Summer brings us nice weather, girls in sundresses, sailor jerry's and lemonade and time to develop our skill as a sailor.  Whether you have recently joined the sailing team or you've already built a legacy, you may not know about opportunities to develop your sailing skills outside of our club.  Here are my three recommendations for developing your mind and body for better sailing in the fall.   

Get book smart.  Read.  

Read the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing.  They can be found at the US Sailing site.  You can also read the ISAF Case Book, this is a great source of examples complete with diagrams, schematics rule references and whatnot.  You need to know the rules if you plan on being competitive.  Otherwise you will get stomped on during intersectionals and other big events by people who know the rules.  Every regatta makes you sign a form that says you know the rules.  When you lie, god kills a kitten.  

Read books about sailing.  I have been reading such books as "The Complete Guide of Laser Sailing," "Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing 2009-2012," "Tactics of Small Boat Racing," and "Advanced Racing Tactics."  They give me ideas and a better understanding of how I can use the course, wind, waves and the rules to gain boat lengths on my competition.  

Subscribe to Sailing Anarchary, Scuttlebutt, Sail or Die and other sailing publications. 

Get boat smart.  Sail. 

There are many places you can learn to sail.  Spend time in, on or around boats and other sailors.  I bought a Laser and found it to be one of my best purchases for learning sailing.  It has simple sail controls and a very strict one design fleet.  When you are sailing against other people you are truely sailing against them and not the size of their wallets.  There are regattas all over the place.  Here is the main website for Laser sailing.  Ohio is located in District 18, which hosts lots of regattas.  

Jets are small spin rigged performance boats with cool one design strategy.  The rules allow for gentle tweeking that can improve performance and boat speed.  Alumni sailors like Brad Koinis, Nate Ireland, Brigette Ireland, Ben Stock, Brian Parker and Joe Minard are Jet sailors.  Visit the Jet 14 website for more info or contact your friendly alumni for a ride.  

The midwest also has a strong following for lightnings, thistles, J/22s, J/24s.  

 It is significantly cheaper to know someone that owns and races a boat than to have one of your own.  An regatta invite on a boat you have never sailed on can be intimidating.  Bring a case of cold ones, smile, work hard and you'll do just fine.  

 I travel around for my job.  Everywhere I go I am dropping by a yacht club general meeting and introducing myself.  I now get calls just about every week for regattas or boat deliveries.  I have cool regattas lined up for every weekend this summer.  If I am not sailing my boat then I am on someone elses.  

Get friends.  Socialize.

Most sailors are cut from the same cord.  We share the same passions, drinks, lovers and stories.  Spend time going to regattas. Spend time meeting other sailors.  Spend time reconnecting with your alumni sailors.