Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

Board » General Discussion » Racing Techniques

I will share some impressions to help newcomers to get the best out of SOL. I try to learn from the best and I am still way behind though :) I hope someone will share theirs too in this thread can become useful for new sailors.

The importance of SPRINT races

The peculiarities of these regattas are numerous: once you have the necessary knowledge, in these races you can start putting it into practice and see the results immediately. Additionally, you can thoroughly study wind data and analyze the routes of opposing boats in a confined space, comparing them with your own, make decisions, and almost instantly visualize the outcomes. Of particular importance is the analysis of wind direction in relation to its intensity, which helps determine the strategy to adopt. The limited duration means that the boats are always very close, and small corrections yield immediate results, facilitating understanding. Consistent application makes this learning process time-intensive, but with a couple of hours available, you can conduct an in-depth and continuous analysis of the strategies and tactics employed at sea, both your own and those of opposing boats. As a final note, routers in these regattas have limited importance; they are generally difficult to use due to obstacles or overly complex routes, providing only a rough indication with very limited value. Participating in these races to learn from the best is, in my opinion, a very effective and quick way to progress and become passionate about SOL.

Importanza delle gare SPRINT

La peculiarità di queste regate sono molteplici, una volta che si è in possesso delle nozioni necessarie, in queste gare si può iniziare a metterle in pratica e vedere subito il risultato. Inoltre si possono studiare a fondo i dati del vento e analizzare le rotte delle barche avversarie in uno spazio ridotto confrontandoli con le proprie, prendere decisioni e visualizzare quasi subito quello che si è ottenuto. Di particolare importanza l'analisi della direzione del vento in relazione all'intensità, cosa che permette di capire la strategia da intraprendere. La durata limitata fa si che le barche siano sempre molto vicine e piccole correzioni danno risultati immediati, facilitando la comprensione. La costante applicazione rende questo processo di apprendimento una cosa che richiede tempo ma, avendo un paio d'ore a disposizione, si può fare una analisi approfondita e continuativa delle strategie e delle tattiche che vengono messe in mare, sia proprie che delle barche avversarie. Come ultima annotazione, i router in queste regate hanno un'importanza limitata, generalmente sono di difficile utilizzo a causa di ostacoli o percorsi troppo articolati, daranno un'indicazione di massima che ha una valenza molto limitata. Partecipare a queste gare per imparare dai migliori è una soluzione molto valida e rapida, a mio avviso, per progredire e appassionarsi a SOL.

--- Last Edited by Siaki at 2025-05-04 20:00:14 ---

--- Last Edited by Siaki at 2025-05-04 20:01:53 ---

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m


Current Races:

South China Sea Race 2026


Welcome all to the South China Sea and a virtual chase in Cookson 50’s of the Rolex South China Sea fleet, racing 650nm – as the local red-footed booby flies – from Hong Kong to Subic Bay on the southern tip of The Philippines’ Luzon Island. Chances are it will be a fast downwind ride, so see how you can keep up with the real-life fleet which we hope to be able to follow on our monitors.
Race #2016
INFOby brainaid.de
Cookson 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Mar 04th 03:20 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

SSANZ Round North Island Race 2026 - Leg 2

Leg Two of our Round North Island Series is where the real challenge begins. After Mangonui, our SOLers face a demanding 491nm passage around the top of the North Island and down the rugged west coast toward Cook Strait. Long miles, exposed waters, and relentless tactical choices will test every SOLer. In our powerful Sun Fast 3600s, a proven short-handed performer and true downwind flyer, endurance, timing, and smart routing will be key to success!

The start time for this race may change at short notice to align with the real race. The confirmed start date and time will be announced via an in-race “L” flag message — Please monitor race communications closely.
Race #2012
INFO by brainaid.de
Sun Fast 3600 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: RNI - SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Mar 02nd 21:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Iceland to the Falklands 2026

Welcome to an all-new route, the first of three Round the 'Old World' of Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia. To give each leg of the ROW a bit of length we'll try to hug the coasts as little as possible, so starting in Iceland our first leg of the series, which will also be the final leg of our Quarter 1 Ocean Championships takes us 7200nm to the Falklands, the full length of the Atlantic end to end. To make sure we'll get it done within the month we'll be sailing our Maxi Trimaran.
Race #2010
INFO by brainaid.de
Maxi Trimaran PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: OCQ1 - ROW - OCCH - SYC
Race starts: Mar 02nd 11:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

SSANZ Round North Island Race 2026 - Leg 1

Welcome to Leg One of the Round North Island Series in partnership with SSANZ. The four-leg circuit of New Zealand’s North Island is a true test of short-handed skill, and it begins with the 150nm passage from Auckland to Mangonui. This year, our SOLers will be racing the dynamic Sun Fast 3600 – Jeanneau’s renowned racer-cruiser and a proven flyer downwind. A gentle opener on paper… but coastal tactics and shifting breezes will demand focus from the start!
Race #2011
INFO by brainaid.de
Sun Fast 3600 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: RNI - SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Feb 28th 21:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

San Diego to Puerto Vallarta 2026

Welcome to California! Established in 1953 this 1000-mile run from San Diego to Puerto Vallarta on the Mexican Riviera has become a tradition and online as well the tradition strengthens with this the fourth time Sailonline is making the race available to virtual sailors. Let's see how our virtual SC70s perform against the real fleet!
Race #2015
INFO by brainaid.de
Santa Cruz 70 Particulars
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SUPBUD - SYC
Race starts: Feb 28th 20:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

New Ice Age 2026 - Browerville to Longyearbyen


Our 2026 long-distance ice-boating challenge continues with a second race in Arctic waters, now from Browerville, where we arrived less than a month ago, continuing east, back to Svalbard’s Longyearbyen, leaving Canada’s Ellesmere Island to port and Denmark’s Greenland to starboard. It’s about 2500nm, which, if there’s wind at all, should, well-wrapped in your DN-cockpits, not take you more than a day or three, thus to complete your first (of several) online circumnavigation of the planet of 2026!
Race #1969
INFOby brainaid.de
DN PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: NIA - SYC
Race starts: Feb 19th 07:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Beketov by Balloon 2026 - In Siberia


Way-back-when France and England, and Spain as well, were squabbling about who should control what of North America, only to lose the most of it to their own insurging colonists, their eastern European neighbour empire, Russia, was quietly assimilating vast, thinly nomadically populated territory of its own – Siberia! Amongst the many explorers and adventurers that served Russia so well in these conquests was the Cossack hetman Pyotr Beketov. Let’s pretend we’re he and eschewing horseback, let’s travel by balloon from Yekaterinberg to Krasnoyarsk – just a short 2000km (1100nm) section of the Trans-Siberian Express’ 9289km!
Race #1972
INFOby brainaid.de
SOL Balloon PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: BOL - SYC
RACE CLOSE: Wednesday,
March 4 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Feb 03rd 13:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rumskib
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member vida
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Sax747
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CollegeFund
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member bonknhoot
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member BRENTGRAY

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client