Today’s guest is one of the most quietly influential sailors on the J/70 circuit—Patrick Wilson. Whether it’s Midwinters, North Americans, or the Bacardi series, if you’ve been following top-tier J/70 racing over the last few years, chances are you’ve seen Patrick’s name near the top of the results sheet—often as part of some of the most respected and well-run programs in the fleet.
Patrick has a reputation not just for his trimming skills and consistency under pressure, but for the calm, collaborative way he helps elevate everyone around him. He’s sailed with teams like Catapult, Black Mamba, and Stampede, working with legends like Victor Diaz de Leon, Jud Smith, and Bruno Pasquinelli. Today, in Part 1 of our chat, we’ll dig into how he prepares, what he looks for on the racecourse, and why great communication might just be the most underrated skill in the sport.
In Part 2 which I’ll publish in a bit, we dive into his raceboat preparation business.
What is Sailfaster: The Podcast For Racing Sailors?
Sailfaster is the podcast for competitive sailors who want to sail faster and win more races. Each episode, host Pete Boland sits down with Olympic medallists, America's Cup and SailGP sailors, offshore racers and coaches to unpack starting technique, boat speed, race tactics, crew management, regatta preparation and race-day mindset — the details that separate the front of the fleet from the rest. Whether you race dinghies, one-designs, keelboats or offshore, you'll walk away with something to use on the water this weekend.