Before you set sail in a sailboat, make sure you and the boat are both ready. When racing a small sailboat, you need to know where the course is and make sure the rig is as good as it can be. If you're taking a bigger sailboat on a cruise, you'll need to plan the trip, make a passage plan (which is now required in some waters), and make sure you have the right gear and food.
The most important thing you need when cruising is a good weather report. Don't put too much stock in the forecast, either. If you're going on a short trip and will be back the next day, that's not a big deal. The forecasters think that their predictions will be right 90% of the time for the next day, 30% of the time for the day after that, and only 10% of the time for three days from now.
Even so, there are still ways to get caught. When I came back from a short trip the next day, I ran into gales twice. Once was when I was taking a sailing course, and our boat was the only one from the school to get back that day.
On a longer trip, you have to rely on your knowledge and the boat, because boats can keep going long after people have said "enough."
On the other hand, you won't have to worry about the weather the day after a "round the cans" sailboat race. But you still need to know what the weather is going to be like when you race so you can make sure your rig is ready.
After that, it depends on how eager you are to learn. Some people polish their hulls to get a little more speed, and they make their crew wear wet, thick sweaters so they are a little heavier and can counterbalance the force on the sail when they lean out or go on the trapeze.
It's easy to forget the important things when you're thinking about how to make things go faster. For example, are all the access panels securely screwed in? Does the rudder turn easily, but not too easily? Are the bearings in good shape? Will any of the sails blow off if the wind gets really strong? Have you got any more sails? And do all the blocks, cleats, and clam cleats work well?
On a bigger sailboat, you usually don't have to worry about these things. Instead, you just check them out at the start of the season. You also get the engine serviced at that time or do it yourself. In the winter, you clean your sails and fix them if they need it.
Prepare your sailboat before you go out to sea, and keep a list of things you have to do every time. We have one on board, and even though most things are routine and almost done on their own, we find it very useful. Because every boat is different and everyone sails in a different way, you need to make your own list.
Use your checklist, and then you can relax knowing that if you follow it, you will be ready to leave the harbour or beach and have fun with your sailboat.
