7 dinghy racing tips to improve your speed

Mastering dinghy racing is no easy feat. Learning how to sail a racing dinghy competitively takes a lot of practice and determination, so we’ve put together seven top tips to help you get started. 

Before we go through our dinghy racing tips, though, we’ll also cover what dinghy racing is in case you’re entirely new to the sport. 

What is dinghy racing? 

Dinghy racing is a competitive form of sailing using a racing dinghy. As a beginner in dinghy racing, you must learn how to utilise the five essentials of sailing:  

• Sail setting: the positioning of your sails for optimum performance 
• Boat trim: the angle of your boat as it moves through the water 
• Centreboard: can be raised and lowered when needed to stop sideways drift 
• Boat balance: your ability to keep the boat level 
• Route choice: finding the best way to get from point A to point B  

Learning these basics will create a solid foundation for you to practice and improve your racing technique. 

7 tips to improve your dinghy racing speed 

1. Nail your pre-race preparation  

Two of the most important aspects of pre-race preparation are choosing the right dinghy and preparing it for sailing. 

When choosing the right dinghy for you, it’s best to consider: 

• The size of your crew: Whether you want to sail solo or with friends, the size of the crew you plan to race with will impact your dinghy choice. 
• Your skill level: Different dinghies will require different skill and experience levels to sail them effectively, so ensure you carry out your own research to choose wisely. 
• What class you want to be in: If you want to race competitively, you need a class to race in! Check what dinghy classes are included at your local sailing club so you know you have people to race against when the time comes! 

You’ll also want to ensure you rig and tune your boat correctly. Depending on whether you’ve bought your racing dinghy brand new, you might need to rig it from scratch. You’ll also need to learn how to rig and de-rig your dinghy when taking it in and out of storage.  

How you rig your dinghy may differ depending on the brand and model of racing dinghy you own. This video explains how to rig a Laser Dinghy, as an example, but it’s always worth looking into how this should be done for your specific dinghy. 

Related: What to wear for dinghy sailing

2. Know your course  

Learning the course you’ll be sailing is important before you begin the race. Understanding the course layout ahead of time helps you to concentrate on your sailing once the race begins, instead of figuring out where you’re going and the best way to get there. 

To help you plan, the course legs can usually be split into two categories: upwind and downwind. 

Upwind legs 

During the upwind legs of the race, you’ll be sailing against the wind, but not straight towards it. To master the upwind legs of a course, you’ll need to practice tacking back and forth through the wind to keep your dinghy moving at a good pace. 

Downwind legs 

You'll be sailing with the wind for the downwind legs of the course. These legs are a good opportunity to overtake other dinghies as you pick up speed, and you can even use your boat to block the wind for the boats in front. The downwind legs of the race are split into running and reaching legs. You'll be sailing with the wind straight behind you for a running leg, whereas a reaching leg will have you sailing downwind but at a slight angle.  

3. Understand wind and water conditions  

Having a greater understanding of wind and water conditions can make a huge difference to your dinghy racing performance. You need to recognise the strength and direction of the wind and any patterns in how it changes to perform well on the course. 

Wind direction 

There are several ways you can check and keep track of the wind direction. One is by looking at the ripples on the water as they move in the direction of the wind. Alternatively, you can attach telltales (a strip of fabric attached to your rigging, sails or stays), which will show how the wind is interacting with your sails. 

Wind strength 

Paying attention to the water is also a great way to track the strength of the wind. The closer together the water ripples are, the stronger the wind. You can also usually tell by how dark the water is, as darker water indicates more turbulent wind.  

4. Get the right seating position  

Learning how your body position and balance affect how your boat moves through the water can greatly impact your success in dinghy racing. Leaning in and out of the boat will help keep it level depending on the wind direction and strength—but this will take some practice, especially if you’re racing with a team. 

As the wind can change direction quickly and frequently, you’ll need to practice reacting quickly to the boat's movement to keep it level by leaning in and out of the boat. When leaning out of the boat, don’t forget to use the toe straps to keep you tethered, or you’ll swim in the water instead! 

Where you sit in your dinghy will also change depending on the leg of the race and the direction of the wind. For example, on a reaching leg, you should sit in the middle and on a running leg, you should be sitting at the stern. 

