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AUSTIN, TX
PERFORMANCE RACE WEEK

Welcome to American Sailing's Performance Race Week powered by North U. Held at the Austin Yacht Club in Texas this clinic will help you master racing trim, helming, and boat handling. Seasoned coaches aboard high-performance J/80 will be your guide through practical on-water training and races, shoreside seminars, and insightful video reviews.

Apr 8-12, 2024
Austin, TX
2,490 / person
Race Ready J/80s
5 Day On-The-Water Clinic
Coach Onboard for All 5 Days
Classroom Sessions
Video Debriefs
Full Crew Discounts
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“Performance Race Week is about getting faster and smarter, and while a sunburn will soon fade, the memories and the lessons will last a lifetime.”

Read the article by Dave Reed from Sailing World
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Performance race week - Austin

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COURSE OVERVIEW

The Performance Race Week is an intense, five-day clinic designed to elevate your racing skills. The curriculum covers every facet of racing, including trim, helming, and boat handling, with special attention given to tactical decision-making, teamwork, and communications. With a coach on board you’ll get close personal attention focused on your particular skills. This practical experience combined with comprehensive shoreside seminars and detailed video reviews, fosters a deeper understanding of racing success. 

The Clinic

The clinic teaches refined techniques to transform you from a racer into a winner.  Sailboat racing is a complex endeavor drawing upon a broad mix of skills. Every sailor has strengths and weaknesses in their skill set.  We’ll improve areas of weakness and build on your strengths to send you home a better, more versatile racer.  By having your coach on board we are able to focus on your particular skill set.

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The Coaches

North U coaches combine championship racing skills with years of coaching experience. With just four sailors plus a coach aboard each boat you’ll get close personal attention. Just to be clear: The coaches will NOT be sailing the boats. You and your team do all the sailing.

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The Boats - J/80s

The J/80 is a comfortable, responsive, stable, high performance racing boat that features a large open cockpit with plenty of room for each crew member to do their job. It has a retractable bowsprit, a transom-hung rudder, fin keel, and large fractional rig. The sail plan includes a full-batten main, furling jib, and asymmetric spinnaker. The full range of sail controls and responsive design allow you to learn the impact of changes in trim on speed, balance, and pointing. 

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The Books

Performance Racing Trim and Performance Racing Tactics are the best sailboat racing textbooks out there. Written by North U Director Bill Gladstone, and packed with illustrations, and practical techniques, they make the perfect companion to this clinic. The books are NOT included with the class. If you don’t already own them, they are available at a 15% discount to participants.  Details will be sent in the registration confirmation email.

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"The program was exceptional! The onboard coaches are the best out there and the racing drills help improve your sailing & racing skills. Plus every day is followed up with an extensive review. Whether you want a refresher course, or you want to participate in world-class regattas, this is the program for you."RG & SG ~ Miami, FL
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Austin, TX

Austin is located in the beautiful Hill Country of Central Texas and is home to Lake Travis, the deepest lake fully situated within Texas borders. In a prime location just northwest of downtown, Lake Travis is an excellent training location with a wide main basin that reaches depths of 210 feet when completely full, and is beautifully lined by canyon walls (that will help train you for wind shifts while racing!) Typical air temperatures for April are around 80 degrees, with lake surface temperatures around 69 degrees.

The city surrounds the lake, so it’s easy to indulge in the many options for famous Texas BBQ, hit a show (it is the Live Music Capital of the World), or simply kick back and enjoy the great outdoors at one of the hotel venues nestled in the hills.

THE SAILING VENUE

The clinic takes place at the Austin Yacht Club. In a perfect location on Hudson Bend just off the western shore of the main basin at Lake Travis, the club boasts one of the largest fleets of J 80’s in the nation — and the Western Hemisphere. Built in 1969, the mid-century clubhouse is a charming split-level structure with expansive views of the lake built on beautiful grounds lined with huge oak trees that provide plenty of shade.

ACCOMMODATIONS

There is a variety of accommodations within the vicinity of Austin Yacht Club, ranging from resorts to vacation rentals and villas to hotels. We recommend choosing something in the immediate Lakeway area, so you can enjoy a short drive to AYC each morning! Download our Austin, TX accommodations guide. 

If you’re considering sharing accommodations with other sailors please let us know and we can put you in touch with other sailors in the same situation.

