Last week, nine students at the Woodenboat School, who do their sailing with radio-controlled model sailboats, got the opportunity to learn the skills necessary for racing their “pond yachts” in serious regattas. While the scale is different, it turns out that many of the elements are the same as for racing full-size yachts — proper tuning before the race, understanding sail trim during the race and knowing how to apply the rules and tactics of sailboat racing. STEPHEN RAPPAPORT PHOTOS