Steep Learning Curves and Big Breezes
Dart Academy 2026
By Claire Reigate
As complete newcomers to the Dart fleet, my helm Ben and I were eager to sharpen our racing, boat handling, and general sailing skills, so we headed to Cornwall in May 2026 for the bi-annual Dart Academy, hosted by Windsport.
We knew we had a lot to learn, but we quickly realised just how deep the rabbit hole goes! The three-day event took place at Restronguet, near Falmouth. While Tom Phipps was away coaching the Swiss SailGP team in Bermuda, the academy was left in the highly capable hands of Brian Phipps and Dan Teubert, with on-water safety and coaching support from Piers. Participants travelled from all corners of England and Wales, bringing together a vast range of experience.
Day 1: Tuning and Technicalities
Day one kicked off at 10:00 AM sharp under ideal conditions: light winds and bright sunshine. Dan took charge of the Dart 18 fleet while Brian focused on the Dart 15s, starting with a comprehensive boat-tuning session. For the 18s, Dan ran through the vital adjustments needed to prepare a boat for the elements, covering everything from trampoline and toe-strap tightness to hull alignment, rudder setup, and mast rake. He explained the mechanics of airflow across the sails, emphasising how the jib essentially "turbo-charges" the mainsail. Afterward, Brian led a practical session on the best techniques for righting a capsized Dart.
As the gentle breeze and sunshine held into the afternoon, we hit the water for a series of drills. We practiced follow-the-leader, boat speed control, and continuous tacking and gybing. The coaches showed us how body positioning helps helm the boat through a turn, how to cleanly "whip" the jib across during a gybe, and the absolute necessity of moving with "fairy footsteps" to keep the hulls quiet in light air.
Day 2: Blowing a Hooley
It felt as though Windsport had pre-ordered the weather, because day two served up the exact opposite conditions. The wind was blowing a hooley, offering the perfect occasion to test our heavy-weather setups and try to handle a Dart in high winds. After tuning our boats for the heavy breeze based on Dan’s advice from the previous day, the fleet apprehensively launched into the middle of the Carrick Roads. We tackled a tight, short-course triangle that left virtually no time to think between maneuvers. It was intense, fast-paced, and brilliant. Dan and Piers buzzed alongside us in the RIB, capturing video footage for a post-sailing analysis. Next up was start line strategy. Dan demonstrated how to take a transect, assess line bias, hold position on the line, and accelerate with power. He then put our fleet to the test—quickly highlighting our strengths and, more often, our weaknesses! The winds refused to let up after lunch, but we headed back out onto a longer triangle course. Dan and Piers chased us, bellowing instructions while we focused on trying to keep the boat upright.
We rounded of the afternoon by putting our start linelessons into practice. To keep us on our toes, Dan sneakily adjusted the start clock forward or backward by 15 seconds, forcing us to react on the fly.Thoroughly exhausted but exhilerated, the fleet met up that evening for a pizza social, giving everyone an unique opportunity to unwind and pick the brains of Brian and Dan.
Day 3: Turning it over to Racing
The final day began in the workshop with Alex, who led a hands-on session on rudder assembly, maintenance, and common troubleshooting tips. This was followed by a formal race briefing before we took to the water for a high-intensity series of five short races. The academy wrapped up with a comprehensive course debrief and a prize-giving ceremony. Ben and I drove away with our heads spinning but lots to work on, that will hopefully improve our sailing. We owe a huge thank you to the entire Windsport team for so generously sharing their decades of expert knowledge, patience, and experience with us. It was an incredible week of sailing, and we will definitely be back for the next one.
