March 10, 2026
by Earl Thomas #5121
Commodore & Fleet 62 Captain
Commodore & Fleet 62 Captain
We are into the wet weather phase of winter here in the Bay Area. And it’s time to think about and do something about what you want to do this year in sailing. Whether it’s setting goals of improvements to your sailing skills, getting better race results, attending some more or better regattas, fixing that boat issue you found last year or just upgrading something on the boat or all of the above.
To complete one of those 'to do' items you can, during these winter days of inactivity, is get those boat projects completed. Maybe it’s new sails, polishing the hull bottom, refinishing the woodwork, sanding and applying new gel coat, installing new lines and blocks, or finally looking down under your boat at that neglected trailer. Is it time to order that part, take a trip to West Marine, get on Amazon, order from one of our specialty suppliers and/or ask a friend for advise? We have a lot of expertise within the club so ask for help and advise. We are fortunate here to have intermittent winter sunshine and rain so there are gaps allowing you to get out to the boat and do the work. Remember it’s only about 65 days before our first regatta, Spring 1,2,3, on May 3rd.
If it's improving your skill level. Our Zoom meetings are a great way of getting tips on going faster, answering your tactical questions, finding out how to do something to the boat and improving your understanding of the sailing rules. So please join us.
There are additional online courses to help with sailing skill improvements as well. Dave Dellenbaugh offers webinars and his classic Speed and Smarts magazine is a great source of tips. https://www.speedandsmarts.com/
Dave Perry is another good source of rules guidance and tactics and his many books are great. Available through US Sailing. https://ussailing.store/
And finally go check on your boat, If it’s outdoors, it’s covered I hope, and check for water inside the boat. I found a couple of flapping tarps and some water got inside mine. Don’t discover a big moldy surprise come spring time. Make sure the tarp is secure and the boat is dry. The winds lately with the rain are troublesome for our race machines.
Remember the next big club event will be our Sail-A-Dinghy-Day on April 12th. We are going to need participation and volunteering from club members. We will need some people to bring their boats for display purposes and a few boats in the water for practice and trying to remember how to sail again after our winter’s nap of dormancy.
Earl
To complete one of those 'to do' items you can, during these winter days of inactivity, is get those boat projects completed. Maybe it’s new sails, polishing the hull bottom, refinishing the woodwork, sanding and applying new gel coat, installing new lines and blocks, or finally looking down under your boat at that neglected trailer. Is it time to order that part, take a trip to West Marine, get on Amazon, order from one of our specialty suppliers and/or ask a friend for advise? We have a lot of expertise within the club so ask for help and advise. We are fortunate here to have intermittent winter sunshine and rain so there are gaps allowing you to get out to the boat and do the work. Remember it’s only about 65 days before our first regatta, Spring 1,2,3, on May 3rd.
If it's improving your skill level. Our Zoom meetings are a great way of getting tips on going faster, answering your tactical questions, finding out how to do something to the boat and improving your understanding of the sailing rules. So please join us.
There are additional online courses to help with sailing skill improvements as well. Dave Dellenbaugh offers webinars and his classic Speed and Smarts magazine is a great source of tips. https://www.speedandsmarts.com/
Dave Perry is another good source of rules guidance and tactics and his many books are great. Available through US Sailing. https://ussailing.store/
And finally go check on your boat, If it’s outdoors, it’s covered I hope, and check for water inside the boat. I found a couple of flapping tarps and some water got inside mine. Don’t discover a big moldy surprise come spring time. Make sure the tarp is secure and the boat is dry. The winds lately with the rain are troublesome for our race machines.
Remember the next big club event will be our Sail-A-Dinghy-Day on April 12th. We are going to need participation and volunteering from club members. We will need some people to bring their boats for display purposes and a few boats in the water for practice and trying to remember how to sail again after our winter’s nap of dormancy.
Earl