levels. The race replays used in this podcast are created using raceQs' free smart phone app. Do you have something to say about your last race? Are you an expert on the Rules? We invite all sailors to download the raceQs app and send us a link to your favorite race replay moments. We might interview your for our next episode!

Last refreshed: July 14th, 2025 at 8:55 PM ⓘ

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Episodes

13 - Velocity Made Good

In this podcast we review VMG, or velocity made good, and essential concept that describes a boat progress to windward or to leeward. We show how to use the raceQs tool to monitor your boats VMG, and discuss the difference between VMG and VMC, or velocity made to course.

Jun 27, 2014•8 min

12 - Finding the Edge of the "Three Boat Length Zone" : Protests and Technology

In this Podcast, Julia shows you how to use raceQs' Geovids to evaluate your situational awareness on the water. Using our tips, GeoVids can help you train yourself to improve your judgment of distances and make better tactical decisions in the heat of the moment. Also, we discuss the applicability of these new technologies as evidence in protest hearings. Most people are overly conservative when evaluating the size of the "three boat length zone", near the mark. There is a simple test you can d...

Jun 21, 2014•7 min

11 - Two Way To Sail Less Distance Part 2

In this podcast, we review how to make sure you're sailing the least possible amount of distance by always being on the lifted tack, and we show that trading height for speed on the upwind leg is rarely worth it. We compare three boats, one which sails a very tight close-hauled course and tacks only on the headers, to two others, one which sails a much broader close-hauled course, and one which tacks onto the headed tack. Predictably, the boat that sails high and stays on the lifted tack wins th...

Jun 13, 2014•5 min

10 - Hitting the Mark: Avoidance and Recovery

This short podcast uses raceQs GeoVids to explore ways to avoid hitting the mark, and how to recover from this common mistake. GeoVids are videos that are synced with raceQs' 3D replays to provide more advanced post-race analysis. This powerful tool helps to determine the cascade of small failrues that leads to a mistake like hitting the mark. Also, we breakdown the number of penalty turns required for breaking the rules while rounding a mark.

Jun 09, 2014•5 min

9 - Two Way to Sail Less Distance Part 1

Jun 01, 2014•5 min

8 - A Short Introduction to Leverage, Risk and Reward on the Upwind Leg

In this podcast, we expand the upwind race geometry series by talking about the ladder rungs, the rhumb line, and building leverage. With a clear picture of the risk/benefit tradeoff of various upwind strategies, sailors who understand the geometry can make the right call for any given conditions, as well as analyze poor performances with a better understanding of where the race went awry.

May 27, 2014•6 min

7- Starting Strategies: The Port Tack Approach

This daring strategy takes advantage of the natural holes in the fleet that develop just before the start. While some sailors consider the port tack approach more of a back-up plan than a strategy, it can be very useful in a crowded fleet. While appearing simple to execute, the elegance of this strategy is in the finer points. For example, it's important to follow through with the maneuver, and carry the port tack all the way to the windward side of the starting line gap. If you chicken out and ...

May 20, 2014•8 min

6 - Some Basics of Upwind Geometry

In this podcast, we review laylines, ladder rungs, and the danger of getting to close to the edge of the course.

May 10, 2014•7 min

5 - Starting Strategies Episode Three- The Dinghy Start

This installment of the sailboat race starting series teaches you how to execute and avoid the pitfalls of the common dinghy race start. Also, get a quick tip on how to figure out which end of the starting line is favored.

May 05, 2014•7 min

4 - At the Leeward Mark, Never Leave the Zone

In this podcast, we break down a chaotic rounding at a leeward gate. The conclusion: in your attempt to make a wide-and-tight rounding, or to get your spinnaker down, never leave the zone.

Apr 26, 2014•6 min

3 - Starting Strategies Episode Two – The Full Speed Approach

This short podcast shows how to avoid the crowd of “Reaching In, Reaching Out” starters and get clear air. The Vanderbilt start begins with a broad reach away from the line, instead of a typical beam reach strategy. After making a jibe for the start, you approach attach the starting line with a confident full speed approach. This strategy is easy to adjust if you misjudge the distance to the start, and using full speed gives the helm a lot of control to gain tactical advantage over other boats....

Apr 18, 2014•7 min

2 - Leeward Mark Basics: Round Wide-and-Tight

We demonstrate the cardinal rule of leeward-mark roundings: start wide and finish tight. Using an example from the 2013 Melges 24 World Championships, we show how failing to start wide and finish tight at the leeward mark puts a boat in a lower lane than her competitors: in that lower lane, she starts the windward leg at a serious disadvantage. It's a great lesson and an eye-popping example of some of the world's best sailors making a classic mistake.

Apr 04, 2014•4 min

1 - Reaching Out and Reaching In

This podcast is the first in the series about starting strategies. Reaching Out and Reaching In is a classic starting strategy, the first one that you learn.

Mar 31, 2014•6 min

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