5. Master your boat handling  

Two key techniques to learn to master handling your boat are tacking and gybing. Tacking involves sailing your boat in a zigzag pattern at an angle to the wind when you’re moving upwind. Gybing also involves moving in a zigzag pattern, but when moving downwind. You’ll need a different approach for tacking and gybing to ensure your boat maintains its speed. 

Tacking 

When tacking, you’ll need to push the tiller towards the sail and the wind, which will mean the sails lose the wind for a moment. Once you’ve completed your 90-degree turn, you'll need to adjust the sail to catch the wind on the opposite side. 

Gybing 

When gybing, you pull the tiller away from the sail, which should cause the sail to switch to the other side. This part can happen quickly and with a lot of force, so you’ll need to practice keeping control of your dinghy.  

Related: Tips for keeping your boat safe in a storm

6. Try different racing techniques and strategies  

Once you’ve picked up the basics, it’s wise to learn different techniques and strategies you can apply throughout your races. Everyone’s different, so it’s best to find the techniques that work best for you, but here are some to get you started: 

• Master the starting sequence: The start of a race can get pretty chaotic, with everyone jostling for position, so come up with a plan and be prepared to adapt that plan last minute if you need to. It’ll also take a lot of practice to hit the starting line at the right time and ensure you have enough space around you to sail your boat effectively. 
• Find the optimal sail settings for your dinghy: By the time you’re ready to race, you should be well-versed in setting your sails for optimal speed. You should use your main sheet to ensure your sails aren’t too tight (over-sheeted) or loose (flapping). 
• Decide on the best position for your dinghy in the fleet: Where you want your dinghy to be within the fleet depends on the direction of the wind and your strategy for the rest of the race. This will dictate whether you want to be further to the left or right of the course but bear in mind that other sailors will likely have the same idea. 
• Learn the best techniques for rounding marks: Your approach to rounding marks should come from your knowledge of the course and how you can best prepare for the next leg of the race. You might be going from an upwind to a downwind leg, or vice versa, so you need to be prepared for the change in technique as the wind direction changes.  

7. Practice   

Don’t be disheartened if you’re not a master at dinghy racing straight away; practice makes perfect! It will take time to learn all the different techniques and approaches to dinghy racing, and you’ll learn from every race you participate in.  

Some dinghy racers also attach a waterproof camera to their boat so they can watch their movements back after a race. This can help you understand what you could have done differently and improve your decision-making for next time. 

Dinghy racing FAQs 

How can I get better at dinghy racing? 

The best way you can get better at dinghy racing is through practice. Working on your weakest manoeuvres and getting out on the water in varying wind conditions can help ensure you’re ready for anything. You could even pay for lessons from an instructor if you want more guidance on how you can improve from an expert. 

How does dinghy racing work? 

Dinghy racing usually consists of multiple marks which you will have to steer your dinghy around to continue onto the next leg. The legs of the course are the distances you need to cross between each mark. These are split into upwind and downwind legs, which you’ll need to sail to finish the race. 

What is the starting sequence for dinghy racing? 

The starting sequence for dingy racing begins 5 minutes before the start of the race and will have four signals to help you prepare for crossing the start line. The sound of a horn and a flag will mark each signal: 

• 5 minutes before the start: The class flag will be raised 
• 4 minutes before the start: The prepare flag will be raised 
• 1 minute before the start: The prepare flag will be lowered 
• Start of the race: The class flag will be lowered 

How fast can a small dinghy go? 

The speed at which a small dinghy can travel depends on several factors, such as: 

• The hull: The design of your hull can affect the maximum speed your dinghy can reach, including its shape and smoothness. 
• The weight of your dinghy: The heavier your dinghy, the slower you’ll be in the water. 
• The waterline: Generally, the longer the waterline, the faster you can sail. 

How long does a dinghy race take? 

The length of a dinghy race will change depending on the club holding the race, but races are usually between 30 minutes to an hour. 

Specialist racing dinghy insurance through Craftinsure 

Once you’re ready to try out these dinghy racing tips, you might want to consider specialist racing dinghy insurance before heading out.  

At Craftinsure, we arrange policies that include up to £5m of third-party liability insurance and cover for theft and damage to your dinghy, so you have complete peace of mind.   

Learn how we can help here, and get an instant online quote today.