Want to step up your game? Work to control the mental side of sailing and good things will follow.

Sailboat racers through history have been reticent to use a coach. The standard model has been to use “time in the boat” to self-improve all the different skills that come into play in sailing and racing. This is likely because sailboat racing does not take place on a field or arena where a coach can walk around, observe all aspects of the competition easily and directly communicate with the players. The sailing coach needs to be on the water and is limited as to how close he or she can get to the competition.

I sometimes feel like a doctor talking to an ill patient calling me with a list of symptoms, asking me—without a proper examination, mind you—to diagnose the ailment and offer a cure. Most of the calls from my “patients” come Monday morning, right after a racing weekend. The calls go something like this, “We had great speed forward, but could not point with the rest of fleet,” or “I had tons of helm and could not keep the boat flat. I think my new sails are too full.”

After a vastly successful & enduring career in the sailmaking business, most of it with North Sails, Chris Snow now moves on to pursue new challenges.

Take good care of your sails and they will take good care of you. Since your sails won't last forever, but following these simple steps on how to fold, roll and store your sails, will ensure you will get the best possible racing life from them.