Sailfaster: The Podcast For Racing Sailors

In Part Two of our conversation with three-time world champion Steve Hunt, we go deep into the tactical decisions that separate good sailors from great ones.  Steve starts with a deceptively simple idea: keep it simple. Sail in more wind. Sail towards the mark. But then he takes us deep inside the decision-making process of a world-class tactician.  We're pretty much aboard the race boat as he talks us through shifts, pressure, current, course geometry and boat-speed modes — explaining not just what he would do, but exactly why and when.  We also explore how to categorize the racecourse, connect the dots in puffy conditions, balance shifts against a favored side, and recognize when the smartest tactical decision is simply to do nothing and sail fast.  A practical masterclass in racecourse tactics.  REMEMBER - SailFaster listeners get 30% off SteveHuntSailing.com with code SAILFASTER30.

In Part 1 of our latest conversation with three-time Etchells World Champion Steve Hunt, we discuss racing fundamentals that work at every racing level. Why is sailing in more wind rule number one? When should you prioritize pressure over shifts? And why does sailing towards the mark solve so many tactical problems? Steve also shares a simple way to recover from a bad start — and explains why, when racing gets complicated, the best sailors get back to basics.  Part 2 coming soon...and remember that Sailfaster listeners receive a 30% discount on stevehuntingsailing.com when you enter sailfaster30 into the coupon code!

What happens when 11 sailors who’ve never raced together take on one of the world’s top women’s one-design regattas? You buy the only IC37 on the West Coast and start practicing.
Pete talks with Cascadia Sailing’s Joy Dahlgren and Chris Wolfe about building a battle-ready Canadian-American team for the New York Yacht Club International Women’s Championship. They talk teamwork, offshore lessons, data, communication, the quirks of sailing an IC37—and why Americans and Canadians apparently can’t agree on how to pronounce “buoy.”
A lively conversation about talented sailors, steep learning curves and turning 11 individuals into one seriously gritty team.

Racing under handicap can feel frustrating—but is your rating really the problem?  After joining the J/105 Javelin for the IRC Europeans, I came away convinced that the best teams don't spend their weekends complaining about the rule. They focus on preparation, communication, boat handling and relentless improvement.  Drawing on conversations with owner Richard Newsom and navigator Tony Owen, this episode explores how top crews play to their strengths, trust their race plan, build repeatable systems, and keep searching for the next tenth of a knot.  Whether you race IRC, ORC or one-design, these lessons will make your team faster.

Modern sailboats have evolved dramatically—but has yacht racing kept up?  In this episode of Sailfaster, Pete talks with Andraž Mihelin, co-founder of Seascape and the force behind the Beneteau First range, and offshore racer Charles-Etienne Devanneaux. Together they explore why today's boats are faster, lighter and easier to sail, yet racing often remains rooted in another era. They discuss the rise of double-handed sailing, the philosophy of "effortless joy of planing," why fun should come before handicap rules, and what the future of sailing could look like. Whether you're a racer or cruiser, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on where our sport is heading.