Don’t miss Zig Sailing Insiders’ exclusive interview with SailGP’s Team USA driver, Taylor Canfield. Get the play-by-play of what it’s like to race at speeds over 60 mph, straight from the source. Taylor shares insights on training, preparation, and the exhilarating experience of controlling the F50 in close quarters with 10 other teams all vying for victory.
Photo Credit SailGP
Insider interview with sailgp driver Taylor Canfield
The early adventures of sailing
TCO: Taylor, tell us a bit about the earlier years of sailing life. How old were you when you started your sailing career and how did you get to where you are today?
TC: Well, that’s a lot of history, but I can try to break it down. I was super fortunate to grow up in the US Virgin Islands, St. Thomas to be exact. It was like living in a total tropical playground every day of the year. Luckily for us the way we were raised, most of the sailing we were doing at a young age was more of the adventurous type. We were constantly looking for new places to explore and new islands to check out. We would just find a cool spot and tie up the boat to a rock along the beach and start trudging through the salt marshes and checking out different parts of the island. It quickly became not only a hobby, but a new avenue for my friends and I to compete. I started racing at a pretty young age, but I think that sense of adventure and that side of sailing never left me until I left for the States to attend college. So, we had this beautiful place to sail, explore and try new things. It was just awesome and gave the push to want to do more. I always wanted to go sailing and just get out on the water because it was so beautiful.
TCO: When did you decide to make the move to the States?
TC: I moved right after high school, so my entire early life was spent in St. Thomas. When I moved to the States, I went directly to Boston College and did my 4 years there majoring in economics. I had a successful four years sailing on the team at BC. After college, I started Match Racing. I guess that is where the professional side of my sailing started to take off.
Dinghy Sailing to SAilGP
TCO: So, how did the transition from your success with dinghy sailing and match racing move to the SailGP venue? How did the opportunity present itself?
TC: There were certainly a lot of steps between my match racing days and the SailGP circuit! It all stemmed from the dream of wanting to race in the America’s Cup, a goal I’ve had ever since I was a kid. Watching Peter Holmberg, who is also from St. Thomas, compete in the World Match Racing Tour, and then witnessing his transition to the America’s Cup, really ignited my ambition to achieve the same level of success.
Photo Credit Sail GP
As match racing and the America’s Cup transitioned to faster boats, I became even more determined to pursue my dreams. I had been successful match racing in the monohulls, so I made the decision to extend that experience into the realm of multihulls, specifically in the M32 class. For about 3 years, I skippered an M32 team on the World Match Racing Tour. All in all, I just progressed from match racing to match racing in faster and faster boats, into some extreme sailing stuff in the hydrofoils and the GC 32’s.
Then in 2018, I got a call from Rome Kirby asking me if I wanted to join this new league (SailGP) with him leading the US team driving the boat and me doing the flight control. Understatedly, my answer was YES, with eyes wide open!! There was no way I could say no to that offer.
Racing the F50 on the SailGP Circuit was a whole new learning curve and continues to be a steep learning curve. It’s unlike any other sailing I’ve experienced and something that most sailors have never done. These boats were initially used in Bermuda for the America’s Cup, but they were later reintroduced on a new platform with new control systems and established their own one-design class. The SailGP circuit has recruited all the best sailors in the world and let them fight for the championship.
New Challenges
TCO: What was the biggest challenge for you making the transition from a monohull to the F50 multihull?
TC: Well, I guess all the same stuff still applies as if you were sailing a monohull. You are still looking for the wind and still mapping out your course. The biggest transition is how quickly things happen. You are constantly just trying to set yourself up for the next 2 or 3 maneuvers, because if you are not, these boats are going so fast, it becomes dangerous very quickly. You’re always training your mind to be several steps ahead of where you are. This is not always easy when the boats around you are moving a little erratic and you are not always 100% sure what their next move is going to be. You always need to anticipate what might happen and be prepared with a plan for your next move if it does. It’s all about constant forward-thinking.
It's a constant mental process, always thinking about how to approach the challenges ahead and which data to prioritize.
