Those who have been sailing for a few years will recall the popular book 'Start to Win' by the late Eric Twiname. It has been out of print for over 20 years but is being re-launched with Royalties passing to the Eric Twiname sailing charity, see the e-mail below:


The Eric Twiname Memorial Trust and 'Start to Win'

Early last year the Eric Twiname Memorial Trust was generously assigned the author's copyright of 'Start to Win', written by Eric Twiname in 1973. Out of print for over 20 years, Adlard Coles (now Adlard Coles Nautical, part of A & C Black Publishers) have recently republished this classic - now in its 3rd Edition and substantially re-designed, with a Foreward by Ben Ainslie and an updated Rules section by Bryan Willis to accord with the 2009-2012 ISAF Rules. 

Despite the passage of time 'Start to Win' has undoubtedly retained its position as the book on simple racing principles, written as it was specifically for the benefit of the ordinary dinghy sailor. As such it manages to remove much of the mystique of racing sailing and assists helmsmen to improve their skills and tactical ability. There is arguably nothing else that sets out the techniques of sailing in such a clear, understandable and straightforward manner. 'Start to Win' has been welcomed back by its many followers, and will no doubt be read for the first time by many more. This classic, which complements 'The Rules Book' also written by Eric Twiname and revised by Bryan Willis for the 2009-2012 rules, is set to help sailors achieve their racing best for many years to come.

Royalties from 'Start to Win' go to the Eric Twiname Memorial Trust, which was set up in 1980 in order to perpetuate Eric’s memory and to enable his many and diverse sailing interests to continue. It became a registered charity in 1991 with the primary objective of providing funding or equipment that will assist those in full-time education at schools and universities in the United Kingdom to sail or yacht race, with the emphasis being directed towards youth. Purchase of this book will therefore assist the Trust with its invaluable support for youth racing sailing, which includes bursaries for juniors on starter courses, the on-going provision of support RIBS for all nine national youth classes, the funding of dinghies for training purposes for sailing associations and clubs, and the financing of national championship events. For further information please visit our website www.erictwinametrust.org. 


It would be very much appreciated if you could bring this e-mail to the attention of your members via your website. 'Start to Win' is available from Adlard Coles Nautical (discount price £15.29) and through most nautical booksellers, as well as Amazon. 



Kind regards,



Bruce Aitken

Chairman, Eric Twiname Memorial Trust

Just a fantastic book I'm not sure I even have a copy any more, I think I it know it by heart! I once met a chap (a crew of Greg O'Briens) who boasted that he had an autograpgh of the chap crewing in the firely (with the thick rimmed glasses), I think the pictures were demonstrating the loading on the mast going downwind and were best to pop your weight fore and aft. Anyway, I'm still jealous he had the autographs...

Maybe I'll get a copy.

I've been after an old copy on ebay for ages, looks like I will have to buy a new one. 

I have Twiname's "Sail, Race and Win" which is bloody excellent. The real beauty is in how the author describes the mental attitude and processes you need to race (often more useful to me than his descriptions of how to physically handle the boat).

I have an original copy of this somewhere. Obviously I have not read it!!!

My copy, which I bought with my statistics prize book voucher from school in 1972, is doing the rounds at Thames.  That's reminded me to get it back.

I've also got a copy of the team racing book as well

There are new and s/h copies available on Amazon for not much money - sounds like it's something I could do with too.

I read the original in the 70's.  One of the clearest books on helming ever written with some interesting exercises - sailing blind, rudderless sailing for example.  The section separating a beat into 2 componenents, the race against time (shifts, tidal advantage) as against the "obstacle race" how you get round the other boats to best advantage is beautifully thought out.  I can remember all the diagrams of the wind obstructions and the sequences of roll tacks in GP14's.  If you haven't read it, get it now!  Having said that, it didn't get me starting to win!!!

If I remember correctly the chap in the michael caine glasses was one of the Curran's from Elton S.C