There are many things to get right in a race-boat preparation, the racing rules, meteorology, tactics, travel logistics and so on. All this makes it easy to forget that winning comes from within and that the most elaborate preparations will fail unless your attitude is right.

Championship Tactics gives expert advice in a collection of stories from the greatest sailing races of recent decades, and includes profusely diagrammed professional secrets that even the Wednesday-night club racer can use. All boat racers will benefit from this professional collection of tips!

The Optimist is the most popular junior sailing class worldwide, with thousands of young people actively racing them and hundreds attending the major events in the class. It has been the nursery for most of the top racing sailors in the world including all the Team GBR gold medallists at the last 2 Olympics (Sir Ben Ainslie, Hannah Mills, Saskia Clark and Giles Scott) – the same will be true for most other countries. Optimist Racing is written for those sailors, parents and coaches who are looking for success in this competitive class. In it you will learn what it takes to win, including how to achieve blistering boatspeed through technique and tuning, perfect boat handling and tactics as well as covering the mental and physical requirements for success. There is also a section for parents and coaches describing how they can best support their young sailors. Originally written by Ben Ainslie's Optimist coach, Phil Slater, this new edition has been completely updated by top international racing coach, Steve Irish, who can be found coaching Optimist and other sailors worldwide. This book is the up-to-date handbook for sailing an Optimist fast.

Olympic gold medallist and multiple world champion, Paul Goodison, explains why this book is important if you want to win races. He says: "To win sailboat races you need to sail the boat fast. This comes down to hours on the water training and tuning – there are few shortcuts to hours of practising on the water. To consistently win races you need to sail fast and smart – making the right decisions to sail the best course. If you are not the fastest boat, you are still able to win races and regattas by managing risk and sailing smart. This is where good tactics come in. But, unlike boatspeed, tactics may be learnt by thinking about each leg of the course and different situations from the comfort of your own home. Jon Emmett's new book, Tactics Made Simple, is a great tool to help fast track this learning." This book explains simply, through hundreds of diagrams, what tactics can be applied around the race track. Individual boats in each scenario are given names so that you can easily understand what they are doing. Individual chapters take you around the race course, from before you get on the water, through the pre-start, start, different legs and manoeuvres. Each section contains detailed advice for the beginner, intermediate and advanced sailor so you can just look at the level of tactics relevant to you. Ideal for dinghy sailors, there is also a wealth of advice that will benefit yachtsmen. This is a practical way to improve your racing results, whether starting out, moving up the club circuit or competing at national level and beyond. Originally published by Wiley Nautical as Be Your Own Tactics Coach.

RYA Tactics is the go-to handbook for all sailors and coaches interested in improving their performance on the race course. Written by sailing tactics specialist Mark Rushall, it is based on his many years of successful dinghy and keelboat racing, and his career as an Olympic sailing coach. Packed with easy-to-digest advice and information, it has clear diagrams and explanations and features excellent photography throughout to demonstrate racing in action. RYA Tactics breaks down the myths around racing tactics and provides you with winning strategies for a wide range of race courses and weather conditions. Written from the perspective of both coach and sailor, RYA Tactics takes you logically and holistically through each aspect of a sailing race. Shedding a new light on mastering race tactics, it has three easy-to-follow sections: Setting the scene Before the start The race The third edition features new chapters that include cutting-edge advice on analysing weather conditions, club racing, positioning as a strategy, and tactics in fast boats. It also discusses strategy building and looks at all parts of the race in detail, recommending specific tactics for each stage. Whether you’re looking to understand wind shifts better, start fast, use a race compass, or get round the marks first, this book will get you there. Accessibility Screen Reader Friendly: Yes Accessibility Summary: This publication conforms to WCAG 2.0 Level AA. Long descriptions are present. Accessibility Features: Images have alternate text Images have long descriptions Book has table of contents Accessibility Hazards: None Accessibility Conformance: WCAG 2.0 AA Self-Certified by: Royal Yachting Association

Sailing Smart is for every sailor who wants to increase his or her knowledge, understanding, and sailing expertise: the local day-sailor who wants a firmer grasp of the fundamentals, as well as the serious competitor who wants to be up on the latest, most innovative sailing techniques and racing strategies. Buddy Melges, one of the world's best-known sailors, has at last set down his highly original thoughts on how to sail well. He covers the full range of sailing experience, from the general to the specific, the basic to the highly sophisticated. Melges's message is delivered in a bright, uncluttered manner by way of applications from his own sailing experience and through step-by-step instructions on everything from basic boat handling to expert on-the-course tactics and maneuvers. This book is expertly illustrated by the noted sailing artist Ted Brennan, and each drawing is accompanied by a cogent, in-depth explanatory caption.