The next challenge lies in how data driven these boats are. Much of the sailing you do as a young kid relies on intuition and feel, using your eyes to gauge how you’re doing compared to other boats and making adjustments based on that feedback. With the F50s, you have access to endless amounts of data which help you improve your performance more rapidly. However, the amount of information coming at you can be overwhelming and complicated to process all at once. It’s a constant mental process, always thinking about how to approach the challenges ahead and which data to prioritize. You have to learn to pick apart different aspects of the race and prioritize what needs the most attention – what’s the “biggest fish” that we need to tackle first. When you get past the big stuff, you can start to focus on pulling some of the smaller pieces apart and working the fine tuning. The teams that are getting all those fine-tuned details down are the ones sailing better in the long run. So, figuring out how to handle all of this information is another big learning curve. Don’t get me wrong, even with all of this data, you still have to do a ton of looking around to actually see what the best path across the racecourse might be!
What a rush!
TCO: It undoubtably must be just such an extreme rush to be out on these boats. Tell us what it is like firsthand. What is going through your head at such high speeds and close quarters?
TC: I guess I’ve always prided myself on being able to completely switch off from the rest of my outside life for the couple hour span while sailing, racing, or competing. I become hyper focused on the job at hand. When you step into these boats (F50), even a one-second lapse of your mind thinking about something else could mean missing something crucial that affects your boats performance, or, worse, a crash with another boat doing 40+ knots.
Sailing these boats is unbelievably exhilarating; the boats are just insane to be on. The apparent wind alone is crazy. Think about sticking your head out of the car when you are driving 60 mph down the freeway — the rush of wind, how hard it is to hear, it’s just total sensory overload. Well, when we’re sailing over 30 knots upwind, often in 25 knots of breeze, we’re facing up to 55 knots of apparent wind. Now, imagine trying to do your job at the same time: sailing the boat well, making the right decisions, communicating clearly. And all the while you are getting pounded in the face with water. And let’s not forget about withstanding those crazy G-forces as the boat maneuvers around.
Photo Credit Sail GP
I don’t even know how to describe it, other than its just fast and a pure adrenaline rush. It makes me smile just thinking about it because of how exhilarating it is. But there’s always a serious danger factor lingering over you, especially when you are in top–end conditions and the stakes are high. It’s real, especially when you think that any mistake could potentially hurt one of your crew. Having been in a few crashes and even flipping one over, it’s no joke. Safety is paramount, and we all take safety very seriously – we have to.
*Note: This interview took place before SailGP Bermuda in May 2024.
TCO: Speaking of crew, how many are typically onboard? Is there a weight limit restriction?
TC: It depends on the wind conditions, but we sail with anywhere from 4 to 6 crew each race. There actually is a weight limit. Most people don’t know this, but there are 3 weight brackets that SailGP has defined for crew weight. They rules are a bit complicated, but basically the total combined weight of all team members must be below a top end weight. If you match the top weight, you do not have to carry any corrector weights. If you are below the 2nd level of weight, then you must carry 15 kg of corrector weights. If you are below the next level, you must carry 30 kg of corrector weights.
SailGP is making every effort to ensure that all teams are evenly matched. The aim is to keep the racing highly competitive and maintain crew weights within a specific range. Given that these boats have a 38-foot beam, having additional weight on the rail is extremely advantageous.
sailgp - the logistics
TCO: What is the target or average time of each race?
TC: SailGP’s target race time is 16-minute, and they will not let the races go over that time. If the race committee anticipates that the race will exceed the time limit, then they will shorten the course. If a team does not finish within the 16-minute limit, they will be scored at the previous turning mark. The scoring can get really complicated at times.
TCO: How long does 16 minutes on the racecourse feel like?
TC: Oh man, it honestly is such a rush it feels like it is about 2 or 3 minutes! It’s pretty wild! About two minutes after you start, you are already rounding the bottom mark. This first leg off the starting line is probably the most stressful part of the race. All of your focus is making it to the reach mark and being able to be the first one to jibe. The boats are all so condensed into a tight pack coming in from both directions at 40+ knots – the stress levels at are at maximum level!
TCO: Explain the actual racecourse for SailGP.
TC: The racecourses will vary slightly depending on the size of the venue. Typically, there will be a reach followed by 2 windward/leeward laps around the course, followed by a blast reach finish in front of the crowd. Depending on where the venue is, sometimes we’ll reach from the top mark, sometimes from the bottom mark and sometimes around the reach mark in the middle of the course.
