"What? don't you point, reach, tack and jibe when sailing recreationally? Other than rounding a static mark what exactly do you learn while racing that can't be learned otherwise? Racing requires a special knowledge that has no application in recreational sailing. Sure, you need to know the basic rules of the water to sail anywhere, but you don't need to know rounding rights, overlap, windward/leeward to enjoy sailing a catamaran."

Racing skills come in pretty handy if you're trying to beat a storm back to the beach, or trying to reach the beach before sundown and the "no seeums" come out.

The competitive nature of racing hones those skills. For instance the racer who picks-up a subtle current or persistent shift is rewarded immediately and learns to look for them.