Daily Lift

Tips to improve your yacht club's communication practice from Gary Jobson: Hire a communications director, produce high end newsletters (consider digital/email versions), host a user-friendly website and keep it updated, send e-mail reminders, and foster relationships with local media. 

A Great Start to Key West Race Week

By Kelly Stannard

Key West has been kind to me so far. All around I’ve had a wonderful time down here. Racing is exciting and close, and the social scene has also been a blast. I must say I’m incredibly lucky that Bora (Gulari) and the team asked me to come down to crew with them in the regatta. Everyone on the team has been great and supportive when it comes to getting me up to speed and teaching me what I need to know to about sailing a Melges 24. I've even acquired a new nick name... Biscuit. I’ve grown to become quite fond of.

Daily Lift

Race preparation tip from Bill Gladstone: Gather weather information from every available source. Stay away from high pressure, and position yourself to take advantage of new breeze, but beware of sailing the forecast instead of the wind, or you may find yourself in perfect position for a weather change that happens later than expected (or never happens).

Getting Ready for Key West Race Week

by Kelly Stannard

We are inbetween college sailing seasons, and I've been lucky enough to make it down to Key West Race Week and compete on Melges 24s with and against some great sailors.

Daily Lift

Parenting youth sailors tip: While elementary school children are discovering their likes and dislikes, exposing them to a wide range of activities is ideal, including singlehanded and doublehanded dinghies, big boats, cruising and racing. - Jessica Moehler

Daily Lift

Managing the Protest Process - The best way to manage the protest process is by having a set procedure and follow it closely. Getting more members involved in running races pays off in the long run. The only way to become a skilled race officer is to learn by making the tough calls yourself. - Tom Duggan

Daily Lift

Junior Program Recruiting Tip - Since many instructors are college students, it is crucial to pay attention to the college sailing season. Don’t start your program until the college sailing season wraps up and end it early enough to let them get ready to return for the fall season. - Chip Johns

Daily Lift

The club website is a great way to reach members, but often if a club stops mailing a monthly printed calendar, attendance drops. Families often post the calendar as a reminder for club events, so hard-copy publications still can play an important role in a communications plan. - Kurt Stocker

Daily Lift

In a race, get back to your game plan as quickly as possible. If your original game plan was to go left, you are looking to tack onto starboard as soon as you can be reasonably sure you will have clear air for several minutes. If you originally wanted to go right and are doing so on port tack, great! If it is a shifty day, get onto the lifted tack as quickly as possible, even if it means sailing in some slightly disturbed air or water. - Dave Perry

Daily Lift

Welcome to US Sailing's Daily Lift! 

The Daily Lift is designed to give sailors quick tips on a variety of sailing topics, from ideas on how to improve your sailing organization to racing strategies, and from coaching tactics to interesting US Sailing facts, and much more.

Visit the US Sailing Blog Monday through Friday to get your Daily Lift.

Here is your first Daily Lift:

Parents can help their junior sailors by setting the right goals, taking cues from your child to develop success, building confidence and character through sailing, encouraging and setting limits for performance excellence, and by communicating with your child’s instructors or coaches. - Jessica Mohler