As with all racing, starting is super important. Getting to mark #1 in a good spot is paramount to setting yourself up to having a good race. You need to round mark #1 in a decent position and then execute everything from that point on…. which is quite difficult.
The technology on these boats is pretty wild. We have multiple monitors on the boat. Each monitor on the wing is about 30.” The Data fed into the monitors is being collected from multiple points on the boat. We have this starting software that gives us an incredible amount of data, including the time to start, time to kill, and the ratio of both. It also has this unbelievable graphic which some call the palm, others call it the wave because of the way that it is shaped. It tells you that if your bow is anywhere on the line of the graph you are in line to start perfectly. It’s not just showing you numbers, it is showing you on this incredible visual where you are just trying to ride the “wave or palm” back into the start. On the other side of the boat, there is another monitor with another “palm graphic” leading out in front of the boat and at any moment it shows you where you are going to intersect the line if you maintain any certain heading. The software is beyond words as to what they have developed over the years. The crazy thing is that we are hitting the line with such precision, that we are within ¼ of a second of the start and incredibly high speeds. Not to forget, doing all of this without smashing into another boat!
team usa
TCO: With some of the challenges that you mentioned earlier with transitioning to the F50, and having a newly formed team, do you see other crewmates having similar challenges with the learning curve?
TC: I think that most of us are still getting used to absorbing the tremendous amount of data that is given at one time. Also, we’ve all come to realize just how small the margin of error is on these boats. Ultimately, it comes down to perfecting the little things and making sure that we remain consistent all the time. As in all sailing, effective communication is important for consistency, especially when it comes to micro adjustments like those of the mainsail. These are ongoing areas that we’re continually working on to build our team’s performance. It is crucial that we work on these important items because of the sensitivity of these boats, even the most minute adjustments are imperative.
Photo Credit Sail GP
Even with us being “newly formed,” I think that we can sail well enough to compete with the best when we are at 85% to 90%. Our challenge is staying at that level all around the course.
TCO: Including the 4 to 6 crew members, how many people does Team USA have with their traveling support team?
TC: We normally have 16 people on site including the sailors. In addition to the on-the water team, this includes all our landside support team, but does not include the 4 to 5 people that are pretty much working around the clock back here in the US.
We have a new addition to our group for the next stop — a young intern from the US. He is coming out to help with the boat side of things. We are really pumped about this opportunity, because we are considering launching an internship program for the next few events.
TCO: The internship program sounds interesting and a great opportunity for some young sailors that have an interest in SailGP. Can you give any more information about the program?
TC: We don’t have anything too formal set just yet, but the program will hopefully takeoff soon. It is a work in progress, and we are aiming to make it more formal. We hope to offer an internship to a young, enthusiastic sailor who can assist with the boat set-up, in addition to being a part of the sailing team.
So far, the kids that are going to be joining us are sailors who have reached out directly to either Mike Buckley or myself. They have been extremely consistent and eager to find out how they can get involved. We have had young sailors offering to volunteer for any position. Some are even offering to cover their own travel, room and board, just to be a part of the team and to learn more about SailGP firsthand. The enthusiasm is great, and it’s exciting that there is so much interest out there.
As the program becomes more formal, we want to focus on kids who are genuinely passionate about the sport and want to learn more. Hopefully they will be able to make SailGP a significant part of their future. We give a lot of credit to the ones that have reached out so far and had the courage to just say to us, “I want to learn more, I want to get involved, I want to be a part of the next generation,” showing a genuine passion for the sport.
It is a goal for Mike and I to establish a high performance training platform for the next generation. Whether that’s through an M32 or ETF-46, or getting some kids in Moths, we’re constantly brainstorming on the best ways to get the next generation of US sailors involved.
The F-50
TCO: Back to the boat a bit. How much hands-on maintenance does the crew actually do? Does Team USA have a team of experts that travel with them?
TC: Well, interesting that you ask. We are in a pretty big transition period right now with SailGP. SailGP has a centralized tech team that has always been heavily involved in making sure that the boats are ready to go, calibrating the boats, the systems, etc. That team has grown significantly, while our personal shore teams have shrunk. So now all SailGP teams rely more on this centralized tech team to maintain the boats than they do on in-house teams. Previously, each team would have 3 to 4 people onsite who were totally hands on doing boat work.