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"This has been an amazing and invaluable experience for me. I learned more than I ever knew there was to learn. The combination of on-the-water sessions and classroom instruction was great. I would highly recommend it to all sailors and teams."L.Q. ~ New York, NY

The Schedule

The clinic starts at 8:30am on Monday so plan to arrive at least 1 day before. If your schedule permits, try and arrive a few days early to allow for unanticipated travel delays and to ensure you're ready to sail on day one! The clinic concludes around 6:00pm on Friday so we recommend planning to depart the following day at the earliest.

MONDAY | Apr 08

8:30am - 9:15am : Check In / Sign In / Boat Draw

9:30am - 11:30am : Sailing Session

Trim, Boat Handling, Crew Organization
Upwind Trim: Angle of Attack / Depth / Twist
Solo Drills
Windward/ Leeward Loops

11:45am - 1:00pm : Classroom Session (with lunch)

Trim, Boat Handling, Crew Organization
Upwind Trim: Angle of Attack / Depth / Twist
Spinnaker Trim and Handling

1:30pm - 4:30pm : Sailing Session

More Boat Handling and Sail Trim
Trim and Sail Controls, Tacking
Pairs Drills
Upwind/Downwind Boat Handling & Sail Trim

5:00pm - 6:30pm : Welcome Party

TUESDAY | APR 09

8:30am - 11:30am : Sailing Session

Boat Handling and Sail Trim

Windward/ Leeward Course for Spinnaker Practice

Continued Work on Upwind Trim & Performance

11:45am - 1:00pm : Classroom Session (with lunch)

Starting Strategy and Tactics

1:30pm - 4:30pm : Sailing Session

Starting Drills & Practice
Rolling Starts + Sprint to Ladder Rung
Positioning, Control, Acceleration & Lane-Holding Drills

5:00pm - 6:00pm : Video Debrief

WEDNESDAY | APR 10

8:30am - 11:30am : Sailing Session

Starting Drills & Practice
Races with Practice Starts
Spinnaker Trim & Handling Drills

11:45am - 1:00pm : Classroom Session (with lunch)

Starting Strategy and Tactics (continued)
Spinnaker Trim and Handling (continued)

1:30pm - 4:30pm : Sailing Session

Races with Practice Starts
Two Rolling Starts Leading into a Race

5:00pm - 6:00pm : Video Debrief

THURSDAY | APR 11

8:30am - 11:30am : Sailing Session

Races with Practice Starts
Two Rolling Starts Leading into a Race

11:45am - 1:00pm : Classroom Session (with lunch)

Upwind and Downwind Strategy & Tactics
Buoy Racing / Point to Point Racing

1:30pm - 4:30pm : Sailing Session 6

Races with Practice Starts
Windward Leeward Races
Open Water/ Point to Point Races

5:00pm - 6:00pm : Video Debrief

FRIDAY | APR 12

8:30am - 11:30am : Sailing Session

Races with Practice Starts
Regatta (Part 1 of 2)
Coaching Between Races

11:45am - 1:00pm : Classroom Session (with lunch)

Morning Session Video Debrief
Rules & Tactics

1:30pm - 4:30pm : Sailing Session

Regatta (Part 2 of 2)
Coaching Between Races

5:00pm - 6:00pm : Debrief & Prize Giving


The Details

What's Included

  • 5 Days of Sailing + On The Water Training

  • A Coach On Each Boat

  • Race Ready J/80

  • Classroom Sessions + Video Review

  • 5 x Lunches + 1 x Dinner

  • ASA 111 Certification

What's Not Included

  • Travel & Accommodations
  • Other Meals
  • Personal Sailing Gear
    (bring your PFD and Racing Watch)

REQUIREMENTS

  • Strong Sailing Skills

  • Some Racing & Spinnaker Experience

  • Ability / Agility to Sail on an Active 24-foot Boat.

CAPACITY

  • Space is limited to 11 boats and 44 sailors.
  • Sign up individually, as a group, or full crew of 4.

Pricing

  • $2,490 - Individual Sailor

  • $9,360 - Team of Four (save $150 per person)

Risk Free Registration
Pay a $500/person deposit to reserve your space today and your payment will be fully refundable until January 15th, 2024.

Payment Due Dates
All registrations must be paid in full by February 2nd, 2024.

Refunds / Cancellations
Payments/Deposits will be refunded in full if a reservation is canceled before January 15th, 2024. Refunds may be available after this deadline but only in situations where we are able to fill the space.

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