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.
“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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
11:45am - 1:00pm : Classroom Session (with lunch)
1:30pm - 4:30pm : Sailing Session
5:00pm - 6:30pm : Welcome Party
TUESDAY | APR 09
8:30am - 11:30am : Sailing Session
Windward/ Leeward Course for Spinnaker Practice
11:45am - 1:00pm : Classroom Session (with lunch)
1:30pm - 4:30pm : Sailing Session
5:00pm - 6:00pm : Video Debrief
WEDNESDAY | APR 10
8:30am - 11:30am : Sailing Session
11:45am - 1:00pm : Classroom Session (with lunch)
1:30pm - 4:30pm : Sailing Session
5:00pm - 6:00pm : Video Debrief
THURSDAY | APR 11
8:30am - 11:30am : Sailing Session
11:45am - 1:00pm : Classroom Session (with lunch)
1:30pm - 4:30pm : Sailing Session 6
5:00pm - 6:00pm : Video Debrief
FRIDAY | APR 12
8:30am - 11:30am : Sailing Session
11:45am - 1:00pm : Classroom Session (with lunch)
1:30pm - 4:30pm : Sailing Session
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.
