Book review: Winning Isn't Luck by Fred Imhoff

Winning Isn't Luck by Fred Imhoff © Magnus Smith

Page 66 of Winning Isn't Luck by Fred Imhoff © Henk Plaatje

Seeing this book title really made me chuckle, and I have a soft spot for Imhoff from my childhood, when I would drool over photos of Flying Dutchman control systems in his 1984 book, which is literally within reach of where I sit in my office. I cheerfully requested a review copy of the new book.

I'm pleased to report it has lots of good bits of information, many small tips that I think are worth remembering, as well as some larger discourses that I think I need to re-read to understand fully.

Thank goodness the diagrams are numerous; they really help explain things so much better than text. Some of those diagrams gave me real eye-opening moments. Page 66 was a personal favourite, which means I now shouldn't pick the wrong side of the beat when considering tide/current. The only trouble comes when you realise a racing sailor must consider all these little nuggets of knowledge simultaneously, and weigh up the advantages of one over the other if they oppose.

Imhoff's discussion of protest technique elicited a laugh. He's a cunning fellow! I did a little research on other books that consider protests and they seem rather rare. Eric Twiname does cover them in 'Start to Win' (also in print from Adlard Coles Nautical / Bloomsbury). I did like Imhoff's approach though. The advice is great for mid-fleet sailors, who may not see a protest at their club for years, then get embroiled in one at a championship.

Upon reaching the back of the book I was delighted to see it had a proper index. Maybe I am a bit of a book geek, but no-one likes flicking pages endlessly when (say) you can't recall where the bit about blanketing was.

That reminds me, the analysis of blanketing was definitely a whole new way of thinking. Very scientific, yet proven by practical observation too. I will store that one away and hope my brain can retrieve it when required.

To decide if this book is right for you, use the 'Look inside!' feature on Amazon to virtually flick through the pages. I've also reproduced the list of chapter titles below. Whilst I am a dinghy sailor, the book has been written with equal attention to small keelboats too.

Book details

Fred Imhoff
Winning Isn't Luck
How to Succeed in Racing Dinghies and Yachts
Paperback, with ebook editions in EPUB, PDF and Kindle format
FIrst edition 2016
For sale at www.bloomsbury.com/uk/winning-isnt-luck-9781472922465

"Imhoff doesn't believe he was a better helmsman than his competitors -
he just thought more about all the aspects that contributed to his success."

Pages 52-53 of Winning Isn't Luck by Fred Imhoff - photo © Bloomsbury

Contents

• INTRODUCTION
• ESTABLISHING PRIORITIES
• PREPARATION
• EQUIPMENT
• THE FORCES ON FITTINGS AND LINES
• THE HOW AND WHY OF TRIMMING
• WEATHER HELM
• TRIMMING ON WAVES
• METEOROLOGY
• SAILBOAT RACING IN CURRENT
• TACTICS
• PROTESTS AND WHAT THEY ENTAIL
• THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SAILBOAT RACING
• INSTRUMENTS
• HOW SAILS WORK
• AFTERWORD
• FURTHER READING
• INDEX