Rigging, tacking, gybing, hiking. All skills that sailors need to know, including San Marcos’ very own sailing team. These committed, high-achieving athletes dedicate hours every week competing, strategizing, and winning.
For those of you who don’t know exactly what sailing entails, it is a rigorous sport involving immense strength and endurance as well as strategic thinking. You have to know how to read the wind, watch the water, know the course, and be aware of other boats at all times.
“My favorite thing about being on the team is making lots of new friends,” said junior Taylor Escola.
During the week, the San Marcos sailing team meets at the Santa Barbara Harbor to practice these skills. A typical practice begins with rigging the boats on the dock and getting them ready to go out on the water. Then, with the head coach, the team plans out their practice, discussing goals and drills for that day. Next, the team goes out past the breakwater where they complete drills and race both in teams and as a whole. Once the practice on the water is over, they come back in and have a debrief meeting about how everyone did.
“My future goals are to sail in college and to sail at more national-level regattas,” Taylor added.
The team mainly practices on a specific type of sailboat called FJ’s, a small, lightweight racing boat, typically around fourteen feet in length. It’s designed for two people, one being the “skipper” and the other being the “crew”.
The skipper steers the boat, controls the mainsail, and makes tactical decisions during races, such as navigating the course, choosing the best angles, and positioning the boat relative to competitors.
The crew manages the jib, the smaller headsail at the front of the boat, while also balancing the boat by hiking (leaning out over the side of the boat) to counteract the force of the wind on the sails. The skipper and crew work together to efficiently and strategically maneuver through the toughest of conditions.
All of the sailors on the San Marcos team are incredibly driven and dedicated to the sport, including senior Carly Kieding who says, “I love doing high school sailing because I get to meet so many amazing people at regattas. I have so many friends all over the country who I’ll sail against for the rest of my life.”
Carly has been a key part of the sailing team and she stated that her main goal this year is qualify for fleet race nationals where only three teams from the district get to attend! There is no doubt that the San Marcos team will qualify as they have remained consistently successful throughout their regattas.
“Our last high school regatta was January fourth and fifth down in Long Beach. As a team, we competed really well. Taylor and I finished fifth in “A” division out of thirty-two boats,” said Kieding. “Our high school district is by far the hardest in the country so it’s been cool to see how well we’ve performed this year.”
Carly plans to continue sailing next year at Yale University where she cannot wait to meet the team and start competing at the collegiate level. You go Carly!
As you can see, sailing is an underestimated sport that requires both incredible athleticism and immense strategic thinking. Santa Barbara has so many opportunities to pick up sailing for leisure or for sport, but either way nothing beats the view you get of the beautiful Santa Barbara sunset when you’re out on the water.