We will see how it goes with this centralized team taking over the entire fleet maintenance of the boats. The bonus is, that there are many skilled people involved there, and hopefully we will see equal treatment across the fleet. The one downside to the change is that these guys are not working directly for our team, so they don’t see the boats as their asset, their baby, ensuring that every little bit is perfect and ready for racing.
With this transition, I’m noticing the sailing team becoming a little more hands-on, triple-checking their areas to make sure that everything is sorted. Hopefully we will settle into a routine where the centralized team becomes super solid, and we won’t have anything to be concerned about when we go sailing.
TCO: One of the perks of being a part of SailGP must be all the great travel! Please tell me that you guys get a chance to explore the areas when you are not out on the water.
TC: I wish I could say different, but unfortunately, it’s mostly about business when we travel. Some of the guys might try to take a day or two on either side of the trip, but unless there are some delays in boat building or other logistical things, we are pretty much straight to the boat. Most of our days are between 11- and 14-hour days, onsite sailing, cleaning and making sure that everything is ready to go for the next day.
TCO: About how many race days per season do you guys have?
TC: This season we have 13 events, but a bit shorter for Team US because we came in mid-season. Next season is sounding like a big step-up with several back-to-back races in Europe, and I believe they are shooting for 18 total events. This season runs from June to July, so just over a calendar year. Next season will start in November and run through to December the following year. We will throw in a training block in early November just before the start of the season.
Photo Credit Sail GP
Training Time
TCO: You mentioned a training block in November. Do you guys have a designated area that you train, or is that decided by SailGP?
TC: We are not actually allowed to use the boats until 2 days prior to an event. So we don’t have access to the boats unless we are racing. All the boats are owned by the league, they control the shipping and where they are going. As of right now, they are still working on where the training block will be set up, but it will likely be somewhere in the Middle East where the next season will start.
One of the drawbacks of not having much access to training on the boats is that it feels like it is hindering our ability to level up to some of the other teams who have more experience sailing together. Some teams have probably close to 1000 days of sailing together from their experience in the Olympics and America’s Cup, while we’ve only had a total of 4 days foiling together as a unit! But every minute we are getting so much better as a team. It’s evident with us starting to get some races on the podium line in Abu Dhabi. That’s pretty impressive for how new and fresh we are to the league.
TCO: Speaking of training, since you can’t physically train together on the boat, do you have a training regimen in place off the water?
TC: For sure, we have a strength and conditioning coach, Craig McFarlane. Craig worked with Oracle Team USA, and the America’s Cup in Bermuda. He has been with SailGP from the beginning. He does a great job looking after our physical condition and has put together a strength program for each of the teammates. He is also really involved with our nutritional stuff.
In addition to that Red Bull has recently come on-board as a partner for Team US. They have opened their doors to the team and given us full access to mental coaches, physical trainers, nutritionists, and basically anything we want, including access to their training facilities.
Before the Halifax event, our grinders are going to the Red Bull North American headquarters to train on two new grinding machines that we had installed. Additionally, our wing trimmer, flight controller, and strategist are heading to Ireland to get some time in the SailGP simulator, which will help keep the focus on sailing the boat.
**Spoiler Alert**. They are building a SailGP simulator inhouse now and will hopefully be available in October/November. Rumor has it, that it will be available to the public!
TCO: Well, with so much sailing success behind you and with SailGP moving in the positive direction that it is, what is on the horizon for the future? You have a lot of great years left in sailing because of your young age, what could possibly be next?
TC: Well, hopefully I have at least a few more years left with SailGP! I continue to do other racing, I am still racing pretty much around the clock with the M32, Melges 24, J/70, Etchells and a few other big boat events, so I keep a busy schedule throughout the year. I really enjoy the one design racing in the smaller keelboats. I certainly wouldn’t say the America’s Cup is out of the picture for Mike and myself, that is a chapter that neither of us are ready to close just yet.
Taylor, best of luck to you and the entire US SailGP Team for the remainder of the 2024 season! Zig Sailing Insiders will be cheering you on.
-Ty Christopher Olsen, May 22, 2024
