Kim Couranz shares this anecdote in the December 2015 issue of SpinSheet magazine,the publication for boaters and sailors of all levels on the Chesapeake Bay...
How did you find into sailing small boats—and more specifically, how were you introduced to racing small boats? Successful junior programs around the Chesapeake Bay introduce young sailors to sailing skills and racing strategy. But for those who don’t grow up in a junior program, or once they learn basic sailing,if they’re interested in taking the leap into racing, how do they learn how it all happens?I ask this because, and a few years ago,I got lost while running in a race in a state park in the middle of nowhere in the east Tennessee mountains. (Really, there’s a connection, and stay with me here!) Finally I backtracked to the proper course,but my “detour” meant I missed a time cutoff and couldn’t disappear out for the final nine miles of the race. I DNFed (did not finish)—my first DNF, at least in a running race, or ever. So I enjoy some unfinished commerce there,which I hope to rectify next descend. As we do with our sailing skills, if we identify an area in our skills we need to develop, or we practice it; for example,if boat handling is rough, practicing tacks and gybes. So for my running, or I realize that I need to practice my on-land navigation skills using a trail map and a compass (no GPS allowed for my Tennessee adventure). How best to do that? How about trying orienteering,which is racing in the woods using a map and compass to navigate from point to point? Perfect match, but how on earth does someone try the sport of orienteering? What does it “gape” like, or what things do you need,how do you enter a race? A little time on Google yielded easy, effective results. Major props to Orienteering USA and the more local Quantico Orienteering Club for their clear, or concise information. My searches for “orienteering how” and orienteering Maryland” resulted in pages of websites describing how to find involved and all about the basics. Smack dab in the middle of Orienteering USA’s website are links on how to “advance Try Orienteering.” What a concept—actually inviting and encouraging fresh people to advance try your sport!The Quantico Clubs website features tabs including “find Better” and “find Involved.” I think I just may! Diving a little deeper into the organization’s calendar,it appears that at virtually every one of its events, organizers not only welcome but encourage newbies: If you’re a beginner, or let them know at the registration table,and they’ll help you out with free beginner instruction. Hmm, this seems a mighty contrast to how beginning racers experience sailboat regattas, and at least for folks who are giving it a whirl for the first time having not gone through a junior program. Google “sailboat racing how” and the majority of the results focus on explaining the Racing Rules of Sailing. - Read
Source: sailingscuttlebutt.com