I know i am not answering any questions rased here but i just wanted to give my 2 cents.

Lots of good info on here...

Even though I am not officially a “racer” I have the mentality that EVERYTHING IS A RACE.. first one with the mast up... first one in the water, first one to the beach-bar, first one back to the causeway... catch me if you can... etc

I am VERY, VERY, LUCKY and get to sail 100 days a year, and I sail with some great guys. They have taught me allot, and sailing with them every weekend for the past few years has enabled me to learn a ton. The past 2 years I have really become a sailor (even though I started 30 years ago, and was in the US Navy)…

I am at the point where i have read a ton. I read books, read forums, talk to alot of people, watch a lot of people sail.

I think my next "Tool" for increasing my skills is a GPS so i can tweak my actions and increase speed. i.e. what moving 12 inches forward does to my speed... what is faster in a puff, sheeting out or pinching a hair, etc.

I was sailing in 20+ and my crew had a GPS. It was a blast. He was yelling out the speed and i liked the instant feedback of my actions.... BUT it was VERY distracting...