On his Sailfaster podcast Pete Boland recently talked with sailing legend Ken Read about start line strategy, the role of new technology like Vakaros, and his ambitious plan to reenergize regattas through the New York Yacht Club. Here’s an extract:
Sailfaster: If you came aboard London Calling, our J/105, for the start of a typical windward-leeward race, what would you be talking to me about in the final minute?
Ken Read: First, we’d talk about where you’re comfortable starting. Some people always head for the boat end; others the pin end. If I try to put you somewhere you’re not comfortable, it’s not going to work. Let’s say you like the weather end—do you mind starting just below the pack? Maybe we think the first shift is coming from the left, so we plan to be there. We’d visualize the whole sequence together: here comes the pack, we’re going to do a last-second lee bow, a port-end approach, and play it in your mind so that nothing is a surprise. Sure, things will happen—someone might try to take our hole—but if we’re on the same page about the theory and the why, we have a good chance of success.
I know you’re keen on visualization. Why is this so important before the start?
It helps the driver picture the “100 square meters of water” you want to occupy, even though there’s no physical line like the one on a playing field. Practicing that in advance is huge.
How will technology like Vakaros change the game?
We’re in a revolutionary time. Tech such as Vakaros and Velocitek is changing starting styles. Some classes are addicted and will never turn back. (This technology) can democratize starts by helping less experienced sailors judge distance and time better, which compresses performance across a fleet. Starts will shift from being about position to being about acceleration. If everyone’s close to the line and no one’s over early, the differentiator will be who accelerates better. No more midline sag. You don’t even need someone on the bow calling distances; you read the box, hit the trigger, and go. It’s going to change things.
In your current role, what would you like to see change in sailing or racing?
I think regattas need to be more fun. They’re expensive, time-consuming, and there are too many barriers to entry. I got tired of complaining, so I went to Commodore J. Cross at the New York Yacht Club and proposed a task force to improve the regatta experience. We’re using the Annual Regatta in June as a test platform.
What will you do differently at this pilot regatta?
First, manage expectations. The night before, everyone will know their racing circle and start time—maybe 1 p.m., so you can spend the morning with your family. If there’s a last-minute wind shift, we’re not postponing; we’ll start anyway. We’ll keep race circles closer so that we’re not motoring for 90 minutes before racing. We’ll invite families in—kids’ races, junior regattas alongside the main event. We’ll group boats sensibly (displacement with displacement, planing with planing) and remove the politics of owners lobbying for their advantage.
What’s the bigger goal here?
Make it fun for owners to show up again. Loosen rules to get more kids onboard. Keep pros from complaining about small imperfections. Bring back the energy and the joy. If it works in Newport, it could spread worldwide. We’ve got to do more of these things as a sport. Keep it fun, keep it entertaining, and get more people into it. There’s no reason why that can’t happen.
