The Racing Sailor

Featuring a combination of live-action footage and computer animation, this comprehensive production demonstrates winning tactics for small sailboat racing. While the rigging on huge sailing vessels of old is substantially more complicated, both large and small craft are subject to the same basic principles of using wind power and nautical skills to propel and steer the boat. Aimed at teaching viewers what they need to know in order to take their boat “from the dock to the winner's podium,” The Racing Sailor illustrates how sailboats work, looks at racecourse layouts, and offers sailing techniques and strategies (both upwind and downwind) designed to help sailors increase speed, turn more quickly, and finish strongly. The computer graphics are particularly good, illustrating the contributing factors (such as wind direction and speed, boat orientation, and the direction of the waves) that help dictate the complicated actions required for sailing fast and smooth without capsizing. In addition, the program features a nautical dictionary and a tutorial on sailing knots. Highly recommended. Aud: P. (C. Block)